Solomon urgently needed these people to execute his will. And currently, the only true talent before him was this pair.
"So, what is your name?" Solomon's voice remained calm, devoid of any fluctuation.
"Evelyn. You may call me Evelyn, Lord Solomon." The woman paused, her lips moving slightly before she finally offered a common name.
Solomon nodded slightly. He knew it was an alias, but he signaled that he would accept it. "Evelyn, I have noted it. Now, we must establish a few ground rules."
Solomon stared intently at the two of them, speaking slowly:
"First, you will be my advisor, but I will not get involved in your affairs, nor do I want you to cause me trouble. I need your knowledge and assistance. You only need to fulfill your duties diligently."
Evelyn's eyes widened slightly. She was surprised that the young lord did not mention her beauty. Perhaps he was simply too young. She listened quietly to his next words.
Even Olivier was somewhat shocked. He knew how much trouble his mistress's appearance had caused them in the past.
"Second, from tomorrow on, you cannot use a hood to cover your face. Excessive concealment only invites unnecessary prying and suspicion. It makes you conspicuous."
"Rumors of a mysterious person wrapped in layers of cloth in my castle will only attract unwanted attention. Therefore, your identity here will be my personal handmaiden."
"However, you must use makeup to minimize your presence. Use accessories or whatever means necessary to make yourself look less striking, but it must be based on your real face. Sometimes, hiding in plain sight is the best disguise."
Although Solomon knew little of women's cosmetics, he could sense that even after washing her face, the woman before him still wore layers of masks.
"Third, and most importantly!" Solomon paused, letting the weight of the words settle before standing up.
Solomon's gaze swept over Evelyn, then past her to Olivier. "I have no interest in your past. I will not ask, nor will I send anyone to investigate. I do not wish to be involved in any of your troubles."
His voice turned cold as he delivered his ultimatum:
"But, if your trouble comes knocking at my door and threatens my territory or me, you must leave on your own accord!"
"I will not pay any price for your past. In fact, if it benefits me, I might even hand you over."
"So, this is my final offer. Do you really want to stay?"
Solomon's words were heartless, yet undeniably fair. He was forcing the master and servant to seriously consider their decision. For Solomon, women were replaceable, but he only had one life. What use was a beautiful woman if he was dead? After all, he was one of the few hereditary lords in Westeros.
Evelyn gazed calmly at Solomon. In those soul-piercing blue eyes, a flicker of mixed approval and admiration passed.
She had imagined countless scenarios—being interrogated, driven away, or forced into bed. But she had never expected such a pure transaction based solely on her ability. The young man before her was incredibly mature; his pragmatic attitude gave off an oppressive aura, truly like a lion.
She curtsied slightly, her movements elegant and precise. She looked less like an exile and more like a noble lady greeting a lord. "I accept your conditions, Lord Solomon."
Behind her, Olivier bowed deeply along with his mistress, silently confirming this dangerous yet fair contract.
The next morning, the Lord's Great Hall was buzzing with noise and activity.
Luchen and Lauchlan huddled uneasily in a corner. They didn't understand why Lord Solomon had summoned them so early, along with those "literate folks." They couldn't converse with the educated types.
Their eyes drifted to the woman standing beside the Lord's high seat. She was said to be Olivier's daughter. Too ugly.
A red birthmark fractured her face, making her fair skin look grotesque and menacing. Yet, those blue eyes were still so beautiful that one dared not look directly at them.
Ideally, she was serving as Lord Solomon's personal maid. This won't do, they thought. So ugly. They resolved to find some sturdy, fertile women for Lord Solomon. His family line was down to just him; it was time to spread some branches and leaves.
Solomon walked out of his solar. The hall fell silent as everyone looked at him. Ignoring the confusion in the room, Solomon walked slowly to a massive wooden table in the center and unrolled a crude map.
"Come here!" His voice wasn't loud, but it drew everyone in. Eyes focused on the map.
Luchen and Lauchlan stepped quickly out of the shadows, pushing through the crowd. Evelyn followed, taking her place beside Solomon.
"How many villages are currently in my territory?" Solomon asked.
Luchen and Lauchlan exchanged a look. This question was much simpler than calculating acreage. Lauchlan answered first, "Lord Solomon, on your land, there are currently sixteen villages, big and small."
