Cersei looked at her Master of Whisperers and Master of Coin in disbelief, both of whom were contradicting her. Whether they were truly loyal to her or feigning loyalty, they had at least never crossed her before. Had the stench of King's Landing addled their brains today?
Tyrion, on the other hand, frowned. The two most dangerous people in King's Landing were Varys and Baelish, yet today they seemed to be in agreement, supporting Joffrey's reclaiming Cersei's regency.
Suddenly, Tyrion remembered what Bronn had told him yesterday, that Varys and Baelish had visited Joffrey. He had initially thought it was a mere formality, but it seemed there was more to it than that...He has no idea that yesterday the two of them were almost scared shitless by Joffrey.
"That's settled then, from now on if anything happens just come to me directly. I've been troubling Mother with state affairs lately, now she can relax comfortably in the Red Keep and enjoy her life."
Cersei nodded with a forced smile, her heart filled with mixed feelings. On the one hand, she felt that Joffrey had grown up, but on the other hand, she was reluctant to give up the power to handle national affairs."The second matter concerns the sanitation of King's Landing. War is imminent. According to my uncle Stannis's plans, he will reach King's Landing within a month at the latest. At that time, King's Landing, with its population of 500,000, is highly likely to suffer an epidemic.
Therefore, I think we can hire the thousands of refugees outside the city to clean up King's Landing, burn all the garbage and bury it in the Kingswood, and build latrines and garbage dumps everywhere, and sprinkle lime powder for disinfection.
King's Landing naturally has sanitation workers, but that is only a privilege enjoyed by the noble districts. In merchant districts, merchants hire their own people to clean."Joffrey kept running towards the sea with Zhu Yan because he couldn't stand the faint, ever-present stench of King's Landing, and this was still in the noble district; he couldn't imagine what the slums must be like.
Tyrion then said, "A good idea, but the treasury can't support it. Those refugees can't even afford food, let alone have the strength to work for you." Tyrion was surprised; why was Joffrey suddenly concerned about such things?
"You can provide two meals a day and then give them 10 copper pennies, and everyone will be fighting to do it," Joffrey said."But the treasury only has 4,000 gold dragons. We still need provisions and all sorts of supplies to defend the city. Where would we get the money to take care of them?" Tyrion spread his hands, just hoping to hold King's Landing was a blessing.
Then Baelish said, "My Lord Hand, to be precise, the treasury should currently have 2,164,234 gold dragons!"
Tyrion looked at Baelish, "Then perhaps I should embezzle some and go visit a brothel."
Baelish didn't speak, only looked at Tyrion with a smile.
Tyrion slowly lost his smile, then said seriously, "Lord Baelish, don't joke. There's no way there's that much money in the treasury.""Lord Varys and I have offered our savings for His Grace, the King. It is only right that we offer everything."
Is this man mad? What did he and Varys say to Joffrey yesterday? Has he completely thrown his lot in with Joffrey? After all, if King's Landing falls, given their backgrounds, Stannis will have their heads for this.
"Uncle, since funding is not an issue, I'll leave this to you. I want to see results within a week."
"No problem. With money, this is a piece of cake."
"Then the last thing is about the Gold Cloaks."The Gold Cloaks are essentially the City Watch, primarily responsible for guarding King's Landing and maintaining order, but their numbers are only 2,400, composed of nobles, knights, and some educated commoners.
Currently, the commander of the Gold Cloaks is Janos Slynt, a greedy and fortunate butcher who, during Robert's reign, was selected to be the commander of the Gold Cloaks due to sheer luck, because Robert thought he was obedient.
However, Janos is treacherous and greedy, selling positions within the Gold Cloaks,
and all commoner Gold Cloaks are required to pay him 25 silver stags each month, which is half the salary of the lower-ranking Gold Cloaks.In Joffrey's mind, the Kingsguard should act like the Kingsguard, not a bunch of worthless rabble.
Just then, Janos walked in.
"Your Grace, you summoned me?" Janos had been drinking when he was suddenly called.
Joffrey smelled the alcohol, and his opinion of Janos dropped even further. He had been considering sparing his life, but now...
"Janos, drinking and reveling while on duty, who gave you the nerve? Ser Ilyn, execute him."Jenos was taken aback. He had always had a drinking habit, but because he was the leader of the Gold Cloaks, everyone turned a blind eye. He never expected this little king to want to kill him directly.
But Lu Bu wouldn't give him a chance to open his mouth. He knew that Joffrey was killing a chicken to warn the monkeys, and at the same time, showing everyone his power.
Jenos, born a butcher, had a lot of strength. Naturally, he wouldn't sit still and wait for death, and immediately drew his sword to parry, but who was Lu Bu?That was the first mighty warrior in the era of the Three Kingdoms, a time of brilliant heroes, who roared, "A great man, born between heaven and earth, how can he live a life of frustration beneath another's rule?" Anyone who challenged Lu Bu had to face him with several warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men.
As expected, Genos was cleaved in two from head to toe by the Fangtian Huaji.
Putting away his weapon, Lu Bu returned to Joffrey's side, with only the scattered bloodstains on his body reminding everyone of what he had just done.At this moment, Joffrey's mentality underwent a slight change. The feeling of deciding someone's life or death with a single sentence was fascinating. No wonder Varys said that once commoners grasp power, it's like a lion tasting blood for the first time.
Before the transmigration, Joffrey was indeed an ordinary office worker. This feeling fascinated him, but having lived through the information age, he also understood that power is a double-edged sword. However, the Homelander serum made it impossible for this sword to ever turn on its master.
He took a deep breath, "From today onwards, Lu Bu will be the commander of the Gold Cloaks."Tyrion frowned. "Your Grace, killing Janos so abruptly and installing your own man, I fear some may be displeased." Though Tyrion was shocked by Lu Bu's strength, the Mountain under his father could do the same.
But Janos has been in power for so many years, he must have his own supporters. Normally it wouldn't matter, but at this critical juncture, if anyone outwardly complies but inwardly resists, it could ruin everything. He not only felt a headache about this, but his nephew king was always creating trouble.
"It's alright, I trust Lu Bu. Commanding the Gold Cloaks is a trivial matter for him."Indeed, it was true. Lu Bu was more than capable of commanding tens of thousands of Bingzhou wolf riders, let alone two thousand gold cloaks.
Lu Bu's face lit up with joy. Although he was summoned by a summoning card, he was still a living person and naturally had his own thoughts. Leading troops was the thing that made Lu Bu happiest.
Tyrion glanced at Lu Bu with his mismatched eyes, secretly praying to the Seven Gods that Lu Bu would have some ability to lead troops.
Tyrion didn't know Lu Bu, only that he was a commoner from the south who had been favored by Joffrey by chance and had become Joffrey's guard.This was naturally Joffrey's narrative, assigning Lu Bu an identity. Fortunately, his previous life was as an arrogant and despotic little king, giving him the capital to call a stag a horse.