Chapter 318 Tyrion’s Wisdom
Tyrion escorted Jaime and was selfless.
In the military tent with music, singing and dancing.
It didn't take long to arrive at Casterly Rock City from the Lion's Gate.
Tyrion stopped and stopped, visiting almost every lord in the West.
Uncle Kevan followed him, acting businesslike in front of others, which made Tyrion relieved.
The lords along the way seemed to have lost their energy and seemed to be in a state of despair.
As they should, Tyrion thought.
Although the farmland is no longer in disarray and the manor has been rebuilt, the burned castle, empty barns, and rarely preserved cattle and sheep
This sight made me unhappy.
Not to mention having to kneel in front of the half-people they always teased and looked down upon.
"I will never kneel, dwarf!" the little lord refused to kneel and declared impassionedly. At this moment, his head was chopped off by Uncle Kevan and hung on the abandoned hotel.
Afterwards, Tyrion held his horse's belly and thought about Kevan's behavior.
"You should remind them that although your father is dead, a lion is still a lion." Kevan emphasized again and again.
Tyrion's face was solemn as he looked at the tired soldiers around him and the Lannister red and gold battle flag that was slumped in the wind.
"I'm not my father," Tyrion responded, turning his horse's head and saying, "I'm not that tall, and I'm not bald."
What he said next was very soft, and he hoped Uncle Kevan didn't hear it.
Today is different from the past. Duke Tywin's pressure has passed and has been covered up by the roaring flames of war and the endless smoke of war. The people are exhausted and the lords are burdened.
Continue to press hard
Tyrion looked at his thin body and shook his head.
This is the way to die.
Tyrion dismounted and untied the ropes that bound the young lord's body with his own hands, comforting his nephew, the only remaining heir.
"This place has become a wasteland. If you don't want to starve to death or be killed by bandits, accept this bag of golden dragons and follow the team to Casterly Rock. You can take the road to Lannisport and live there."
"Can I follow you?"
Tyrion waved his hand quickly, "Seven Gods bless me, maybe I am compassionate enough, but I dare not let Lannister's enemies enter the palace of Casterly Rock."
"In case you don't know how you died in the end," Tyrion left here and kept murmuring.
James was drinking, which he drank almost every day.
"We're not far from Casterly Rock," Tyrion reminded him.
Podrick served them two thick-cut grilled steaks. The beef was quite rare and red, soaked in blood and sauce.
Tyrion touched it, it was the heat that Jaime liked.
He pushed the dinner plate forward and watched James pick up the knife skillfully and cut through the beef like butter without any lag. He put down the knife and then changed his hand to pick up the fork, which was very chewy in his mouth.
"Your appetite is getting better and better," Tyrion said, opening and closing his mouth. "I need you."
James put down his fork without stopping the movement of his mouth.
After chewing for a moment, he paused and said, "How can I help?"
"Uncle Kevan wants me to continue to govern as Lord Tywin, but" Tyrion touched his chin, looked around the camp, stepped forward and pulled off the golden lion pennant hanging on his head, "but this time is different. In the past, the lions were no longer as strong as before, and the princes were no longer wearing gold foil shoes and holding silver-handled swords. Now they were just a group of beggars wearing animal skin robes and squatting at the statue of the Virgin Mary to pray and bags of food. They were all barefoot. of civilians.”
Tyrion sat down in front of his brother, "Do you know anyone in the Casterly Rock Standing Army?"
"Damion Lannister is in charge of them. Maybe the people have changed."
Tiriyang shook his head, "No, my father just died, and Damian didn't have time to get involved at this time."
Jaime picked up the wine glass and said, "Lannisport Guard?"
"Uncle Kevan has delivered the token to me." Tyrion took out a golden wrench from his arms, with the head of a lion cub carved on it, "This team will not move."
"What do you want with a standing army at Casterly Rock? I thought Attis Arryn would have enough support for you."
"Just like the Dornish people who recklessly ran into the Stormlands, I don't think the princes of the West have much goodwill towards the army in the valley. I'd better not cause unnecessary trouble." Tyrion moistened his mouth with wine and continued to answer: "In Before the attack on Oldtown, I asked Kevan to do some things. He took over a lot of work for the merchant ships in Oldtown Port, so I saved a lot of food. I used these soldiers to patrol the Western Territory, disperse food, and support me. .”
James narrowed his eyes, "I thought the common people of King's Landing had enough food."
