The Heavens: The Magical World Begins with The Lord of the Rings

294 Ransomware
Through the narrow high windows on both sides of the castle, the last afterglow of the sea swayed in the center of the huge hall, hanging orange reflection stripes on the walls.The pillars on both sides of the hall are covered with yellow burning tower flags that symbolize the Grafson family.

Just like the scene depicted on the coat of arms of the Grafson family, this seaside castle in Crab Bay was also burned during the War of the Reavers.

Although the stone walls are now covered with red and gold silk tapestry, according to Bronze Jorn, the fire that King Robert indulged in this castle left many indelible marks on these walls. .

Even if the current owner of the castle, Earl Gero of Seagull Town, tried his best, he couldn't completely remove the marks left by the burning from the wall.

Helpless, he had no choice but to hang this gold and red tapestry that matched the color of the family coat of arms on every wall in the castle.

At the beginning of the outbreak of the Reaver's War, Seagull Town was once the center of the Royalist forces in the valley.Marco Grafson, the former Earl of Seagull Town, did not choose to follow his lord in the war, but chose to be loyal to King Aerys Targaryen.

To be precise, he should have chosen to serve Prince Rhaegar Targaryen.

Therefore, Duke Jon Arryn and Robert Baratheon, who was also a Duke at the time, led the army to break through the city here.After the city was broken, Lord Marq Grafson was chased and killed by Robert Baratheon outside Seagulltown while fleeing in a hurry.

So far, all the forces of the royalist party in the valley have been declared destroyed.

However, Jon Arryn did not kill the entire Grafson family at that time.Instead, after taking away the large amount of gold and silver wealth accumulated by the Grafson family in the castle and burning the entire castle, the Seagull Town was handed over to the Grafson family to continue to rule.

Seagull Town is the most important port in the valley. It has a naturally sheltered harbor, with Crab Bay facing the Crab Claw Peninsula in the south across the sea.As the lord who rules Seagull Town, he also shoulders the important responsibility of guarding the sea outlet of Crab Bay for the lord.

Going deep into the mouth of Crab Bay, you can directly reach Candlehole City, the southernmost town in the valley.It is even possible to go upstream along the main branches of the Trident River through the mouth of the Trident River, and reach most of the land between the rivers in the area where the Trident River flows.

The Trident River covers a wide area in the riverlands. It can go straight up to the Neck along the Green Fork North, and will pass through the Twin Rivers on the way; Touching the hinterland of the western region, Corner Valley City; they can even choose to pass the Blue Fork River and go straight to the gate of Sea Front City in Ironborn Bay.

And Seagull Town is one of the five major cities in Westeros.

Although its scale is only comparable to that of White Harbor in the north, Lannister Port, Old Town, and Blackwater Bay Pier in King's Landing are much larger than it, but who makes it the closest Viking to the free city of Braavos? What about Port Stroh?
You know, Braavos is the most special and powerful city-state among the many free trade city-states in the continent of Essos.

Except for those cargo ships that sail directly to White Harbor in the north, all cargo ships that set sail from the port of Braavos, if they intend to transport goods to the south of Westeros, they must stop at Seagull Town halfway. stay in port.

There are also many wealthy businessmen and gentry from the opposite continent living in the town. In order to obtain financial support, some nobles in the valley often allow their less important children to intermarry with the rich here.

In addition, it is said that Seagull Town is also very skilled in tailoring.

It is precisely because of this that Seagull Town is now prosperous. Sir Nestor once told him in Gate of the Moon Castle that Seagull Town's tax revenue almost accounts for about half of the valley's tax revenue.

Whether it is economically, militarily or strategically, the importance and status of Seagull Town to the valley far surpasses other cities in the valley.For such an important city, Gao Yuan would never rest assured that it would be handed over to a family or individual who had a different heart and was not trusted by him.

What's more, he plans to place all the fleet he begged from Stannis in the port of Seagull Town.This is also the most important part of Gaoyuan's three-step strategic plan, and he will never allow any accidents to happen.

At this moment, he was sitting high on the seat that originally belonged to Earl Gero. It was a large high-backed chair made of a whole piece of golden sandalwood. Every gap and joint was filled with gold and polished smooth. Its luxury level I am afraid that even the king will sigh.

The owner of the castle is sitting on his left at this moment. Earl Gerald Grafson is wearing a gown as bright red as flames today. The neckline, cuffs and hem of the gown are all made of gold thread Embroidered with flame patterns.

