The Duke of Tywin's breakfast table was not a place where just any nobleman could sit.
Seated on either side of Tywin Lannister were The Mountain and Jenny. Next to Jenny sat her biological father, Gavin Westerling. Gavin Westerling was worried about his daughter's health; after all, last night was the night The Mountain had legally defiled a beautiful woman.
Tywin looked at Jenny with a father's gaze. Although he didn't speak, Jenny understood the meaning in his eyes. Tywin was a man who dared to speak and ask anything directly, including about his daughter's 'personal matters'. It was just like an everyday conversation on a nice day. To Duke Tywin, worldly rules and conventions were utterly meaningless.
Elephants don't care what ants think when they act.
Both fathers were concerned about her health.
After all, Gregor Clegane is a monster, more terrifying than any wild beast.
"I'm fine!" Jenny's beautiful face flushed slightly. "Sir Gregory, he… he really loves me." By the end, Jenny's voice was barely audible.
Tywin didn't care at all, but she did.
Tywin nodded and gestured for the servants to serve the food.
Gavin Westerling remained expressionless, but secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Gregor's treatment of Jenny was likely related to Tywin's prestige. After all, Jenny was Tywin's adopted daughter, and the Duke's honor could not be desecrated.
Gavin gave Duke Tywin a grateful look.
The Duke, however, remained expressionless and did not respond to Earl Gavin's ingratiating gaze, as if he had not seen it at all. His imposing presence always instilled unease in those around him.
A variety of sumptuous dishes were served in a continuous stream, and in no time, the table was covered with plates stacked on top of each other.
Sitting next to Gregor was Count Od.
Lord Odd was a Lannister and a close retainer of Tywin, so he was entitled to sit near the Duke.
"Sir, your men broke a few of my teeth last night," Earl Odd said, his words slurred.
"Count, if they don't break a few of your teeth, I'll break a few of your bones. Look, both my fathers are here, and the great nobles of the West are all at this table. Let me say this: from now on, no one will touch my wife, no matter what the reason. Otherwise, it won't just be a matter of breaking a few teeth and bones. Your games with mistresses and the like have nothing to do with the Clegane family. Don't try to lure her into your schemes with your noble ladies and embroidery. Don't try your ugly tricks on me."
The counts and knights seated in the restaurant all had mistresses. In a backward and primitive era where entertainment and variety shows were completely absent, the wealthy and powerful, in times of peace without war, indulged in debauchery and had no other sophisticated forms of entertainment besides finding various lewd and vulgar ways to satisfy their sexual desires.
Gregor's vulgar and offensive words, "shameless," made the counts at the table lose their composure, and Lady Jenny's face turned even redder. Mistresses and lovers were the ugly and shameful social custom among the nobility in this world, and everyone seemed to enjoy it. Only Gregor dared to speak so bluntly in such a noble setting, tearing away the fig leaf of these nobles without any psychological hindrance.
This made Mrs. Jenny feel slightly uncomfortable.
Lady Jenny was a wise woman. When the atmosphere became awkward, she said softly, "Sir Gregor, serve Father the soup."
So Gregor Clegane served soup to the fearsome Tywin the Ironface.
Mrs. Jenny thus diffused the awkward atmosphere.
Since his wife died in childbirth twenty-five years ago, the Duke of Tywin has not been intimate with any woman. Many eloquent matchmakers have been scolded by him and dare not come to his door. He also never goes to the brothels he despises.
People say that the departure of Tywin Lannister's wife, Joanna, took away the best qualities of Tywin's humanity, and he lost his smile.
Joanna was Tywin's cousin, and by all accounts, their marriage was very happy. At the time, there was a saying: "Lord Tywin rules the Seven Kingdoms, and Lady Joanna rules Lord Tywin."
But after Lady Joanna's untimely death, Tywin's character lost all tenderness and compassion, except for his cruelty.
Lord Tywin Lannister also disliked and resented the trend of mistresses among the nobility, but he would not say it aloud.
Gregor Clegane said it at breakfast on the second day of his marriage, without giving the Earl any face.
This table is full of important figures: Lord Marble of Branded City, a cousin of Tywin Lannister's family; Lord Raeford of Goldtooth City; Lord Kreeher of Cracker Hall; Lord Swiffer of Corn City; Lord Kevan, Tywin Lannister's shadow from Casterly Rock; and Lord Sallow of Silver Hall, who would also be qualified to sit here, but Lord Sallow was with the King and Queen in Winterfell in the North, so the younger Sallow didn't have much of a place.
