What's the best way to undermine a person's authority?
Of course, in full view of the public, defeat the opponent head-on in the area he is best at.
This is the basic law of power, a truth that Tywin Lannister has verified in his sixty years of life.
You can have an army, a castle, and mountains of gold and silver.
But as long as you lose once in front of everyone, once is enough, losing to someone who is not as good as you.
Your prestige will disappear bit by bit like melting snow.
Those who once looked up to you will begin to question.
Those who once followed you will begin to waver.
Those who were once afraid of you will begin to fear you.
And all it takes is one public failure to start.
He specifically chose today, this highly anticipated moment, the day when Ring of Order opens.
Tywin looked at the man standing at the VIP table, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up a little more.
These days, he has done his best to have people investigate and analyze all the public battle records of Corleone, his performance during the civil strife of the Warriors, the training at Harrenhal, the showdown between House of Order and the Magic Mountain outside, and his thrilling battle at the Imperial Council.
The conclusion is that Corleone's swordsmanship may indeed be very strong, and he also possesses an astonishing talent.
But not invincible.
In the battle with the magic mountain, he would dodge, retreat, and look for weaknesses.
This shows that he can be defeated, even though Corleone may have some unique way of avoiding damage.
But as long as you find a strong enough swordsman, defeat him head-on in public.
You can pull him off the altar!
And that swordsman...
Tywin looked at him, silently calculating in his mind everything that might happen next.
If Corleone chooses not to challenge, his prestige in front of everyone will be damaged. What kind of strong person is a "strong man" who doesn't even dare to accept the challenge?
If you accept the challenge, all the better.
In front of 2,500 people, Farmer Knight who climbed up from the mud will fall back into the mud again.
It fell to pieces.
You know, Tywin carefully selected this person for a long time before he found him.
In the main stand, Corleone looked at the man who stood up, with no expression on his face.
Unexpected changes.
Today was the opening day of Ring of Order. He knew that some people would definitely cause trouble in the dark, but he did not go into details. This was normal.
He just looked at that person and then slowly said, "What did you just say?"
"I said, stop talking nonsense, Vito·Corleone!"
The man took a step forward, walked out of the row of seats, and stood in the aisle.
"Those words you just said, that everyone has a chance", that you can challenge anyone", that this place belongs to everyone"...
He sneered, "It's all farts."
As soon as these words came out, there was a burst of whispers in the crowd.
Some people frowned, some clenched their fists, and glared at this person in displeasure.
After all, such a move can be regarded as a frontal provocation to Ser Corleone, which is absolutely not allowed in Flea Bottom.
But Ser Corleone still didn't move, and people had no choice but to endure it.
Such silence made the man even more arrogant. He took another step forward and raised his hand, pointing to the surrounding stands and flags.
"Look at this place!"
"Stone walls, seats, sand, flagpoles... do these things change anything? Can they change what a piece of shit you are?"
His voice became louder and sharper. "You keep saying that this place belongs to everyone," but in fact, this place belongs to you! It belongs to you Vito·Corleone!"
"You have the final say. Your so-called "opportunities" are just for those who kneel down and lick your boots!"
"What you call "fairness" is just a pretense to make yourself look more noble!"
As he said that, the man paused, and the sneer at the corner of his mouth deepened, "What do you want those untouchables to dream about? To dream that one day they can be on an equal footing with you, that one day they can stand on this sand and defeat those who are a hundred times nobler than them?"
Having said this, he looked around the whole place, his eyes swept over the civilians wearing coarse cloth, and his voice suddenly rose. "Wake up, you idiots!"
"You think he really cares about you, but he is just using you, your poverty, your despair, and your stupidity!"
"He repairs your stinking ditches, gives you free medical treatment, and gives you a job. Why?"
"Because he needs you, needs you to applaud him, cheer for him, and die for him!"
After the words fell, the civilians began to become restless.
Their faces became even more ugly, and they clenched their fists, as if they wanted to rush forward and tear that annoying guy into pieces.
But more people just looked at Corleone in silence, waiting for him to speak.
The man seemed to have noticed the silence. He frowned and turned to Corleone.
"Did you hear that, Vito·Corleone?"
"Those untouchables of yours, they are waiting for you to speak. Tell them that you are lying and that you are just taking advantage of these guys' stupidity!"