"My lord, if you plan to come to Seagull Town for a visit, you should also send a letter to inform me first." Earl Grafson said to him politely with a smile on his face, "If you knew Mr. Gao Yuan, you are going to come Come to visit, I will tell the servants in the castle to prepare in advance."

"Look, you and Earl Jorn's sudden visit, for a while, I don't know what to bring to entertain you."

"Please forgive me, Lord Gao Yuan!" Earl Grafson apologized to him with a smile, "This is not to blame you and Earl Jorn for coming uninvited, but I am worried that my hospitality may not be thorough enough for you."

"In short, I am honored to be able to visit you today, Mr. Gao Yuan, and Earl Jorn."

"Oh, is that so?" Gao Yuan squinted at him suspiciously, "I doubt it, Earl Grafson."

"Don't do this to me, and don't say those beautiful words anymore. I came here today to find you to ask your teacher." Gao Yuan's palm slammed on the armrest of the seat under him, "When I first took office, I was in the office. The Eyrie City held a grand inauguration banquet, and Sir Nestor sent invitations to the banquet to all the nobles in the valley on my behalf."

"Even the old and highly respected Mrs. Waywood had to go all the way to the Eagle's Nest City to participate, but you, Earl Grafson, were the only ones who didn't come."

"Could it be that Earl Grafson's status is too noble, so he doesn't want to condescend to come to the Eagle's Nest City to witness my inauguration ceremony?" Gao Yuan's voice gradually became higher, and there was faint anger towards him in his tone, "Or Say you never thought of swearing allegiance to me?"

"If the Grafson family is unwilling to swear allegiance to me, Earl Jon, what do you think I should do with them?" Gao Yuan turned to look at the bronze Jon on his right.

"Since Earl Gerald Grafson, he is not willing to swear allegiance to you, my lord"

"My lord, in accordance with the laws of the kingdom," Earl Jorn replied respectfully, "you should deprive the Grafson family of hereditary titles and fiefs according to the law, and you have the right to order all members of the family who have been deprived of their titles and fiefs to give up their rights within a limited period of time." Get out of your territory."

"If the Grafson family refuses to obey your order to leave, or chooses to resist to the end, you have the right to call all your vassals and subjects to attack and hunt down the members of the Grafson family."

As soon as Jon Royce finished speaking, Gao Yuan turned his head again to look at Earl Grafson, who was already sitting upright.But he didn't speak immediately, but tapped the armrest of the seat under him regularly with his fingers.

"Da da da da."

The sound of fingers hitting the armrest was so clear in this silent hall.Obviously the climate by the sea is still so cool and comfortable, but the Earl of Grafson is sweating profusely at the moment.

As the rhythm of finger tapping became faster and faster, Gao Yuan's patience at this moment was also disappearing little by little until it was completely exhausted.Little did he know that Gerald Grafson's mood was extremely nervous now, and he was sweating profusely at the moment, and he didn't know how to deal with Gao Yuan's questioning.

Gerald Grafson admits that he was a little too arrogant when he received the invitation from Sir Nestor.In his opinion at the time, the fledgling Gaoyuan was even worse than a kingslayer. He was just another young boy who came to the valley to show off his might with King Robert's orders.

Behind Jaime Lannister, at any rate, there is Tywin, the old lion of the Lannister family, supporting him.Even so, when King Robert appointed the Kingslayer as the Guardian of the East, Sir James still received unanimous resistance from many nobles in the valley.

He didn't even dare to step into the blood gate from the beginning to the end.

As for a stunned young man with unknown origins like Gao Yuan, I'm afraid that it won't be long before the like-minded princes of the valley will work together again to drive him out of Eagle's Nest City.

It's hard to say, Gao Yuan can't even enter the gate of Moon Gate Fort, let alone enter Eagle's Nest City.

As a result, Gerald Grafson didn't think it was necessary for him to go all the way to Eagle's Nest City to attend the meaningless so-called inauguration ceremony.

But who would have imagined that the Lord Gao Yuan in front of him, by some means, miraculously won the unanimous support of all the lords of the important towns in the canyon.

Since the end of the Reaver's War, except for the Vale of Arryn where the Eagle's Nest City is located, most of the power in the valley is controlled by those lords of important towns.With their support, Gao Yuan almost took the whole valley into his pocket.

But when this news reached Gerald Grafson's ears, it was too late to go to the Eagle's Nest City to show his loyalty and swear allegiance to Gao Yuan.

That night in the Eagle's Nest City, Gao Yuan defeated Sir Vardis and the guards of the Eagle's Nest City alone with one sword and one sword. Gerald Grafson also heard about it afterwards.

