Chapter 168: The Wolf King's Feast, The Shock of the King's Arrival

In the Great Hall of Winterfell, barrels of vodka and Blue Noble emitted a rich, fragrant aroma of wine, while cheers and laughter echoed beneath the hall's rafters and hearths.

Domeric, heir to the Dreadfort, strummed his harp as the music flowed; Domeric began to sing "The Conquest Beyond the Wall," a new song he had composed, with lyrics praising the Wolf King Eddard for crushing the wildling army and winning the loyalty of the tribes beyond the Wall.

Greatjon Umber beat a hide drum, while the black bear Randolph and the white bear Little Gasol stood on their hind legs and danced to the beat. These two adorable little bears were only a few months old, a gift to Eddard from Byars, leader of the Great Bear Tribe. Watching the comical bears, Sansa smiled shyly, while Arya laughed until she doubled over.

Bran rode on the back of the direwolf Night, while Rickon lay on the pregnant belly of the mother wolf Sunshine. The servants of Winterfell had grown accustomed to the direwolves, but the servants and squires brought by other nobles showed fear in their eyes the moment they saw the direwolves, which were the size of warhorses.

The first night was the Victory Feast; the guests at this banquet were all Northern nobles, with no wildling leaders, no skinchangers, and no giants.

In truth, Eddard had invited Tormund, the Lord of Bones, Harma Dogshead, the Eagle King McCain, the Bear King Byars, and others, but these leaders from beyond the Wall were simply unable to get away.

Over a hundred thousand wildlings had poured into the Winter Town. These wildling leaders, together with the Winterfell guards, maintained order and, more importantly, had to settle their own people, ensure they all received food, and apprehend those who committed crimes of rape, robbery, theft, or assault, throwing them into the makeshift prisons erected in the Winter Town.

Among the criminal population, wildlings were the majority, but there were also natives of the North. Because Eddard had previously issued a clear order that those who broke the law would become forced laborers and must perform hard labor to atone for their sins, within a few short days, hundreds of forced laborers had been sent to the Stark Estate near Winterfell; in this way, there was no shortage of manpower for clearing wasteland and building houses.

With the wildling leaders unable to spare the time, Eddard had no choice but to gather the Northern nobles first to hold the victory banquet, rewarding and commending the Northern nobles and Black Brothers who had distinguished themselves beyond the Wall. This was for the best, as it avoided awkwardness; after all, these Northern heroes and Black Brothers had built their merits by defeating the wildlings, and furthermore, the wildlings harbored hatred for the Night's Watch—seeing their former enemies take the stage to receive awards would have been hard for anyone to stomach.

Amidst the cheers of the Northern nobles and the servants of Winterfell, Eddard walked onto the high platform.

Eddard said, "In this expedition beyond the Wall, I worried that summoning my vassals would affect farming across the North, so I did not summon a single Northern vassal. Under these circumstances, the mountain clansmen, House Umber, House Karstark, and the Rock-born tribes acted spontaneously, following the banner of the direwolf to march beyond the Wall. House Mormont of Bear Island blocked the enemies crossing the Bay of Ice during the war, fighting with blood and iron. I must commend the loyalty of these nobles!"

Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Greatjon Umber, Lord Rickard Karstark, the mountain clan leaders Big Bucket, Middle Liddle, Black Donald, Lady Maege, and the Rock-born leaders Billy and Rayson walked onto the high platform to receive from Eddard's hands the direwolf medals of honor—belts crafted from bronze and inlaid with sapphires, garnets, and moonstones, which were exceptionally magnificent.

In addition, each of these nobles received a jar of Gold Dragons, a bolt of brocade embroidered with the direwolf sigil, and a warhorse.

Roose Bolton of the Dreadfort, Lord Wyman Manderly of White Harbor, Lady Barbrey of Barrowton, the Glover brothers of Deepwood Motte, Herman Tallhart of Torrhen's Square, and others could only cast envious gazes at the nobles receiving awards on the stage. They had missed the Great Conquest beyond the Wall, missing out on the glory and the rewards.

