Chapter 662: Old Town Bankruptcy

Luanhe City, bridge.

"Your Majesty."

Forrest Frey, the Earl of Luanhe City, took the initiative to greet him, and his handsome middle-aged face showed excitement.

A noble lady with protruding cheekbones and a mean face followed beside him, kneeling slightly to salute.

"Lord Forrest, I need you to take care of the tens of thousands of troops behind me."

Rhaegar walked onto the fast-flowing bridge and gladly accepted the courtesy of Earl Frey.

The Frey family is relatively new, and they have gradually become rich by occupying the traffic of the Green Fork River.

Although the members of this family have some defects in their personalities and their style of doing things is not very good.

But since the time of the King of the Elders, they have all been loyal ministers who obey the orders of the Targaryen family.

"Don't worry, I have ordered my servants to kill pigs and sheep."

Forrest was quite generous and promised: "In order to respond to your call, I will personally lead 600 cavalry and 800 archers to follow you north."

Being able to take out so many troops is already the limit to ensure that the Frey family is safe.

Rhaegar smiled lightly and did not agree immediately: "Don't worry, there are still many people who haven't come yet."

Forrest looked puzzled and glanced at the feudal lord behind the king, Duke Millett of Riverrun.

There were also soldiers from Crow's Rest, Rosby and other families in the royal domain.

After a glance back and forth, he saw a giant topaz dragon slowly landing on the bridge.

"Your Majesty!"

Forrest's eyes lit up and he greeted loudly from a distance.

Rhaenyra was wearing a black dragon riding suit, her silver hair tied behind her head, and she stepped onto the bridge nimbly.

Forrest seemed to have turned into a licking dog, and ordered his men to bring wine jugs and fruit plates, and surrounded the still young and beautiful queen to show his courtesy.

"Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Lord Forrest."

Rhaenyra couldn't refuse the kindness, so she picked up a plump red grape and held it in her mouth.

After thinking for a while, she picked up another one and fed it to Rhaegar.

Rhaegar smiled without saying a word, carefully tasting the sweetness of the fruit pulp.

"Your Majesty, please move to the castle to rest."

Forrest's smile was sincere, and he walked lightly.

"Don't lose your manners, Forrest."

The noble lady beside him couldn't stand it, and glared at her husband.

Forrest immediately behaved, his face flushed.

The noble lady snorted coldly, turned around and smiled to entertain the king and queen, and said in a pinched voice: "Please move, the Frey family has set up the best banquet."

"Thank you, Lady Sabither."

Rhaegar couldn't suppress the corners of his mouth, and took Rhaenyra's hand to the other end of the bridge.

Rhaenyra nodded slightly and glanced at the people around her.

Rhaegar happened to turn his head and their eyes met.

The next second, the siblings raised their mouths at the same time, lowered their heads and smiled tacitly.

As everyone knows, Lord Forrest of the Frey family was one of Rhaenyra's ardent suitors.

When Rhaenyra was a girl, the reputation of the Light of the Kingdom and Syrax, who represented the "Goddess of Plenty", were the most dazzling existences in the Seven Kingdoms.

Jason and Tyran, brothers of the Lannister family, almost fought each other for courtship.

Forrest Frey was even more fanatical than the Lannister brothers, and was always determined to give up everything.

It is said that on the night of Rhaenyra's wedding, Forrest failed to arrive at Dragonstone Island to attend the wedding as promised.

For this matter, this guy hid in Luanhe City and cried all night, and then regretted it for half a year.

Later, his wife, Lady Sabithel, was not beautiful, but also very cunning and greedy.

It seems that she doesn't like men.

"It's a bit miserable."

Rhaegar leaned close to Rhaenyra's ear, feeling pity for the infatuated man.

"Then you go and comfort her."

Breathing on the earlobe, Rhaenyra's cheeks were slightly red, and she rolled her eyes unhappily.

When she was still the heir to the Iron Throne, the nobles of the riverlands loved her the most, except for the crown.

Both the Blackwood family and the destroyed Bracken family had received her and Syrax.

Even after she got married, the riverlands were her first choice for visiting.

The only place she really didn't want to set foot in was the River City of the Frey family.

Not only was there one Forrest who was overly enthusiastic, his wife Lady Sabithel was also craving her body.

A couple has the same hobby, and they are not from the same family.

...

At night.

Ten thousand troops made a fire to cook, and the bonfire illuminated half of the night sky.

In the castle, the hall.

The not-so-spacious hall was filled with tables, chairs and benches, and the best dishes were served to entertain the guests.

Rhaegar sat on the second floor, holding a messenger raven in his hand.

"Quack~~"

Took off the letter tube on the raven's leg, and the raven flew away in a panic.

Rhaegar checked the content of the letter, and his friendly expression gradually turned cold.

"Your Majesty, what happened?"

Forrest was chewing a river crab and asked hurriedly.

"It's those guys who haven't come yet."

Rhaegar handed over the letter and said in a bad tone: "The Reach is not far from the Westerlands, and they are reluctant to send troops."

"What, how dare they neglect you?"

Forrest was filled with righteous indignation and looked at the letter with wide eyes.

It said that Lord Jason of Casterly Rock was ill since he came back from the Slaver's Bay.

The Westerlands vassal had no leader, and the matter of sending troops had been delayed.

The Reach was better, Highgarden sent out 1,000 cavalry and 2,000 infantry, and the Rowan family sent out 800 cavalry and 1,200 archers.

The two families had a total of 5,000 troops and were marching north through the Bitter Bridge.

The other families did not send many troops, but they were not stingy.

On the contrary, the Oldtown family and the Tully family were unwilling to send troops and got into trouble.

The letter was passed to Rhaenyra's hand, and she asked in shock: "The businessmen of Quils entered Old Town and bankrupted the Old Town Bank with loans?"

