Lychester's castle is small and square.
It was like a half-eaten piece of black bread thrown haphazardly on the plain.
This is the county seat of Lychester County, under the rule of Governor Riverlands, and the administrative center of the old territory of House Lychester.
Around this inconspicuous black castle, a brand new town is rising.
The sound of the banging of wood, the hammering of masons, and the shouting of the foreman mixed into a noise full of vitality.
On the dusty dirt road, a group of cavalry galloped over.
Twenty knights, fully armored and with swords hanging from their waists, surrounded a caravan and dragged a groaning farmer on a stretcher.
Horse hooves stirred up smoke and rushed into the small town that was beginning to take shape.
The idle old people and children in the town immediately followed him like flies that smelled the blood, and looked around curiously.
The knights' target was a newly built wooden building in the center of the town, with a "County Office" sign hanging on the door.
In the county office, a long rough table was placed on a simple high platform.
There are four people sitting behind the table.
In the center is Roslyn, the chief Lychester County appointed by the Governor of Sancha Qihe.
Roslyn was wearing a worn leather armor and did not wear any noble crest. His big, calloused hands lay flat on the table.
To his left and right, sat three clerks who were immersed in recording.
Under the high platform, twelve serious-looking knights sat on two rows of benches.
In the open space in the center of the hall, the scene is clear.
On the left, a farmer was lying on the ground, his legs twisted unnaturally, and he let out intermittent wails of pain.
On the right side, there were six well-dressed businessmen standing. Although the leader was pale, he still looked at the farmer on the ground with disgust.
The door of the county office is open.
A row of soldiers holding spears formed a human wall to block the growing crowd outside.
People stood on tiptoes, stretched their necks, looked inside, and whispered.
Their eyes were full of curiosity, uneasiness, and a hint of secret expectation.
This is an unheard of sight in Westeros.
Judgment is the power of the lord.
It is always carried out within the high walls of the castle and in the dark halls, mysterious and majestic.
The common people could only learn the outcome of the trial afterwards, from the corpses hung at the castle gate or the severed heads.
Now, they can actually watch it with their own eyes.
"Quiet!"
The crowd's chatter became louder and louder, and a knight in the audience suddenly stood up and let out an angry shout.
The noise outside the door suddenly stopped.
Roslyn stood up. He was not tall, but the momentum honed in his military career made him look like a mountain.
He glanced at the wailing farmers in the audience, and then looked at the panicked businessmen.
"My name is Roslyn, and Lychester County is the chief appointed by Warden of the Trident."
His voice was loud and clear, reaching the ears of everyone outside the door without resorting to any techniques.
"The governor authorizes me to adjudicate all disputes in the county."
In the center of the hall, the leading businessman was dressed in gorgeous silk.
The businessman tried to remain calm, but his brows showed undisguised contempt and disdain for Roslyn's vulgar origins.
A farmer with such a status was not even worthy of the riding shoes given to him in the past.
He cleared his throat, carefully took out a roll of parchment from his arms, and unfolded it. "Riverlands Governor's Sheriff, I am Jon Joel, a law-abiding businessman."
He lifted the parchment, and the seal and signature on it were clearly visible.
"This contract is witnessed by Seven."
"This farmer, Donner, borrowed a loan from me before the war and has not repaid it overdue."
"Now plus interest, the liquidated damages total ten Silver Stag."
"According to the contract, I have the right to take back my property."
The crowd outside the door let out a low sigh.
A contract is a contract, witnessed by Seven, and the lords will always support it.
It seems that this poor Tangner is in trouble today. Ten Silver Stag cannot be paid back at all.
Everyone looked at the farmer wailing on the ground with sympathy.
Roslyn didn't read the contract.
His own light fell on the twisted face of Farmer Donner, and he asked in a calm tone, "Which of you beat him?"
Jon Joel's face instantly lost all color.
He looked behind him, at the guard who broke the farmer's leg.
The burly guard beside him took a step forward, his voice filled with panic that could not be concealed. "Master County Chief, this cheap farmer wants to default on the debt. We just want him to pay back the money."
"We just want to enforce the contract."
Roslyn turned his head, looked at Tang Na who was lying on the ground and groaned, and repeated the guard's words.
His voice did not waver at all. "We just want to execute the contract."
He stood up suddenly, stared at the guard closely, and let out an angry shout.
"Who gave you the right to beat the governor's subjects!"
Roslyn stopped looking at him and spoke to a knight in the audience.
"Sir Homan."
The knight who had stopped the crowd before stood up immediately with a steady voice.
"Here, Sheriff."
Roslyn's voice became colder, like ice in the river in winter.
"Cut off his left hand."
