The next day, Casterly Rock, Lannister Main Keep Hall.
Lord Tywin's voice was not loud, but it was imposing: "All the knights of the Westerlands are here today, and I have a few things to announce. Please feel free to offer your opinions."
The entire room fell silent; no one uttered a sound.
This pleased Duke Tywin.
He preferred his vassals to simply listen; the idea that they could voice their opinions was merely a polite way of putting it.
Of course, Tywin doesn't reject genuine opinions. The key point is that you must think carefully about your opinions and have a complete set of logical support; otherwise, you should never speak up.
"The first thing is that Casterly Rock will take back all salt mining operations in the entire Western Territory. The small shops under your banners that sell salt will no longer be ordered; they will cease operations once their stock is sold out. All salt mined in the Western Territory will be transported to Casterly Rock. Do any of you earls have any objections?"
The entire audience of one hundred people fell silent.
Tywin said, "Very well. Since everyone agrees, I appoint Ser Kevan as Master of Salt in the Westerlands. From now on, only snow salt will be allowed to be sold throughout the Westerlands. For the first six months, the price of snow salt will be the same as that of mined salt. After six months, the price will increase by 20%. However, once it is sold to foreign countries, the price of snow salt will double. Each vassal's territory will be subject to a fixed ration of snow salt, and the monthly ration can only be reduced, not increased. Does anyone have any objections?"
The rationing system was designed to prevent vassals from buying salt from Casterly Rock at low prices and reselling it elsewhere at higher prices. Once the ration was set, if you tried to sell it elsewhere at a higher price, you and your people in your territory would run out of salt.
The room fell silent; no one raised any objections.
Sir Kevan?
"I accept His Excellency the Duke's arrangement and take up the official position in the Western Salt Administration."
"Alright. The second matter is that all vassals in the Western Territory must send two generals to Casterly Rock within three days to learn the military discipline of the sentry system. Information regarding the sentry system must not be circulated to other dukes' territories. Anyone found to have leaked information will be severely punished under military law."
Tywin's gaze slowly swept across the entire room, and wherever his gaze fell, everyone lowered their eyes, avoiding his gaze.
No one raised any objections.
"Sir Rapht Clegane".
Raft quickly stepped out of the queue and replied, "Yes, Your Grace."
"I appoint you as the chief instructor of the Western Border military sentry training. I give you one month to train two generals from all the vassal states in the Western Border to be proficient in the military sentry command methods, one cavalry general and one infantry general. Do you have any objections?"
Ralph's usual cheerful demeanor vanished completely, replaced by a serious and cold expression: "Yes, Your Grace."
This is a great honor bestowed upon the Clegane family by His Excellency the Duke, and also an honor for Sweetmouth Ralph.
"After the scouting and command training of the generals of Casterly Rock concludes, within two months, I will examine the scouting and command techniques of all legions under the jurisdiction of all vassals throughout the Western Territory. I will also conduct scouting tests on all formation changes and combat marches. Legions that fail the tests will have their lords and generals severely punished according to military law. My lords, does anyone have any objections?"
The room remained silent, and no one dared to raise any objections.
Tywin's gaze slowly swept over the hundred knights in the hall once again. He had a habit of slowly scanning the entire hall after each statement.
"The third thing is that, starting today, we will promote the use of chopsticks throughout the entire Western Territory, beginning with the great nobles. Within six months, all nobles, knights, legions, and commoners throughout the Western Territory will be using chopsticks and completely replacing iron tableware. Steel is too precious, and the price of iron ore that the Iron Islands sell to us every year is increasing."
"From tomorrow onwards, blacksmiths in all vassal territories will be forbidden from using iron to manufacture large quantities of plates and knives. Production of any iron tableware will be halted. Sir Potter, explain to them the benefits of doing this."
Scholar Potter cleared his throat: "My lords, I did some calculations last night. If we save the iron used to make ironware tableware and household items, such as washbasins, our iron reserves in the West will increase by 40% each year. If we use the saved iron to make armor, longswords, short knives, daggers, and iron arrowheads, the price of weapons will drop by 30%."
The entire room fell silent.
Regarding calculations, everyone believes in the great scholar Porter.
Lord Tywin's gaze slowly swept across the entire room, exuding unparalleled majesty.
