Game of Thrones: The Wrath of the Sleeping Dragon

...

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister, seated in the first seat to the left of the King, was already reporting to His Majesty the King on the current state of the nation's finances and the remaining gold in the treasury.

The Iron Throne is now in debt to more than four million gold dragons, not primarily because of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's ability, but because the country needed money for various purposes after the war had just ended, coupled with Robert's extravagant spending.

At the same time, because they still needed to borrow money, the Iron Throne acknowledged the debt owed to the Iron Treasury during the Targaryen era, which was also a considerable sum.

These odds and ends total four million Jinlong's debt.

Half of the debt came from House Lannister, while the remaining loans came from House Tyrell, the Iron Bank of Braavos, several merchant guilds in Tyresh, and even the Church.

Jon Arryn then closed the Treasury's ledgers, his wrinkled face serious.

"His Majesty."

"Although there are some unconfirmed connections between Braavos and the remnants of the Targaryens."

"However, Braavos's real purpose in doing this was simply to prevent the seven kingdoms from truly unifying and to stir up trouble in this quagmire."

The Duke of Arrynvale has a keen eye and hits the nail on the head.

"If we want to finish this war, we need to get a loan from the Iron Treasury. We can temporarily agree to any conditions and interest rates, no matter how harsh they are."

"As for whether it will be repaid in the future, we'll discuss that at that time."

Jon Arryn was really going all out to win this battle.

The Iron Treasury is focused on the interest, while the Iron Throne is focused on its principal.

If you win, you don't have to pay it back; if you lose, you also don't have to pay it back.

Chapter 153 Struggle

"And besides money, the most important thing is manpower."

After Jon Arryn finished discussing the loan, he handed the task over to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

"Understood, Lord Erin."

The obese Chancellor of the Exchequer, sitting to King Robert's right, hurriedly and laboriously moved his chair back before standing up to accept the task.

If the Prime Minister is the King's most important right-hand man, then the Chancellor of the Exchequer is the second most important position after the Prime Minister.

Although the Duke was devoted to his work, he couldn't do everything himself. At his age, a trip to Braavos by ship for more than a month would probably cost him half his life.

"His Majesty."

"Not long ago we called for a war to quell the rebellion in the Iron Islands, and it is not easy to regroup our soldiers now."

"While the loan has been disbursed and the reward has been given, we still need your help..."

Although the king was a fool, he was generous, unpretentious, and had a strong sense of affability.

Robert was especially popular among the lower-ranking soldiers. During the Usurper Wars, he didn't mind sleeping in grassy ditch with the soldiers, sharing a bowl of barely edible food, and even fighting alongside them on the front lines.

In this respect, King Robert is actually very similar to Viserys, who also enjoyed great prestige within the Andalusian army.

Besides the various halos of nobility, lineage, and faith that surround them, and the fact that they have won every battle and have never lost a single one.

Another reason is that he has never put on airs and is very approachable. Apart from the crown on his head, his clothes and appearance are no different from those of ordinary people.

For Viserys, simple and clean clothing is sufficient; he dislikes the elaborate attire required for important occasions.

Wearing various belts and decorations, her entire body was sparkling, making her look like a human-shaped light bulb...

He doesn't need to use fancy clothes to elevate his status or distinguish himself from ordinary people.

but.

Viserys's elder brother, Prince Rhaegar, had a better reputation among the nobles.

One is a grass root rolling in the mud, and the other is a silver peacock high above.

At the Royal Council in the Red Keep, preparations for the anticipated war began to unfold.

...

Meanwhile, in the distant Andalus.

A month passed quietly.

A light autumn rain is approaching.

Viserys stood on a watchtower in the castle, his hand resting on the cold, hard window, looking down at the vast expanse of Andalus below.

This is the miraculous city he created in just over six years. It started with having his soldiers build a simple wooden castle, and then he began to relocate the surrounding Andal villages. He used deception, enticement, and even threats of violence to eventually form the prototype of Andalus.

Viserys has watched it gradually expand since then, eventually growing to its current size. Looking down, one sees a network of roads leading in all directions, rows of houses scattered about, taverns, brothels, inns, and even several local merchant guilds.

but...

Viserys looked down at the city he had created with his own hands and suddenly thought of the nine-tiered palace and the giant red temple he had seen in Pentos, as well as the Neptune's Palace and the Titans in Braavos. His heart stirred slightly.

He was wondering if he should build a wonder in Andalus as well.

It enhances people's sense of belonging, pride, and cohesion.

However, the thought only flashed through Viserys's mind for a moment before vanishing without a trace.

Poverty is the original sin.

Then the young king leaned on the battlements and sighed deeply. He then turned around and looked behind him, where a man wearing a metal mask stood.