He almost shouted the last word.
The sound echoed through the walls of Ring of Order, making the clay pipes buzz.
The whole place fell into dead silence again.
Two thousand five hundred people, all looking at Corleone.
People thought that Corleone would be angry or retort, or immediately order his men to throw the troublemaker out.
But he didn't.
Corleone just nodded slightly. "Some of what you said is right."
As soon as these words came out, the whole place was in an uproar. People stared wide-eyed and couldn't believe what they heard.
That person obviously didn't expect Corleone to say that.
He was stunned for a moment, and then smiled, his smile full of pride.
"Ha! You admitted it! You finally admitted it!"
Immediately afterwards, he began to turn to the crowd and opened his arms like a victorious general. "Did you all hear it? He admitted it. He admitted that everything I said was right! He admitted that he was lying to you!"
"He admitted..."
"I'm not finished yet."
Corleone's voice sounded, not loud, but it directly interrupted the man's words.
"I said, some of what you said is right."
"For example, this place is indeed mine."
"I paid for and sent people to build this place. You are right to say that this place is mine and the rules here are my rules."
"Besides, I do need them...
Corleone's eyes swept across the standing ticket area, looking at those people wearing coarse cloth who had just been cheering for him.
"But I'm not taking advantage of them."
"I repaired the stinky ditch for them because the stinky ditch is on my property and the smell is my air."
"I give them free medical treatment because I don't want to see anyone die of illness on my property, die on the street, or rot in the gutter."
"I work for them because I need people, people to patrol, people to clean, and people to maintain this place."
"This is not taking advantage.
,"This is... a very fair deal."
"I give them a better life, they help me maintain order, I give them opportunities, and they give me trust."
"That's what Ring of Order is about."
"As for what you just said...
He smiled slightly, "Everyone knows that I, Vito·Corleone, never talk big words."
"I said this place belongs to everyone, and it belongs to everyone. I said everyone can challenge whoever he wants here, and he can."
"The only criterion for success is whether you can win, but...
Corleone pointed at a large wooden board on the edge of the circular sandy area with some words engraved on it.
"Ring of Order has Ring of Order's rules. Anyone who wants to challenge others must have sufficient qualifications."
"Qualification?"
"Yes, we call it - points."
Corleone explained patiently, like a teacher teaching students. "Ring of Order uses a points system. Everyone who wants to fight here needs to participate in the junior competition first. If you win, you can get points. If you have enough points, you can challenge higher-level opponents."
"If you want to challenge a knight who already has a certain reputation, you need to win enough games first to prove that you are qualified to stand in front of him."
"Otherwise, everyone can challenge anyone at will. What kind of chaos will this place be like? If an unknown guy clamors to challenge me every day, do I have to fight with him every day?"
As soon as these words came out, there was a burst of low laughter from the crowd.
The man's face became ugly, as if the "nobody" he mentioned was him.
"That's your excuse!" His voice was high. "You just don't dare to let me fight, you are just afraid that I will really win and expose you as a liar!"
Seeing this, Corleone was not angry. He just looked at the man, his eyes as calm as if he were looking at a child having a tantrum.
"You really want to fight?"
"Of course!"
"Want to win?"
"Bullshit!"
Corleone smiled, "Okay, I'll give you a chance."
As he spoke, he raised his hand and pointed to the circular sand. "You can register as a fighter of House of Order, then stand on that sand and defeat all enemies. I, Vito·Corleone, guarantee that you can win everything you want."
"Of course, the premise is that you can pass the initial selection."
"Because my Ring of Order only welcomes elites and will never accept...
"Garbage."
As soon as these words came out, the man's face suddenly changed, as if he heard the people around him secretly laughing at him, and immediately glared at Corleone and asked, "What did you say?!!!"
"You... you fucking called me trash?!"
However, in front of everyone, Corleone just shook his head and grinned. "No, I'm not targeting you."
"I mean...
He looked around the audience, his voice still extremely calm. "In the journey of swordsmanship, everyone here...
"It's all rubbish!"
As soon as the words fell, the place suddenly became dead silent.
Twenty-five hundred people seemed to have stopped breathing. They looked at Corleone standing in the main stand in disbelief, with their eyes wide open and their mouths open, as if they had seen a ghost.