As Gregor served food and soup to the Duke of Tywin, everyone began to eat.
*
"Father, may I ask you something small?"
Jenny smiled sweetly, exuding charm.
It's often said that women are men's schools, but actually, men are women's schools, and women can easily graduate from them. For example, Jenny at the Magic Mountain—their night there made many men and women fantasize.
Duke Tywin stared at Jenny Westerling.
"Father, our Clegane territory is small, and our population is small. We'd like to establish a mercenary group in Lannisport, taking on some jobs needed by nobles to earn a little money. Is that alright?"
Duke Tywin stared at Jenny without saying a word.
Under the table, Earl Gavin gave Jenny a light kick.
Count Ode's heart skipped a beat.
He was beaten last night, and this morning Jenny said she was going to establish a mercenary legion in his city. This was a worrying sign, because one of Gregor's new recruits was a guy named Chiswick, who used to be the leader of the disbanded mercenary legion, the Blade Corps.
However, Chiswick had already promised to recruit his former subordinates, persuading them to abandon piracy and join the Lannisport fleet. This was a verbal agreement reached with Sir Gregor, so why would Jenny suddenly bring up the matter of establishing a mercenary group? This seemed to slightly conflict with the agreement. If Jenny's mercenary group only handled land-based mercenary missions, it would be somewhat plausible.
Count Oder looked at the Mountain beside him, who also seemed completely unaware of the situation.
"Girls are really hard to support," Earl Gavin joked. "You've only been married into Clegane for a day, and you're already thinking about how to make a living for your husband's family. I've raised you for fifteen years, and it's all been for nothing!"
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Sir Kevon said, "Jane, Sir Gregor has won a gold mine from the Salriote family. You won't have to worry about food if you marry him."
"A small gold mine, a place that the Salot family wouldn't even consider worthwhile, how long can it last? That little bit of gold will be gone in no time. We're married now, and we'll have children in the future. I don't want to have to rely on my father to help us make a living."
Kai Feng was startled.
He recalled the look Tywin Lannister had given him the previous night in his own home, in his study at the Maester's Tower, a look that held a warning about the future of the Westerlands: the gold mines, mined for a thousand years, were dwindling, dwindling further and further. The gold mines of the Westerlands would soon be exhausted. Once the gold mines supporting the Westerlands' economy, army, and government were depleted, what would become of the Westerlands? What would become of the Lannisters?
Casterly Rock is a city built by hollowing out a mountain.
The once incredibly wealthy Western Region has actually reached the end of its history of relying on gold mines for sustenance.
Lady Jenny's sense of crisis regarding her family's future, when viewed on a larger scale, reflects a crisis for the entire Westerlands. However, apart from Lord Tywin Lannister, no one else sensed that the crisis in the Westerlands had already arrived.
While all the nobles were indulging in extravagance, scheming against each other, competing for supremacy, and wary of one another, Tywin Lannister had already foreseen the Westerlands' precipitous decline.
Duke Tywin nodded. "Jane, I support the Clegane family in establishing a mercenary group in Lannister Harbor." He glanced at Earl Odd, whose expression was somewhat unnatural.
Actually, before this, Gregor had told Lord Tywin that he wanted to find a way to make money, to make a lot of money, so Lord Tywin sent Gregor to Lannister Harbor to take on mercenary jobs. Trading ports are where mercenaries can find the most work.
What was unexpected was that this time, Miss Jenny brought it up again subtly during breakfast, under the guise of a father-daughter chat.
Lady Jenny had a little scheme up her sleeve; she was deliberately saying this so that Earl Ode would hear it.
Count Ode knew perfectly well what was going on.
The count suddenly felt puzzled. Recalling the beating he received last night, he had a vague sense of unease.
Did Gregor hear about the 'advice' he gave to Duke Tywin at Earl Kevon's house last night? Or did Jenny guess something?
But how could that be?!
The image of a person and the name of a person slowly emerged in Count Ode's mind: the witch!
Count Ode suddenly broke out in a cold sweat on his forehead and nose, but it was mixed with hot sweat and no one could tell.