Game of Thrones: The Road to Pirate King

Chapter 339 The First Imperial Council

Prime Minister Jon Arryn, holding a confidential report from across the Narrow Sea, surveyed the members of the Kingsguard present and said in a calm tone, "We need not suspect each other."

He paused, unfolded the letter, and read aloud: "When the storm came, the Iron Treasury manager of the three Braavos merchant ships released three ravens pleading for help before the ships sank. The Iron Treasury has received these ravens, and the message on them is consistent and clear: there is a sudden gale, lightning, and torrential rain at sea."

He raised his eyes and continued recounting the investigation results: "Subsequently, the search and rescue vessels dispatched by the Iron Treasury found three surviving guards on the rocks near the incident site. Their testimonies were highly consistent—there was no indication of any ship attack or sea monster attack. They witnessed it firsthand and repeatedly emphasized that what destroyed everything was merely a sudden and incredibly violent tornado."

Jon put down the letter and concluded, "All the evidence proves that the shipwreck was caused by a rare natural disaster."

""

Euron, who had been sitting calmly to the side, wore a nonchalant smile that seemed to say, "It should have been this way all along." He glanced at everyone and shrugged, saying, "See? I told you—what does this have to do with me?"

Lord Tywin Lannister met Euron's cold gaze for a moment, then turned to King Robert, saying calmly, "Since the Iron Bank's loans have sunk to the bottom of the sea, then we forgo them." He paused slightly, then announced a decision that would reshape the financial landscape of the Seven Kingdoms: "I, along with Highgarden, Dorne, and the Iron Islands, have decided to jointly establish a bank of our own in Westeros. The royal family's funding needs will be met by our bank. As for the interest rate," Tywin, now Chancellor of the Seven Kingdoms, added casually, "it will certainly be much more favorable than the Iron Bank's."

"What the hell!" Robert slammed his fist on the table in frustration, making his wine glasses rattle. "I've barely sat on this Iron Throne, barely warmed my ass, and I'm already burdened with debt?!" He abruptly turned to an even more pressing issue: "Where's the Mad King's treasury? Wasn't Aerys's coffers overflowing with golden dragons? Where did all that money go?!"

As soon as he said this, all eyes in the room instantly focused on Tywin Lannister.

Everyone knows that on the day King's Landing fell, it was the Lannister army that first entered the city, and only they had enough time and opportunity to access the royal treasury.

Faced with this silent yet sharp accusation, Tywin's expression remained unchanged. He responded in the same icy tone, "A mountain of accusations? I wonder where Your Majesty heard such false information." His gaze swept over the crowd, and he said coldly, "The Mad King has become mentally unstable in his later years. The courtiers and scoundrels he favored knew nothing of finance, and the treasury had long been squandered by them. Otherwise, why would he have frantically increased various exorbitant taxes in his final years?" He questioned in a deep voice, "Does King Robert suspect that it was my Lannister family that plundered the treasury?"

Robert was stunned by his retort, his anger intensifying, but he couldn't openly escalate the situation, so he could only roar, "Which ear of yours heard me accusing you?! I was just saying it offhand!"

"Your Majesty, Lord Tywin," Hand Jon Arryn spoke up at the opportune moment, his steady voice easing the tense atmosphere, and sighed, "After investigation, the treasury indeed has little surplus. Healing the wounds of war, resettling the displaced, rewarding the soldiers—each task is extremely costly." He steered the conversation back on track, "Given this situation, borrowing from your newly established banks is the most appropriate option; at least the funds will be mobilized more quickly. By the way," he asked, as if suddenly remembering, "what are the names of your banks?"

This question momentarily stunned the four founders of the bank: Tywin Lannister, Euron Greyjoy, Lady Olenna Tyrell representing Highgarden, and Prince Oberyn Martell representing Dorne.

They discussed in detail the funds, shares, branches, rules... but they overlooked this most important symbol.

After a brief, slightly awkward silence, Euron cleared his throat, breaking the stillness with a voice that carried an undeniable certainty: "Continental Bank!"

Upon hearing this, Jon Arryn gave a meaningful smile and said calmly, "Continental Bank?" ————

"Quite ambitious, Lord Euron. To name it after the entire continent," he lowered his voice, a knowing glimpse into his world, "this ambition likely extends beyond Westeros."

Euron laughed, neither confirming nor denying, but responding in a tone that was almost joking, yet impossible to take entirely lightly: "Your Excellency is too kind, Prime Minister. I wouldn't dare be so presumptuous. However—" He changed the subject, teasingly adding, "One should always have dreams, just in case—one day they accidentally come true?"

