The breeze stirred the windows of Viserysgrad, and the black banner with the red dragon fluttered above the castle spires and watchtowers.
A tall man and woman stood on the balcony of the royal palace, the "White Fort".
Viserys's royal castle had been renovated, built on a foundation of white marble, with white symbolizing holiness; this castle was also called the White Fort.
Standing on the white stone-carved balcony, one could overlook the vast scenery of the fortress.
The Black Pearl, Belaqes Oselis, held a cup of tart Andals sour red wine, letting the mountain wind caress her.
Viserysgrad was caressed by a gentle breeze; this was not the Eyrie, where fierce mountain winds blew everywhere atop the mountains, but on the gentle slopes and hills of Viserysgrad, the wind was also mild.
"This wine is very sour, but sour wine is cheap, and only andals like to drink it," the Black Pearl commented.
"Soon, a brand new fine wine will be released," Viserys said mysteriously.
Viserys had changed into a black vest with red agate buttons, looking more like a knight.
The distillation equipment Viserys collected after destroying the Greenvine Family was for the new fine wines: brandy, whiskey, and golden rum. "The Viserys I remember isn't a swindler. I look forward to your success," the Black Pearl said, looking at Viserys's handsome face, royal power having draped him in a sacred veil.
"Of course, opening up the market will still depend on you," Viserys said, full of youthful vigor.
Viserys's demeanor now was completely different from when he was in Braavos; he was no longer the cautious, meticulous landless king dependent on others' wings, but a restorer of his kingdom rising again.
"That's no problem," the Black Pearl nodded. "As long as it's truly intoxicating wine, there'll be no shortage of buyers."
"You look like you're really short on money," the Black Pearl said.
"Of course, I'm short on money. Feeding people and horses, including city construction and the army, all consume vast amounts of wealth. Relying solely on taxes isn't enough, and I don't even have a navy yet," Viserys said, stating the facts.
Viserys's income came from taxes, and he also collected a fortune after eliminating the Greenvine Family.
However, the economic level of andal was not high; besides money, many people paid their taxes with grain, cloth, even fruits, wine, and other foodstuffs, and even ancestral old armor.
The ships of the andals were still longboats, not the mighty warships that dominated the seas.
"It's a pity the Iron Bank still can't embrace you," the Black Pearl said. "They're still watching."
"Is the Iron Bank afraid of a new war?" Viserys asked.
"Exactly," the Black Pearl nodded. "The dangers faced by Iron Bank lenders are no less than those of knights in wartime. They still have doubts about this nascent Kingdom of Andals. After all, once you fail in a war, the Iron Bank's investment will also be lost."
"It seems I have no choice but to achieve some victories, whether against the Dothraki or other forces," Viserys gripped the intricately carved railing, gazing into the distant sky.
Only through victory in war could the nascent Kingdom of Andals be consolidated.
At the same time, Andals, situated in a land of four wars, could not refuse to fight.
"However, I'm still secretly providing you with financial support, but you're spending money faster and faster, Viserys. You need to make the money circulate."
"I will remember this friendship," Viserys said to the Black Pearl.
Besides the Black Pearl, Viserys also thought of making money through winemaking.
Then there was Pentos, wealthy Pentos, known as a 'money-sending child' among the Free Cities, being an undefended city, simply a source of gold.
"This is very good; my mother once invested in crabbers, and I invest in kings," the Black Pearl laughed delightedly. "But your danger as a king is far greater than catching crabs in the sea."
"The more difficulties, the more glory I will gain. I am like a person climbing a high mountain, not daring to retreat a single step, for I am already in the arena of power," Viserys had anticipated the coming wars.
"This time I've also brought you money and some dragon bones, sea snails, Sea King Crabs, and so on. I believe you'll like these gifts."
"I am very grateful."
"Does my old friend, the Pleystein Family, still remember me?" Viserys asked.
"Probably, the better you develop, the more jealousy, fear, and hatred," the Black Pearl smiled sweetly. "But to hate someone, you don't necessarily have to ask yourself."
