Daenerys, who had just been lectured like a child, had no thought of talking back. After being shocked by the breathtaking grandeur of the plan Aegor proposed, what followed was a long-lost thrill. Even she could not tell whether the excitement was for this so-called Great King's Landing plan, or for the Night's Watch Commander's heroic spirit as he pointed out the landscape and wielded his power.
For a Queen like her, unwilling to be ordinary and eager to leave her name in history, it would be false to say she did not yearn for this plan. Unfortunately, excitement was excitement, but it sounded too much like a fantastical dream. Having fought her way here, she immediately recalled the military problems involved. "This Great King's Landing area is indeed rich and densely populated, but how can such a completely undefended plain be secured against potential external attacks?"
"Where would external attacks come from? You are the one who is going to break the wheel of history. Should it not be that the whole of Westeros is your Kingdom, under sky there is no land that is not the Queen's land? Even if the areas outside Great King's Landing are not directly under your rule, they are still your subjects. The Wardens of the North, West, South, and East should not merely acknowledge your identity as before, but serve as stewards watching your distant lands." Aegor shrugged and continued, "So your question should be this. If in the distant future, those great Lords beyond the Crownlands grow disloyal and wish to rebel, how should the royal government defend and resist? That is a good question, which is why this Great King's Landing plan has a supplement, checks and balances."
…
"It was your ancestors' rule that created the conditions for you. Before Aegon's Conquest, those Kingdoms with harsh climates or poor soil were self-contained, their populations stayed low. And now? Centuries of basic peace in the North, Westerlands, and Dorne have made them accustomed to buying grain from the Reach and the Riverlands. They will no longer starve large numbers in famine or Winter. The Vale can barely be self-sufficient only because of its good climate and fertile soil, yielding more per acre. Due to the narrow terrain and limited arable land inside the Vale, that cannot last. Population growth strengthens these four regions on one hand, but on the other it makes them more dependent on the outside world. As long as Your Grace controls the grain lifeline, you hold the throats of all autonomous regions outside Great King's Landing."
"Of course, relying on grain alone is unreliable. Your Grace must also place shackles and collars on the four regions so your successors have no worries. The North has fierce customs and strong military power. My suggestion is division and containment. Transfer the Mountain Clans, people and land, to the Gift, and change the law, declaring the increasingly outdated Night's Watch system ended. The Night's Watch shall henceforth be directly dispatched and provisioned by the central government, under the royal family. By weakening the North's strength, stationing such a garrison behind it, and monitoring the Lords' every move, you remove the possibility of gathering troops to go south. The Westerlands are rich in gold, the wealthiest in the world. You must have heard Lord Tywin issued a Gold Control Order to grasp the Westerlands' economic lifeline and concentrate resources for post-war reconstruction. Your Grace need only follow suit, with a small change. The gold of the Seven Kingdoms, no matter whose it is, if it exceeds a certain amount it must be deposited in a bank for safekeeping, and the bank's main vault must be in the capital. That is, the gold of Westeros may not be yours, but its physical body must mostly be in your hands. When its owners use it, it only moves from one room to another, yet never leaves the Crownlands. Thus you eliminate at the root the chance of anyone using wealth to plot against your rule."
"The North and the Westerlands have always been strong and must be targeted with specific policies. As for the Vale and Dorne, there is no need to worry too much. Though the Vale boasts bright victories, that is mostly because they chose the right side rather than inherent strength. With small territory and sparse population, their power is average. For years they have not subdued their own Mountain Clans, and the wealth they accumulated over the last decade was wiped out in the recent League of the Righteous rebellion. As long as a garrison holds the Bloody Gate, the royal navy controls sea transport and Gulltown's foreign trade, and you order tribute in fruit, vegetables, and horses, using these non-grain crops to occupy their limited arable land and increase their demand for outside grain, they cannot cause real trouble. As for Dorne, although the slogan 'Dornishmen are as numerous as sand' is loud, and Aegon's failure to conquer it is legendary, in the end the Dornish are only good at desert guerrilla warfare. Those with bare feet do not fear those with shoes and can wear them down. With a sparse population and scarce resources, they are nothing outside their own nest. Similarly, as long as the two mountain passes are blocked and the grain supply is controlled, they will not become protagonists in the power struggle until the end of the world."
"Oh, I almost forgot the Iron Islands. A tiny place, a clown, forget them." Once cannon are on ships, the Iron Fleet these pirates boast of will be nothing. Aegor took another sip of the now cold wine and sighed. "But I must mention again, no matter how many tricks and methods Your Grace prepares in your lifetime, if your descendants are not capable, it is all in vain. Only strong personal strength is the eternal truth. By controlling Westeros's most fertile lands and placing reins on the remaining four Kingdoms' necks, then advancing productivity under that favorable situation, the royal family will soon have surplus wealth to maintain a standing army far beyond the King's Landing City Watch. On the basis of a stable state, diligently developing technology and staying one step ahead, your rule will be secure for generations."
