"You flatter me, Your Highness," Lothor laughed, his smile still a bit stiff, but his heart was still incredibly excited. "Now that I'm back, it's best if I stay by your side. Please allow me, I am a warrior of the storm."
"Yes, now that you're back, you are still my arm, my sharp sword. And now you are the Finger Slayer." Since Petyr's nickname was Littlefinger, then Lothor's nickname could be the Finger Slayer.
Lothor looked excited, and the Knights of the Vale were all envious and respectful. With the storm's praise, this previously unknown mercenary would immediately become famous, because it was, after all, the praise of the Seven Kingdoms' most ferocious warrior, greatly increasing one's worth.
"Lord Petyr, I told you we would meet again." Gendry looked at the pathetic Littlefinger, and everyone cast hateful glances at him. Littlefinger was now curled up in a ball from the beating, as Littlefinger was never a strong or tall man.
Littlefinger's body trembled slightly, as if he had already seen the gleam of Gendry's drawn blade, and death in an instant. Gendry looked at him with the eyes of a leopard stalking its prey.
"I was so foolish, truly." Littlefinger wanted to cry bitterly. He had been lucky enough not to die at the hands of the direwolf back then, but it seemed fate's gifts to him had reached their limit. He would never have a second chance. Gendry would not believe his silver tongue, nor would he appreciate his financial value... Gendry stood not far from Littlefinger. At this moment, all those accompanying Gendry were influential figures. Although the minor Lords, Knights, and wealthy merchants also wanted to squeeze in, they understood that their status was not high enough.
Gendry, Barristan, Anguy, and Lothor, along with the three major Lords of Gulltown, gathered to discuss the aftermath of the change in Gulltown. Primarily, Gendry's word was law, the Lords of Gulltown were the local powerhouses, and the others were responsible for implementation.
"Guard Petyr well. Our good minister should be executed, but not here," Gendry told Earl Jellico. Littlefinger should die at The Eyrie, that would be very fitting.
"Yes, Your Highness. It should be so. Otherwise, how can the laws of man, guided by the gods, be upheld and Lord Arryn's spirit in heaven be comforted?" The very corpulent Earl Jellico nodded. He and Littlefinger were friends in the past, but that was out of necessity, because Lord Jon had given Littlefinger too much power, not because these Lords of Gulltown truly respected Littlefinger. Then he thought of Littlefinger's captured followers. "What do you think should be done with Littlefinger's followers?"
"It depends on the circumstances. Those involved in poisoning Lord Jon and embezzling state assets, I don't think they need to be taken to The Eyrie for execution. They can be dealt with here in Gulltown."
"Yes," Earl Jellico said firmly. At least the Gulltown customs officials and brothel owners would likely not survive. Customs was Littlefinger's money bag, and brothels were always Littlefinger's source of information.
"Do you have any professional bankers on your side?" Gendry asked Jellico and Essenba. Time was pressing, and he couldn't find bankers from Myr and Tyrosh to conduct an audit.
"Yes, I've always been in charge of Gulltown's management, but I couldn't get involved in businesses like customs and brothels," Jellico nodded. Essenba also said he had similar talents. Now that Littlefinger had completely fallen, it was their time to shine.
"I want you to count Littlefinger's special tax projects and capital flows in Gulltown, see how much money he extorted and how many false accounts he created, and where the money is hidden. Even if he is a master at manipulating coins, a magician, there are always his loopholes."
Jellico and Essenba nodded.
"And his mercenary henchmen," Earl Jellico reminded. "Petyr has been in Gulltown for a long time. Many of the customs officials, brothel owners, granary owners, and so on are his people. There are also some Free Mercenaries who secretly serve him."
"Resisters will be killed without mercy," Gendry coldly announced.
Earl Jellico looked at Littlefinger, "I have a rough list. We'll proceed with that for now. More detailed information, I'm afraid, only Petyr himself knows."
"He's too cautious, and he doesn't fully trust us," Essenba agreed with Jellico.
"Let's do that for now."
"No time to lose, Your Highness," Essenba Arryn introduced. "The next step is to confiscate Littlefinger's property in Gulltown, the wealth of Littlefinger's accomplices, and Littlefinger's mercenary subordinates. It is said that Littlefinger also knows some pirates, but I'm not entirely clear on the specifics."
"That's right, I request to solve the remaining troubles for Your Highness. Since Lord Jellico and the golden eagle have been in the limelight so far, shall I handle the subsequent cleanup?" Ser Uther Shite of Gulltown knelt and requested. House Shett had always had a bad relationship with Littlefinger.
"Granted." With Gendry's word, the bloodshed in Gulltown would continue, a larger, deeper cleanup plan. Eliminating Littlefinger's remnants, and this would also be a windfall. Gendry was most curious about Littlefinger's money games, and how many tricks he had used.
"Lothor, I'll have to trouble you again. When it comes to dealing with Littlefinger, you're a professional," Gendry said to Lothor. "The able do more, so I'll trouble you again."
Everyone laughed heartily. Finger Slayer was indeed a good nickname, and it was more like Gendry's special envoy.
"It is my honor," Lothor agreed. He needed to join House Shett's cleanup operation.
"Then let's begin, my Lords."
Uther Shite and Lothor took their leave first, to lead the prepared taxi soldiers for the next mission.
"Take them all away first, children," Uther announced. The soldiers blindfolded all of Littlefinger's treasonous group, including Littlefinger himself, then put them into carriages or tied them to horses. Gulltown's exclusive water dungeons and ship jails awaited these people. For a time, wailing filled the dock, but these cries quickly ceased, and the dock soon became much quieter.
"Cate."
"Come save me, Cate," Littlefinger cried and laughed, a hazy red hair in his mind.
"There's another urgent order: from now on, grain exports are restricted," Gendry said directly to Grafton and Essenba.
"Why is that?" Earl Grafton was a little surprised. "Merchants will clamor to buy, and noble Lords will demand to sell."
"But the price, the price now seems somewhat tempting," Essenba paused for a moment, then stated his opinion.
"grain will be even more dangerous now. Think about what happened in King's Landing; because of the grain crisis, King's Landing experienced riots one after another. If all Seven Kingdoms lack grain, it's unimaginable."
"Oh, and Anguy." Gendry called Anguy over and whispered a few words.
"Yes, my Lord." Anguy, hearing the message, also hurried away from the group. A letter was needed, an envelope carried by a raven, to Rosby and other places in the Crownlands. These two large grain stores could not be so complacent.
"grain will soon be scarce but highly valued, my Lords. It's already autumn. If it's not obvious, we should hoard grain. winter is coming, and the price of grain will surely skyrocket, and we need grain in too many places. Gulltown needs to remember this order. As for Lord Yohn, I have already spoken with him; he has his own docks and also needs to control the inflow and outflow of grain."
Executions, aftermath, grain; the few things Gendry came to Gulltown for had to be implemented.
"Yes, Your Highness." Grafton and the golden eagle nodded, half-believing. Counting silver was certainly their hobby, but this was also the storm's command.
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