Ice and Fire: Reign of the Dragon.

Chapter 190: Ringol'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 away. However, the princes gave their face to the duke. As soon as he spoke, the princes all looked at him.

It cannot be refused. Duke Kermit fought side by side with the great lords of the riverlands on the battlefield. In particular, he had established good relations with Earl Benjicol Blackwood and Lord Forrest Frey, which made Kermit one of the few powerful governors of the riverlands 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 place, and finally fell into a disadvantage at the beginning of the Dance of the Dragons.

In fact, it was not just these things that made the princes who participated in the war sigh with regret afterwards.

The golden cloaks of the King's Landing garrison were the result of Daemon's hard work, but when Alicent the Disobedient, Aemond the Kinslayer, Cole the Kingmaker, and Aegon the Usurper launched a coup, this army failed to play any role. The ministers loyal to Rhaenyra were massacred, and Rhaenyra actually just stayed on the nearby island until Prince Lysris was killed in battle, the usurper withdrew from King's Landing, and Longzel returned before she made up her mind to occupy King's Landing.

It can only be said that Rhaena's political level is really too low. But there is a core difference between Longzier and Rhaenyra. 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.

Longzel has a princely territory in the border area, which is his base.

But apart from her identity, Rhaenyra has nothing.

This is the essential difference between the two of them. Longzier can quietly watch the Game of Thrones in Westeros from his vast territory. He can easily mobilize no less than 15,000 elite soldiers 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 his friends can openly express their closeness to the Varese family.
The Varese family is strong enough.

Kermit looked at everyone. The other princes were also looking at Duke Kermit himself. Everyone was dividing the camps of others in their minds. Kermit himself was not a die-hard member of the faction close to Varese. The first batch of princes who really responded to the call of the Black Party actually secretly criticized the early wavering of the Tully family, but the firmness of both Duke Elmond and Duke Kermit eliminated their early wavering. So he was also considered the so-called "Silver Dragon Party".

This is the definition given by Grand Maester Martin, who would be called a "historian" in the future, in his book "History of the Targaryens", and by Doctor Samwell in his book "The Secret History: A History from Aegon II to Baelor I", used to describe the noble lords who were close to the Varese family during this period.

There are many Silver Dragon factions in the riverlands. Lord Forrest Frey, Lord Petyr Piper and his son Ser Stanton Piper, Lord Benjico Blackwood, Lord Mallister, Lord Bracken, Lord Morton, and Lord Kermit Tully are all considered to be members of the Silver Dragon faction by later generations.

The Vance family, the Bigglestone family, the Chambers family, and the Darry family were considered by later generations to be more inclined towards the royal family.

However, the lords present might not think so. For example, Lord Frey, Lord Piper and Lord Benjicoe have been standing together, confronting Lord Bracken and Lord Morton. Lord Darry and the two Lords Vance just watched the incomprehensible quarrel of these people coldly.

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

"Lord Kermit." Count Vance and Count Darry of the City of Travellers looked at each other and said, "But where is the money that His Royal Highness promised?"

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

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

He hadn't thought of the money at all.

At least until his goal is achieved, he wants us to pay the money.

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

But he would not go too far. After all, he knew very well that his current status was largely due to the friendship of fighting side by side rather than the power of his family.

"Does that mean we have to pay that much?" Earl Vance of Alan City took over the conversation. "My lord, that's ninety thousand gold royals! Moreover, given the current situation in Harrenhal, ninety thousand gold royals is simply not enough."

"I know." Kermit took a deep breath: "So I came to you and explained the situation to you. The Harrenhal Tournament requires us to pay money and provide manpower." He looked at the nobles present.

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

Even the Darry family, the closest to the prince, did not take the initiative to jump out, which shows that Viserys's plan to weaken the lords of the riverlands is very clear.

Everyone can see clearly what is going on.

"The Tullys will bear the gold dragons," Kermit continued.

He had this ability because after he passed this information to the Vareses family, the Silverblood Bank agreed to lend the Tully family 150,000 gold dragons at a very low interest rate for preparation for the Harrenhal Tournament.

The few people who knew all about these things looked at each other tacitly, and continued to watch quietly as Duke Kermit told the princes of the riverland in detail about their mission.

The moon drove away the sun, and the wind from the riverlands whistled through the huge, ruined towers, and the sharp cries of the devils sung in the nursery rhymes of the nursery rhymes echoed in the huge, empty castle.

Beneath the huge weirwood, Benji Ko had just finished his prayer when he saw Lord Forrest Frey standing behind him.

"Ban, I'm here to ask you for a suggestion."

Benji Ko suddenly raised his hand, motioning Lord Frey to let him guess: "If I'm not mistaken, Lady Sabithal wants you to fight for Harrenhal?"

"I know there is a curse there." Lord Frey sighed, walked to Benjiko and sat down cross-legged. Benjiko looked at Forrester, then changed from kneeling to sitting, patiently listening to Lord Frey talking to him about the plight of the Frey family.

Despite the Battle of the Dance with the Dragons, the Freys successfully won the respect of the lords of the Riverlands by supporting the Black Party at all costs and Forrestal's bravery on the battlefield.

But only the Seven knew whether this respect would fade over time, and the Freys needed more.

So the real helmsman of the Frey family, the fierce Lady Satherby, set her sights on Harrenhal, but she also knew that it would not be easy for Viserys to do such a thing, so she was unable to make up her mind.

Even though the Frey family had prepared knights to participate in the competition.

"I understand what you mean, Forrest." Benji Ko also sighed in his heart.

My family is one of those ancient nobles who called the Freys "upstarts." Sorry, Forrester.

Benji Kou said in his heart.

"I believe you have realized the true intention of this tournament. 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 between them is the marriage between Earl Joffrey and Princess Alexandra, which has little to do with the royal family itself. The Dayne family is too weak, and Prince Quinlan has a close relationship with His Royal Highness Prince Longzel. The Stark family, the Lannister family, and the Arryn family are ancient and powerful, and they have a supreme status in the territory, and so does His Royal Highness Prince Longzel."

He whispered, "Only the Riverlands and the Reach. Because neither the Tullys nor the Tyrells were once the royal family, they relied more on the royal family's recognition, but now it is different. The Tyrells have Prince Longzel's backing and are married to the Rowan family."

Lord Forrest Frey nodded in agreement.

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

Benji Kou nodded: "If nothing unexpected happens, it's like this."

Frey accepted this answer with a little reluctance. He did not stop, but thanked Benjiko and left the heart tree. Only Benjiko was left sitting under the tree, still thinking.

Your Highness, thank you for your teachings.

Benji Ko thanked Longzel in his heart. During the years when Longzel was in King's Landing, he went to King's Landing many times to pay a visit to Longzel and indeed learned a lot.

For example, the information this time, the title that the person selected at the end of the tournament will have.

Lord Harrenhal. Lord Commander of the Godseye.
Prince Viserys, you seem a little too anxious.

Benji Ko looked at the weeping and bleeding face on the weirwood and fell into deep thought.

(End of this chapter)