There is a famous saying in Chinese Confucian culture: "Integrity is the foundation of being a person; without integrity, a person cannot stand."
This statement applies to individuals, as well as to business, politics, the military, and nations.
The first thing the Demon Mountain needs to do to enrich its people and strengthen its army is to establish its credibility in the Westerling territory!
There is a wealth of wisdom about establishing trust in Chinese culture, and there are countless classic stories of great figures. Just pick one at a time!
For example, Shang Yang, a powerful figure who made the Qin state strong because of his laws, could be used to establish trust by setting up a wooden pole.
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As the Earl of Cliffrock, seeing the Mountain spread the complete map of the territory on the table, Earl Gavin said, "Sir Gregor, Cliffrock has the capacity to recruit at most three hundred more infantrymen."
Count Damon chuckled, then his mocking gaze swept from the Mountain to Count Gavin, before returning to the Mountain's face.
Count Leo didn't laugh, but he shifted his posture, leaning back in his high chair and completely relaxing!
Let the show begin!
"Recruiting five hundred infantrymen is no problem, just increase taxes." Lady Hibern raised her long neck high, her poise and elegance no less than any noblewoman, but unfortunately, her identity as the daughter of a spice merchant became a thorn in her pride.
"Raise taxes? Our taxes are already very high. They're higher than those of the neighboring nobles. I strongly oppose raising taxes!" Lady Jenny said.
"Those people are very cunning, Jenny. You are too young and too kind. You don't understand them at all. Their cellars are full of grain, but they will only cry to you about the poor harvest and that they have nothing to eat. They will say things like it's almost July again and all the milk will have to be thrown away." Mrs. Hibel sneered.
Lord Gavin looked at the long-lost complete map of the family territory and said, "If we are going to conscript soldiers, we can indeed consider raising taxes. Otherwise, how will we support our army? July is just around the corner. In July and August, the temperature will rise. What if milk disease breaks out again this year? All the milk in the western region will have to be dumped. It will not only be our people who suffer huge losses."
Milk, a great source of nutrition, is highly susceptible to milk-related diseases during July and August each year. While it's understandable that drinking milk can cause various illnesses and fevers, the most serious problem is the high mortality rate. People attribute this to the wrath of the Stranger among the Seven Gods. When the Stranger is dissatisfied with the actions of his people, he causes deadly bacteria to grow in milk during July and August, potentially triggering a nationwide plague through milk.
July will be here in just over a month.
"Lady Hibel is quite right. Raising taxes is absolutely a brilliant idea. Haven't you noticed that the people on the lands we returned to the Westerlings are quite wealthy? Raising taxes on these fellows to support their armies will definitely work. It's within their means. What do you think, Lord Mountain?" Earl Damon tapped his left finger on the map of what used to be his territory.
In his mind, Demon Mountain cursed, "You son of a bitch! I want to enrich the people and strengthen the army; I can only reduce taxes, not increase them!" "The Earl is absolutely right, I completely agree!" Demon Mountain said. He gestured across the map, including all the people on it. "If each household gains half a silver deer per month, that's several hundred more silver deer a month in income. The people on the newly reclaimed land are quite wealthy, and the population has increased considerably. We can raise taxes a little more; those who refuse to pay can be given grain."
"Great idea!" Count Damon gave a thumbs-up and laughed heartily.
Count Leo also said, "That's right. For nobles who maintain armies, increasing taxes on their subjects is a good approach, and everyone does it. The purpose of maintaining an army is to protect the personal safety and property of their subjects, so it's only right that they pay a little more money."
Demon Mountain chuckled.
Damon is a wolf, and Leo is a jackal!
They all wished for the Westerling family to collapse even faster!
It's even more exciting when this scheme starts to collapse under the management of Moshan!
Lady Hiber, as if afraid of appearing foolish enough, said, "Lord Gavin, let's do it this way. Let Maester Assa calculate how much more tax we need to collect if we recruit five hundred infantrymen, and how much more tax we need to collect if we recruit a thousand infantrymen."
"Indeed, that's exactly right," Earl Damon laughed. "Maester Assa, Earl Gavin, Lady Sybil, you must make sure your tax collectors tell the people that Lord Mountain has offended the entire Northern nobility, and war between them could break out at any moment, especially with the Marble family, which is my family. We will definitely retaliate. Collecting taxes in advance to support the army is to protect their lives and property, and has nothing to do with the Westerling family's aristocratic pomp and vanity. Haha, hahaha!"
Count Leo chuckled in agreement, hoping Count Damon wouldn't hold him responsible for the severed hand, even though it was he who had opened the city gates.
Earl Gavin and Lady Hipper looked grim.
The Demon Mountain, on the other hand, remained calm and watched the performance of the scoundrels present.
Jenny said, "Sir Gregor..."
The Mountain raised his hand to stop Jenny from speaking, saying, "Taxing is a good idea, let's do it. But with such a heavy tax, I'm afraid the people in the territory won't believe the decree. They'll think the Westerling family is joking. I have a way to let the people know that we keep our word and do what we say. Anyone who dares to disobey will be treated like I did with Earl Damon—his right hand will be cut off."
Count Damon's smiling face froze instantly, as if he had been punched without his knowledge.
Count Leo was also momentarily speechless, unable to laugh anymore.
The Mountain, seemingly oblivious to the two earls' embarrassment, chuckled, "Keeping one's word is fundamental for a lord. When a lord lacks credibility, his people will not believe his decrees. Scholar Asa, issue the order: five days from now, on the day of my wedding to Lady Jenny, I will erect a wooden pillar at the gate of Cliff Rock. Any citizen within my territory who carries this pillar from the city gate to our main castle gate will be rewarded with a golden dragon."
Scholar Assa was taken aback!
Earl Gavin, Lady Hipper, Jenny, Earl Damon, and Earl Leo were all confused by the Mountain's intentions.
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Mo Shan laughed, "I know you won't believe it, but it's true. A piece of wood and a golden dragon. Of course, many of my people won't believe it either. Oh no, I misspoke. All my people won't believe it, but there will definitely be a lot of people coming to watch the spectacle."
Jenny frowned: "Sir Gregor, what if no one dares to move this log all day long?"
"Then let's wait until the next day."
"What if no one dares to move this log?"
"There definitely will be!" Demon Mountain laughed. "A golden dragon is a huge sum of money, equivalent to thirty silver deer, two hundred and ten bronze stars, and more than ten thousand bronze points. With such a generous reward, there will surely be brave warriors."
"Even if someone moves this log, how will that help with the tax decree that will be issued next? It won't help at all!"
"It will happen. I swear in the name of the Seven Gods and the honor of the Clegane family that all the people of the realm will obey the decrees that follow without complaint, and will be grateful to the Lord!"
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