Arthur smiled, motioning for Evelyn to write down his words.
"Not only will I regulate how to drink water, but also how to eat meat. All meat must be cooked thoroughly before consumption."
Evelyn was completely speechless, her thoughts racing.
"Regulations alone are useless." Arthur's voice interrupted her thoughts. "There must be rewards and punishments to make these rules ingrained in their bones."
Arthur took two steps, as if deep in thought: "I will have the three elders responsible for supervision. If a household violates my regulations, such as dumping faeces indiscriminately, then not only will that household be fined one copper coin, but the 'elder' responsible for supervision will also be punished."
"If the situation is severe, or if they repeatedly fail to correct their behavior, all five families under that 'elder' will bear joint responsibility and be fined together, or be sent to transport faeces out of the military fort."
Evelyn instantly understood. Her breath hitched, and a chill rose from her spine. She had almost forgotten Arthur's three-elder system. Unlike other lords in Westeros, Arthur's reach truly extended to the grassroots level.
This was too ruthless; it was more effective than any whip. It utilized mutual supervision and pressure among neighbors, transforming the lord's decrees into self-imposed codes of conduct for the populace.
To avoid implicating their neighbors, and to avoid being ostracized and isolated by them, everyone would actively comply with these seemingly inexplicable regulations.
She looked at Arthur, feeling a sense of dread for the first time. The boy's methods were terrifying on one hand, yet on the other, they revealed mercy.
"I want you to organize and record all these hygiene standards, along with the previous systems of household division, pensions, and public notice boards." Arthur's voice became low and powerful. "Bind them into small booklets."
Arthur stopped, his gaze falling on Evelyn, and pointed a finger skyward: "We'll call it, 'Laws and Regulations of the Territory'."
"We now have the Lion's Den and four military forts. The officials of the four military forts will take this 'Laws and Regulations of the Territory' to govern the people there."
"Hurry! Evelyn! You can add some content yourself! Write the first draft for my review!"
After speaking, Arthur turned and left the council hall, leaving Evelyn alone with the flickering candlelight in the room.
Evelyn stood alone in the empty council hall, unmoving for a long time.
Her gaze fell on a luxurious, soft Dornish carpet that had also been purchased for the council hall. Arthur's words still echoed in her ears.
"Only a few can feel the softness of a carpet, but the weight of a pension can support a broken family."
Evelyn slowly sat down at the desk. New parchment and a bottle of ink lay on it. She picked up a quill, dipped it in ink, and seemed to be lost in thought.
The tip of the pen hovered over the parchment, hesitant to descend.
What was she doing? Recording the decrees of a mad lord who even governed how his people drank water and ate meat? Or… personally constructing the framework of a brand new society?
This society might not have a magnificent exterior, nor the honor and prestige that nobles so eagerly discussed.
But its essence might be more resilient, healthier, and possess a wild and vibrant vitality than any territory she had ever seen.
Evelyn's eyes grew brighter and brighter, and the fog in her heart was split open by a sharp ray of light.
She no longer hesitated, and the quill scratched across the parchment, making a rustling sound.
At the very top of the paper, she wrote a few words with an unprecedentedly solemn hand: "Laws and Regulations of the Territory."
Outside the Lion's Den's lord's hall, the air was filled with the smell of sawdust and wall dust. The Lion's Den was still undergoing excavation.
Lucien and Hakon, one on each side, guarded the tightly closed oak door, their faces bearing a strange expression mixed with tension and anticipation.
Behind them stood a group of women, about a dozen. They kept their heads down, hands clasped in front of them, their feet shifting restlessly. "Stand still, don't hunch your shoulders." Lucien lowered his voice and scolded them as he looked back.
Then he puffed out his chest and said to Hakon, "Lord Arthur will surely be pleased to see our sincerity."
Hakon also puffed out his chest, his eyes glancing at the door, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down: "Of course. Lord Arthur's reputation as the Black Lion resounds throughout the Riverlands."
"But he only has one maid by his side. How can that be?"
Lucien snorted, his voice carrying a knowing understanding as if he had seen through everything: "Don't you understand yet? The key is Evelyn."
He leaned closer to Hakon and nudged him with his elbow.
"Think about it, Evelyn's appearance…"
The two exchanged a knowing glance. This was something they had to do; Lord Arthur needed to have descendants.
In the eyes of these crude men, who were once old farmers but could still discern beauty from ugliness, Evelyn was very intelligent, well-built, tall, and looked very healthy, but the birthmark on her face was simply too ugly.
Hakon lowered his voice, as if sharing a huge secret: "Our Lord Arthur doesn't like those flashy, beautiful women."
"Lord Arthur's taste is very unique!" Lucien nodded heavily, echoing him, feeling immensely proud of this discovery.
Based on this profound insight, the two had truly put in a lot of effort. They had traveled to all four military towns and carefully selected the group before them.
One woman was as sturdy as a bear, with thick arms, clearly a good worker.
Another woman's face was covered in freckles, so dense that her original skin tone was almost indistinguishable.
And another, when she smiled, had crooked teeth, with the gap where a front tooth should be looking like a black hole.
Their appearances were bizarre, but they shared one commonality: they were well-built, had simple eyes, clean hands and feet, and strong bodies.
"Lord Arthur will surely be pleased now." Lucien looked at his masterpiece with satisfaction.
"Yes, Lord Arthur will definitely be happy." Hakon echoed.
As the two were about to flatter each other a bit more, a figure reeking of charcoal strode around the corner of the corridor.
Brin had just returned from his new forge, his face still streaked with black soot, sweat carving out channels. He immediately noticed the strange combination and his steps slowed.
Brin approached, his gaze sweeping over the group of sturdy, well-built women, his brow furrowing into a knot:
"Lucien? Hakon?"
"What are you doing? Recruiting female laborers for the Lion's Den construction?"
Upon seeing Brin, Hakon immediately puffed out his chest as if presenting a treasure and pulled him aside.
"Shh, keep your voice down, Brother Brin."
He patted his chest proudly, saying mysteriously, "This is a surprise we prepared for Lord Arthur! How about it, isn't this setup good?"
Brin was even more perplexed. He truly couldn't see what was so surprising about this. These women, he would believe it if they were going to reclaim wasteland in the fields.
Hakon leaned in, his tone suggesting, "Brin, you've just arrived; you don't understand the situation."
He gestured towards the main door of the lord's hall.
"Our Lord Arthur… he doesn't like those pretty women who are like vases, good to look at but useless."
"You've seen Evelyn too."
"He just likes this kind of… well, this kind with 'character'!"
Brin looked as if he had been struck by lightning, freezing in place.
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