As early as the beginning of the year, with the support of his uncle Otto and his cousin Queen Mother Allison, young Earl Leonor Hightower married the daughter of the Tully family, who was three years older.

A shrewd woman named Samantha Tully.

Samantha is an ambitious woman. After taking over Oldtown, she advocates the establishment of an Oldtown bank to increase the Hightower family's income.

She succeeded, and many nobles and merchants in the Reach were willing to deposit money at high interest rates.

Unexpectedly, it went bankrupt so quickly.

"The merchants of Quayles raised interest rates, crowding out the banks in Oldtown."

Rhaenyra looked solemn and said displeasedly: "Those damn vampires, they want to drain the entire Reach of blood."

Banking is the most shameless profession.

When the nobles of the Reach deposit money into the Bank of Quels, it means that the entire Reach is dependent on it.

As time goes by, it is still unclear whether it is good or bad.

"The banks in Oldtown are bankrupt and the Hightowers are already driving out the Quayles merchants."

Rhaegar was relatively silent and whispered: "The people of Quils are unwilling to leave. Lady Samantha asked her brother, Earl Alan Tully, to send troops and called on the nobles of the Old Town to stand by."

The power of Oldtown cannot be underestimated, and many of the wealthy noble houses are Hightower's vassals.

For example, the Bisbury family of Beehive City, where Finance Minister Lin Man is located, is not weaker than the general nobles.

"But the businessman from Quils refused to leave and even took out..."

Rhaenyra was mid-sentence and said in surprise: "And your personal agreement, agreeing to the merchants of Quels to land at any port?"

Rhaegar choked and couldn't answer for a moment.

Of course he signed the agreement.

I expected Qualls to cause trouble, but I didn't expect him to be so ruthless.

Bankruptcy of the Oldtown Bank in one fell swoop forced Mrs. Samantha to overturn the table.

"What should I do this time?"

Rhaenyra asked cautiously, and said softly: "Do you want to inform Old Town to stop the troops and abide by the content of the agreement?"

"No, that's squeezing Old Town."

Rhaegar shook his head, not wanting to wrong his vassal.

"What should we do?"

Rhaenyra ran out of ideas, her purple eyes flashing slightly.

In fact, not complying with the agreement is also a solution.

"Whoever causes trouble will be burned to death."

Emond, who had been watching the situation quietly, suddenly spoke and said coldly: "The Quayles are just a bunch of copper-stinking bitches. I can get rid of them by riding a sheep thief for half a month."

"The royal family cannot take the lead in breaking promises."

Rega still has some dignity.

"This won't work, and that won't work either."

Aemond's face darkened and he said displeasedly: "Are you letting that bitch of Quayles do what you want?"

"It's an idea."

Regamo twitched his chin and had an idea in his mind.

You can't break your promise, and you can't force Old Town.

Then let them continue the chaos and just hold Qualls back.

Wait until the northern border is settled, then start dealing with the trouble.

"Quiles is not very strong, brother."

Aemond's one-eyed dagger was cold and he took out his one-eyed dagger and played with it.

He still prefers to solve the problem vigorously and neatly.

The formation of Qualls cannot be studied, but its history is very long.

As a descendant of ancient Valyria, he looks down on other races and cultures equally.

Especially a trading city-state like Quils that is located in a remote location and combines multiple cultures and races.

Anyone who dares to make small moves in Targaryen territory deserves to be burned to death.

"Wait a little longer and send a letter of comfort to Old Town later."

Rhaegar glanced at him, already considering the contents of the letter.

Just say that the royal family is in a dilemma, implying that Oldtown is left to its own devices.

Don't blame Quayles for being unkind.

"I heard that Earl Alan Tully is a capable general. He participated in the garrison of Prince's Pass at a young age?"

Rhaegar made up his mind and changed the topic directly.

"Alan is holding the clan sword and breaking his heart. He is very skilled in martial arts."

Rhaenyra took over the conversation and discussed softly: "Lord Linman's grandson is also named Alan, and there is a high probability that he will also join forces in Old Town."

Rhaegar smiled slightly and burned the letter on the candle.

What a pity for the strength of the old town.

Otherwise, the Reach could have thousands more troops.

"How to deal with the Western Region?"

Aemond has a strong desire to fight and targets the Lannister family, which he repeatedly shirks.

"Duke Jason is ill."

Forrest interjected from the side and asked suspiciously: "That guy has always been greedy and stingy. Could it be that he is unwilling to send troops?"

Lannister is a cunning surname, and his ancestors obtained Casterly Rock through deception.

It is not strange to see a rabbit but not a hawk.

What's more, the opponent supporting them is still the Northern Territory.

"Send a message to Tyran and ask him to urge Duke Jason."

Rhaegar analyzed rationally and made a decision.

The Western Territory is very important, but it is a relatively independent territory among the Seven Kingdoms.

The continent of Westeros is divided into eight parts. The North, West, and Dorne are all relatively independent territories, and even the king's orders are difficult to implement.

From the time of the Conquerors, in order to stabilize the kingdom and solve the hidden dangers of rebellion in the three lands.

He then married the Vale and the Stormlands, and won over the Riverlands and the Reach to check and balance the other three realms.

Nowadays, the Western Region, which is rushing to support the North, Dorne is weak, and prosperous, is not reassuring.

"Why don't I go to Casterly Rock City and give Jason a good medical treatment?"

The corner of Aemond's mouth curled up, and the one-eyed dagger clanked on the table.

In his one eye, the Lannisters are no different from the merchants of Quarth.

Those who disobey the king's orders shall be killed!

"Let Tyran come forward and give Jason a month."

Rhaegar knew what was going on and thought: "If he is still ill after a month, let Daemon treat him personally."