Aemond had long suspected that the other Free Cities would intervene.
There were nine Free Cities in total.
The Triarchy fell, and the Iron Throne swallowed three in one fell swoop.
"I thought someone would send troops, but it turned out to be the Iron Bank's trickery," Aemond chuckled.
He wasn't good at economics, but he had heard of things like futures crashes.
The Iron Bank's actions were like a soft knife cutting flesh.
"Go back to Gulltown?" Rhaenyra's eyes sparkled; she was eager for action.
The battle of Myr had given her confidence.
"Yes," Aemond nodded. He had to go back and take a look.
The Vale coalition army was about to land at Gulltown, and as the Prince of the Vale, he had to give them bonuses and pensions.
"I have something to talk to you about, Aemond."
Just as they were about to leave together, his father-in-law called from behind.
Aemond turned back in surprise.
He raised his eyebrows and put on a theatrical look, questioning what was the matter.
"???"
Corlys maintained the position of his outstretched hand, stunned in place.
Good boy. What are you doing with that dramatic face?
"Something?" Aemond retracted his expression, pretending to be calm, and treating his father-in-law with indifference.
"Yes, about Dorne." Corlys restored his calm and proud demeanor.
"Then..." Aemond gestured to his two female companions, asking if they should leave.
Dorne is a big deal.
Qoren betrayed him, and then he was betrayed by my father-in-law and Daemon.
In just a few days, the lineup changed from Iron Throne/Regent, the Twin Cities, and Dorne.
It changed to Iron Throne/Regent/Velaryon/Daemon, Dorne.
Dorne won the MVP for being the center of attention.
"Come along; they should also be familiar with government affairs." Corlys understood Aemond's gesture and spoke very openly, suggesting they join.
He was not the old-fashioned Viserys.
Rhaenyra was the Crown Princess, and she should be trained to handle government affairs from a young age.
Laena was his daughter, and selfishly, he hoped that she could get involved.
"Let's go!" Aemond said without hesitation.
They hadn't walked far, not even out of the Red Keep.
They were on the second floor of Maegor's Holdfast, in the Velaryon guest quarters.
Upon entering, they saw Aunt Rhaenys, already dressed in an aquamarine gown.
She was leaning against the balcony, enjoying the view and a glass of wine.
"Welcome home, Lord Sea Serpent!"
A giggling voice echoed from within the room, and Aemond's eyes flashed before him.
A short, stocky dwarf, dressed as a jester, darted in front of the group and gave a comical bow.
"There you are, Mushroom." Rhaenyra tilted her head, eyeing him suspiciously.
"Yes, the noble, beautiful, and charismatic Queen 'Light of the Realm.'" The jester, Mushroom, looked foolishly captivated.
Trying to amuse himself, he lost his balance and nearly fell to the floor.
"Gods!" Rhaenyra rolled her eyes, feeling a pang of annoyance.
Fortunately, her father doted on her; otherwise, simply being called Queen would have been a death sentence.
"Your Highness, you're not even smiling. Have I been working hard lately?" Fool Mushroom groaned pitifully, tears streaming down his kohled eyes.
Rhaenyra was speechless and tried to persuade him to leave.
Bang! Aemond kicked him, uttering disgustedly, "Get out, or I'll castrate you and send you to be an Unsullied."
Fool Mushroom's body leaped upwards, his tailbone aching with pain, his face contorted, nearly howling.
"Yes, Your Highness." As soon as his feet touched the ground, he scrambled away.
Fool Mushroom's face was pale with terror.
The blind Seven had prevented me from seeing the Prince Regent enter.
He'd heard he'd purchased an army of Unsullied, and they'd really cut him off alive.
He didn't want to perform among a bunch of eunuchs.
The door slammed shut.
Aemond said disdainfully, "Don't talk to him; he's a jerk."
Fool Mushroom, a veteran of three dynasties, before and after the Dance of the Dragons.
A living history of a gossiper and a lover of gossip.
Most of it, however, is unofficial history.
It's not necessarily true, but it's certainly outrageous.
It seriously affects the overall reputation of the Targaryens.
"Yes, yes, Your Highness," Rhaenyra smiled.
Fool Mushroom was a favorite of her father and held a certain status in the Red Keep.
To be frank, she had been raised under Fool Mushroom's watch.
But Aemond disliked him, never since childhood.
After turning eight, living in the Red Keep, he routinely beat up Fool Mushroom, a fellow Fool of similar weight, causing him to become depressed.
After Aemond turned nine, the height difference between them widened.
Not wanting to bully the weak, he let him go.
"Wait until he spreads a rumor about you, portraying you as a middle-aged woman with a broad waist and fat hips, and you'll behave," Aemond warned.
"I don't believe it, because it's definitely false." Rhaenyra spun in a circle, showcasing her petite figure and exuding a confident and sunny air.
"Believe it or not," Aemond snorted, pulling Laena to the table.
For the sake of his reputation in the future, His Royal Highness is walking on thin ice.
The main recorder, Maester Mukun, and the jester Mushroom, were kept under strict control.
"Childish." Corlys watched the whole process and shook his head.
One was young at heart; the other was only a few years older.