Next, Eddard invited the commanders of the Night's Watch—the Old Bear Mormont, Benjen, Cotter Pyke of Eastwatch, Qhorin Halfhand, and others—to the stage to receive awards.

Cotter Pyke, commander of Eastwatch, after the commander of the eastern army, Jory Cassel, was captured, led the eastern army to crush the wildling army in the Haunted Forest; he also led the fleet to destroy many wildling coastal villages, forcing the wildling army to flee toward the north.

Qhorin Halfhand captured the Giant's Stair in the Frostfangs and, with Benjen's cooperation, shattered the wildling defense line at the Frostfangs; Qhorin Halfhand even personally captured the former Black Brother Mance Rayder, and thus Qhorin was considered a Black Brother who had emerged from the war beyond the Wall as a legendary hero.

As for the Old Bear Mormont, he led the Night's Watch to fully cooperate with the North's offensive.

"The Black Brothers are the heroes of the Wall; without them, the North could not have annexed the lands beyond the Wall."

The gifts Eddard bestowed were pure black mink coats, black fox fur cloaks, obsidian daggers, and magnificent black deerskin boots, along with black warhorses with brand-new saddles and gold coins. Every Black Brother refused the Gold Dragons offered to them.

The Old Bear explained, "Lord Eddard, thanks to you, the Night's Watch has achieved unprecedented glory and cleared the wildlings from beyond the Wall. The Black Brothers at Winterfell are well-fed and warmly clothed; our meals are even better than those in Winterfell, with seafood at every turn. If we were to accept Lord Eddard's coins, we would be too greedy."

During the war beyond the Wall, Davon, Thoren Smallwood, and others performed excellently; these men could not come to Winterfell in person to receive their rewards, so Eddard had Mormont take their share of the rewards back to Castle Black.

"Eddard, you should also send a gift to Ser Jeremy Lake," Benjen reminded Eddard, "This man once served as a guide for Fellan."

"And ended up leading Fellan into Mance Rayder's encirclement, nearly costing Fellan his life." For Ser Jeremy Lake, Eddard felt nothing but utter disgust.

Benjen laughed, "Ser Jeremy made a mistake, but the Night's Watch guides Davon, Thoren Smallwood, and Qhorin all received rewards; if you skip Ser Jeremy, it will look like you did it on purpose."

"He has no merit, why should I reward him?" Eddard said coldly, "But for your sake, I am willing to send Ser Jeremy an embroidered pillow, wishing him a peaceful sleep every night."

After the commendations concluded, Eddard said, "While honoring our heroes, we must not forget those Northern warriors who died beyond the Wall. In this war, the pension for each fallen soldier is increased to 8 Silver Stags, and the reward for the wounded is 1 Silver Stag. This money must be distributed in full; any noble who attempts to embezzle the pensions or soldiers' rewards will be punished without mercy!"

Now it was the turn of the attendants and soldiers brought by the Northern nobles to cheer in unison.

Following this, Jon, Robb, Domeric, Theon, Lareza, and others went up to receive their awards; the children of Winterfell had performed excellently in the war. Theon and Lareza had shot and killed enemies multiple times on the battlefield, Jon had captured several spearwives including Ygritte, and Domeric had even captured the wildling leader Morona White Mask.

Seeing Domeric receive his award, Roose Bolton, who had been sullen all night, immediately became spirited, standing up to applaud his son, while Lady Barbrey and the Lord of Ryswell cheered and screamed for their nephew.

That night, Northern nobles, soldiers, Night's Watch officers, and commoner representatives celebrated together in the Great Hall of Winterfell, honoring the Wolf King Eddard's feat of conquering the lands beyond the Wall and relocating over a hundred thousand wildlings.