After all, these words are really... too arrogant!
You know, today Ring of Order hundreds of nobles came, including many well-known knights and nobles. Many of them have not only participated in many tournaments and made a mark, but also made great contributions in the recent war.
But Corleone actually said in front of everyone that everyone present was... rubbish?
This is really unbelievable.
On the main stand, Corleone felt the attention of people paying attention to him, without any disturbance in his heart.
This is the effect he wants.
After all, he had always been very low-key before, but he also ignored something, that is, in the culture of Westeros, being too low-key is not a good thing. Then some guys will think that you are easy to bully, and they will always provoke you again and again.
Therefore, Corleone is just planning to take advantage of today's showdown.
I won't pretend anymore!
I am the ceiling of swordsmanship in Westeros!
After all, for him who has so many skills as [Basic Swordsmanship Iv4][Insight Iv4][Surgery Iv4][Dignity Iv4], Corleone thinks that his swordsmanship has reached a very terrifying level.
Want to beat yourself?
Haha, I wonder if digging Arthur Dayne out of the grave will work, or making Barristan Selmy twenty or thirty years younger, and then giving him a Valyria steel sword, maybe there is some chance.
Apart from these two people, Corleone really can't think of anyone else who can give him a fair fight in swordsmanship.
Therefore, he definitely has the confidence to say "everyone here is rubbish"!
At this time, the person who stood up to provoke just now pointed at Corleone, his fingers trembling. "You... how dare you insult me?"
"Okay... okay...
, saying that, he suddenly drew his sword without any warning!
Rub!!!
The sound of the sword being unsheathed was sharp and harsh, like the scream of a frightened bird.
The sunlight shines on the sword, reflecting a dazzling light, as if some kind of special steel has been tempered for thousands of times to show a unique dark tone.
What is even more eye-catching are the lines on the sword.
Those lines are not carved, but formed naturally during the forging process, in circles, like water waves, like ripples...
When he saw this sword, Corleone's eyes suddenly lit up!
The sun shines on the black sword body, and those corrugated lines flow on the sword body as if they are alive.
"You are so arrogant, Vito·Corleone!"
His voice was very loud and full of confidence, and the tip of his sword was pointed directly at Corleone: "I... want to challenge my power!"
"Do you dare to accept it!"
As soon as these words came out, Corleone raised the corners of his mouth slightly and was about to speak.
But just then, a voice sounded.
"Do you know the fucking rules?"
Hearing this, everyone turned their heads and looked at the source of the sound.
At this moment, the noseless Rorge is standing on the high platform, where the host belongs, holding a loudspeaker made of rolled iron in his hand, shouting to the audience, his face full of disdain.
"What do you think this is, redneck?"
"What did you say?" The man gritted his teeth. He never thought that one day he would be called a country bumpkin!
But Rorge just sneered, "I said you don't understand the rules!"
"Ser Corleone has made it very clear just now. Anyone who wants to challenge the challenger must have enough points!"
"Do you know what points are?"
"Who do you think you are, a nobody, holding a broken sword inherited from your ancestors, and you dare to challenge Ser Corleone, idiot, are you qualified!"
Upon hearing this merciless ridicule, the man's face turned completely dark, and he stared at Rorge with a pair of eyes.
However, at this time, Corleone's voice sounded again, "He is right."
"According to the rules, even if you register as a fighter, you cannot directly challenge me at your level."
"You need to participate in the junior competition first, win each game and accumulate enough points before you are qualified to stand in front of me."
"But I can make an exception."
"Ser, such a guy is not qualified at all...
Hearing what Corleone said, Rorge was about to say something to dissuade him, but was glared back by him.
Then, Corleone looked at the man again and grinned. "Ring of Order There is a rule. If you are already a famous enough knight and have achieved a record recognized by everyone."
"Then I can make an exception and grade you directly."
"So... tell me your name, Ser."
Hearing this, the man was stunned for a moment, and then subconsciously looked at the Prime Minister not far away from Corleone.
Then he also grinned.
That smile was full of pride and confidence.
"My name?"
He raised his chin and his voice sounded loud as if he was announcing something great.
"Listen up!"
He took a deep breath. "I... am the number one swordsman in the fucking valley...
1
"Lyn Corbray!"