novelhk Chapter 73: All I carry is friendship.
Chapter 73: All I carry is friendship.
The account holder, [Nine Thousand Years Old], quickly found [Wind and Cloud Overlord] in the Pentos military camp and arranged to exchange 10,000 for this information offline.
By the time Caramel Cotton, the head of the intelligence department of the secret police and the head of the Braavos intelligence station, received the news, he was already far behind.
By the time [Caramel Cotton] reported the intelligence to [Calling a Mouse a Duck], Fengyun had already led his troops to withdraw from the crowded port.
Knowing that there are too many wolves and not enough meat, Fengyun might as well go and prepare for the next [dungeon], which will also bring many benefits.
Loras, a free fortress reminiscent of Valyria, is ruled by a council of three princes.
The Prince of Harvest was chosen from among the landowners on the island, the Prince of Fishermen was chosen from among all the ship owners on the island, and the Prince of the Streets was chosen from among all the free people in the city.
Like Braavos, the three princes served for life once they took office.
But as time went by, the Princes' Council had long since become a mere figurehead, a mascot, just like Prince Pentos. The real power was in the hands of the Governors' Council, composed of nobles, priests, merchants, and other powerful figures in Loras.
The messenger of Aquaman Frego knew that the three princes of Loras were merely mouthpieces for the governor's council.
Even though he knew the situation, the envoy had no intention of neglecting the three princes. Relying on his origin from Braavos, he adopted the attitude of an envoy from a superior nation in front of the princes.
After all, even if the three princes did not wield power, they were still a symbol of power in the city-state and a reflection of Loras's reputation.
The envoy brought cartloads of treasure for the three princes, and there will be shipsloads of gifts to be distributed among the dignitaries at the subsequent governors' meeting.
Of course, the bulk of the funding comes from loans from the Iron Treasury. It all depends on whether the owners here know what's good for them. If they do, Braavos will gladly hand over this benefit. If they don't, then these poor folks can expect to be economically sanctioned by Braavos.
How long can a city that relies heavily on the fishing industry survive without trade with Braavos?
The envoy's arrival can be described as a sure thing.
"What did you say? The Targaryen's emissaries are inside too!"
Outside the council hall, the Sea King's envoy, who was about to enter to meet the prince, opened his eyes wide, grabbed the collar of the person in front of him, and demanded an explanation.
The servant who went in to report and then came out again in an instant dared not speak.
"Let the messenger from Braavos in." Another attendant came out of the council hall at that moment, coming to the rescue of the unfortunate man.
"snort!"
The fact that they didn't directly expel the Targaryen envoy from Pentos in front of me shows that the three princes of this generation have reached the end of their reign!
The Braavos envoy entered the council hall with an angry expression.
Inside the hall, three people dressed in fine clothes sat around a long table, their identities self-evident.
The messenger glanced around and immediately spotted the ordinary-looking man sitting at the table.
They must be Targaryen lobbyists who came from Pentos.
Damn it, we've run into Targaryen emissaries!
"Hey friend from Braavos, give me a hug!"
Prince Loras, a fisherman with a full beard, rose warmly and gave the Braavos envoy a big hug.
But the envoy was unmoved, and instead pointed sternly at the Targaryen envoy played by player Jiang Gan:
"If we're friends, why let the enemy in?"
"Ah, you are friends, and they are friends too. The people of Loras have always been kind and friendly; they are all friends!"
The prince of the street also stood up at this moment and acted as a peacemaker.
Braavos possesses an unparalleled fleet of warships and an astonishingly wealthy iron treasury; they are not to be trifled with.
But they easily occupied Pentos, and I heard that they recently swept through the Goldoho region, subjugating all the local Rhoynar, and the Andal Targaryens, whom they also did not want to offend.
"Loras can only have Braavos as a friend, and Braavos brings trade and wealth to the people of Loras, while the Targaryens can give you nothing. How can they be considered friends?"
"We Braavos have always valued mutual assistance. We can bring benefits to Loras. I wonder what this emissary from the Targaryens can bring to the people of Loras? Is he just a fake friend who only talks about friendship but does nothing in return?"
Braavos's envoy was sharp-tongued. From the moment he entered the council hall, he refused to sit down and instead launched a barrage of attacks at Jiang Gan.
Prince Harvest glanced at Jiang Gan with some suspicion. This envoy came without gifts or a large entourage. Could it be that, as the Braavos people said, the Targaryens did not value us at all?
Although Prince Harvest harbored doubts, he did not side with the Braavos envoy.
After all, the governors' council behind the three of them had instructed them not to take sides, but also not to let either side harbor resentment.
Simply put, the Loras people don't want to offend anyone or help anyone. It would be best if they could sit aside and watch the two lions fight. If that's not possible, then they might consider standing on the side of the Braavos and cheering them on, but they would never be tied to each other.
"Ah, envoy, please don't be angry, please have a seat!" Prince Harvest stood up and, together with the other two envoys, tried to smooth things over.
Seeing that the three princes had come to invite him in person, the Braavos envoy, not wanting to completely embarrass from the situation, could only let out a soft snort and take a seat.
"I have come on behalf of Braavos, bringing a shipload of treasures for Loras, from gold coins to spices, from expensive fabrics to magnificent swords—precious gifts, but the people of Braavos offer only precious friendship!"
The messenger accepted the wine offered by the servant and raised his glass in a toast.
"Thank you for your friendship, Braavos! To Your Highness, the Sea King!" Upon hearing of the wealth brought by the envoy, the three princes hurriedly returned the toast with smiles on their faces.
The people of Loras were so poor that even though they were princes, the three of them considered themselves worse off than some of the merchants of Braavos.
"But what has the esteemed Targaryen messenger brought to his friend Loras?" The messenger took in the expressions of the three princes with great satisfaction. He raised his head, looking down at the "poor wretch" messenger beside him as if he were a superior being.
"I have come here with neither wealth nor trade for Loras, nor gifts, but only friendship."
Jiang Gan, a player who had remained silent, appeared calm on the surface, but in reality, he was quite anxious. After all, this concerned his personal interests, and if he handled it well, he could not only turn his fortunes around in the game, but also potentially in real life.
It's possible that we'll never have another chance like this.
Jiang Gan spoke calmly. Although he had brought nothing with him, he was not ashamed of his empty hands. Instead, he spoke with dignity and composure.