Roose Bolton toasted Eddard, "In this great conquest beyond the Wall, the Dreadfort missed out on the glory, which is truly a pity. Had I known, I would have sent a few hundred cavalrymen to join Lord Eddard on the expedition. I am very happy that Domeric has earned merit; my bastard, Ramsay Snow, is also a piece of war material."

The Victory Feast ended, and the Wolf King's Feast on the second day would be the grandest of all, for Northern nobles, wildling leaders, and giants would all attend in full; this was the first great gathering of the new North, stretching from north of the Neck to beyond the Wall and up to the Arctic.

In his study, Eddard listened to the voices and laughter coming from the hall, with the steward Vayon Poole and Catelyn standing beside him.

Vayon Poole said, "Lord Eddard, are the giants really going to attend the banquet? I worry they will break the rafters of our hall's roof!"

Eddard laughed, "It's not that exaggerated; as long as the giants don't jump around, they won't hit their heads at all."

Vayon Poole frowned, "That may be so, but where will we find chairs to accommodate the giants?"

Eddard said, "I have communicated with the Old Tongue translator Leather; giants prefer to sit on the ground. If you bring a chair, the giants won't be used to it."

Catelyn frowned, "The vodka and Blue Noble brewed in Winterfell are addictive even to some rough Northern men, let alone giants? A giant drinking a barrel is no different from a normal person drinking a cup. Eddard, I warn you, if the giants get drunk and go on a rampage in the hall, who can stop them?"

Eddard said, "Don't worry, I will have Leather remind the giants to drink less."

The hall was packed with people, and Winterfell steward Vayon Poole announced loudly, "My lords and ladies, welcome the Duke of the North, Eddard Stark!"

The hundreds of guests in the hall stood up and applauded one after another; when Mag, Wun Wun, Leilei, Xixi, and Peipei, those giant leaders, stood up, more than half the hall went dark.

Eddard and Catelyn walked toward the high platform amidst the cheers of the crowd, with Robb, Theon, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and little Rickon following Eddard toward the high platform that symbolized honor.

Because he was a bastard, Jon Snow could not go to the high platform to enjoy the feast; he could only sit with the squires and servants. Jon did not mind, because Old Nan and Hodor were here, the Dornishwoman Lareza was also here, and furthermore, "Kissed by Fire" Ygritte was here too.

The seats for the Northern nobles were on the right side of the high platform, while the wildling leaders from beyond the Wall were arranged on the left side of the high platform; these were the new nobles of the North, the new favorites of the direwolf.

Tormund Giantsbane, Harma Dogshead, Alfyn Crowkiller, the Lord of Bones, Varamyr, the Eagle King McCain, and other wildling leaders beat their chests and shouted, "Father of Life! Wolf King Eddard!"

The Northern nobles, Lord Wyman Manderly, Greatjon Umber, Rickard Karstark, Maege Mormont, Lady Barbrey, Fellan, and others shouted, "Long live Stark! Long live Winterfell!"

Eddard noticed that the Northern nobles on the right were dressed in finery, while the wildling leaders on the left were in rags, emitting the smell of sweat and animal fur.

Lord Wyman Manderly wore a gray mink coat, with a male merman of House Manderly carved from sapphire on his chest, holding a trident; his sea-blue silk cloak was fastened with a clasp of ivory and carnelian.

Lord Roose Bolton wore an exquisite black-and-red wool cloak, with mole-skin gloves on his hands; he drank his wine sullenly, his eyes like black ice devoid of the slightest emotion. Lady Barbrey sat beside Roose Bolton, wearing a crimson silk gown with opal rings on her fingers, chatting and laughing with Lady Maege on the other side.

Among the mountain clan warriors, Middle Liddle, Black Donald Flint, Big Bucket Wull, and the Rock-born leaders Rayson of King's Hall and Billy of Driftwood Hall, these tribal leaders wore fur coats; their attire was simple but clean and decent.

In contrast, the clothes of the wildling leaders from beyond the Wall were too shabby; it was not hard to see that these wildling leaders had tried their best to pick out their best clothes, but they still didn't look like much.