Sir Homan drew out the long sword from his waist, and the sword reflected a cold light in the dim county hall.
The faces of Jon Joel and his companions changed drastically.
The guard who broke Donner's leg was so frightened that he screamed, turned around and wanted to run away.
Two soldiers had already blocked his way.
Sir Homan walked over and without a moment's hesitation, he swung his sword.
Blood and broken bones burst out from the flesh.
The guards' screams became shrill, distorted, and resounded throughout the county office.
The crowd outside the door gasped, and then fell into a deathly silence.
Everyone opened their eyes wide and looked at the hand that fell to the ground and was still twitching slightly.
Jon Joel and several other guards were so frightened that their legs were weak and they could hardly stand, and their stomachs were churning.
Homan Sir shook off the blood beads on his sword, slowly wiped it clean with a piece of cloth, and walked back to his original position.
It was as if he had just chopped off a piece of wood.
Roslyn then bent down and picked up the parchment contract from the table.
He glanced at it, then lifted it up and showed it to Jon Joel.
"The Governor acknowledges this debt covenant."
"It is witnessed by Seven, protected by law, Farmer Donner, and does owe you the money."
Jon Joel's whole body was shaking and full of anger.
Roslyn suddenly changed the topic and his eyes became serious.
"Of course you can ask for money."
"But you have no right to restrict his freedom, let alone harm his body."
"Because he is the people of Riverlands, Warden of the Trident, providing him with shelter."
Roslyn threw the roll of parchment back on the table with a soft sound.
"The governor's laws protect legal contracts, but never violence."
Jon Joel's lips trembled and his voice was hoarse. "... without these means... how can I recover my debt?"
"What can I do if he doesn't pay back the money?"
Roslyn looked at him as if he were a born fool. "You can continue to ask for it from him."
He paused and said word for word.
"Go every day, every year, until he pays back the money, or until he dies."
"This is your right."
Jon Joel was completely stunned. What kind of nonsense is this? Without the threat of violence, how could those idiots pay back the money obediently?
What is the difference between this and directly declaring the contract void?
The silent crowd outside the door finally broke out into uncontrollable discussions.
A young man excitedly said to the people around him, "Did you hear that? You don't have to pay back the money you owe!"
"It's not that they won't retaliate, it's that they can't hit people!"
An older man next to him corrected him, but he couldn't hide the smile on his face.
An old farmer with a wrinkled face looked at the severed hand and the wailing guard on the ground, with a look of pleasure in his cloudy eyes.
He spat on the ground. "These moneylending bastards, someone should have dealt with them a long time ago!"
"Retribution!"
Among the crowd, hatred against merchants and moneylenders grew like weeds.
The look they looked at Jon Joel and others was no longer fearful, but mixed with contempt and gloating.
Roslyn ignored the commotion outside, and his eyes fell on Jon Joel again.
"Besides, your guard injured Donner."
"You need to pay compensation, two Silver Stag."
"You, Mr. Jon Joel, will pay for it."
"Now, immediately."
Jon Joel's heart was filled with anger, his chest heaved violently, and he wanted to argue and curse.
But when his eyes touched Sir Homan's hand on the hilt of the sword, as well as the dazzling pool of blood and broken arm on the ground, all his words were stuck in his throat.
With trembling hands, he took out two Silver Stag from his arms and put them on the table, turned around and left.
Several other uninjured guards hurriedly supported the companion who had fainted from severe pain and blood loss.
They didn't even dare to pick up the severed hand.
The group of people pushed aside the crowd and fled the county office in embarrassment amid countless looks of disdain and ridicule.
Like a group of bereaved dogs.
The crowd outside the door burst into thunderous cheers.
"Long live the Governor!"
"Roslyn is wise!"
The news seemed to have wings, flying out from this small county office, spreading throughout the small town under construction, and spreading to further villages and farmland.
A brand new story, in addition to the songs of minstrels, began to spread throughout Riverlands from the mouths of farmers and craftsmen.
In Lychester County, loan sharks no longer need to be repaid.
No, to be more precise, in the governor's territory, on the land of Riverlands, usury can be justified and not repaid.
Because the Governor will protect you.
Anyone who dares to use violence to demand debts will have his hands broken and the governor will have to pay a medical fee.
King's Landing.
On the third floor of an inconspicuous brothel, the room was filled with the smell of sweet perfume.
Petyr. Baelish is leaning on the soft couch by the window, holding a Silver Stag between his fingers.
He didn't look at the coin, but looked out the window at the crowded streets.
Oswell Kate Blei k stood in the center of the room, his tall and slender figure like a dead branch that could be broken at any time.
