Game of Thrones: From a deserter to a high-ranking official

Chapter 38 Jules: Listen to Tiberius, they are loyal to my old face, Jules, not the White Legion!

Jules placed the two cleaned swords side by side on the table, their blades reflecting his slightly tired face.

He looked at Tiberius with a deep gaze, carrying the weight of someone in a high position.

"Tiberius, to be honest," he sighed softly, placing the sword in his hand on the table.

"I know the bitterness in my brothers' hearts better than anyone else. Following me, Jules Maud, in the White Army, risking our lives, enduring wind and rain, sleeping in the open, licking blood from the blade—what are we hoping for? Isn't it just that when we're old and crippled, we'll have a roof over our heads, a piece of land where we can grow crops, a child, a wife, and that we won't have to walk this old path for the rest of our lives?"

His fingers traced the cold spine of the sword, yet his tone was filled with a sense of vicissitude.

"But, like in Westeros, should we simply divide the land piece by piece and make them true feudal knights?" Jules shook his head, letting out a short, slightly sarcastic, bitter laugh.

He stood up, walked to the tent entrance, lifted a corner of the curtain, and looked out at the busy and chaotic White Legion camp, as well as the mercenaries patrolling in twos and threes.

"Look, Tiberius, this isn't Westeros. There are no feudal laws or chivalrous codes that have lasted for millennia. Here, dragons and swords reign supreme, and alliances are formed today and betrayals are made tomorrow. If I were to actually distribute the land like candy, believe me, when you wake up the next morning, the 'White Legion' will be nothing but dust!"

"Why? Because of human nature! Today I divide the land among Calvin, among Tom, among Vito. Tomorrow, they'll start calculating: Is my order, Jules's order, still worth abandoning their harvest and risking the loss of their private armies? My old brother's slaves run into my woodland to cut firewood; should I draw my sword?"

"But do you think they're loyal? I have no doubt they'd give their lives for me on the battlefield, but mere fearlessness can't win a war!"

Tiberius responded appropriately.

"Yes, Uncle, in a place like Essos, there's no feudal rule like in Westeros where 'my vassal's vassal is not my vassal.' Here, power is more direct and loyalty is more fragile. If you dare to distribute land today, tomorrow, once the brothers who receive the land have that 'own property' mentality in their hearts, who will be willing to risk their lives like before? They will be loyal to their own land first, and then to the legion."

Jules gave a smile with a hint of mockery.

"That's right. And if I generously distribute the land today, believe me, in five or ten years, some of my old brothers will be unable to manage it well, or they will squander it, or like old Tom, they will be owing a mountain of gambling debts. At that time, they will have to sell the land back to me, or worse, to outsiders, and then they themselves will have to come to the legion's common fields as tenant farmers, living at my mercy! That scene would be worse than killing him. No matter how deep the brotherhood is, it will end there."

He walked back to his seat.

"So, this is for the best. Give them a little taste of success, let them see hope, but the real lifeline must be in the hands of the Legion. Of course, this is also good for them, lest they really become spendthrifts, that would be truly infuriating!"

He changed the subject, looking at Tiberius: "Ahem, there's one more thing. About that 'Silver Feather Badge' that Lisandro gave you… you decide what to do with it. This badge is more symbolic than practical. My suggestion is—"

Jules lowered his voice, his tone carrying a clear warning: "Don't give it to my veterans, especially Calvin and Tom."

Seeing Tiberius's puzzled look, he explained, "If we give it to them, these scoundrels will either think it's just scrap metal and throw it away, slapping Lisandro in the face; or they'll really think they're some kind of 'honorable soldier,' getting all high and mighty and causing trouble in Ris City. Then we'll have to clean up their messes."

"You can either keep this for yourself and use it occasionally in certain situations for convenience, or give it to someone like Vito who is sensible and knows what's important. Don't let his loose tongue and effeminate manner fool you; he knows what's right when it matters."

"And... don't rush to give this thing away. The key is to give it to someone who truly respects you, 'Lightning Boy,' when the time is right!"

Jules pointed to his face and the two swords on the table.

"Remember, Tiberius, they now pledge allegiance to me, 'The Keeper of Faith,' to Jules, to my face and to our past camaraderie, not to the banner of the White Legion itself. Boy, do you expect them to obey you as they obey me?"

He paused for a moment, then gave a realistic and harsh conclusion.

"Spend another five years on the battlefield, and let your real achievements, fairness, and power earn their respect from the bottom of their hearts!"

"Unless..." Tiberius probed.

"Unless? Unless you truly become an unparalleled military genius, leading those old killers to plunder Valantis, stuffing every pocket of gold and silver jewels into their pockets, and then they return to the Kingdom of the Three Daughters in glory with their money!" Jules said after hearing Tiberius's question, stating a task that seemed almost impossible, before adding with a smile.

"Oh, and we need to win a few more decisive battles so that all of Essos knows the name Tiberius! Hmm, once we reach that point, that's about it, and you can take over my position."

He couldn't help but laugh as he said this.

How is that possible?

“However, Tiberius,” Jules’s voice softened, “the rewards of this operation—such as the estate, workshops, and those shops—require everyone to manage them together and share the profits. But these…” He pointed to the villa deed and several ship titles. “These are real, private properties registered under our Mo family name, separate from the legion’s public accounts.”

"Yes, it's that little villa outside Ries City, along with the surrounding gardens, the private dock where you can moor small boats, the woods and mountain resources behind it... Oh, and most importantly, it also includes the pool with the hot spring. And I also have the property deeds for those old oarsmen he gave me."

"Keep it safe, who knows when Vito might run out of places and end up working for me as his accountant and feeding him!" Jules joked.

Then, his tone returned to its usual composure: "Go and summon Vito tomorrow. We need to finalize the details of the public estate's bylaws as soon as possible. Only when the brothers see tangible benefits will they continue to believe that the banner of the 'White Legion' and my orders, Jules', are more worthy of their loyalty than a few acres of private land."