Tormund Giantsbane's gray fox fur coat was covered in patches; the Lord of Bones was still in his armor of dried bones, though it was clear he had scrubbed it carefully. Harma Dogshead wore a black-and-gray dog-fur coat; fortunately, she had not brought her bloody dog-head spear to the banquet. Big Daddy Yugen's black coat was filthy, even stained with bird droppings.

Fortunately, the North, like the wildlings, had to face the bitter cold and had never placed much importance on formalities. If it had been Southern nobles who were particular about etiquette, they might have viewed sharing a high platform with ragged wildling leaders as an insult and swept away in a huff.

Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Eddard sat on the direwolf throne of House Stark, Catelyn sat to Eddard's left, and Robb appeared to Eddard's right.

Maester Luwin, financial advisor Klar, Maester Norman in charge of medicine, Maester Farmer in charge of agriculture and minerals, Maester Doster who studied mysticism, the Alchemist Ginter, and other members of the think tank sat at the long table beside Eddard.

The Old Bear, Qhorin, Benjen, Cotter Pyke, and other Black Brothers sat in the seats of honor.

Helen Pyke, Winterfell master-at-arms Rodrik Cassel, Jory Cassel, Syrio Forel, the guard Dawson, forge master Mikken, stable master Hullen, and other Winterfell retainers sat together.

Eddard waved his hand to signal, and the cheers of the crowd finally ceased; Eddard said, "Everyone, please be seated."

The Northern vassals, wildling leaders, and Winterfell servants sat down one after another, and Eddard said, "Today, we celebrate the triumphant return of the Northern army, and even more, we celebrate the wildlings and giants of the various tribes beyond the Wall joining the great family of the North!"

Giant King Mag, Wun Wun, Tormund, Harma the Dogshead, the King-Beyond-the-Wall, and others roared again: "Wolf King Eddard! Father of Life!"

The mountain clan chiefs, the Rockborn leaders, Greatjon Umber, Lord Cerwyn, Lord Wyman, Barbrey, and other Northern nobles joined the roar.

After the banquet began, the servants of Winterfell started serving the dishes. As the lord, the food was always served to Eddard first; by custom, he could bestow the food upon his vassals, and the servants would carry it to them to show favor.

Because every Northern noble had received dishes bestowed by Eddard at yesterday's banquet, tonight, Eddard bestowed the exquisite dishes upon the Wildling leaders.

Eddard sent salmon sprinkled with maple syrup to Tormund, bestowed onion beef upon Varamyr, and he bestowed roasted trout upon Eagle King McCain; Goat Girl Gisella and Cat Girl Jeyne received lemon cakes bestowed by Eddard; the King-Beyond-the-Wall, Harma the Dogshead, and Alfyn Crowkiller received roasted wild boar bestowed by Eddard. This wild boar was roasted to a golden, crispy brown, with an apple in its mouth. The King-Beyond-the-Wall mocked Borroq, who was to the side, saying that this wild boar looked exactly like Borroq.

The bounty Borroq received was a plate of whale meat, Giant Eagle Knight Michu received a blueberry pie, apple pie was sent to Morna White Mask, and peacock meat sprinkled with cinnamon and cumin was sent to Dalla and Val.

Mance was still recruiting scattered Wildlings for Eddard Beyond the Wall. Mance believed that nine out of ten Wildlings would follow Eddard south to the Wall, but there were still Wildlings living in the snowy, icy reaches of the primeval forests and remote canyons.

"Father of Life, thank you for providing the hall, the hearth, and the food for the Free Folk," the pregnant Dalla said gently. "You could have enslaved the Free Folk, yet you chose to incorporate the Free Folk as members of the North. Countless Free Folk children, old men, and women have gained a new life in the North because of the Wolf King's benevolence. We will repay this kindness of the Father of Life."

Val said: "On the road, we became friends with Robb and Jon. Wolf King, we are willing to fight for the Direwolf and become members of the Wolf clan."

