flstandardbreds Chapter 158 Make the Seven Nations Great Again
Chapter 158 Make the Seven Nations Great Again
"Although Commander Lyon gave some of the wavering Night's Watchmen the opportunity to choose their future out of kindness, it is regrettable that these Night's Watchmen ultimately embarked on the wrong path."
"And I, Benjen Stark of Winterfell, was born a Night's Watch, and I will die a Night's Watch. Our watch has never been relaxed for a moment."
Hearing Ben Yang's words, many well-informed northern lords were stunned. They hoped to catch a trace of embarrassment on Ben Yang's face to prove that his words were not sincere, but a helpless act under the coercion of Lyon.
However, they were disappointed. The firmness on Benyan's face never wavered, and it was obvious that this was his truest thought.
If the lords present were faced with the same choice as Benyan - either retire from the Night's Watch and return to their territories to serve as lords like some of them; or continue to uphold the duties of the Night's Watch, I am afraid that many people would tend to choose the former.
However, Ban Yang stuck to his beliefs and chose the latter. His persistence and loyalty are awe-inspiring.
"As adult descendants of the Stark family, Benjen and Jon also hold high positions in the Night's Watch. They will not take up any secular positions until the lords who do not obey my will are dealt with throughout the country."
Everyone stood in awe at Lyon's words, and then the lords turned their eyes to Sansa Stark, the confirmed Northern Priest.
Sansa stood up gracefully, allowing every lord in the banquet hall to see her face and her determined temperament.
Then he smiled and said:
"Although I am a woman, I will do my best to protect the peace of the North together with you."
Her voice was clear and firm, echoing in the banquet hall.
The lords present gave warm applause to show their support for Sansa. At this time, an old lord stood up, his eyes sparkling with wisdom.
"Lady Sansa, we admire your courage and determination. I hope you can lead us to protect this land as you promised."
Sansa looked at the old lord with gratitude and nodded slightly. She knew that the road ahead might be full of challenges, but she was ready to shoulder the responsibility of protecting the North.
Even though there were still many lords, including Ser Wyman of White Harbor, who looked at Sansa with dissatisfaction on their faces, Sansa's response was still extremely appropriate and no one could find any flaws.
She had grown up to be a true lady under the careful teaching of the Duchess since she was a child, so she was able to handle various challenges calmly on such occasions.
"The etiquette of the nobility cannot bring true peace to the North. Regarding this, we feel..."
As Wyman's eyes fell on Rickon Stark, whom he had brought back to the head table, he was obviously thinking: since neither Benjen nor the bastard Jon was willing to take on the responsibility of protecting the North, then Rickon, although still a young boy, was at least a man, and it always sounded more appropriate for him to inherit this position than to let a woman serve as lord.
But before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by Leon with a wave of his hand.
"I'm very sorry, everyone. I have never regarded you as a Night's Watch Corps that I can make decisions for, but regarding the position of the Northern Priest, I have made a decision."
Lyon's tone was calm, but many people could already hear a hint of impatience, including Weiman, who immediately stopped talking after realizing that the person who was speaking owned an adult dragon.
"The future of the North requires us to properly settle every citizen in the bitter winter, rather than a monarch who leads the war. And at this point, I think Sansa can do better. As a sensitive and friendly woman, she is more suitable to lead the people through the dark vision of the future."
At this time, Jon Snow, who had been silent, also spoke. His eyes revealed expectation and heavy responsibility as he looked at Sansa.
Sansa clearly felt Jon's unwavering support, which was the first time she had truly felt the warmth of Jon as a family member since she was born. This warmth also made her less affected by the Duchess's hostility towards the illegitimate child.
Rickon needed no further explanation. He stood up, walked up to Sansa, and the two siblings gave each other a gentle hug.
At this time, Wyman and other belligerent lords sensed something in Jon's words and couldn't help but ask curiously:
"Jon, are you saying that the North will not participate in the war? Are we going to rely on Commander Lyon and his dragon to conquer the world?"
"You know, even if Aegon the Conqueror had three dragons, he still needed the soldiers of House Baratheon to help him unify the world."
"What's more, the desert kingdom of Dorne is a place where even dragons have been defeated. The people of Dorne will not easily follow the orders of an outsider."
When Wyman and others finished talking, Lyon pondered for a moment and just smiled, but he did not speak easily. Instead, Jon spoke for him.
"Sir Wyman, Commander-in-Chief Lyon does not covet the throne. He simply hopes that the lords of the world can avoid rashly provoking civil wars and instead invest the materials originally used for war into the construction of people's livelihood."
"Do you know what has become of Eastwatch since Lord Commander Lyon brought back the treasure from Braavos?"
"Merchants gather there, and trade activities are in full swing, presenting a thriving and prosperous scene. Looking back, Eastwatch only had a simple dock in the past, but now its scale is comparable to your White Harbor."
"Construction workers from all over the world gathered here. With their hard work, vibrant buildings and factories rose from the land of Eastwatch by the Sea. Every new resident and freeman was able to live in the resettlement housing of Eastwatch by the Sea, and no longer had to worry about cold and famine."
"If every lord in the North can devote himself to the development of this land, relying on the rich resources in this vast land of the North, surpassing Braavos is not an unattainable dream. What's more worth mentioning is that starting from this winter, we will do our utmost to ensure that no more hungry people will lose their lives due to hunger and cold, and every newborn baby will be carefully cared for, and the tragedy of premature death will no longer happen."
As Jon spoke, an indescribable smile of satisfaction spread across his face, and he seemed to have undergone a transformation, like a boy who had found a game more fascinating than war.
After hearing Jon's words, many lords were in disbelief. They did not believe that Lyon would use his own wealth to improve the livelihood of the people in the newly gifted land, but Jon's serious expression when he spoke made them believe it.
"Not only Eastwatch, but also the people of the North and even the Seven Kingdoms will receive this treatment when Lord Commander Lyon rides his dragon all over the continent of Braavos. What we, the Night's Watch, have to do is far greater than any conqueror!"