His vassals and knights remained silent.
"Does anyone have any opinions or questions about this? Please speak up!"
Tywin already knew in his heart whether to use wooden chopsticks or iron cutlery, and which was more expensive or cheaper. He had given this decision much thought.
Most civilians couldn't afford armor during wartime, and even their swords were rusty and of poor quality because weapons were too expensive.
Steel is too precious.
Wood, on the west side, is full of mountains and primeval forests.
"Your Grace, if the manufacture and sale of iron tableware are stopped, what will we use to cut vegetables at home? I think chopsticks are not suitable for cutting meat," said Earl Lefred of Golden Tooth City.
He spoke for everyone.
"The kitchen knives used by the chefs will be manufactured uniformly by the blacksmiths of Casterly Rock, and a quota of kitchen knives will be implemented for each vassal territory. I will ensure that every household has at least two kitchen knives for use. From now on, whether it is roasting meat or baking bread, after six months, it will be absolutely forbidden for each person to have one knife and one fork. They will only be allowed to cut all the meat and vegetables in the kitchen first, then put them on a plate, and serve them at the table to eat with chopsticks."
"Six months from now, every household in the entire Westerlands will be using chopsticks. All iron tableware, including that of the Lannisters in Casterly Rock, must be surrendered. Your iron tableware can be exchanged for snow salt. I repeat, we must stockpile ironware and use it sparingly. From now on, except for use in weapons and armor, all iron plates, bowls, and iron handicrafts used in daily life will be made of wood, and no ironware will be allowed. Anyone who has any objections, please raise them!"
Everyone looked at each other, feeling they needed to go home and process this. How could iron tableware, passed down through generations, be changed like this?! Many felt awkward, strange, and unreal, but no one stood up to object.
Because this is the requirement that Duke Tywin Lannister imposes on himself; he has no special privileges.
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Gregor couldn't help but admire Duke Tywin. At the age of twenty, the Duke was invited by the King to become the Prime Minister of the Seven Kingdoms because of his outstanding political talent. He governed the country for twenty years, and no one dared to question his ability to govern.
The substitution of wood for iron would give the Western Kingdom a head start in iron reserves compared to other kingdoms. If weapon prices came down and the common people of the Western Kingdom could afford good weapons, whose soldiers would be more effective in the event of war?
Although Gregor comes from a world with a very high level of civilization, he is still a complete novice when it comes to managing national affairs.
He initially used chopsticks, never imagining he could replace so much ironware with such inexpensive chopsticks. Great Wake Island in the Iron Islands, rich in iron ore, did indeed impose exorbitant price increases on the Western Territory every year.
"Alright, that concludes the political discussion. Today, I want to give special mention to Ser Gregor Clegane, who has brought about these changes in the Westerlands. He has made a very special contribution to the transformation of the Westerlands, and I believe he will continue to produce many more great inventions and technologies in the future. I want to give a special reward to this sir for his outstanding contributions."
Gregor stepped out of the line, with utmost respect.
"Sir Gregor, you are my most loyal general, your loyalty is beyond question. I am amazed that you have been blessed by the Seven Gods, let us thank the Seven Gods! You are also my most valiant general, invincible in every battle, no one in the West or even the whole country can rival you. This time, I will reward you with a large territory, and at the same time, I will also reward you with my best, most precious and most beloved things."
"Thank you, Your Grace." Gregor knelt on one knee, his right fist placed on his left chest.
"My daughter, Jenny Westerling," Duke Tywin said, taking Jenny's hand beside him. "You are of marriageable age, and today I wish to betroth you to Ser Gregor. I hope you will agree!" Tywin spoke in a consultative tone, but his words left no room for argument.
Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent, as if no one else existed.
Jenny's mind went blank. She saw the Duke's mouth opening and closing, but she couldn't hear what he was saying at all.
Then, Jenny felt everything float up, all the light, shadow, color, and sound were changing unreally. She seemed to hear her father, Earl Gavin's voice, dreamlike and unreal: "Your Grace, you are Jenny's father. The Westerling family is deeply honored by your marriage to Jenny."
Jenny felt herself go limp and could no longer sit in the chair. She felt herself collapse, and then all light, shadow, and sound disappeared. She fell into boundless darkness, and she felt her body sinking and sinking without end.
*
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