"Yes, Your Grace!" Master Buz was visibly nervous.
He rummaged through his pocket three times, and with the help of his granddaughter Esther, he finally took out three golden dragons. His fingers trembled slightly as he gently placed them in front of Duke Tywin.
Tywin's gaze made both Boots and Esther tense up.
The room was completely silent, except for the uncontrollable swallowing of saliva and heavy breathing.
This is unofficial 'counterfeit money'.
This is the first time such a thing has appeared in the Western Regions.
This was Gregor Clegane's doing.
Three gold dragons, each from a different year and with a different image.
The first gold dragon was brand new, with King Robert Baratheon's portrait printed on the front. Lord Tywin Lannister glanced at the maester, and Maester Potter immediately produced an identical gold dragon and placed it next to the 'counterfeit'.
No matter how you look at it, the brightness of the king and the golden dragon on the counterfeit bill is slightly better than that of the genuine golden dragon, and the quality is also better.
Turning the two gold dragons over, the reverse side features the same three-headed dragon. In terms of the embossed texture and visual aesthetics, the counterfeit surpasses the genuine coin.
In terms of color, counterfeit bills are also brighter, with a very faint reddish tint in the golden yellow, which increases their texture.
Lord Tywin was very knowledgeable about coins, but he couldn't figure out how the very faint reddish hue in the counterfeit coins, which looked more real than the real ones, was made.
"Was the model made by Master Booz?" Duke Tywin was very surprised by the master's craftsmanship.
"Yes, Master Tob also had help and involvement," Master Buz said. He felt as if an invisible iron plate was pressing on his chest.
This is also why Master Tob is here; he was involved in making the counterfeit money. Booz's granddaughter was also involved, so she's here too. Jenny Westerling is their master, so she's here as well. Alec, who can cook noodles, is unaware of this secret and was left in the kitchen.
For a commoner, privately minting coins is a capital offense! For a nobleman, it means confiscation of property and stripping of his knighthood.
But the kind-hearted old man Booz was forced! He was coerced by the Mountain!
The granddaughter has also been forced to marry the neurotic Knight Pollyver.
Counterfeiting a golden dragon is a serious crime, but after the model was completed and the first 'counterfeit coin' was produced, the master, The Mountain, sent them to report to Lord Tywin.
When the old man received the 'order', his mind went blank.
This should have been a secret crime, but the Mountain, fearless of death, summoned Old Man Booz, his granddaughter Esther, and Master Tob to report to the Duke. Although the old man was terrified, he still had the strength and courage to stand firm because of his mistress Jenny's presence.
The old man was certain he couldn't understand the tricks played by the high-ranking nobles.
But we are at their mercy, like fish on a chopping board.
The old man could only take a deep breath and calm his 'fiery' heart and churning 'emotions'.
Looking at the 'fake golden dragon' that seemed even more real than the real thing, Duke Tywin's nail-like gaze gradually softened.
"How was this bright silver color made?" Tywin asked. His gaze swept over everyone present.
"A little copper was added!" the old man said. He glanced timidly at Jenny Westerling, swallowing the rest of his sentence. —The technique of adding copper was learned under the guidance of Lord Mountain.
Replacing gold with a certain proportion of copper has two advantages: first, it lowers the actual cost; second, it makes the coin more aesthetically pleasing and textured than genuine coins made with conventional techniques, even appearing more authentic. If it circulated in the market, people would prefer to use this type of gold dragon coin. No one can tell with the naked eye that counterfeit gold dragon coins contain copper; current technology cannot detect it either—this is the secret of advanced technology.
"It was Lord Mountain's idea, wasn't it?" Tywin asked. He glanced at his adopted daughter, Jenny, beside him.
"Yes, Father."
It wasn't just Lord Mountain's idea; the technique of adding copper was also taught by him.
Tywin remained expressionless.
In the eyes of the simple-minded old man, Tywin Lannister, Tywin was a terrifying old villain with a serious and upright appearance but a wicked heart. In comparison, the old man felt that the Duke was more terrifying, more frightening, and more dreadful than the Mountain.
Tywin picked up the second golden dragon, which was exactly the same as the one he remembered. On the front of the dragon was the portrait of his former friend, the Mad King Aerys Targaryen, the last king of the Targaryen dynasty. Sixteen years ago, Lord Tywin personally sent his dynasty and royal family to the dark underworld.
Scholar Potter took out a gold dragon from the same era. When the two gold dragons were placed together, even Lord Tywin Lannister, whose knowledge of gold was unparalleled, could not tell which one was real and which one was fake.
In fact, both gold dragons are genuine, but one was minted by the king's mint and the other by the Mountain's private mint.
It's all real gold and silver! All made using the same casting technique! Only the people who cast it are different.
"No copper was added to this?"
"…It's been added, sir…" Master Buz's anxiety gradually subsided.
"Oh!" Duke Tywin Lannister picked up the two gold dragons again to examine them. It turned out that even with the addition of copper, the gold dragons did not show their slightly bright reddish texture. The old craftsman truly lived up to his reputation as a mint master who had worked his entire life in the mint outside King's Landing.
The third gold dragon is even older, over two hundred years old, a gold coin from the cruel era of Megar I. The coin is aged, worn, and has lost its luster, with some parts turning black.
This is a technique that requires an aged look.
Duke Tywin knew that the 'counterfeit coin' had just been minted, and although he remained calm, the antiquing technique surprised him once again.
However, the technique for aging was also taught to old Booz by the Mountain. Old Booz didn't tell Tywin this.
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Everyday use or environmental factors can cause gold to lose its luster. This is because gold can never be completely free of impurities, and in this backward era of semi-pastoral and semi-agricultural farming, it was impossible to refine 100% pure gold.
When a large amount of fine dust in dry air falls onto the gold, and when sweat from the human body comes into contact with the silver or copper contained in the gold, a chemical reaction occurs, producing dark black silver chloride and copper sulfide.
Only 100% pure gold will become brighter with use.
Two hundred years ago, the Targaryen royal family's gold coin minting and gold refining techniques were far inferior to those of today.
Three gold dragons of different eras and appearances, if taken out and used, would never be suspected of being 'counterfeit' coins produced in Clegane. Tywin was certain of this.
"Scholar, reward Master Butz with two golden dragons," said Duke Tywin.
"Yes, sir!"
The old man, Buz, finally felt relieved.
Now that the golden dragon model has been made and can be cast by himself, the Duke could simply kill him to silence him.
Duke Tywin left behind three 'counterfeit coins' and waved for Old Man Booz, Esther, and Master Tob to leave.
Duke Tywin stared at Jenny like a tiger eyeing a lamb grazing, oblivious to the danger.
"Jenny, you shouldn't have known about this?"
Jenny sighed softly, "...Father...I'm already married to Clegane..."
The room was quiet for a long time.
"I know nothing about the Mountain forging the golden dragon, understand? And you can't let Earl Gavin know either."
"Yes, Father."
"Tell Gregor to hand over the noodle business to Count Odd to manage, and he can just take his share of the profits. Mint golden dragons, mainly in new currency."
"Yes, Father."