What Eddard bestowed upon Giant King Mag was a roasted ox skewered on a tree trunk, dripping with grease. This massive ox was enough to feed a group of people, but once it reached the hands of the giants, it was quickly eaten up by Mag, Wun Wun, Xixi, and other giants.

The Wildling leaders had never eaten such delicacies before; the exquisite tin wine cups and silver goblets on the table made the Wildling leaders click their tongues in wonder.

Barrels of vodka, blueberry wine, beer, and ale were opened, and the fragrance of wine filled the entire hall.

The high-proof vodka and blueberry wine brewed by the Winterfell brewery made the Wildling leaders unable to put them down. The giant Wun Wun had a preference for beer; he drank barrel after barrel until he was threatened by Mag that he would be kicked out of the hall, only then did Wun Wun stop drinking.

Afterwards, accompanied by the singing of Domeric, the people in the hall began to dance.

Lord Wyman invited Harma the Dogshead to dance. The whale-sized Lord Wyman almost completely engulfed Harma, making Harma the Dogshead look like an inconspicuous little dog.

Tormund's dance partner was Lady Barbrey. Tormund boasted about every one of his epithets in Lady Barbrey's ear, making her laugh out loud.

Fellan and Samantha danced together; this Terrorbird warrior woman had graceful dance moves, while Fellan was clumsy.

Jon and Ygritte danced amidst the cheers of the servants. Robett Glover invited Val to dance; the Wildling princess's dance moves left the Northern nobles stunned. Val was the kind of woman who would shine at any court ball.

Eddard noticed that the mountain clans, the Umbers, Bear Island, and other nobles bordering the Wall, none of them danced with the Wildling leaders; these families held generations of accumulated hatred toward the Wildlings.

Having new and old grudges was normal; after all, during the process of House Stark unifying the North, the Barrow King and the Red King of the Dreadfort had both been mortal enemies of the Starks. Now, they all submitted under the banner of the Direwolf.

Regardless, the fact that the Northern nobles could feast together with the Wildling leaders was a good start.

Eddard's annexation of the lands Beyond the Wall was indeed an unprecedented achievement; however, how to govern the brand-new North and make the Wildlings and the North blend together was Eddard's real challenge.

Back then, the Young Dragon Daeron I led a great army to pacify Dorne; however, once Daeron I left, Dorne was filled with the smoke of war everywhere. The brief annexation of Dorne cost the Targaryen Dynasty, the Reach, and the Stormlands a heavy price, and Daeron I also died on the battlefield.

When the banquet reached its climax, Tormund raised his wine cup high.

"To the great Wolf King! To the Father of Life!"

All the Northern nobles, giants, and Wildling leaders roared together: "Long live Stark!"

"Long live the King-Beyond-the-Wall!"

"Long live the Wolf King!"

Eddard sat on the Direwolf Throne, listening to various magnificent titles washing over him. Giants, Wildlings, Northern nobles, and Night's Watch officers were all cheering for Eddard.

From the Neck to the Wall, to the Land of Always Winter, Eddard's new North was firmly held in the grip of the Direwolf.

King's Landing, Red Keep, Small Council chamber.

Hand Jon Arryn and King Robert Baratheon convened the Small Council.

When King Robert Baratheon was young, he was a man with clear eyes and a sturdy physique, but years of debauchery in King's Landing had made him fat. Now, his double chin was covered in a thick beard, and his belly protruded.

Hand Jon Arryn had a thick head of white hair, broad shoulders, and his forehead was covered in wrinkles and age spots, yet he was full of vigor.

"Duke Eddard has sent a raven from Castle Black, bringing good news. Duke Eddard, leading the Northern Army and the Night's Watch Rangers, has won a series of victories Beyond the Wall. The King-Beyond-the-Wall Mance Rayder has been executed, and over a hundred thousand Wildlings have been captured by Duke Eddard and migrated to the North. Duke Eddard announces that the lands Beyond the Wall have been annexed into the territory of the North."

