What does it mean to offend the Lannister?
In Westeros, there is a widely sung song, known to everyone from Kings and Lords down to common people. Its name is "The Reynes of Castamere," also known as "Tywin's Curse."
This song tells the story of how Tywin Lannister, before becoming Hand of the King, completely wiped out the Reyne family from Westeros due to their disrespect towards the Lannister—in just one battle, the Reyne family, a noble house from the Westerlands with a lion sigil, who also rose to power through gold mining, and were equally wealthy, powerful, and numerous, was completely annihilated. From family members to servants, retainers, and even soldiers, anyone with the slightest connection was killed, disappearing from the world without a trace. Most fans of the show and books likely don't even know such a family ever existed.
"Slaughtering a city and exterminating a family" is a phrase that exists almost only in legend in Westeros, a privilege of the high and mighty Targaryen Family who conquered the Seven Kingdoms on dragons... Although legally a liege lord has the power to inflict such punishment on a vassal, in the three hundred years since the unification of the Seven Kingdoms, the only family who has truly gone to such extremes is the Lannister.
The Lannister solidified their precarious rule in the Westerlands with this battle and established their fearsome reputation throughout the continent. Even Aerys Targaryen, who would later be known as the Mad King, was impressed by Tywin's resolve and invited him to King's Landing to serve as Hand of the King.
Facts proved that Tywin's ability could indeed manage the Seven Kingdoms.
...
After that, when the Farman family of Fair Isle refused to submit to their liege lord's rule, Lord Tywin merely sent a harpist to play this song in the hall of their castle, and they immediately submitted obediently; the Frey family used the playing of this song as the signal to begin the slaughter at the Red Wedding, and Robb Stark's life and cause ended to the tune of this song; at the wedding of Joffrey I and Margaery Tyrell, at the quiet instruction of Olenna Tyrell, this song was also played repeatedly, and the young King's subsequent fate is well known.
Even towards the end of the war, after Edmure Tully heard Jaime Lannister have this song played for him, he immediately obediently surrendered Riverrun... This song possesses such terrifying magic, and what supports this magic is the strength and ruthless methods of the Lannister.
***
In short, the Lannister are very formidable.
Are there people in Westeros who are not afraid of offending the Lannister? Of course, and that includes the Night's Watch Commander... No matter how formidable or rich the Lannister are, they can't send troops to attack The Wall, can they? The Reynes of Castamere? The temperature at the Wall can freeze the strings of a harp, let alone that this dreadful place doesn't even have a rainy season.
Even if Lord Tywin himself said this, Jeor Mormont could very well ignore him, let alone Tyrion, who is merely using the power of others to bully him? However, although he was not afraid of the Lannister, there was no need to offend the Queen's brother just to prove his courage—Jeor Mormont had long passed the age of being competitive. He scratched his head and came up with an idea.
"It's not that I don't want to show respect, Lord," the Commander cautiously used the honorific. After much thought, he decided to pass this burden to two people who were even less afraid of the Lannister. "But Aegon is a Ranger, and his transfer, in principle, requires the consent of his direct superior. Furthermore, Maester Aemon has also asked me for this person." He paused, then called in the Commander's personal steward who was waiting in the next room: "Go, invite the First Ranger and the old Maester!"
It is indeed not wise to offend the Lannister, but is there a combination in the world less afraid of the Lannister than a vigorous and ambitious Stark in his prime and a Targaryen whose family is extinct and who is himself half in the grave?
Jeor Mormont was secretly pleased with his cleverness, while Tyrion was so angry he felt like spitting blood. The seemingly honest and simple former lord of Bear Island in front of him was truly cunning when he wanted to be.
...
Castle Black is only so large, and the other two high-ranking Night's Watch officers soon arrived at the Commander's room. After Jeor Mormont truthfully informed them of Tyrion's offer of funding and his additional request, Benjen Stark immediately turned with an unfriendly expression to examine the Dwarf.
"Lannister," the First Ranger's tone was even more unfriendly than his expression, "I don't know how your Southern nobles' messy infighting and power struggles work or what rules they have, but I must warn you, if you want to poach people to build your own power base, don't set your sights on the North and the Night's Watch!"
"Building a power base?" Tyrion was usually the one who left others looking defeated and speechless, but now he was furious at Jeor Mormont: "You black-clad men have no eye for talent... If I were King, I would make a clever and knowledgeable person like Aegon Hand of the King to manage the Seven Kingdoms!" Since he could never be King, he could naturally speak carelessly: "And you, you send him to kill White Walkers and hack at Wildlings. This is the greatest waste of talent!"
