Chapter 86: Severely Punishing the Blackheart Salt Profiteers

On the dining table in the Great Hall of Winterfell, to welcome Duke Eddard home in triumph, the chef Gage prepared a sumptuous banquet; servants brought out the food, and the table was laden with blueberry sweet cakes, lemon cakes, beef bacon, beef and barley stew, and roast venison.

When Eddard and Catelyn walked into the hall, Sansa and Arya were enjoying lemon cakes, Bran was eating a chicken leg, listening to Theon boast about his battle record at Frosthall.

"With just one bow and two arrows, I took down the Rockborn castle of Frosthall. Every Rockborn warrior in the entire castle trembled before me, Theon Greyjoy, and in the end, the Rockborn had no choice but to open the gates and surrender."

Bran curled his lip, "Theon, you took a castle all by yourself, how impressive! You're just like the heroes in Old Nan's stories."

Sansa looked on with adoration, "Just like a knight in the songs."

Robb gave a thumbs up, "Well done, Theon."

Facing everyone's praise, Theon wore a smile.

Arya frowned, "Are the Rockborn's castles that weak?"

Beside them, the Heir of the Dreadfort, Domeric, laughed, "Theon did indeed take Frosthall, but Frosthall is just a two-story shack with a thatched roof. At the time, only a few old men and children were left guarding it. Theon drew his bow and shot two old men, and when the Rockborn in the castle saw the Northern Army approaching, they had no choice but to surrender. That's how it happened."

The smile on Theon's face vanished, "Domeric, you're just jealous! At least I took a castle, and you didn't!"

Domeric said calmly, "I killed quite a few Rockborn on the battlefield, too, and took several prisoners. Of course, the prisoners I caught can't compare to Jon's; Jon captured the Heir of Driftwood Hall."

Arya said excitedly, "That's that boy Baolaisen Stane, right? He's a ward of Winterfell now. Jon, you truly are my brother, you did a great job."

Bran tore off a piece of lamb chop and handed it to Jon in congratulations, while Sansa offered Jon a lemon cake as praise. Under the compliments of his younger siblings, Jon smiled.

Robb looked somewhat dejected, "Theon took a castle, Domeric fought bravely, and Jon captured a Rockborn noble. They all gained glory on the battlefield, while I have only stayed at home."

Eddard reached out and took Robb's hand, "Robb, you have helped your mother manage the castle at home, and your contribution is great. One day, you will become an excellent commander, but you must understand that military capability must be combined with political skill to rule the lands you conquer; otherwise, you will end up like the 'Young Dragon' Daeron I. He conquered Dorne but could not rule it, ultimately sacrificing tens of thousands of soldiers and ending up with nothing to show for it."

Robb nodded thoughtfully.

After the meal, Eddard and Catelyn returned to their bedchamber, where hot springs flowed through the walls, making it warm and pleasant.

Eddard took out a jar of Gold Dragons and handed it to Catelyn. Seeing the glistening Gold Dragons, Catelyn was as happy as a little girl.

"Where did this gold come from?"

Eddard smiled, "The usurping Rock King was driven away by the Northern Army, and we emptied the treasury of Abyss Keep. Winterfell brought back several chests of Gold Dragons, Silver Stags, Hubo Shipin, and Obsidian. This campaign not only made the Rockborn submit, but we also acquired quite a bit of money—tens of thousands of Gold Dragons."

Catelyn took the money jar, "But we are still deep in debt, owing the Iron Bank five hundred thousand Gold Dragons and the Manderly family of White Harbor one hundred thousand Gold Dragons. Smugglers and black-market merchants drove up the price of salt. It's all your fault for insisting on the promise to buy back salt from Saltpans at market price. As a result, Winterfell has lost so much money, and the common people are all complaining."

Eddard said calmly, "The smugglers and black-market merchants were merely holding the coins for us temporarily. They are like fish in a pond, thinking they have eaten a delicious bait, not knowing they are hooked. Now, it is time to pull in the net."

That night, the Winterfell guard carried out a surprise raid, arresting dozens of private salt smugglers, black-market merchants, and money changers in Winter Town, discovering over a dozen warehouses where salt was hidden. In the homes of the money changers who smuggled salt, they found mountains of Copper Pennies, Copper Coins, and Silver Stags.

The next morning, when these smugglers and black-market merchants were shackled by Winterfell soldiers and driven through the busy streets of Winter Town, the people who had been complaining about the rising salt prices cursed the smugglers and black-market merchants, throwing vegetable leaves and mud at them.

Outside the military camp in Winter Town, Eddard publicly tried these Blackheart merchants and smugglers, with a sea of onlookers watching.

The Blackheart merchants and smugglers knelt before Eddard. Eddard sat high on the platform, with the guard Dawson and the Water Dancer Syrio Forel standing by his side, and Maester Luwin standing not far away. Eddard raised his voice.

"You Blackheart scoundrels, hoarding goods and driving up salt prices to swindle Winterfell's wealth, while making the common people suffer—I will not be lenient! I declare your property forfeited, and all your assets are to be confiscated by Winterfell! I sentence you to death!"

The surrounding crowd erupted in cheers, shouting, "Kill them! Execute the profiteers!"

The Blackheart merchants and smugglers were all panicked; these people never expected that profiteering from salt would lead to a death sentence.

"Lord Eddard, spare me! I have an old mother and children at home."

"Lord Eddard, there was no rule before that selling salt would be a capital offense!"

"We will never dare do it again."

Maester Luwin stroked his Chain, "Lord Eddard, while the Blackheart merchants and smugglers are indeed hateful for driving up salt prices, the crime does not warrant death. They should be given a chance to live."

The Blackheart merchants and smugglers begged bitterly. Eddard said, "Very well! I will give you a chance to live; I will exile you to the Land Expansion Military Farming Plan and the wolf-house's pioneer castles on The Wall."

According to the cooperation reached between Eddard and the Night's Watch, the Night's Watch handed over Green Guard, Nightfort, and Westbridge on The Wall for Winterfell to use. Eddard had already stationed troops in these castles. After the castles were repaired, their ice cellars would be used to store seafood, grain, meat, and other food. At the same time, Winterfell would rely on these three castles to expand land and build manors.

The military farms and pioneer castles needed people. These smugglers and Blackheart merchants were already fortunate to escape death, and they had no choice but to accept their fate of exile.

The prisoners were led away amidst the jeers of the crowd, and the onlookers cheered and applauded.

Eddard ordered the Winterfell soldiers to bring over the confiscated salt. Eddard said to the crowd, "From now on, Winterfell will strictly prohibit the private production and sale of salt. Anyone who dares to violate this ban will be sentenced to exile or even beheading! Blackheart merchants will no longer be able to manipulate salt prices. Winterfell guarantees that the people will be able to eat cheap salt!"

The people of Winter Town only had to spend two Copper Coins to buy a bag of salt, which was even cheaper than the normal price before. The crowd shouted, "Long live Stark!"

(End of chapter)