Master of Ships Stannis had a gloomy face, Renly Baratheon was beaming, Master of Coin Littlefinger was lost in thought, Master of Whisperers Varys let out a girlish giggle, and Grand Maester Pycelle looked full of sorrow.

Grand Maester Pycelle's bald head was covered in age spots, and he stroked his thick white beard. "My lords, when I first received the letter, I simply could not believe it. You must know, even Aegon the Conqueror, who possessed dragons, could not make the Wildlings Beyond the Wall kneel, yet Duke Eddard has actually done it."

Robert patted his belly. "Eddard has always been good at fighting."

Jon Arryn spread out a map. "Now, the territory of the new North stretches from the Neck in the south to the Land of Always Winter in the north. The territory of the Seven Kingdoms has also become the largest in history. The territory of the Baratheon Dynasty is even larger than that of the Targaryen Dynasty."

Robert was extremely excited; he had always been a man who cared about pageantry and was fond of grand achievements. "Just how big is the territory Beyond the Wall?"

Grand Maester Pycelle said: "Your Grace, no one knows how big the lands Beyond the Wall are. The further north one goes, the colder the climate becomes, and it is rarely visited by men. However, the explored lands north of the Wall are enough to double the territory of the North."

Jon Arryn said with satisfaction: "This is an unprecedented feat."

"Lord Hand, if I may speak frankly, this is an unprecedented threat." Grand Maester Pycelle cleared his throat. "The North was already the largest territory among the Seven Kingdoms, accounting for forty percent of the land. The six kingdoms in the south combined only just exceed the area of the North. Now, Duke Eddard's new North has incorporated the lands Beyond the Wall into its territory; the territory of the new North far exceeds half of Westeros."

Robert was a bit angry. "What do you mean? My relationship with Eddard is tighter than with my own brothers. Are you implying that Eddard will rebel?"

Grand Maester Pycelle's forehead was covered in beads of sweat. "Your Grace, I dare not doubt Duke Eddard's loyalty, but it is an obvious fact that if a vassal's strength is too great, it will threaten the interests of the liege lord. Duke Eddard cannot rebel, but what about the Starks of the future? Who can guarantee that the Starks of the future will be as loyal to Your Grace's descendants as Eddard is?"

Master of Ships Stannis had broad shoulders, a tense face, and skin as hard as iron. He said: "Duke Eddard did not seek the opinion of Your Grace or the Small Council before directly migrating over a hundred thousand Wildlings to the North. He is too benevolent. The laws of the kingdom must be enforced; the Wildlings are enemies of the kingdom and should all be executed, with their corpses hung on the Wall. That way, the enemy would not dare to attack the Wall."

Robert disagreed. "You are just too pedantic. If all the Wildlings were executed, who knows how many years the war would drag on."

Grand Maester Pycelle said: "With so many Wildlings suddenly appearing in the North, if Duke Eddard cannot control them, it will be an internal threat to the Seven Kingdoms!"

Jon Arryn said: "I have complete confidence in Eddard's ability."

Renly Baratheon smiled. "It's just over a hundred thousand Wildlings; they are captives and pose no threat at all."

Varys had a round, chubby, bald head, and his whole body exuded the scent of powder; he gave a sweet, syrupy smile.

"Your Grace, my lords, we all know of the friendship between Duke Eddard, Your Grace, and Hand Jon. However, the songs brought back by the little birds of the North are somewhat frightening! When Duke Eddard passed through Castle Black with the Wildlings, many Wildlings shouted titles of usurpation such as Wolf King, Father of Life, King-Beyond-the-Wall, and even King in the North."

Robert said disdainfully: "Wildlings are all uncivilized savages. They shout a few things at random; is this worth discussing?"