"Correct!" Solomon tapped the crude map with his finger. "Sixteen villages. Like a handful of sand, loosely scattered across this land. Each village has fewer than a hundred people!"
"If powerful bandits attack, they might be slaughtered before word even gets out. Or they might fall before I can send troops to rescue them."
"Issuing mobilization orders requires sending messengers to each one, wasting time. Collecting taxes... God knows if what they hand over is the right amount. As for administration and governance, I don't have enough officials."
"I want to merge them." Solomon drew several circles on the parchment, representing the scattered settlements. "Forming several large Military Forts."
"Merge?" someone in the crowd asked. "Military Forts?"
"Yes, merge." Solomon emphasized his tone. "Merge these sixteen scattered, sparsely populated, unmanageable villages into four Military Forts."
Solomon scanned the crowd, enunciating his next words clearly: "Each Military Fort will have one Civil Officer, one Tax Officer, and they will obey the Military Officer."
He had considered this carefully. Everything was preparation for the coming war. He would appoint the officials, but they would not be equals. They would answer to the military commander. Military priority was absolute.
Seeing the growing confusion on their faces, Solomon explained in simpler terms: "I call it 'Scatter to Plow, Gather to Rest'."
"Simply put! During the busy farming season, villagers can go to their respective fields to work, living in temporary huts by the fields or in their old villages."
"But during the slack season, especially the long, cold winter, or when enemies attack, everyone—everyone!—will return to the constructed civilian forts to live together and undergo military training."
Solomon watched as understanding dawned on their faces. He continued, "The benefits of this! First! Safety! High walls! Concentrated soldiers! No bandit gang with fewer than a thousand men would dare approach!"
"Second! Ease of management! Any decree I issue only needs to be announced in the Military Fort! Everyone will see and hear it immediately!"
"Third! Convenience for taxation and mobilization! How many people in each family! How much tax they owe! It will be clear at a glance! When soldiers are needed! One order! Mustered in half a day!"
Luchen and Lauchlan roughly understood Lord Solomon's meaning. Safety and easy mobilization—they understood these perfectly. After all, the old Baron at Reekfort used to just yell, and a dozen men would gather. This was indeed a good thing; at least during war, they wouldn't have to run all over the world notifying scattered villagers.
The Civil and Tax Officers also understood. This would vastly reduce their workload and difficulty.
This was Solomon's primary consideration. The quality of his grassroots bureaucrats was worrying. Letting them manage a vast, scattered area would only confuse them. He doubted they could handle it otherwise.
Solomon's gaze turned to Evelyn. He saw the tall woman looking like she wanted to speak but holding back due to his order to keep a low profile.
Solomon raised a finger, his voice heavy: "The families of my four hundred soldiers will be evenly distributed among the four Military Towns."
"They will become the maintainers of order, the enforcers of my laws!"
"On top of this! I will establish the Three-Chiefs System!"
This new term made everyone prick up their ears. Evelyn looked at him silently.
"Five families form a 'Neighborhood' (Lin)! From these five, a veteran who has earned merit in my service will be appointed as the 'Neighborhood Chief'!"
"Five Neighborhoods! That is twenty-five families! They form a 'Community' (Li)! From the five Neighborhood Chiefs, one will be chosen as the 'Community Chief'!"
"Five Community Chiefs! That is one hundred and twenty-five families! They form a 'Ward' (Dang)! A 'Ward Chief' will be chosen from among them!"
"Maintain order in the Military Town! Execute my decrees! The Ward Chief reports directly to the three officers of the Military Fort!"
Dead silence. This system was shocking. It completely destroyed the original life system of the village, dismantling the traditional Westerosi way of life. It was a system never before seen in Westeros.
Solomon looked at the silent crowd. He had thought this through repeatedly. Only this could create order. He might have a city like King's Landing in the future, and he didn't want that city to be as chaotic as the capital. Implementation had to happen now. With fewer people, it was easier to execute, and resistance would be minimal. Delaying would only increase the resistance.
Solomon's voice rang out again, waking the silent crowd. He knew his next words would be even more shocking: "Collective Punishment!!!!"
"Within a Neighborhood! If one person commits a crime! The other four families share the guilt! Those who know and do not report! Their crime is one degree heavier!" Solomon spoke slowly. "My army will follow the same rule! I want to establish order!"