"Calm down, Lord Tyrion," Maester Aemon smiled slightly and said unhurriedly, "It was my and the other officers' oversight not to have noticed such a talent within the Night's Watch before... But now that we have discovered him, we will naturally find a way for him to play a greater role. In fact, Benjen and I have already discussed it. After this patrol ends, we will have Aegon leave the Rangers and come under my command, to help with some... things that illiterate and innumerate people cannot do."
"Things that illiterate and innumerate people cannot do?" Tyrion showed an incredulous expression. "Is it reading letters for you, or handling the Night's Watch's accounts or counting heads? Maester Aemon, with all due respect, this Night's Watchman can do far more than just that!"
"And with all due respect, Lannister," Benjen Stark said dismissively, "The person you intend to take is a sworn Ranger. He is a Night's Watch soldier in life and a Night's Watch ghost in death. No matter how much he can do, it has nothing to do with you."
Tyrion was momentarily speechless. As a noble from The Reach, what happened with the Night's Watch really had nothing to do with him, but who was the Little Imp? A flash of inspiration struck him, and he quickly thought of a counter-argument: "How does it have nothing to do with me? If the White Walkers you keep talking about really exist, and they are about to break through The Wall, then it will be the end of the world. Although I am a Dwarf, I am still a part of humanity, and of course I hope the Night's Watch can be stronger—"
Stark interrupted him: "Poaching the clever person you like from Castle Black, is that your unique way of helping the Night's Watch?"
"Poaching? I want him to go somewhere where he can make a greater contribution to the Night's Watch! Do you know why the Night's Watch has declined like this?" Tyrion retorted, "You always believe you are part of an ancient and honorable order, proud of being isolated from the world, refusing to make any changes, refusing to communicate with the outside world. Even though times have changed, the Night's Watch still maintains the mindset and system of hundreds or thousands of years ago. How can it not decline?"
"Oh? Then I'd like to ask for your guidance, how do you think we should reform?" Benjen scoffed dismissively.
"Do you know what image the Night's Watch has in the eyes of Southerners?" Tyrion didn't answer the question directly but changed the subject: "Bearded old men, illiterate, dirty, smelly, and rude, traveling around, bringing young and strong criminals and scum from dungeons back to Castle Black—The Wall is clearly a dreadful place that, in the name of protecting the Kingdom, is actually just dealing with garbage."
"Has no one taught you how to speak carefully?" Anger flared in Benjen's eyes.
"You and I certainly know this isn't true, but the image you present to the residents and nobles south of the Neck is indeed represented by 'Crows' like Yoren. Seeing is believing, so can you blame them for having prejudices against the Night's Watch? I have no ill will towards Yoren, but you know better than I what he looks like, and not everyone has the leisure to travel to The Wall to see your work!"
Tyrion's train of thought became smoother as he spoke: "So, except for the Northmen who know the Night's Watch is protecting them, the other Six Kingdoms have no idea what you are or what you are doing... The result is that only the residents of the North respect you, only the Northern Lords support you, and only the North—at most, occasionally a few young men from the Vale and Riverlands near the North might volunteer on a whim. Everything, everything, is your own doing. Since you know to bring presentable people to Winterfell to see Eddard Stark, why don't you send presentable people to the South to conduct business?"
Benjen was about to slam the table, but Aemon calmed him down: "Lord Tyrion, what you said is absolutely correct, but the Night's Watch only has a few dozen presentable middle and high-level managers, and they all have a pile of matters to deal with, it's really..."
"To solve the problem, you have to find a way to strengthen the Night's Watch, not cling to the one usable person and refuse to let go. You are currently drinking poison to quench your thirst, heading from decline to extinction! Change or disappear, Maester Aemon, I think you are the most intelligent person in the Night's Watch, do you think what I said makes sense?"
"Allowing you to buy Aegon's freedom will strengthen the Night's Watch? Then we might as well disband the Night's Watch altogether!"
"This isn't buying his freedom, he is still a Night's Watchman!"Tyrion seized the key point: "And I can guarantee that with Aegon's eloquence, cleverness, and insight, the contribution he can make to the Night's Watch after returning to King's Landing with me will absolutely far exceed following Benjen on patrols beyond The Wall or assisting Maester Aemon!"
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