"Businessmen are all profit-seeking. I am really surprised that Euron Greyjoy took Oldtown easily, but his style has also helped us a lot before, such as grain transport ships. After all, it is It’s for sale. The Old Town Chamber of Commerce is lucky to find a buyer who can win it in one fell swoop.”
"Aelin?" James asked.
"No need to ask." Tyrion stretched out his hand to greet Podrick. His Pod was wearing two layers of thick fleece and was sweating in front of the hot stove.
Pod brought over the heated wine jug and moved the lid to disperse the steam.
Tyrion took the wet towel from Pod's hand and held the handle of the pot. "He is still contacting horse dealers in various places, including the Western Region."
James looked at him, "I'm curious, brother," taking the wine from Tyrion, "Are you a Lannister now, or..."
"The future belongs to Aelin," Tyrion said, with certainty in his words, "We have always been good at taking charge of situations, but we always have to adapt to the role of no longer being the leader. Otherwise, it would be wrong to plan politics without taking our position. Disaster."
James was silent for a long time. He knew clearly that all Tyrion's current thoughts were on his status as the Guardian of the West and even the Duke of Casterly Rock during a special period, "What do you want to do."
"The army is behind me. The size of the standing army and garrison will not be reduced. It will remain as it is and help our lords who are now in disaster."
"Grain and grass? Golden dragon?"
"There is also labor," Tyrion said. "I got some inspiration from the Handan's governance at Harrenhal and the Green Fork. The Casterly Rock standing army and the Lannis garrison participated in the restoration of the territory, and there are also people from the old The food harvested from the town and Junling Harbor, as well as our powerful gold mines.”
"What if," Jaime thought keenly, "Greyjoy invades Lannisport?"
Tyrion took a sip of wine, "If the gods hadn't favored us, Robb Stark would have lost his life under Casterly Rock."
"You mean"
"Davon Lannister is good at defense and uses the castle as a chain. He was also the commander of the Lannisport garrison."
"I'm afraid he's still fishing on the island."
"I will land on the island, ask him to guard Lannisport, and hand over the military power to him, as well as the income from the nearby gold mines," Tyrion said.
"Gold mine?"
"Yes," Tyrion said firmly, "there is no use amassing wealth now. Although one stage of the war is over, if those wet-haired ironborn bring their iron axes and the belief of the Drowned God into the West, the war will probably continue to spread. .”
"I don't know Euron Greyjoy," Jaime said, "but the fact that they stormed Old Town and captured most of Hightower's army shows that he is not stupid."
"But it's arrogant. Have you seen his declaration of war?" Tyrion asked.
James shook his head.
"He can declare war for any reason, but it is mixed with religion. Maybe he can conquer King's Landing, but it will be difficult for him to win over people's hearts."
"There are no warrior sons now."
"You are wrong," Tyrion smiled knowingly, "The Riverlands and the King's Land are full of followers of the High Sparrow. Even if they are not organized, they are still a big trouble. Now it is Harold Hatton, who is under the Prime Minister, to deal with them. , but this is Lord Attis Arryn’s superficial military order.”
"Superficial military order?"
"Once the letter of challenge is sent, even if the warrior's son does not collude with us, we can still work together for a period of time. Once we cooperate, it will not be a worry as long as we give some benefits and even out some benefits after the war." Tyrion said with a look. There is quite a proud look in it.
James laughed out loud, "Your suggestion?"
"What if?" Tyrion opened his hand.
Tyrion was a little excited. He squatted on the chair, stared at the hot wine on the table, and murmured to himself through the white steam:
"Earl Hightower is a kind man. He let go of all the mercenaries he recruited before the war. I don't know if it was because of financial constraints or something else. In short, we will not be short of soldiers."
James frowned, "How many mercenaries are there?"
"No less than 20,000, at least a quarter of which was passed on by my father, and the rest are mercenaries from the Reach and Stormlands."
"Are you planning to recruit these mercenaries?"
"In special times, there is no benefit in gathering wealth," Tyrion said. "It is better to station them in Lannisport and put them under the command of Davon. I remember that when he was the commander of the Lannisport garrison, he made many servants. Corps.”
James narrowed his eyes, "You are really capable, brother."
Tyrion knocked on his head, "Euron Greyjoy may be very powerful and understand military strategy, but unfortunately there is a fatal impression hovering around his family and his people."
"What impression?"
Tyrion took a sip of wine, being careful not to get burned, and sighed before saying: "Ironborn, a bunch of poor people without money."
Jaime and Tyrion looked at each other and couldn't help but smile.
"And Lannister." Jaime deliberately didn't say the second part.
"Gold comes from shit!"
(End of chapter)