Tywin Seeks Peace Talks
Casterly Rock is home to the largest number of the most skilled Smith. There are dozens of smelting furnaces here, which together form a sizable smelting workshop.
Tywin, leading Damion and Adam, didn't even need to enter the smelting workshop; they could feel their clothes becoming damp and hot just outside. After taking only a few steps inside, beads of sweat appeared on their foreheads.
Entering the smelting workshop was like stepping into a furnace; the bright, crimson flames around them were almost blinding, and the clanging and hammering sounds were even more intense than raindrops. The supervisor, a man over forty years old, who was inspecting the workshop, immediately came to greet Tywin and his party. He wore only a thin gray linen undershirt.
His chest and back were soaked brown with sweat, and upon seeing Tywin, he immediately shouted behind him, "Tywin is here! Come and see Lord Tywin!"
This loud shout caused the blacksmithing sounds in the workshop to stop abruptly, like a sudden cessation of a rain shower, from dense clanging to scattered hammering, until it disappeared completely.
Although leaving a forger halfway through would render the weapon or tool in progress scrap metal, it was Tywin's order, and he believed that his dignity as Lord of Casterly Rock was more valuable than a few pieces of steel.
Adam stared wide-eyed at the sight before him, a strange thought rising in his mind.
"How's production lately?" Tywin asked, picking up an arrowhead at random. The arrowhead gleamed coldly, and a light scratch on the hand would leave a white mark.
"My lord, we can currently produce 2,800 to 3,300 arrowheads and 340 to 540 spears daily. We can also produce about 12 to 16 sets of armor daily. As for longswords—"
Tywin once said that true conquest relies on steel and blood. He personally selected the head of the Casterly Rock Armory, so he was very familiar with the armory's production capacity, which greatly pleased Tywin.
"Forget about longswords for now. Prioritize making more spears and arrows. Also, tell the craftsmen that for every additional weapon they make, I'll pay them double."
"Yes, sir!" The person in charge smiled and bowed to Tywin with great delight.
After a brief inspection, Tywin left the armory.
Damion, standing to the side, spoke up, "My lord, we currently have a sufficient stockpile of weapons, enough to arm an army of 20,000 men."
Tywin nodded, indicating that he was going to check on the warehouse.
The warehouses in Casterly Rock didn't need to be specially excavated. Following their old practice, they only needed to repair the hollowed-out mine shafts to use them for storing supplies.
The group arrived at an abandoned gold mine. The mine's gate was made of bronze and oak, and it had a copper lock the size of a human head.
However, the warehouse in front of us seemed to have been built recently; the brass locks were still bright yellow, without the slightest hint of green.
The guard in charge of the warehouse took out the key, opened the brass lock, lit a torch, and entered the dark warehouse.
By the light of the torches, Damion Tywin.
"My lord, while you were away on campaign, we cleared out four more mine shafts to use as warehouses. I have already filled the warehouses with grain and steel."
"You did a good job. This is not ten years ago. It would be wise to exchange gold for steel and food."
Tywin once again acknowledged Damion's work.
It is said that the gold mines beneath Casterly Rock have been depleted for three years, and the last gold vein has been exhausted.
This was certainly not a good sign, but he didn't let anyone know. However, Tywin decided to turn the hollowed-out gold mine shafts into warehouses to store supplies.
These mine shafts on the rocky mountains are dry and spacious, making them perfect for use as warehouses.
The group arrived at the grain storage warehouse. The grain was packed in sacks and piled up as high as two people stacking on top of each other. Looking around, there were thousands upon thousands of such sacks and at least ten such warehouses!
"My lord, there are currently 17,000 people in Casterly Rock, including soldiers, artisans, and maids. Our food reserves are enough to last for more than ten years."
"Yes, that's enough."
Tywin nodded. It was simply impossible for anyone to besiege Casterly Rock and starve them to death here.
To besiege Casterly Rock would require at least 20,000 troops, and the provisions needed to sustain such a large army on a long march would be an astronomical sum, one that even Highgarden might not be able to afford.
Moreover, soldiers may not be able to tolerate being away from home for extended periods.
Next, they arrived at the water cellars used to store water in Casterly Rock. The water cellars in Casterly Rock were very large, and compared to the armory they had just visited, the area around the water cellars was rather damp and cold.
