At the sound of Raft's military whistle, sixty-three cavalrymen demonstrated wedge formations specifically designed to tear apart enemy battle formations, completely defensive circular formations, square formations for frontal marching and facing the enemy, semi-encircling arc formations, sweeping formations spread out in a single line, and marching column formations...
Tywin Lannister was pleased to see that the cavalrymen were very well coordinated.
Although these are Gregor's family cavalry, they are actually all part of Tywin Lannister's forces. Taking them out will not bring shame to the Westerlands.
For a newly formed cavalry unit, it was remarkable that they had mastered all the formations and their variations in such a short time.
Tywin also knew of two new recruits who had joined recently; they were the brothers of Sir Alan Salloot, who had poisoned Ser Gregor.
For the common people of the West, those with slightly better conditions learned to ride horses from a young age. This is a world where everyone is a soldier; people go about their business in peacetime, but once war breaks out, they must immediately put down what they are doing, change into military uniforms, and go to war.
However, being able to ride a horse and being skilled in cavalry formations are two completely different things. Without professional and rigorous training, it is difficult for so many cavalrymen to form a perfect whole in various battle formations.
Gregor's military talent is beyond question.
But the cavalry he assembled in such a short time performed exceptionally well!
However, it's an undeniable fact that under Gregor's terrifying pressure, not a single cavalryman dared to slack off during training. Tywin Lannister knew this all too well. His own five hundred cavalrymen, also trained by Gregor, had never dared to defy his authority, despite their Lannister surname or being relatives of the Lannister family.
Because any soldier who dared to disobey orders had either been killed by Gregor or thrown into the underground dungeon by Tywin.
In this world, purely professional soldiers are few and far between; only the highest nobles can afford to maintain professional legions. Generally speaking, even the wealthiest noble family will not maintain more than two thousand professional soldiers year after year. Ordinary noble families maintain between three hundred and one thousand professional soldiers.
Even a man of immense wealth, surpassing the wealth of entire nations, like Lord Tywin Lannister, maintained only 1,500 professional soldiers at Casterly Rock. Of course, his daughter, Cersei Lannister, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, also maintained 500 Redcoats in King's Landing. Because of her son-in-law King's extravagant spending and mounting debts, Tywin Lannister was the one who funded Queen Cersei's 500 Redcoats.
But Tywin summoned Gregor back to Casterly Rock with his troops not to see him show off his cavalry training results, but because he was interested in something new—a little gadget that had never appeared in the Seven Kingdoms before: the military whistle.
The sound of the military whistle was indeed sharp and high-pitched. Even amidst the sound of horses' hooves and the shouts of soldiers, its penetrating power and recognizability remained crystal clear, which was extremely useful for issuing commands in the midst of a massive army.
At the age of seventeen, Tywin Lannister answered the King's call to fight in the Battle of the Ninepenny Kings, where he rose to fame and was known as one of the two heroes of the Seven Kingdoms, alongside Brynden Tully the Blackfish of the Riverlands. Both young men distinguished themselves in battle, charging into the fray and slaying the enemy's chieftains, helping their legions win the Battle of the Ninepenny Kings.
Having experienced life and death in the bloody flames of war, Tywin knew all too well how crucial it was for a general to issue commands amidst thousands of troops. Accurately relaying orders and directing the advance, retreat, and encirclement of legions amidst the shouts of men and the neighing of horses was extremely difficult. A person's throat gradually deteriorates from shouting, affecting the transmission of sound; no one can maintain their initial loudness throughout a major battle, especially a general who must also participate in the fighting and charge at the forefront.
If this military whistle invention can protect the general's voice while producing a sound that is more recognizable than the general's shouts, it will be a very practical invention and will obviously help the Western Frontier Army to take its combat power to the next level.
"Show me the sentry post," said Duke Tywin.
Throughout, he maintained a stern face, offering no praise whatsoever to Gregor and his outstanding cavalrymen.
Cold-blooded and ruthless, never smiling, is Tywin Lannister's signature.
Raft Clegane dismounted, ran up to the viewing platform, and respectfully handed over several military whistles that he had prepared beforehand to Tywin.
"Teach me!" said Duke Tywin.
"Yes, sir!"
Throughout the entire parade ground, hundreds of people, including the Duke's five hundred cavalry, maesters, and servants, held their breath as they watched from the viewing platform as Rafferd Clegane taught Lord Tywin Lannister to blow his whistle. Apart from the snorting of the warhorses and the occasional neighing of horses in the parade ground, no one dared to make a sound.
If Gregor is the devil, terrifying and fearsome, then Tywin is the demon king, even more untouchable and unassailable.
Since Tyrion Lannister was born in Aegon 273, a full twenty-five years have passed, and no one has ever seen Tywin Lannister show even the slightest smile.
Half an hour later, Duke Tywin stopped studying.
He decided to implement a sentry system in the Western Frontier Army.
"Sir Gregor, you invented the whistle, not bad." — A truly remarkable invention, yet it only received a "good" rating from Tywin. "What do you want me to reward you with?"
What would you like me to reward you with?
This statement is understated, but it carries significant weight.
Duke Tywin Lannister never consults his subordinates when rewarding them; he always rewards them with what he deems appropriate. His consultation with the Mountain this time demonstrates the importance he places on the matter.
Not only did Grand Maester Potter, who was by Tywin's side, but also the five centurions of his cavalry battalion, hundreds of cavalrymen, and even Gregor himself feel a slight unease.
Tywin Lannister was incredibly wealthy, yet he was never generous.
But today he actually consulted Gregor's opinion, which Gregor probably had to do with the production of snow salt. Snow salt production is a way to get rich that is only slightly less profitable than mining gold. Being able to solve the problems of bitterness and the astringency of salt with a little bit of mud in this world is actually quite remarkable.
"Please grant us this marriage, Your Grace!" Gregor said.
Duke Tywin was taken aback.
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Gregor's request surprised everyone.
Since the deaths of his two wives, he had lost interest in marriage, and all the nobles, large and small, in the West Territory were terrified of the demon. Both of his wives died under mysterious circumstances, accidentally falling and breaking their necks.
"Which family's daughter have you taken a fancy to?"
"Cliff Rock City. Jenny Westerling."
Lord Tywin Lannister's pale green eyes narrowed slightly.
"The Westerling family is the oldest family in the Westerlands, and its noble bloodline is unmatched. Earl Gavin Westerling is extremely proud, and he will not listen to me and marry Jenny Westerling to you."
"Your Grace, when I was praying before the statue of the Seven Gods, I heard the decree of the Seven Gods. The Seven Gods want me to marry Jenny Westerling."
"The Seven Gods?"
"Yes, Your Grace, the wisdom behind my inventions is in accordance with the will of the Seven Gods. To pay homage to the Seven Gods, the Seven Gods Temple has been completed in the territory of Clegane."
Who is Jenny Westerling?
Gregor knew perfectly well that the Jenny he was going to marry was the beautiful wife from the TV series before his time travel who caused Robb Stark's death at the Red Wedding. In fact, in the original story, what attracted Robb Stark was not her medical skills, but her beauty, kindness, noble birth, elegant temperament, and the many talents of a noble lady.
Jenny Westerling was born in Aegon 283 and is now fifteen years old (sixteen by the traditional Chinese age reckoning).