However, Viserys felt that Prystane, and even the Archon of Tyrosh, didn't need to act personally.
They only needed to tell the iron throne that the Targaryen remnant had re-established a kingdom across the sea, and tell the Dothraki that the Andals were secretly building a city, which would trigger a war.
"Were those seven laws really your idea?" the Black Pearl asked Viserys.
"Of course, it was me," Viserys said.
The Black Pearl scrutinized Viserys. "I've never believed in geniuses, but you truly have the vision of a king."
"Kingship is not an honor, but a heavy burden. For me, my life is not for myself, but for the trampled, the andals, the Loynans, for the persecuted."
"Kiss my hand, King, may you soon become a carefree king, and not appear like an old politician."
Viserys, however, did not kiss the Black Pearl's hand, but her lips.
The Black Pearl was young and lovely, but at this moment, a hint of anger appeared on her face.
"You are not one to repay kindness, but a beast, Viserys, a savage, cunning beast," the Black Pearl said discontentedly, her chest rising and falling.
"I told you, I'm still a young man, and young men are sometimes beasts," Viserys said indifferently.
"Besides, I'm someone who might go to the battlefield at any moment, facing death many times over."
"I believe you will always win, Viserys."
Gatherings are always brief, so why not seize the opportunity to plunder.
It wasn't until the figures of the Black Pearl and Quilo had walked far away, leaving Viserysgrad, that Viserys felt her scent still lingering around him.
"You kissed her, didn't you?" Rhaenys leaned close to Viserys, saying discontentedly.
"Yes," Viserys nodded.
"It seems the King has many thoughts, not just the game of power, but also the game of love," Rhaenys asked.
"Don't overthink it, Rhaenys," Viserys ruffled the little girl's hair.
His main focus was on his career, not on chasing girls all over Braavos.
As for the Black Pearl, they both had a mutual appreciation for each other.
"The Black Pearl and I are good friends, but we, Rhaenys, you, Daenerys, we are family."
"Mm," Rhaenys nodded.
"If you marry her, will she become our family?" Rhaenys asked.
"That's not for me to decide," Viserys did not continue to answer; the Black Pearl was also a person with her own career, not his appendage.
Rhaenys pouted.
But in Rhaenys's heart, she felt the Black Pearl was a great threat.
A graceful young girl, Rhaenys had beautiful brown long hair, and her black eyes were as lovely as a deer's.
However, the girl was still a little girl; the Black Pearl was a renowned Courtesan.
Illyrio's entourage departed Pentos from the Sunrise Gate, heading towards the lands of Andals.
Illyrio sat in a large palanquin; in his youth, he had been an excellent warrior, but now he was too corpulent to ride a spirited horse.
The palanquin was suspended by heavy leather straps between eight tall horses, with four eunuch warriors on either side for protection, and more warriors following behind to guard the supply train.
Behind the palanquin followed a team of mules, laden with boxes, barrels, and baskets of food to satisfy the cheese merchant Illyrio's robust appetite.
"Viserys, what kind of person are you, really?" Illyrio murmured to himself.
According to Varys's intelligence, Viserys was just a spoiled prince.
He was only eight years old when his kingdom fell, utterly useless.
At that time, Illyrio and Varys did not consider Viserys a significant figure; a exiled prince was no different from a kitten or a puppy, not worth caring about.
But now, circumstances had changed dramatically, and this exiled prince had displayed unparalleled talent, even re-establishing a kingdom in the land of Andals through blood and fire.
Originally, Illyrio's plan did not include Viserys as a key element; he and Varys had secret intelligence exchanges.
Varys's secret intelligence about the court in King's Landing, such as the chaotic relationship between the Kingslayer siblings and Littlefinger's ambition, led him to act cautiously and wait for the opportune moment.
However, now, variables had appeared.
The Kingdom of Andals was already a nation with a certain army, and a war with the iron throne was bound to erupt.
And he, Illyrio, was now going to meet this Viserys who had stirred up the storm.
Ãdvåñçé çhàptêr àvàilàble óñ pàtreøn (Gk31)