Casterly Rock is built on a rocky mountain, and only a few wells can be dug around the foot of the mountain, which is far from enough to support the water needs of nearly 10,000 to 20,000 people.
However, Casterly Rock's location on the coast compensates for this, as ample rainfall allows them to replenish their water supply through precipitation.
Ample food supplies and uninterrupted water sources are the true reasons why Casterly Rock is known as "never to fall".
"The water in the cistern is enough for Casterly Rock to last at least a month. Although the consumption at the armory may increase, it's autumn now, and the rain will soon be more plentiful than in Summer. It won't be long before it rains again, so we won't lack water," Damion said confidently.
"Adam."
"My lord." Adam stepped forward quickly when Tywin called him.
"Tell the kitchen to prepare extra meat to reward the soldiers today."
"Yes, sir."
Tywin's sudden visit to inspect the supplies and his desire to boost morale stemmed from his receipt of news that Jon had breached Golden Tooth and was now advancing on Sarsfield.
This was completely beyond his expectations.
Tywin naturally wouldn't believe that Daven would be fooled by Jon's little tricks; the problem must Raven.
Considering the mysterious deaths of Renly and his acting lord, and the widespread rumors of Stannis's patronage of witches, Tywin concluded that it was most likely related to witchcraft.
However, the maesters of Casterly Rock were unable to find any useful answers regarding witchcraft.
"I plan to continue expanding the army. I order the entire Westerlands to recruit at least 50,000 more soldiers, raising the minimum age to thirteen and the maximum to fifty-five. In addition, women who are physically fit will also be included in the army!" Tywin looked at the horizon, which was now showing an arc in the distance, as if allocating manpower was like allocating gold coins from a treasury.
However, Damion spoke up, saying, "But sir, this would deplete the able-bodied men of the Westerlands. Even if we win, we will—"
"If the Lannister cease to exist, then there is no need for the Westerlands to exist either." Tywin interrupted Damion, his voice carrying a chilling coldness.
"Understood, sir," Damion replied, casting aside any pity he might have felt.
However, he also knew that at the beginning of the war, Tywin and Jaime took away nearly 40,000 men, and then Daven's father recruited another 20,000 new soldiers in the Westerlands, but they were defeated by Robb. Not to mention that the Iron Islands had also plundered extensively in the Westerlands.
Tywin had only been back in the Westerlands for less than three months when he conscripted tens of thousands of men. Regardless of the outcome of the war, the Westerlands would be severely weakened and might not recover for at least twenty years.
"Furthermore, we can consider discussing peace talks with Stannis." Damion breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Tywin finally make this decision.
In fact, they still have many cards to play. For example, they could choose to forgive the debts previously lent to the royal family, which amounted to a full three million Gold Dragon.
However, the three million was never going to be recovered anyway, Stannis certainly wouldn't repay Robert for the gold coins he squandered.
Back when Tywin raided King's Landing, he only stole less than a million Gold Dragon. Robert then spent the remaining three million Gold Dragon lavishly in King's Landing, which could be considered Tywin's compensation to the common people of King's Landing.
However, the royal family currently owes three million Gold Dragon to the banks of some Free Cities, such as the Iron Bank, which can be used as leverage to repay the debt.
In addition, there are large fines and other penalties that Tywin can also afford, but only if the Iron Throne returns Cersei and Jaime to him.
In this context, Cersei is secondary, Jaime is primary, and Tywin has already given up on their child.
Of course, these conditions were not released all at once, but rather gradually negotiated and compromised with Stannis. Tywin set a bottom line for Damion in negotiations and then entrusted him with full authority to handle the situation.
These are all conditions for peace talks; the real source of confidence in peace talks lies in the invincible Casterly Rock.
Neither Stannis of King's Landing's Landing nor Tyrell of Highgarden could wage war in the Westerlands for long; once they left, the Westerlands would once again belong to the Lannister.
"And there's another crucial point we need to remind Stannis: the possibility of Tyrell joining forces with that bastard," Tywin continued. "We can accept that bastard occupying Golden Tooth, or even sharing the Westerlands with the Lannister, but as long as the Lannister retain Casterly Rock, we'll eventually reclaim the entire Westerlands!"