Oberon deeply regretted both allowing Nameria to approach Leonor and his own unrestrained lifestyle. He was unable to provide more support to his Sand Snake daughters and grandchildren, and couldn't even secure a legitimate status for them.
Leonor, at this moment, had no time to consider the helplessness and grievances of Oberon and his daughter. He was currently negotiating with the Tyrell family.
After round after round of negotiations, Leonor finally allocated the existing five regimental officer positions while promising to provide seven regimental army positions for the Reach's nobles in the future.
In exchange, the Tyrell family would hand over all Reach territories except for the Arbor. Apart from retaining land taxes, all other affairs would be managed by officials and bishops dispatched by Leonor.
This deal, reached under the circumstances of Leonor III's birth, greatly advanced the unification process of the Westeros Kingdom and promoted Leonor's own strategic vision, thoroughly stabilizing the southern situation and allowing him to free up his hands to deal with the North.
The agreed-upon deal was immediately implemented. Leonor reassigned the five officer corps formations from the Redwater River direction, allowing Willas, Garlan, and Loras Tyrell to serve as officer leaders. The Tyrell family, in turn, dispatched personnel to cooperate with the Reach's governor and bishops appointed by Leonor, beginning to assess the population and land, and implement the kingdom's laws.
The Reach had always been a grain-producing area. Successfully possessing this land gave Leonor more population, food, and wealth.
Through the monopoly of salt and iron and the control of grain, Leonor collected a large amount of wealth in the shortest possible time, recruited a large number of troops, and trained ten more regiments of troops in addition to his original thirty regiments, beginning to sharpen his sword.
In June of the 306th year of the Conquest Era, three years after the rebellion of the Stormlands lords, the continent of Westeros began to stir again.
Robb Stark, Duke of Winterfell in the North, used ravens to announce his independence as the "King in the North," no longer accepting the rule of the Iron Throne.
There wasn't even Stannis's signature!
Leonor was slightly surprised by the North's declaration because he discovered that there was nothing related to Stannis, meaning that his rigid older brother had not been involved in this matter.
The Starks of the North just declared themselves king so easily, without any reason or demands, just like they were crazy. However, their ravens had already spread the word everywhere, and it couldn't be ignored. At least Leonor, as the king, couldn't ignore it.
"Let the ravens fly out! Tell everyone: As the King of Westeros, I recognize Robb Stark's kingship, but Westeros cannot accommodate two kings. Unless Robb Stark personally kneels before me, removes his crown, and begs for surrender, I will never forgive his betrayal."
While Leonor had the maester's ravens take the declaration to all directions, he mobilized five Sword Regiments with more than three thousand two hundred people, with Randyll Tarly as the commander-in-chief, and recruited three hundred knights from the Golden Tooth, Crakehall, and Silverhill as auxiliary troops, advancing eastward from the Westerlands to Riverrun.
On the other side, seven Redwater Regiments with more than four thousand five hundred people, with Willas Tyrell as the commander-in-chief, advanced westward along the Red Fork River, cooperating with Randyll Tarly from the west to encircle Riverrun.
Accompanying the actions of the twelve regiments of troops was a long list of bounties. The famous lords and nobles of the Riverlands, as well as those with the title of knight, were all listed on it, with each knight having a bounty of 2 gold dragons, and nobles having different gold dragon bounties depending on the size and wealth of their territories.
All levels of lords and knights were clearly priced, and at the same time, military discipline was strictly enforced. Retreating meant death, speaking recklessly meant death, disturbing the people meant death, strictly restraining the army.
In this situation, the war had no suspense. The lords of the Riverlands didn't even have time to surrender and were all directly swept away. Willas Tyrell's and Randyll Tarly's troops joined forces outside Riverrun, completely surrounding Riverrun.
While these twelve regiments surrounded Riverrun, Leonor was in Saltpans, with three Iron Guard Regiments, three Redwater Regiments, five Kingswood Regiments, and three Storm Regiments, a total of fourteen regiments with more than nine thousand troops under his command.
In addition to the more than nine thousand troops under his command, Leonor also sent people to the East, recruiting eight hundred wildlings from the Mountains of the Moon as auxiliary troops, with a total force of over ten thousand.
The bright yellow stag banner fluttered in the wind. Inside the tents, Leonor sat on top, accepting the allegiance of more than a dozen wildling clans from the Mountains of the Moon.
Those wildlings knelt before Leonor, cutting their palms with short daggers and smearing blood on their foreheads.
"Swearing in the name of our ancestors, great Leonor, you are our master, and your enemies are our enemies." Kawa Wa, clad in iron armor, swore with the blood on his forehead.
"I have received your oath, free folk from the Mountains of the Moon. From today onwards, you are free folk of my kingdom, protected by the laws of my kingdom. Whoever discriminates against you is my enemy!" Leonor solemnly responded to the oath of Kawa Wa and the other wildlings.