They were still at the age of letting their emotions run wild.
Laena was older, with a gentle and generous personality, a perfect wife of the house.
Velaryon has a promising future.
"Everyone is here, let's have a drink." Rhaenys was in a good mood, pouring the wine she mixed for the younger generations and enjoying the good times.
"Thank you, Aunt." Aemond was very sweet.
Rhaenys smiled and touched her nephew's head.
She was just like her dragon, with a kind of lazy freedom.
Corlys was very tactless, taking out a great map to spread on the round table, interrupting the peaceful and harmonious afternoon wine.
"The Stepstones are crucial, blocking the entrance and exit of the Strait of Tarth."
"The Three Cities belong to us, and the Disputed Lands are within easy reach."
Aemond waved his hand, "Get to the point."
"Controlling the shipping lanes and the Disputed Lands is like controlling a cash cow."
Corlys glanced at him coldly and said seriously, "The King doesn't prioritize this area and is even more reluctant to spend the treasury. I propose that our two families collaborate to develop the Stepstones' potential."
"Why?" Aemond narrowed his eyes and calmly took a sip of his wine.
Everyone knew that the Stepstones were a gold mine.
My uncle was stingy and didn't want to interfere in his own territory.
That's why he feigned ignorance and turned a blind eye.
My father-in-law made his living at sea and had long coveted the Stepstones, rushing to seek cooperation.
"Without a fleet that traverses the oceans, you can't exploit the Stepstones' monopoly power," Corlys replied solemnly.
The Stepstones were originally the "Arm of Dorne," shattered into a sprawling archipelago.
Not only is it vast from east to west, but it's also quite wide from north to south.
In the past, when pirates from the Triarchy occupied this place, they didn't dare to claim a 100% blockade.
"Convince me." Aemond crossed his arms.
If you want cooperation, there is always a price to pay.
"The Velaryon family will build the Stepstones, and I will send people to manage the ports and taxation."
Upon hearing this, Aemond's face changed.
"Hear me out." Corlys interrupted, saying sternly: "The maritime fortifications and blockade patrols will all be handled by the Velaryon fleet. You don't have to worry about anything else; just divide the money at the end of the year."
"Are you treating me like a pig?" Aemond's eyes flickered, but he couldn't find any fault.
Of course not.
Corlys was a shrewd man who knew how to maximize benefits.
First of all, the Stepstones would be given full management by him.
Aemond was a good fighter and had good military capabilities.
He is particularly adept at managing time and favors blitzkrieg, decisive battles.
He possesses a mighty dragon; his power always crushes the enemy.
His political abilities are average, but he possesses a knack for self-reliance and, with a well-chosen marriage, his future is bright.
His weakest aspect is his governance.
While somewhat clever, he can implement policies that benefit the people and the nation, such as composting, cleaning the streets, and cultivating farmland, but these policies only superficially address the needs of the people.
The directly governed territory of Riverrun is a case in point.
The city is large, with a small population and few businesses.
While the civilians under his rule enjoy a high quality of life, they lack the ability to create wealth.
The core of governance should be leveraging power to expand influence, not to protect the lower classes.
Leaving the Stepstones to him would make it difficult to achieve ideal returns.
Corlys believes that if he were to govern, the Stepstones would yield wealth comparable to that of a Free Trade City-State.
"I approve of your investment," Aemond said, pondering for a moment before making his decision.
He's a formidable military commander! It's only natural that he wouldn't excel at governance.
Besides, rectifying Myr was the most pressing matter at hand.
Managing another Stepstone Archipelago was too much to handle.
It would be better to find a partner to work for him.
"Then it's settled," Corlys laughed heartily.
"Wait." Aemond, still clear-headed, added a condition: "Myr will form a navy, and Velaryon will send personnel to help train it."
"Once the navy is complete, it will be stationed in the Stepstone Archipelago alongside the royal and Velaryon fleets."
The old maester of Runestone had taught His Royal Highness since childhood.
It's wrong to eat all the food alone.
His father-in-law was too treacherous.
He had to drag his uncle into this.
At worst, he could reserve a dividend for his uncle, and the three of them could work together to develop the Stepstone Archipelago.
"Okay, I'll talk to Father." Rhaenyra seemed to understand but then perked up.
Corlys: 😩
He really didn't want to work with Viserys unless it was necessary.
A teammate who only knew how to play dumb, he deserved a punch in the face.
"I think that's a good idea. With the royal family involved, Dorne won't dare act recklessly," Rhaenys said with a smile.
"Alright," Corlys said, his face frozen, forced to agree.
His plan to usurp power had failed.
Aemond smiled innocently. "Are you familiar with Prince Qoren on Dorne's side?"
"No," Corlys said coldly.
Aemond nodded and mentioned the idea of trading with Dorne.
During the battles of the Stepstones, Prince Qoren had meddled, causing further casualties for House Velaryon.
His father-in-law wished Prince Qoren dead.
"Let's build the fortifications first. Dorne will come to us," Corlys said confidently.
Dorne may be a desert, but the Vaith River basin is fertile, producing abundant grain and tropical fruits, making it less dependent on food imports.
