Chapter 190: Lingol's Expedition (XII) Purpose

"Okay, everyone." Duke Kermit knocked on the stone wall. It was not that he didn't want to knock on the table, but the original table in this hall had rotted. However, the princes gave their face to this duke. As soon as he spoke, these princes looked at him.

They had to give it. Duke Kermit really fought side by side with the great princes of the riverlands on the battlefield, especially he had a good relationship with Earl Benjico Blackwood and Lord Forrest Frey, which made Kermit a rare governor of the riverlands with real power in the history of the Tully family.

Kermit Tully looked at the lords present, secretly calculating the possible division of camps in his heart. Although the Vareses family had left King's Landing, Dragonzel was not Rhaenyra. The biggest mistake Rhaenyra made back then was that she, as the crown prince, did not take the initiative to control the situation in King's Landing. She left King's Landing, but she lived in Dragonstone. Even if she took a boat, she could go back and forth to Dragonstone in King's Landing in one day. What's more, she had dragons, and her husband also had dragons, but she actually let King's Landing completely out of her control. In the end, she didn't know the news of Viserys' death in the first time, and finally fell into a disadvantage at the beginning of the Dance of the Dragons.

In fact, it was not only these that made the lords who participated in the war sigh afterwards.

The golden cloaks of the King's Landing garrison were the hard work of Daemon, but when Alicent the "disobedient", Aemond the "kinslayer", Cole the "kingmaker", and Aegon the usurper launched a coup, this unit failed to play any role. The ministers loyal to Rhaenyra were slaughtered, and Rhaenyra was still staying on the nearby island until Prince Luthris died in battle, the usurper withdrew from King's Landing, and Longzier returned before she made up her mind to occupy King's Landing.

It can only be said that Rhaenyra's political level is really too low. But Longzier and Rhaenyra have a core difference. Longzier is not the crown prince. He has no interest in the iron chair and does not need to deploy too much power in King's Landing.

Longzier has the prince's territory in the borderland, which is his foundation.

But Rhaenyra has nothing except her identity.

This is the essential difference between the two of them. Longzier can quietly watch the Game of Thrones in Westeros in his vast territory. He can easily mobilize no less than 15,000 elites and has the most powerful fleet on the narrow sea. His wealth is the best among all countries.

This is also the fundamental reason why Kermit and others can publicly express their closeness to the Varese family.

The Varese family is strong enough.

Kermit looked at everyone. Other princes were also looking at Duke Kermit himself. Everyone divided the camps of others in their hearts. Kermit himself was not actually a hardcore member of the Varese faction. The first batch of princes who responded to the call of the Black Party actually secretly criticized the early wavering of the Tully family, but both Duke Elmon and Duke Kermit's firmness eliminated their early wavering. So he is also considered the so-called "Silver Dragon Party".

This is the definition of Grand Maester Martin, who will be called "historian" in the future, in his book "History of the Targaryen Dynasty", and Doctor Samwell's book "Secret History: History of the Period from Aegon II to Baelor I", which is used to describe the noble lords who are close to the Vareses family during this period.

There are many Silver Dragon Party members in the Riverlands. Lord Forrest Frey, Earl Petyr Piper and his son Sir Stanton Piper, Earl Benjico Blackwood, Earl Mallister, Earl Bracken, Earl Morton, and Duke Kermit Tully are all considered to be members of the Silver Dragon Party by later generations.

The Vance family, the Biggstone family, the Chambers family, and the Darry family are considered to be more inclined to the royal family by later generations.

However, the lords present probably didn't think so. For example, Lord Frey, Lord Piper and Lord Benjico had been standing together, confronting Lord Bracken and Lord Murton. Lord Darry and the two Lords Vance watched the quarrel between them.

"Everyone, what we need to do is to organize this tournament well." Duke Kermit stopped the quarrel. "His Majesty the King and His Royal Highness hope to select the new Lord of Harrenhal through this tournament. This is the purpose of this tournament."

"Lord Kermit." Lord Vance of the City of Travelers looked at Lord Darry and said, "But what about the money promised by His Royal Highness?"

He took a step forward and said, "I remember that His Royal Highness promised to pay 90,000 gold dragons to organize the tournament, but Lord." Lord Vance looked around and sighed, "I only saw stones, not gold."

"His Royal Highness promised to transfer funds from the treasury after the tournament." Duke Kermit said helplessly.

He didn't even think about paying for it.

At least until his goal is achieved, he wants us to pay for it.