The person who brought the news to him almost bragged Gao Yuan into a godsend.One said that he pulled out a flaming sword and burned many guards in the Eagle's Nest City to ashes; another said that he appeared and disappeared like a ghost, and could breathe out flames from his mouth that only a dragon could spit out.
Although the source of the news and what happened is still to be verified, one thing is certain: the captain of the guards of Eagle's Nest City, Sir Vardis and several of his guard brothers, were indeed kicked out by Gao Yuan Eagle's Nest City has now put on black clothes and joined the Night Watchman Legion.

"Count Grafson, do you think I should do what Earl Jorn said just now?" The lofty voice woke Grafson out of his thoughts like a thunder.

"Lord Gao Yuan, I am willing to lead the Grafson family to swear allegiance to you!" Gerald Grafson knew that the man in front of him was not a man to be trifled with, so he had to be extremely careful with his words and try his best not to care He verbally offended himself.

Gerald Grafson hurriedly got up from his seat, knelt down on one knee in front of Gao Yuan and offered his saber to him: "Here, on behalf of myself and the entire Grafson family, I would like to express my gratitude to you for neglecting you before. My sincere apologies to you, sir."

Seeing that Gao Yuan did not respond, Gerald Grafson humbly asked him for forgiveness again: "The Grafson family hopes to be forgiven by you, Mr. Gao Yuan!"

"Why should I choose to forgive, Gerald Grafson?" Gao Yuan asked the other party, his voice was between a sneer and a questioning, "Why do you think I will forgive you? I want you Gerald Grafson Grafson's oath of allegiance actually requires me to come to Seagull Town myself!"

"Hmph, if I hadn't personally visited your castle today, wouldn't you never plan to swear allegiance to me?" Gao Yuan snorted coldly, "There's also something about taxes! As far as I know, self Since taking office, Seagull Town has never paid any taxes to Eagle's Nest City, right?"

Jie Luo Grafson, who was questioned by Gao Yuan, was so frightened that he quickly knelt on the ground: "Master Gao Yuan, I know I was wrong!"

"Looking back, I will definitely make up all the taxes that should have been paid to you and compensate you ten times. I only hope to be forgiven by you, my lord."

"To make up the tax and ten times the compensation, this is your obligation." Gao Yuan told him impatiently, "If you just fulfill your obligation, it is far from enough to obtain my forgiveness! "

All of a sudden, Gerald Grafson's anger surged up.But now the situation is pressing, he has to continue to put on a look of sincerity and fear, he doesn't understand how he can get Gao Yuan's forgiveness.

"Lord Gao Yuan, please just tell me what you want me to do!" Earl Grafson asked him respectfully, "I and everyone in Grafson's family are very happy to serve you."

"A fleet from Dragonstone Island will berth at your port in the near future. I ask you to vacate half of the port space for my fleet to berth for a long time." Gao Yuan began to talk about his own Conditions, "In addition, I want you to organize and recruit a group of experienced shipbuilders to work day and night to build a new fleet for me."

"At present, it is tentatively planned to build [-] sailing warships and [-] galley warships. The cost of building these ships will be fully paid by your Grafson family."

"But, my lord." Earl Grafson still wanted to bargain with him.

But was interrupted by Gao Yuan waving his hand, "I am not sitting here today to bargain with you!"

"Your Grafson family has ruled Seagull Town for so many years, it must be impossible that you can't even come up with this little money!"

Gerald Grafson wanted to cry immediately when he heard the words. These are fifty large warships, not fifty longships or small transport ships such as swan ships.

That's right, his Grafson family is indeed very rich.As the evergreen family that has ruled Seagull Town for nearly a thousand years, their family has accumulated wealth here for generations, even the king will stare at him when he comes.

But that was before the War of the Usurper. Ever since Robert Baratheon led an army to capture Seagull Town, he had looted all the wealth in the treasury of the Grafson family.These looted wealth later became the source of funds for King Robert to maintain the protracted war with the Targaryen family during the war.

Now that the war has only passed more than ten years, the wealth accumulated by the Grafson family is probably less than one-tenth of what it was before the war broke out.

However, as Gao Yuan expected.Grafson's recuperation these years has indeed accumulated some wealth for them.Earl Grafson roughly estimated that the money is probably enough to build the fleet Gao Yuankou said.

"Looking at it like this, I don't bleed a lot, and I'm afraid the guardian won't let me go easily," Gerald Grafson thought. "Exchanging wealth for the safety of myself and my family, I don't know if this business is worthwhile. It would be best if Mr. Gao Yuan could keep his promise and stop pursuing our previous mistakes."

(End of this chapter)