Salt, iron, silk, and fabric are the only supplies that are in short supply.
For a short time, Dorne could maintain its status quo.
But the slatted towns on the Greenblood River needed to export goods to generate cash and stimulate the economy.
The Triarchy, Braavos, and Volantis have always been business partners.
Now that the Strait is blocked, only Volantis can still trade.
Volantis's merchants will drive down prices to the bone.
Over time, sooner or later, the income will not be enough to cover the expenses.
Prince Qoren is more anxious than anyone else.
Aemond listened carefully and agreed with him.
They said it's "garbage time," and they must wait it out.
It depends on whether Prince Qoren can endure it.
After discussing the cooperation, Aemond prepared to leave.
There are still matters to be resolved in the Vale.
Before leaving, Corlys stopped him and said, "There's a bank in Tyrosh. If you don't trust the Iron Bank, you can deposit it there."
He wants to open a bank to check and balance the Iron Bank.
"I'll think about it." Aemond nodded perfunctorily, feeling very cautious.
The Sea Snake's behavior today was a little unusual.
It was too biased towards him, and there was a sense of incongruity in being too close.
He understood!
Velaryon was loyal to the royal family and wanted to win him over to hold power.
Unfortunately, the Sea Serpent was too powerful.
He had transformed the barren island of Driftmark into a tycoon rivaling Oldtown Hightower and the Lannisters.
He had sailed nine times and built a fleet capable of navigating the vast seas.
Now he owned Tyrosh and was developing the Stepstones.
The most infuriating thing was that the old creature was still quite resilient.
If he wasn't suppressed, he might take flight.
Gulltown
Three days later.
Aemond said goodbye to his uncle and rode his dragon back to the Vale with Rhaenyra.
Laena didn't come with him.
She and her Aunt Rhaenys returned to Driftmark to prepare for their engagement ceremony.
It's worth mentioning that Daemon didn't leave King's Landing.
He settled in a brothel on Silk Street, seemingly intending to stay there permanently.
The Vale, Gulltown.
The calm azure sea, the knife-cut cliffs on either side forming an inverted triangle-shaped harbor, circling flocks of soaring seabirds.
Ships of all sizes came and went like pieces on a chessboard.
"Hiss—"
Vermithor, deliberately playing tricks, scattered the flock of clumsy seabirds and flew over the harbor into the small, exquisite white city.
Behind him followed three dragons of varying sizes: Silverwing, Syrax, and the small wild dragon Grey Ghost.
Aemond emerged from his dragon's back, a smile curling his lips.
King's Landing, however wonderful, was not home.
The Vale was still better, and the breeze had a refreshing coolness.
A moment later.
The former home of House Shett, the Tower of Luck.
A towering, square-bottomed, conical tower constructed entirely of flawless white marble.
With the tower at its center, warehouses, workshops, and shops were all available.
A two-meter-high white wall surrounded the vast courtyard.
Aemond, riding Vermithor, slowly landed at the entrance of the tower.
"Your Majesty." Two Runeguards, returning to Gulltown, came out to greet them.
"Thank you for your hard work," Aemond thanked them, beckoning Rhaenyra, "Come in."
This was the home of House Shett, originally known as "Gulltown's Tower of Luck."
House Shett had been king of Gulltown before the Age of Heroes.
Even after the Andal invasion and the fall of House Grafton, House Shett retained significant land and wealth.
This Tower of Good Fortune was one of the many legacies left after the fall of House Shett.
Aemond loved it and kept it as a prince's palace.
The remaining legacy included many shops and lands, a portion of which was distributed to Ser Llane, still generating a considerable income.
Gulltown's two thousand-man navy relied heavily on this legacy.
Rhaenyra deftly dismounted from the dragon's back, biting off a leather glove as she surveyed the Tower of Good Fortune, a fairytale castle.
She had been there before, but the experience was completely different.
It had belonged to someone else before, but now it belonged to Aemond.
What belonged to Aemond was hers.
Entering the Tower of Good Fortune, they ascended the winding staircase to the expansive eighth floor.
Thirteen floors in total, the first in Gulltown.
The Seagull Hall.
Aemond strode in, where someone had been waiting for a long time.
"Your Majesty, you are finally back," said the portly Lord Barkin, tears welling in his eyes, as he came up to him.
"If you have something to say, speak up." Aemond was startled, thinking someone's sow had escaped the pen.
"The Iron Bank is going too far!" Master Barkin complained, aggrieved, upon seeing his patron.
"Yes, Your Majesty." "Golden Eagle" Esenbar Arryn, patriarch of the Arryn family of Gulltown, was also there, equally furious.
The two, one short and fat, the other tall and thin, looked like a pair of door gods.
"Don't be so impatient. Speak slowly." Aemond's mouth twitched.
He had always liked the two men's unruly ways.
---------------
You can read +100 advance chapters on my Patreon
Patreon(.)com/izan24
•TIER 1 you'll get +15 ADVANCE CHAPTERS
•TIER 2 you'll get +40 ADVANCE CHAPTERS
•TIER 3 you'll get +60 ADVANCE CHAPTERS
•TIER 4 you'll get +100 ADVANCE CHAPTERS