Kermit Tully knows Viserys's idea very well. They are all young people who are familiar with the game between nobles. Who wouldn't do these things? Of course, when the Tullys, like the Tyrells, were powerless to control their vassals, the Tullys couldn't do it. But now, Kermit can also experience the feeling of those powerful dukes recruiting vassals.

But he won't do too much. After all, he knows very well that his current status is largely derived from the friendship of fighting side by side, rather than the power of the family.

"Is that equivalent to us paying this amount of money?" Earl Vance of Alan City took over the words: "Sir, that is 90,000 gold dragons! What's more, according to the current situation of Harrenhal, 90,000 gold dragons are simply not enough ”

"I know." Kermit took a deep breath: "So I found you all and explained the situation to you. The Harrenhal Tourney requires us to pay and hire people." He looked at the nobles present.

The three die-hard members of the Silver Dragon Party acted as if the matter had nothing to do with them. The other princes also avoided Kermit's gaze, but Kermit felt much more relaxed.

Even the most princely Darry family did not take the initiative to jump out, indicating that Viserys's plan to weaken the princes of the Riverlands was very clear.

Everyone can see clearly what is going on.

Then there is no need to hide it. “House Tully will bear the dragons,” Kermit continued.

He has this ability, because after he passed this information to the Vareses family, the Silver Blood Bank agreed to lend the Tully family 150,000 gold dragons at a very low interest rate for preparations for the Harrenhal Tourney.

Several people who knew these things well looked at each other in tacit understanding and continued to watch quietly as Duke Kermit told the princes of the Riverlands their mission in detail.

The moon drove away the sun, and the wind from the riverland roared past the huge, broken tower. It was like the high-pitched scream of the devil in the wet nurse's nursery rhyme, echoing in this huge, empty castle.

Under the huge weirwood tree, Benjikou had just finished praying when he saw Marquis Forrest Frey standing behind him.

"Ben, I'm here to ask you for a piece of advice."

Benjikou suddenly raised his hand and motioned to Marquis Frey to let him guess: "If I guess correctly, Mrs. Sabith wants you to fight for Harrenhal?"

"I know there is a curse there." Marquis Frey sighed, walked over to Benjikou and sat down cross-legged. Benjikou looked at Forrest, then knelt down and sat down, patiently listening to Marquis Frey's words. He rambled on about the Frey family's plight.

Although during the Dance of Dragons, the Frey family successfully won the respect of the princes of the Reach by virtue of their support of the Black Party at all costs and Forrest's bravery on the battlefield.

But only the Seven know whether this respect will fade over time, and the Freys need more.

So the real head of the Frey family, the shrewd Mrs. Thatherby, set her sights on Harrenhal, but she also knew that it was definitely not easy for Viserys to do such a thing, so she was unable to make up her mind.

Although the Frey family has prepared knights for the competition.

"I understand what you mean, Forester." Benjikou also sighed in his heart.

Among the ancient nobles who insulted the Frey family as "nouveau riche", my family was also among them. Sorry, Forrest.

Benjikou said in his heart.

"I believe you have realized the true intention of this tourney. Prince Viserys hopes that the Riverlands will be more obedient to the king. After all, among the great nobles of the kingdom, the Martell family is close to the royal family, but the bond that maintains it is Joe The marriage between Earl Forry and Princess Alexandra has little to do with the royal family itself. The Dane family is too weak, and Prince Quinlan has a close relationship with the Stark family and the Lannister family. The Aylin family is ancient and powerful, and has a supreme status in the territory, and so does His Highness Prince Longzell."

He whispered: "There are only the Riverlands and the Reach. Because the Tully family and the Tyrell family are not the former king's families, they rely more on the recognition of the royal family, but it is different now. The Tyrell family backs I got close to Prince Longzell and got married to the Luowan family."

Lord Forrest Frey nodded in agreement.

"The royal family needs to win over the princes from various regions again." Marquis Frey said in a deep voice: "So Harrenhal is prepared for people sent by the royal family?"

Benjikou nodded: "If nothing else happens, that's the case."

Frelio reluctantly accepted this answer. He did not stay, and after thanking Benjikou, he left the range of the Heart Tree. Benjikou was left alone, still sitting under the tree and thinking.

Your Royal Highness, thank you for your teaching.

Benjikou thanked Longzell in his heart. During the years when Longzell was in King's Landing, he often went to King's Landing to pay homage to Longzell, and he indeed learned a lot.

Just like this information. The title that will be held by the person selected at the end of the tourney.

Lord of Harrenhal. Commander of God's Eye Lake.

Prince Viserys, you seem to be a little too anxious.

Benjikou looked at the weeping human faces on the weirwood and fell into thought.