Game of Thrones: I am Dothraki, not a barbarian

Chapter 128 Economic Crisis
A few days later, Pentos.

The once bustling port is now much quieter, with nearly a third fewer ships. Dockworkers sit idly on the pier in small groups, munching on black bread and waiting for work.

You get paid for each job you do, and a day's work is barely enough to eat. If there's no work, you'll starve the next day.

A long line formed outside the bakery, many of the people being poor and doing odd jobs.

The shop owner came out with two sword-wielding guards, his expression a mixture of apology and helplessness. "Today's bread is three times more expensive. Each person can only buy one at most."

The crowd immediately stirred. A woman holding a baby cried out, "My child hasn't eaten for two days! I can't afford triple the price!"

Several burly men pushed their way to the front of the line, shouting, "Scammer! Rob him!"

The crowd began to push and shove, the guards drew their swords, and it eventually escalated into a violent conflict. The bakery was smashed to pieces, all the flour and bread were looted, and the street was a mess.

In the port warehouse area, vendors competed for customers, lowering prices again and again until they were almost selling at a loss in order to quickly recover their funds.

Merchant Verontor stood in the empty warehouse, holding a ledger full of deficits, on the verge of tears.

Three days ago, this place was piled high with goods, and workers were moving them day and night, but now only a few lonely piles of boxes remain.

A debt collector from the Iron Treasury walked into the warehouse, and Verontor couldn't help but complain:

"Are you trying to kill us all? The Iron Treasury is withdrawing loans at will, leaving me with no money to buy goods, and the suppliers are pressing for payment. My cash flow is about to dry up!"

"There's nothing we can do," the debt collector said coldly. "Withdrawing the loan is a decision made by headquarters. If you have any questions, go ask your military commander!"

The debt collector had barely left when his two suppliers came in, sighing, "I'm sorry, Verontor, we have to terminate our cooperation. Cooperating with you Pentos is far too risky; the Iron Treasury is clearly targeting Lahallo."

"This is only temporary. Could we postpone the payment for a few more days?" Verontor hurriedly explained. "Lord Rahalo will definitely find a way to resolve this! Please help us!"

The two shook their heads simultaneously, their eyes filled with helplessness: "We want to help too, but the Iron Bank is threatening to withdraw all loans. We can't afford such a blow!"

Another supplier lowered his voice, "It's not just us. Everyone who works with the Iron Bank has been warned that whoever does business with Pentos will not get a single copper coin from the Iron Bank!"

"Sigh," he sighed, "If you take the money, I'll have no choice but to jump off the building!"

Just then, the warehouse manager rushed over: "Sir, protect! Protect! Protect!"

"Protect what?!" Verontor snapped, slapping the administrator on the head. "Explain yourself!"

"The Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guard is at Victory Square, taking over the banking operations of the Iron Treasury. Quick, go and check on him!"

Verontor ran to Victory Square at the fastest speed he had ever run, only to find it already packed with people.

Lahaluo stood on the high platform, with hundreds of large wooden crates neatly arranged around him. The crates were wide open, and inside, piles of gold dragons and silver deer glittered in the sunlight.

Five hundred royal guards clad in serpent scale armor and a thousand of the Shields of Pentos stood ready, guarding the chest.

At that moment, he saw Rahalo raise his arm, and the square immediately fell silent.

"People of Pentos!"

His voice boomed, “For years, the Iron Treasury has been riding high on our heads, sucking our blood and robbing us of our money! They control our lives with usurious loans and arbitrarily withdraw loans, destroying our livelihoods!”

He held up a stack of parchment. "These parchment papers are irrefutable proof that the Iron Treasury deliberately instigated a riot to make us kill each other! They are not bankers, but evil vampires!" The angry crowd was infected by his words and began to stir, shouting and yelling.

Why did they do this? Because the Pentos have risen up, and we are no longer willing to be their slaves!

I want to tell the Iron Bank that they will not succeed!
Today, in my capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Guard, I declare: no matter how much debt you carry, you will not need to repay a single penny! I guarantee you will never be harassed by moneylenders again!

From this day forward, the Iron Treasury's moneylenders are never to be allowed to set foot in this city again! Pentos does not welcome them!

Rahalo pointed to the chest behind him, "I have six million gold dragons and sixty million silver deer here! That's our confidence!"
Anyone who comes with their contract and ledgers with the Iron Treasury, and who promises not to lay off their employees, will receive a loan of the same amount! I, Rahalo, will not let the people loyal to Pentos starve!

A deafening roar of cheers reached Verontor's ears.

Ninety-nine percent of the people here are ordinary citizens. The Iron Treasury offers personal loans with a maximum annual interest rate of 60%, compounded annually.

In life, you will always encounter some difficulties. As long as you reach out to the Iron Treasury, you are essentially selling the rest of your life to them. Almost all the money you earn goes to the debt collectors, making you no different from a slave.

Lahalo's ability to ensure the Pentos are not harassed by debt collectors is definitely the solution to their biggest problem!

However, he was also very suspicious, because ordinary people are ordinary people, and if they breach a contract, they breach the contract; they didn't have any business dealings to begin with.

But he is a different kind of businessman. Doing business requires working capital. Without enough capital, where would the goods come from?

Is this a political stunt to stabilize the situation? After all, what percentage of the crowd are businessmen?
"Do you believe him?" a businessman next to him asked.

Verontor stared at the line of people waiting to collect their loans. Several businessmen in front of him had already come forward with their ledgers and contracts, and staff were checking the documents.

"Why not give it a try? We've got nowhere else to go anyway."

Verontor muttered something to himself, then squeezed into the line. In less than an hour, he was already standing at the distribution point.

“Contracts and ledgers.” The staff member held out his hand.

Verontor hesitated as he handed over the documents, watching them quickly check the numbers and calculate the amount.

"Three hundred golden dragons, annual interest rate of 10%, no compound interest,"

The staff processed Verontor's paperwork, issued another slip, stamped it with a wax seal, and pointed to the box in front of the Shield of Pentos not far away, "Go over there and collect your gold coins."

The glittering coins were poured into the bag and handed to him. He could hardly believe his eyes. He even picked up a gold dragon coin, took a bite, and left a tooth mark on it.

"It's true," he murmured to himself. "It's true!"

Just then, two dark figures flanked him from the left and right. He looked up, shocked, and cold sweat immediately broke out on his back.

Two Dothraki men clad in snake-scale armor bared their teeth at him, revealing cruel smiles.

"Oh no, I just got the money and it's already been stolen. Was it really a scam?" Verontor's legs went weak, and he shakily handed over the gold coins.

The Dothraki took the gold coins and asked in heavily accented Common, "Where is your home?"

"Thump." Verontor plopped down on the ground, almost bursting into tears. "Are we... are we going to confiscate their property again?"

(End of this chapter)