Jon gave him a deep look, no longer dwelling on the possible meaning behind the name. He sat up straight, regaining the composure of the Prime Minister: "This matter is settled." He paused briefly, clearly already considering more practical matters, "As for the royal loan—" he calculated, "a sum of one million gold dragons should be enough to alleviate the current predicament. Once the taxes from all the territories are gradually collected and deposited into the royal domain this year, the finances will be able to operate smoothly."

Robert nodded in agreement: "It's settled then. I'm at ease with the Prime Minister and the Duke of Tywin taking care of this counting of coins."

"The second matter," Jon Arryn said slowly, glancing around at the assembled high-ranking officials, "is that the Mad King's two former Hands of the King, Lord Owen Mariewes and Lord Jon Clinton, both exiled due to the defeat in battle. Now, they request to return to Westeros. What do you all think should be done with them?"

Lord Tywin Lannister spoke first, his voice calm and composed: "The war is over. The order to exile them came from the Mad King. If His Majesty Robert can demonstrate the benevolence and tolerance of the new dynasty, and forgive past grievances, it will surely help stabilize the hearts of the people of the Seven Kingdoms and demonstrate the difference from the old dynasty."

Horst glanced at Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King, and said, "If I remember correctly, your nephew and heir, Ser Dennis Arryn, the 'Dalmatians' darling,' died at the hands of Jon Clinton."

Jon Arryn said calmly, "Of course I remember, and I will never forget. But those who die heroically in battle should not be held accountable after the war. So rest assured, I will not hold him accountable for this."

Upon hearing this, Robert waved his hand magnanimously, saying, "Then let them come back!"

Lady Olenna, the "Queen of Thorns," immediately pointed out the current problem: "Owen Mariewes was once the Earl of the Longtable Hall, but the Mad King stripped him of his title, lands, and all honors long ago. Now, the Longtable Hall has been granted to other families. Upon his return, in what capacity and where will he reside?"

Lord Stannis then added, his tone hardening, "The same applies to Jon Clinton. His former domain, Eagle's Nest, is now inherited and ruled by his cousin, Roland Clinton. By the law, we have no right to deprive a legitimate heir of their rights to settle an exile."

The situation has reached a stalemate.

Euron Greyjoy, the newly crowned Duke of Harrenhal, broke the silence with a light laugh: "Why bother with this? Harrenhal is vast to begin with, and after the war, it's even more sparsely populated and in dire need of rebuilding. Now is the time when we need manpower." He looked at Robert and Jon, "Why don't we settle them both in my Harrenhal for now?"

He had long assessed these two men and had considered recruiting them for his own use:

Lord Jon Clinton is a proud, brave, passionate, fearless man who longs to reclaim his honor.

He was a capable soldier and commander. Such a person would surely have a place in Harrenhal, which was in dire need of reconstruction, and be able to utilize his military talents.

Owen Mariewes—known as the "Giant Prime Minister," and privately mocked as a "smiling idiot"—was a kind and affable man, adept at flattering monarchs, but now old and with limited abilities. However, his grandson, Orton Mariewes, was a noteworthy young talent who later served as Hand of the King in the original story.

In fact, long before the discussions about the need for management talent for the bank's opening and Euron's appointment as Duke of Harrenhal, Euron had calmly considered the people he could use: Currently, his kingdom was not lacking in skilled warriors, but it desperately lacked civil servants and administrators capable of independently handling internal affairs and managing the specific matters of his domain. These two former officials with complex backgrounds, both in dire need of support, one still possessing considerable strength, and the other with a promising grandson, were perfect candidates to be brought under his wing, assessed, and appointed.

Jon Arryn, upon hearing this, showed little surprise and nodded calmly. As Hand of the King, his primary concern was the stability of the kingdom and the smooth implementation of the King's will; the arrangement itself was not inappropriate. He then bowed slightly and asked Robert on the throne, "Does Your Majesty have any further comments or instructions regarding this arrangement?"

Robert waved his thick arm impatiently, as if to dispel the tedious political affairs before him, his voice rough and authoritative: "Besides Harrenhal, that empty, legendary, and ghostly place, who among you is willing to part with your ancestral lands and bestow them upon those two exiled nobles?" He surveyed the crowd below, his gaze sweeping over the silent, bowed lords. "None! Then so be it! Harrenhal is large enough; with Euron in charge, they won't cause any trouble!"