He was extremely thin, and his entire body was wrapped up tightly. Except for two openings in the mask where the eyes were, all the rest of his skin was covered, including his neck, which was wrapped in white gauze, with not a single bit showing.

His posture was also somewhat strange; he was leaning against the wall behind him, breathing heavily, as if he was struggling with himself, trying to stand up.

Viserys stood there, looking at the once valiant knight who had now fallen to such a state. There was a hint of regret in his eyes. He opened his mouth several times as if to say something, but in the end, he swallowed back the words that advised him to give up.

"Bessie".

"It's a miracle you survived."

The man, who was completely covered from head to toe and wore a metal mask, was Bessie, the son of an Andal warrior who had once served as Viserys's personal bodyguard and whose shoulder was marked with a seven-pointed star.

However, whether he was a member of the Imperial Guard or the son of a warrior, it was a miracle that he survived such a terrible disaster. But he was destined to never be able to pick up a sword again and would become a cripple for the rest of his life.

After narrowly escaping death, Bessie was unwilling to spend the rest of his life bedridden. When Viserys visited him, he made a request to Viserys.

He hoped he could still be the king's bodyguard, and he firmly believed that he could stand up again and become a useful person. He hoped that His Majesty the King would give him a chance.

When Viserys held Bessie's charred and cracked hand, besides being astonished, he saw a certain persistence in his eyes.

Viserys finally nodded in agreement.

However, although Bessie has survived, it is still a long and arduous road for her to truly stand up again.

Upon hearing Viserys's voice, the knight, who was struggling with himself, slightly raised his head and spoke in a hoarse voice, panting heavily.

"It is not a miracle that I survived, Your Majesty."

"It was the gods in heaven who thought I was still useful and protected me, merciful Holy Mother..."

Bessie then wanted to launch into a long speech, but Viserys had already heard his story several times.

Bessie is a devout follower of the Seven Gods, and he has a seven-pointed star symbol tattooed on his shoulder. He was chosen by the village as the son of a warrior.

During that fire, he rushed in alone to try to save his mother and Daenerys, but he lost his way as soon as he entered the fire. The smoke inside was so thick that Bessie was eventually knocked to the ground by a piece of ceiling falling on her head.

Fortunately, the ceiling provided him with some insulation and space, which ultimately allowed him to be rescued.

He was trapped in a small corner before he suffocated and fainted, and was praying to the seven gods.

therefore.

He always believed that the reason he was able to miraculously survive was because the seven gods in the sky heard his prayers and ultimately saved his life.

Chapter 154 Feudal System

A light drizzle was falling.

Viserys then led Bessie, who was practicing walking, down from the castle and sent him back to rest.

He doesn't need to participate in the upcoming celebrations; he should focus on resting.

Viserys had nothing to do before this, so he would visit his most loyal subordinates.

...

Two weeks ago.

The bachelor received a letter from the university city across the ocean.

The letter was written by his teacher, Dr. Valin, Westeros's foremost astronomer. Besides the usual reminiscing, he also informed his disciple and the lord he served—

Autumn is here.

From the moment the Citadel declared the Red Comet as the 'sword that slays the seasons,' the seasons in Westeros changed from spring to summer.

At that time, Viserys was still fighting a bloody battle on the battlefield of Gol D'Or. Now, he has experienced many things, including leading his victorious army back home, the defeat at the Battle of Dragonstone, and preparations for war...

Perhaps apart from the farmers busy in the fields, many people have not noticed that the weather is gradually getting colder and autumn is slowly approaching.

The Citadel sends out such seasonal announcements every year and every season. Ordinary lords, who do not understand calendars or astronomy, rely entirely on the Citadel to inform them of the seasonal changes, and then the lords instruct the farmers in their territories on what to do during that season.

Therefore, the operation of many places in Westeros is inseparable from the influence of the Citadel. As the place where the most intellectuals in Westeros gather, it has a vital significance.

In fact, Dr. Wieling's letters to his students were mostly about reminiscing.

It was more than a month later that the letter traveled across the ocean to reach the continent of Essos, and even later when it was handed over to the maester.

However, the traditional harvest feast can take this opportunity to be held.

As one of the few festivals on the continent of Westeros, Andalus also has this tradition.

Because many aspects of Westeros culture originated from the Andals and Rhoynar, in fact, if we trace its roots back to the source, this is the birthplace of many Westeros cultures.

When the scholars announce the arrival of autumn, wise people begin to store some of their crops.

The lord who held the largest lord's fiefdom in the region was entitled to host traditional festivals such as the harvest feast. Because of the long distance and difficulty of travel, the harvest feast often became a rare opportunity for the lord and his vassals to meet.

As king of Andalus, Viserys naturally announced the convening of the first Harvest Feast to celebrate the harvest and to consolidate the people's hearts.

Not long ago, the newly enfeoffed nobles who had begun building castles and territories in various places quickly gathered in Andalus.