The hall was deathly silent. Everyone, even the semi-literate clerks, turned pale. They were awed by this precise and ruthless system. They could almost see an invisible net descending to cover every inch of the territory, every single person.
Only Luchen and Lauchlan grinned. As expected of Lord Solomon!
Evelyn tugged at Solomon's sleeve. Solomon knew she had something to say. He dismissed everyone, leaving only Luchen and Lauchlan.
Then, Solomon turned his gaze to Evelyn. This woman seemed to have a lot to say.
Meeting Solomon's gaze, she finally spoke, her voice cool and rational: "Lord Solomon, your concept is perfect. It could indeed fundamentally change the face of your territory."
She affirmed him first, but then shifted tone: "However, the difficulty of realization may not be as simple as you think."
"Peasants have a deep affection for the land their ancestors lived on. They may never have left their village in their entire lives. Every tree, every stream there is part of their life."
"To make them give up the land they live on and move to a strange place... even if you put a knife to their necks, their hearts will only be filled with resentment toward you."
"Secondly, do you really trust these commoner officials? You don't know the greed, stupidity, and ugliness of these commoners. They have no honor, no courage, no mercy, not even the Seven. Each of them possesses the Seven Deadly Sins. They will only end up in hell."
"Your Tax Officer, Barna the Beggar, is a typical example. Since becoming an official, he rides his pony around humiliating those who once bullied him when he was a beggar."
"I suggest you recruit some fallen hedge knights. Grant them a village as a fief. They will swear loyalty to you by the Seven. You grant them land, and they will provide your family with eternal loyalty."
Luchen and Lauchlan saw this ugly woman daring to contradict Lord Solomon. They didn't know how to refute her, their faces turning red. In their view, if Lord Solomon gave an order, the peasants obeyed. It was natural law. Who dared disobey would kiss their swords!
However, Evelyn saw Solomon smile, as if mocking her. She fell silent, a trace of confusion appearing in her beautiful blue eyes for the first time, quietly waiting for Solomon's rebuttal.
Solomon finally put away his smile. He shook his head. He extended a finger and wagged it gently, giving his answer—a simple, brutal, yet incredibly effective answer:
"You are right. They have affection for the land they have lived on for generations. But when you place that affection next to their lives, you will find that living is the deepest affection of all."
Solomon's gaze swept over Luchen and Lauchlan, delivering a cold order: "Luchen! Lauchlan!"
"Find some reliable men. Mask your faces. Starting tonight, take turns playing bandits. Harass those remote villages. Remember, make a big noise, be fierce. Burn a few empty houses, steal some livestock. Be sure to act extremely vicious, but do not take human lives."
"I want them sleepless with fear. I want them to understand that their ancestral lands, their generational villages, are no longer safe nests, but graveyards waiting to claim their lives."
Solomon looked at Evelyn, the woman with the noble mannerisms: "At that time, I will send people to tell them that I have prepared sturdy high walls, ample food, and soldier protection for them. Absolute safety."
"Guess. Will they miss their homeland? Or will they cry and thank me for granting them the chance to live?"
Evelyn's pupils contracted slightly. She fell silent, or rather, lost her color. She hadn't expected the young lord before her to be as seasoned and despicable as those great lords. She thought of Tywin Lannister. His youthful figure seemed to overlap with the boy before her.
Solomon turned his head, no longer looking at her: "As for what you said about nobles and commoners... in my view, their greed, stupidity, and ugliness are no less than commoners. Their crimes are often even greater."
"As for your Tax Officer, Barna the Beggar," Solomon said slowly. "As far as I know, he rode that pony and indeed humiliated those who bullied him, as you said. But he also thanked those kind people who helped him when he was at his lowest. He distributed all the silver stags I gave him as a recruitment reward to those who had helped him."
Solomon walked toward the woman until he was close, his oppressive presence forcing the woman, who was taller than the boy lord, to lower her body:
"I only need them to serve me! To bring order to my territory! To create the results I want! That is all!"
"If he can do that, I will use him even if he is a devil. If he cannot, he is worthless to me, even if he is a saint."
His slender fingers gently lifted her chin, forcing her beautiful blue eyes to meet his.
"This is my way of using people. Now, do you have any more questions, my advisor?"
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