Faced with Leonor's words, the heads of the wildling clans all knelt and kowtowed. They received far more than just the status of free folk, but also permission to obtain trade privileges for iron products, grain, and other goods.
The wildlings were descendants of the First Men. They were ostracized by the Andals for not believing in the Seven Gods. The Andals forbade them from obtaining ironware and farming techniques and drove them into the deep mountains and north of the Wall, making them more and more barbaric.
Leonor lifted the ban on them at the cost of the wildling clans' submission, which aroused dissatisfaction from ministers such as Agassi and Gladden, who believed in the Seven Gods.
The Minister of War, Gladden, was dissatisfied, but even more puzzled, and complained to Leonor in private:
"My Majesty, they are just a group of wildlings. We do not lack these hundreds of warriors. Accepting them will only make the East angry."
Subduing the wildlings of the Mountains of the Moon seemed simple, but in reality, it was of great importance, not only arousing the dissatisfaction of the followers of the Seven Gods and the Andal nobles, but also stimulating the East.
"If they are dissatisfied, then we won't do it?" Leonor asked rhetorically, with a contemptuous tone, and then said: "It is precisely because of their dissatisfaction that the light of the Seven Gods has not been able to shine on the world."
"Do you want those wildlings to convert to the Seven Gods? Countless devout believers in the past wanted to do this, but they all failed without exception." Gladden shook his head more simply when he heard Leonor's words. The wildlings couldn't be tamed.
"In your eyes, what are the Seven Gods?" Leonor didn't care about Gladden's words, but instead asked a question.
"The Seven Gods are the Seven Gods." Gladden was not a fool, so he naturally knew that there was something in Leonor's words, but his answer was also very simple, the Seven Gods were the Seven Gods.
In the mainstream of Westeros, faith was not a sustenance, but a proof of distinguishing civilization from barbarism. The Andals who converted to the Seven Gods were civilized, the First Men who believed in the Old Gods were civilized, and those who did not believe in any gods were wildlings, beasts like horses.
"The Seven Gods are more than just the Seven Gods." Leonor inwardly sneered at Gladden's words, but still patiently explained to him, the right to interpret the Seven Gods could not be given to others, he was the king certified by the Seven Gods.
"Your Majesty, you..." Gladden was a little speechless.
"Alright, no need to say more. Has the envoy I sent to the East returned?" Leonor shook his head in his heart when he saw that the explanation didn't work. Since teaching people doesn't work, then use events to teach people!
"The lords of the East refused to send troops on the grounds that you recruited wildlings. Robb Stark has already led the Northern army across the Twins." Gladden could only answer the question in a muffled voice, seeing that Leonor was going his own way.
Leonor, at this moment, had no time to consider the helplessness and grievances of Oberon and his daughter. He was currently negotiating with the Tyrell family.
After round after round of negotiations, Leonor finally allocated the existing five regimental officer positions while promising to provide seven regimental army positions for the Reach's nobles in the future.
In exchange, the Tyrell family would hand over all Reach territories except for the Arbor. Apart from retaining land taxes, all other affairs would be managed by officials and bishops dispatched by Leonor.
This deal, reached under the circumstances of Leonor III's birth, greatly advanced the unification process of the Westeros Kingdom and promoted Leonor's own strategic vision, thoroughly stabilizing the southern situation and allowing him to free up his hands to deal with the North.
The agreed-upon deal was immediately implemented. Leonor reassigned the five officer corps formations from the Redwater River direction, allowing Willas, Garlan, and Loras Tyrell to serve as officer leaders. The Tyrell family, in turn, dispatched personnel to cooperate with the Reach's governor and bishops appointed by Leonor, beginning to assess the population and land, and implement the kingdom's laws.
The Reach had always been a grain-producing area. Successfully possessing this land gave Leonor more population, food, and wealth.
Through the monopoly of salt and iron and the control of grain, Leonor collected a large amount of wealth in the shortest possible time, recruited a large number of troops, and trained ten more regiments of troops in addition to his original thirty regiments, beginning to sharpen his sword.
In June of the 306th year of the Conquest Era, three years after the rebellion of the Stormlands lords, the continent of Westeros began to stir again.
Robb Stark, Duke of Winterfell in the North, used ravens to announce his independence as the "King in the North," no longer accepting the rule of the Iron Throne.
There wasn't even Stannis's signature!
Leonor was slightly surprised by the North's declaration because he discovered that there was nothing related to Stannis, meaning that his rigid older brother had not been involved in this matter.
The Starks of the North just declared themselves king so easily, without any reason or demands, just like they were crazy. However, their ravens had already spread the word everywhere, and it couldn't be ignored. At least Leonor, as the king, couldn't ignore it.
"Let the ravens fly out! Tell everyone: As the King of Westeros, I recognize Robb Stark's kingship, but Westeros cannot accommodate two kings. Unless Robb Stark personally kneels before me, removes his crown, and begs for surrender, I will never forgive his betrayal."
