Chapter 152 Navy Commander
"A bunch of trash!"
Viserys cursed secretly, waved his hand and said: "Lord Leonor, your family is also in the Riverlands. It is up to you to handle this matter."
Leonor hesitated for a while and agreed: "I will try my best to persuade the two families as an envoy of the royal family."
The Strong family was sealed in the famous Harrenhal and was also one of the lords of the Riverlands.
But the Blackwood and Bracken families both have a history of thousands of years and are world-famous nobles in the Riverlands.
Moreover, the two families are feuding and bent on killing each other.
A few years ago, Rhaenyra was touring the continent.
Lord Bracken dueled with the children of House Blackwood in order to win Rhaenyra's favor.
As a result, he was beheaded by the child Samwell Blackwood.
The Bracken family has a new earl.
The hatred between the two families is getting deeper and deeper.
Solutions to the troubles were proposed one by one. Viserys felt much relieved and asked: "What should we do in the valley? The mountain clans are all a bunch of uncivilized barbarians?"
The Alpine clan has always been a cancer in the valley.
The last Duke of the Eagle's Nest, Lady Janey's father and brother, were ambushed and killed by the Stonecrows on their way home.
The incident was a sensation.
"this……"
Leonor opened his mouth, unable to speak.
The other ministers were also deep in thought.
The Gaoshan clan is familiar with the terrain of the valley. Once a rebellion occurs, it will spread everywhere, making it difficult to resolve.
Crunch——
The door of the conference hall opened from the outside, and Corliss and Rhaenys came hand in hand.
"Everyone, please forgive me for being late."
Collis held his head high and said hello calmly.
He was drunk a lot last night, and as soon as he woke up, he dressed up and came to attend the long-lost imperial meeting.
"Lord Corlys, Princess Rhaenys..."
Having worked together for many years, both parties were familiar with each other, and the ministers greeted each other.
Corliss nodded in response, took his wife's hand and came to the free seat, thanking Viserys first: "Thank you for preparing the place for me, Your Majesty."
"You are now an ally of the kingdom and cannot be treated badly."
Viserys smiled and gestured for the two of them to sit down.
Corliss didn't notice anyone else. He pulled his wife to sit down, took a black stone ball from the tray, and placed it in a holder on the table.
Seeing this, the ministers sat down one after another, took out the stone balls representing their identities and put them away.
The meeting officially begins.
Corliss was the focus of this meeting and was the first to speak: "Your Majesty, the pirates from the Three Women's Kingdom have robbed merchant ships along the way. We must get out of the plan as soon as possible."
"We were just discussing the attrition and troop deployment of the war."
Viserys smiled slightly and said: "In response to the invasion of the Three Women's Kingdom, the kingdom will not leave any room to counterattack, and the support of your family is indispensable."
With that said, he gave Leonor a look.
Leonor nodded vaguely in response, took out a letter of appointment, and solemnly said:
"Lord Corliss, in view of your glorious deeds and experience against the Three Women's Kingdom, the king appoints you as the commander of the navy and the governor of the Battle of the Stepstone Islands."
Corliss glanced at the smiling Viserys, took the letter of appointment, and said calmly: "Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty. I will fulfill my duties faithfully."
This letter of appointment was part of long-standing discussions.
No one was more qualified for the post of Commander of the Navy than he was.
After a pause, Corliss asked: "Your Majesty, my family will fully support the war. I wonder how many troops the kingdom will send?"
This time the Stone Step Islands War is backed by the royal family.
He didn't want to cause heavy losses to his family like last time.
"The specific number of people is still being discussed. It is conservatively estimated that the king can send 3,000 people and 100 warships."
Viserys estimated the approximate number of people based on the wealth of the royal nobles.
The royal territory is directly under the control of the Targaryen dynasty, and every vassal is very loyal.
"With all due respect, this is far from enough to support a protracted war."
Collis frowned, unsatisfied.
In the last battle on the Stepstone Islands, except for his family’s fleet and Daemon’s second son regiment.
There are more than 3,000 mercenaries hired from the Free Trade City alone.
"The lords from all over the kingdom have not yet received news about the war on the Stepped Islands. We need some time."
Leonor explained.
"That should be done as soon as possible, Prime Minister."
Corliss said unhurriedly: "The Storm Land is the closest to the Stepstone Islands. Lord Bomond is a supporter of the royal family. He will definitely support this war."
As a city by the sea, Storm's End also relies on port taxes to accumulate wealth, and the Baratheon family is naturally on their side.
Archmaester Melos said slowly: "No problem, after the meeting is over, the raven will fly to all the seven countries."
Next, a series of defense issues will be launched based on the sufficiency of the treasury.
Watchtowers were built on the stone steps, troops were stationed, and fleets patrolled.
Each one requires a lot of money.
Every time Collis proposed a garrison arrangement, Finance Minister Lin Man's eyelids jumped.
Close your eyes in distress.
Finally, Corliss addressed the key issue.
"Your Majesty, war requires the air superiority of dragons. How many dragons should our two families send out!?"
Collis looked serious and took this very seriously.
Viserys did not answer immediately. His eyes glanced at Rhaegar and Rhaenyra beside him, his eyes full of hesitation.
There are three dragon masters in the royal family.
Rhaenyra was a woman, unable to hold a sword steady, and unfit for battle.
Rhaegar was his eldest son and heir, and staying in the Red Keep would be his full support.
Needless to say, the second son Aegon.
A good-for-nothing son who was greedy for pleasure, Viserys did not expect him to be able to ride a dragon on the battlefield.
Selfishly, Viserys did not want any of his children to go to war.
After all, the battlefield is blind, not only frontal fighting, but also injuries from the back often occur.
His uncle Aemon Targaryen, the best son of his grandfather Jaehaerys, was the designated heir to the Iron Throne.
Also during a war on the Stepstone Islands, Uncle Aemon drove the bloodworm Corakxiu to the battlefield.
The funny thing is that he did not die under the enemy's sword, but was accidentally killed by an assassin in the camp.
Corliss stared at Viserys closely, and he could see the hesitation in his heart from the other man's eyes.
This made him very unhappy.
The War on the Stepstones was not a war for the Velaryons.
If the royal family doesn't send a dragon master, can they expect him to drag his wife and two children to the battlefield with his family?
Just as he was thinking about how to ask further questions, Rhaegar spoke.
"Father, the war is initiated by the royal family, and we cannot retreat."
Rhaegar stood up and said calmly: "When the war starts, I will drive the glutton to the battlefield. I have told Lord Corliss about this."
"Rhaegar, when did you make your decision?"
Hearing what his eldest son had said, Viserys disapproved from the bottom of his heart.
He would rather leave his second son Aegon in the hands of Corlys than his eldest son Rhaegon to join the battlefield.
"Father, the royal family needs to set an example. If the Targaryen who controls the dragon does not go to the battlefield, who will fully help us?"
War is the key to honor and power.