Littlefinger toyed with a cat's paw. He was a slender, small man serving as Robert's Master of Coin, and his face always carried a hint of a mischievous smile. "Your Grace, the North used to be poor. Recently, in the markets of King's Landing, there are more and more best-selling products from Winterfell: perfume, soap, vodka, blueberry wine, maple syrup, and fine salt."

Robert licked his lips. "I can't go a single meal without blueberry wine and maple syrup now. What? Life in Winterfell is a bit better, and you can't stand it?"

Littlefinger shrugged. "Pay attention to Duke Eddard's maneuvers. House Stark has monopolized the production and sale of salt in the North, Winterfell has established military colonies, stockpiled grain and forage, built castles in multiple regions of the North, and is building a North Fleet. The North is strong and wealthy, and now Duke Eddard has incorporated the lands Beyond the Wall into his territory. The royal family should remain vigilant about the rise of the North."

Grand Maester Pycelle quickly followed up: "Lord Baelish is right, Your Grace. While the lands Beyond the Wall have just been annexed into the territory of the Seven Kingdoms, we should immediately send out pioneer knights to open up manors Beyond the Wall, or directly enfeoff those who have rendered service to the royal family to the lands Beyond the Wall. In this way, the lands Beyond the Wall will be firmly controlled in the hands of the royal family."

Robert said disdainfully: "You old fool, Eddard worked hard to conquer the lands Beyond the Wall, and the royal family wants to go and pluck the fruits of victory? What kind of person do you take me for?"

Varys said with a fawning smile: "Your Grace, the Grand Maester means that with people from the royal family in the lands Beyond the Wall, it would be easier for House Stark to maintain loyalty. According to intelligence, Duke Eddard's forge in Winterfell is forging weapons and armor day and night, training warhorses and cavalry, and in White Harbor, Eastwatch, and Salt Spear, they are all building ships. Do they really need so many ships and weapons to deal with the Wildlings?"

Robert said angrily: "I hate this kind of sowing discord the most. Back then, when Eddard raised his army to fight the Mad King for me, Pycelle, Varys, you were both high-ranking officials by the Mad King's side!"

Pycelle and Varys exchanged an awkward glance. Pycelle said, "Your Grace, my loyalty to you has always been unwavering. Even if you are unwilling to send out pioneer Knights to Beyond the Wall, please cooperate with the Church. As long as we obtain a royal pioneer decree, the High Septon would be very happy to send Septas and monks to establish manors Beyond the Wall and spread the gospel of the Seven to the North."

Robert Baratheon shook his head, "The North has the gods of the North."

Littlefinger said, "Your Grace, Eddard previously drove away the officials I arranged at the White Harbor customs; Eddard is trying every possible way to evade taxes. I suggest that, taking advantage of the opportunity of Eddard building a new North, we reorganize the northern customs and set up customs offices at Eastwatch, White Harbor, and Wolf Castle on the West Coast of the North, replacing them all with people from King's Landing. In this way, the tax revenue from the North's foreign trade will have to be paid in full to the royal family, and the royal family can obtain higher profits."

"We can set a higher head tax on the Wildlings, which would be another source of income. Eddard has conquered Beyond the Wall, and the royal family must have a share of the profits from the goods and local specialties Beyond the Wall, such as timber, animal hides, and Amber!"

Robert Baratheon said in a gruff voice, "You are all truly tedious. Eddard conquered Beyond the Wall, and you are already in a rush to divide the land and the money. Eddard didn't spend a single soldier or a penny of the royal family's to annex Beyond the Wall and won tremendous glory for the royal family. I am still worrying about how to reward him, yet you only know how to stir up trouble."

"Gentlemen, if any of you have the ability, go recruit your own troops and conquer the Stepstones! Incorporate the Stepstones into the Seven Kingdoms and try to experience the difference between conquering in war and bickering in meetings."

"I am going to reward Eddard with a Direwolf crafted from pure gold, to blind all of your eyes."

Thanks to "$Red Direwolf$" for the monthly ticket, thank you for the support!

(End of this chapter)