The room fell silent. Aegor had finished what he needed to say, and he sat quietly where he was, leisurely shaking his leg, sipping the wine, and admiring the peerless young Queen, the most powerful woman in the world, thinking intently after being completely swayed by him, the wonderful contrast between the two.
---
Why had Aegor, when they met at Dragonstone last time, preferred to anger Daenerys rather than offer these strategies? Why had he been secretly pleased when he coaxed Daenerys down from the dragon and into the tower at Crown Town? Why did he emphasize not telling anyone about today's conversation?
It was simple. His grand blueprint, which seemed to consider Daenerys in all respects and was tailored to her ideal of breaking the wheel, had plenty of his own agenda, highlighting the benefits while avoiding the drawbacks. It was enough to fool a Queen with limited knowledge and experience, but if even one old hand like Varys or Petyr had been present, they would have quickly pointed out the flaws and omissions in his grand theories. That would have been a small matter compared to failing to show off smoothly and stun the Queen. If they refuted him and left him without a shred of dignity, it would be over.
Aegor knew his capabilities clearly. Apart from his far superior knowledge and understanding, his political maneuvering and scheming could not match the eunuch or Littlefinger. The best effect he sought from this performance was to make Daenerys believe she had met a like-minded comrade, an unparalleled expert. To make her suddenly realize there was another person in the world who could give her what no one else could, thereby quickly gaining a certain place in her heart, even being viewed differently, despite meeting her later than others.
To achieve that, this meeting had to be one on one, without outside interference. If it could be on Aegor's turf, giving him an extra layer of psychological advantage as host over guest, all the better.
This little tower in Crown Town could not have been more perfect.
No matter how noble the slogan or cause, nothing wins loyalty better than self-interest. The development of productivity makes the pie bigger, but the share never changes from one hundred percent to one hundred and one. To get a piece in this game, Aegor, tucked in a corner and completely off stage, had to do one thing first, eliminate some of the noble class, kick some players from the table to make room for himself and the Night's Watch force that follows him.
As for why he persuaded the Queen to establish Great King's Landing rather than conquering the entire realm and moving straight to centralization, there were many reasons. Leaping directly from feudal division to centralized rule is theoretically the maximization of benefits, but a unified dynasty, while seemingly wonderful, has a huge drawback. Its rules change from a complex system of interest distribution, exchange, and mutual checks to a simple winner take all, and that unchecked nature greatly increases the cruelty of power struggles.
If the Seven Kingdoms are a card room, then Aegor, the Crossing, is a sudden intruder like a god of gamblers. With foreknowledge of the plot, insight into character, and his own vision and learning, he possesses card skills like cheating. Yet he is still an outsider in this card room. If everyone plays by the table's rules, he can make a fortune. If the table is flipped and the room descends into a brawl, with too little foundation, he may not be the one who laughs last.
These four autonomous regions in the North, South, East, and West. Publicly, they are the ballast to stabilize royal power and ensure a smooth transition of Westeros's ruling structure from one model to another. Privately, they are Aegor's own insurance. Once the great cause is achieved, these four unconquered Kingdoms will be the bandits he keeps to hold as leverage, his hedge against being discarded after the quarry is taken. Not to mention, among the four, the North and the Westerlands have quite some friendship with him.
…
As a foreigner, even with a killing tool and fame throughout the Seven Kingdoms, Aegor could not suddenly jump onto the table as banker without status or title. He needed a stepping stone to leap out of the Gift. Supporting King Stannis was the worst option, thankless. He knew nothing about the little Aegon in the South and could not guarantee it would not end in vain. Joffrey Baratheon, whom he held in hand, was a good pawn, but if he declared him legitimate and raised an army, he would be fighting alone until he broke through the North and Riverlands to meet Tywin, and the reputation penalty of incestuous bastard would make the game hellishly difficult.
Considering everything, Daenerys became the best choice. Aegor had some grasp of her temperament and character, and she controlled considerable armed strength. Most importantly…
Aegor took a deep breath and reluctantly admitted it. The Queen's cheat had worked on him. Though on the surface he remained rational, deep in his subconscious he vaguely realized that he had already made defecting to the Dragon Queen his first, even final decision, and was even a little impatient to serve her. As long as she extended an olive branch once more, he would accept it.
However, when he looked up at Daenerys's conflicted expression, Aegor smiled again. They were in the same boat. She had captivated him with that inexplicable allure, and he had captivated her with an incredible prospect. Although Littlefinger and Varys are top players, limited by their vision, interests, and class, no matter how they rack their brains, they cannot offer the Queen a strategy more alluring than the Great King's Landing plan.
He seized the moment while Daenerys was away from advisors and alone, and spared no effort to present a table full of delicacies. It is hard to return to frugality from luxury. From now on, no matter how fragrant and sweet the other two make their feudal coarse bread, she will only find it tasteless.
Aegor was certain that no matter how the Queen weighed pros and cons, she would ultimately yield to the strong desire and yearning in her heart and walk the path he had drawn for her.
(To be continued.)