Hand Jon Arryn continued his report on state affairs: "The third matter concerns Prince Jalabar of the Summer Isles. He arrived shortly after His Majesty entered King's Landing and has been requesting the Iron Throne to send troops to help him reclaim the throne. But given the current state of the kingdom, this is absolutely impossible, and I have clearly refused him." He then turned his gaze to the father and son of the Iron Islands, "Yesterday, this prince offered me his leave, claiming that he had discussed the matter with King Coron of the Iron Islands and Duke Euron."

King Koren nodded: "That is indeed true!"

Jon's deep gaze fell directly on Euron and Corren, and he asked with a look of inquiry and confirmation, "Duke Euron, King Corren, does this mean that the Iron Islands have decided to send troops to help him?"

King Coron responded gruffly, neither fully admitting nor denying, leaving ample room for interpretation: "That dark-skinned prince did indeed come to us and mentioned this matter. But the specifics of how to proceed and whether it is feasible have not yet been agreed upon."

King Robert, upon hearing this, became intrigued. He took a swig of wine and interrupted in a loud voice, "To be honest, I'd like to agree to that guy's offer too! It sounds incredibly exciting, an expedition to distant lands! But as you all know, the treasury is practically empty right now. The royal fleet can't even muster a decent warship. Where would we get the money, provisions, and troops to concern ourselves with something so far away?" His tone carried a hint of regret, but more so a clear-headed understanding of reality.

Euron spoke calmly, clearly stating the Iron Islands' position: "In truth, for the entire Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, the Summer Islands are isolated overseas, posing neither a direct threat nor offering any real benefit, and are indeed not worth conquering." He paused slightly, then changed the subject, "But for the Iron Islands—that archipelago might be a decent ocean port."

Its practical function is certainly not limited to this...

Jon Arryn nodded slightly, setting the tone for the matter with his authority as Prime Minister, and said, "In that case, the matter of sending troops to the Summer Isles shall be regarded as a private commercial investment and military operation of the Iron Islands, and has nothing to do with the Iron Throne. The courts of the Seven Kingdoms will no longer interfere."

King Coron was clearly satisfied with the result, nodding readily and saying, "That's exactly right!"

Robert jumped up from his seat, laughing loudly, "Alright! Let's go! Now that the business is done, it's time for the real show—eat and drink to our hearts' content!"

Eddard Stark shook his head slightly, his serious face showing the weariness of a hangover. He smiled wryly and said, "After several days of feasting, my head in the North is still very dizzy. I'll be setting off back to the North around noon."

King Coron, standing nearby, chimed in with the characteristic crispness of the Ironborn, "The ships of the Iron Islands should also turn around."

"I must return to the islands and completely hand over the affairs of the islands to Balon. From now on, the Iron Islands will be under his control." This means that King Coron will officially retire from the limelight and remain in King's Landing as Lord Lord of the Seas.

Euron toyed with the wine glass in his hand and laughed, "Hrenburg, my newly acquired territory, I haven't even seen it with my own eyes yet. Everything is in ruins, and I need to go and see for myself what I can do."

Prince Oberyn of Dorne and Lord Horst Tully of the Riverlands nodded in agreement, expressing similar intentions to leave.

Robert froze, his joyful smile vanishing. He looked around at his close friends and vassals, who had fought alongside him but were now all leaving, and repeated in disbelief, "You—you're all leaving?"

His response was a silent but affirmative nod from the crowd.

The king, who had been so full of pride just moments before, visibly dimmed in the eyes, as if all his strength had been drained away, and slumped heavily back into his large chair. Like a child who had been abandoned, he muttered softly, his voice filled with desolation: "With none of you here—now, King's Landing is going to be utterly boring again."

There was no hint of a smile on Prime Minister Jon Arryn's weathered face as he said in a steady tone, "Your Majesty, you will never be bored."

Robert raised his bewildered blue eyes and looked at his adoptive father with a puzzled expression.

Jon coughed lightly, like a tutor about to assign a heavy workload, and said clearly, word by word, "Because, from this day forward, a mountain of state affairs, a tangled mess of family matters, an empty treasury, and countless civil disputes awaiting judgment throughout the Seven Kingdoms—this whole host of surprises—are lined up outside the door, eagerly awaiting your arrival."

"By the Seven Gods—!"

Robert let out a wail that was almost a cry of despair, his face etched with utter despair.

He stretched out his limbs in an exaggeratedly stiff manner, his huge head suddenly tilted back and slammed heavily against the back of the chair, as if all his strength had been instantly drained by this terrible reality, and he only wanted to fall into a deep sleep and never wake up again.

This action caused everyone to burst into laughter.

>