His face was covered with traces of wind and frost, and his voice was hoarse. "Sir, that's what happened."
"The entire Riverlands businessmen are in panic."
"Now, even the entire King's Landing businessmen are excited."
"Those businessmen who do business in Riverlands come to see you every day and ask you and Hand of the King to give them justice."
"Even the money we borrowed from Riverlands, I'm afraid...
Petyr. Baelish throw up the Silver Stag.
The silver coins rolled in the air, flickering with the light of candlelight, and then fell back to his fingers accurately.
"Justice?"
His voice was soft, with a hint of mockery.
"What kind of justice do they want?"
Oswell Kate Blei k frowned.
"They want Governor Riverlands to handle the debt issue between merchants and civilians fairly."
"Without violence, how can those mud-legged people pay back the money? How is this different from robbery?"
Petyr. Baelish chuckled, finally looking away from the window and landing on Oswell Kate Blei gram.
"Oswell, which Seven Kingdoms law do you think House Lychester's actions violated?"
Oswell Kate Blei was stunned.
He opened his mouth, but found that he could not speak.
Petyr. Baelish stood up and walked to him. "House Lychester recognizes the legitimacy of the merchants' debt contracts, doesn't it?"
"He only prohibited businessmen from using violent means to harm the Riverlands people who were in debt.
"Governor Riverlands, on the land of Riverlands, protects his people from harm."
Petyr. Baelish's voice was gentle, as if stating a simple fact.
"Legal speaking, it's beyond reproach."
"Nor did the king's laws grant merchants the right to violently treat civilians.
Oswell Kettleblack's face turned ugly. "Lord Petyr, this is a stupid thing to do, isn't it?"
"Why on earth would House Lychester do this?"
"The merchants will flee Riverlands, taking their Gold Dragon with them."
"No businessman dares to go to Riverlands anymore."
He couldn't help but raise his voice.
"It will become a commercial desert!"
"Without merchants, those lords and farmers would only be poorer!"
"House Lychester will regret it!"
Petyr. Baelish shook his head and said nothing. He walked to the table and poured himself a glass of Arbor red wine.
Oswell Kate Blei k looked at his back, confusion written on his face.
Petyr. Baelish shook the wine glass, and the dark red liquid left traces on the wall of the glass.
He turned around and looked at Oswell Kate Blei k, and said softly, "On the contrary."
"House Lychester isn't destroying business, they're cleaning the table."
Oswell Kate Blei Gram's breath was stagnant. "Clean the card table?"
Petyr. Baelish put down the wine glass and walked to the center of the room. "That's right."
"Riverlands original business order."
"It's those businessmen from King's Landing, from the Westerlands, from the Reach."
"They control the common people with usury, tie up the small lords with debts, and control the commercial circulation of Riverlands for the power behind them. They are the original players on this card table."
"Now, House Lychester, the new Governor's family, doesn't want to abide by other people's rules."
Petyr. Baelish stretched out a finger and shook it gently.
"So House Lychester flipped the table."
"He used the reason that no one can refute to protect the Riverlands people, and abolished the most effective weapon of these businessmen - violence."
"How can a businessman ask for a few Silver Stag from a poor farmer if he doesn't have thugs and power to rely on?"
"In this way, those merchants who loaned out their funds as loan sharks had their money become just a string of numbers on parchment."
"Numbers that cannot be recovered."
"They will go bankrupt, sell properties in a panic to reduce losses, and flee from Riverlands in fear, leaving a huge market vacuum."
Oswell Kate Blei ke's eyes suddenly opened wide. He seemed to have caught something, but it was blurry.
"When the old order is destroyed, who will establish the new order?"
"House Lychester, has authorized six Riverlands merchants to establish Monopoly Guild."
"They are not trying to kill business, they are trying to use the most rogue way to regain control of the economy and start over."
Petyr. Baelish walked back to the window and looked at the noisy street again, looking at the carriages coming and going, the vendors arguing over a copper plate, and the patrolling Gold Cloaks.
Westeros lords, they only know how to collect taxes, fight, hunt, wine, and women.
These noble lords and knights despise business and think it is a stupid philistine game of the free city.
They see Gold Dragon, but they cannot see how Gold Dragon flows.
They never imagined that they could become the river itself that carries gold.
They are short-sighted, stupid, and unfit.
This House Lychester is different.
Not only did they see the river, they dug the channel and changed the direction of the water flow so that all the gold flowed into their own reservoir.
This is by no means an interesting variable.
In Game of Thrones, what you fear most is not the powerful enemy, but the lunatic who doesn't play by the rules.
He will drag everyone into his crazy, unpredictable game.
Petyr. Baelish drank all the wine in the glass.