While Leonor had the maester's ravens take the declaration to all directions, he mobilized five Sword Regiments with more than three thousand two hundred people, with Randyll Tarly as the commander-in-chief, and recruited three hundred knights from the Golden Tooth, Crakehall, and Silverhill as auxiliary troops, advancing eastward from the Westerlands to Riverrun.
On the other side, seven Redwater Regiments with more than four thousand five hundred people, with Willas Tyrell as the commander-in-chief, advanced westward along the Red Fork River, cooperating with Randyll Tarly from the west to encircle Riverrun.
Accompanying the actions of the twelve regiments of troops was a long list of bounties. The famous lords and nobles of the Riverlands, as well as those with the title of knight, were all listed on it, with each knight having a bounty of 2 gold dragons, and nobles having different gold dragon bounties depending on the size and wealth of their territories.
All levels of lords and knights were clearly priced, and at the same time, military discipline was strictly enforced. Retreating meant death, speaking recklessly meant death, disturbing the people meant death, strictly restraining the army.
In this situation, the war had no suspense. The lords of the Riverlands didn't even have time to surrender and were all directly swept away. Willas Tyrell's and Randyll Tarly's troops joined forces outside Riverrun, completely surrounding Riverrun.
While these twelve regiments surrounded Riverrun, Leonor was in Saltpans, with three Iron Guard Regiments, three Redwater Regiments, five Kingswood Regiments, and three Storm Regiments, a total of fourteen regiments with more than nine thousand troops under his command.
In addition to the more than nine thousand troops under his command, Leonor also sent people to the East, recruiting eight hundred wildlings from the Mountains of the Moon as auxiliary troops, with a total force of over ten thousand.
The bright yellow stag banner fluttered in the wind. Inside the tents, Leonor sat on top, accepting the allegiance of more than a dozen wildling clans from the Mountains of the Moon.
Those wildlings knelt before Leonor, cutting their palms with short daggers and smearing blood on their foreheads.
"Swearing in the name of our ancestors, great Leonor, you are our master, and your enemies are our enemies." Kawa Wa, clad in iron armor, swore with the blood on his forehead.
"I have received your oath, free folk from the Mountains of the Moon. From today onwards, you are free folk of my kingdom, protected by the laws of my kingdom. Whoever discriminates against you is my enemy!" Leonor solemnly responded to the oath of Kawa Wa and the other wildlings.
Faced with Leonor's words, the heads of the wildling clans all knelt and kowtowed. They received far more than just the status of free folk, but also permission to obtain trade privileges for iron products, grain, and other goods.
The wildlings were descendants of the First Men. They were ostracized by the Andals for not believing in the Seven Gods. The Andals forbade them from obtaining ironware and farming techniques and drove them into the deep mountains and north of the Wall, making them more and more barbaric.
Leonor lifted the ban on them at the cost of the wildling clans' submission, which aroused dissatisfaction from ministers such as Agassi and Gladden, who believed in the Seven Gods.
The Minister of War, Gladden, was dissatisfied, but even more puzzled, and complained to Leonor in private:
"My Majesty, they are just a group of wildlings. We do not lack these hundreds of warriors. Accepting them will only make the East angry."
Subduing the wildlings of the Mountains of the Moon seemed simple, but in reality, it was of great importance, not only arousing the dissatisfaction of the followers of the Seven Gods and the Andal nobles, but also stimulating the East.
"If they are dissatisfied, then we won't do it?" Leonor asked rhetorically, with a contemptuous tone, and then said: "It is precisely because of their dissatisfaction that the light of the Seven Gods has not been able to shine on the world."
"Do you want those wildlings to convert to the Seven Gods? Countless devout believers in the past wanted to do this, but they all failed without exception." Gladden shook his head more simply when he heard Leonor's words. The wildlings couldn't be tamed.
"In your eyes, what are the Seven Gods?" Leonor didn't care about Gladden's words, but instead asked a question.
"The Seven Gods are the Seven Gods." Gladden was not a fool, so he naturally knew that there was something in Leonor's words, but his answer was also very simple, the Seven Gods were the Seven Gods.
In the mainstream of Westeros, faith was not a sustenance, but a proof of distinguishing civilization from barbarism. The Andals who converted to the Seven Gods were civilized, the First Men who believed in the Old Gods were civilized, and those who did not believe in any gods were wildlings, beasts like horses.
"The Seven Gods are more than just the Seven Gods." Leonor inwardly sneered at Gladden's words, but still patiently explained to him, the right to interpret the Seven Gods could not be given to others, he was the king certified by the Seven Gods.
"Your Majesty, you..." Gladden was a little speechless.
"Alright, no need to say more. Has the envoy I sent to the East returned?" Leonor shook his head in his heart when he saw that the explanation didn't work. Since teaching people doesn't work, then use events to teach people!
"The lords of the East refused to send troops on the grounds that you recruited wildlings. Robb Stark has already led the Northern army across the Twins." Gladden could only answer the question in a muffled voice, seeing that Leonor was going his own way.
