Game of Thrones: Kings in the North

Chapter 16 Financial Advisors
"Master Ed, I am very glad to be of service to you."

In the study room of Winterfell, Clare, the treasurer from Braavos, is wearing a silver-white silk gown, with a pure gold necklace around his neck, and the bracelets on his hands are made of emerald, mother-of-pearl and agate, ivory, with extraordinary splendor .

Clare is in her 30s, with thick black hair, a thin build, and smiling eyes.Klar was recommended to Ed by Earl Wyman Manderly of White Harbor. He had worked in Braavos Iron Bank and Tyroshi Trading Company for many years and had rich experience.

Ed motioned for Klar to sit down, "It's been a hard journey, but the journey went smoothly?"

Klar sat gracefully in a soft black bearskin chair.

"We took the boat from Braavos to White Harbor, and the journey went smoothly, and the road from White Harbor to Winter Shelter Town also went smoothly, but when we walked to the downtown area of ​​Winter Shelter Town, we encountered thieves. Thanks to Syrio Forel's protection, he has caught the thief, or I shall lose a fortune."

It was only then that Ed noticed Krall's guard, short and thin, with a hooked nose, big bald head, white jacket covered with black leather armor, and black breeches.

"It can be seen that Syrio Forel is an excellent fighter."

Syrio Forel nodded to Ed, and Krall said: "Syrio Forel has been the chief swordsman for nine years under the Tent of the Sea King of Braavos, and he is also the top water dancer. Quickness and quickness put all the assassins of Braavos to shame."

Winterfell needs excellent fighters, Ed said: "Syrio, will you continue to serve Kral?"

Syrio Forel shrugged. "I'm afraid I don't have the honor. Krall only hired me to take him to Winterfell. We started from Braavos, and now the journey is over."

Ed said, "What are your plans?"

Syrio Forel said: "I plan to go to Seagull Town or King's Landing, where rich merchants and nobles gather, and I can go there to find an errand."

"Are you interested in staying in Winterfell?" Ed sent out an invitation, "Winterfell is not far from White Harbor, and White Harbor is the closest Westeros city to Braavos. It's very close to my hometown."

Syrio Forel said: "May I ask what will I do in the future?"

Ed said: "Join the guards of Winterfell and protect my family. Of course, you can also teach my children swordsmanship."

Today, the adopted sons Domilik and Theon of Winterfell, and the illegitimate sons Jon and Robb are all trained by Ser Roderick Cassel.However, the coach of Winterfell often needs to help Jory Cassel train the newly recruited soldiers in Winter City recently, and sometimes it is inevitable to delay the children's training.

Syrio Forel could just as well share Rodrik Cassel's training tasks.

Syrio Forel nodded in agreement.

"I can't refuse Duke Ed's invitation, and I am willing to serve Winterfell and the Stark family." Then Syrio Forel drew his sword and bowed his knees, offering his allegiance to Ed.

Ed helped Syrio Forel up, "I promise you will always have a place in my hall."

Eddard called Vayon Poole, Steward of Winterfell, to arrange a room for Syrio Forel.

After the door was closed, Ed turned to Krall. Ed decided to take a closer look at the Braavosi man. After all, once Krall was formally hired, it meant that the economic plan of Winterfell and the entire northern region would be changed. Bills, etc. are handed over to the foreigner in front of him.

"Mr. Krall, Earl Wyman recommended you. I heard that you have rich experience in finance?"

In his letter to Ed, Wyman Mandler listed some of Krall's work experience, but Ed decided that it would be better to ask in person.

Kral played with a ring on her finger, the sapphires on it gleamed.

"Lord Ed, I worked in a trading firm in Tyrosh when I was sixteen, and returned to Braavos three years later as an employee of the Iron Bank. We've been in this business for twenty years."

"What specific achievements do you have?" Experience is certainly valuable, but Ed firmly believes that experience should not be relied upon alone.Some soldiers are still soldiers when their beards are white, and they cannot be commanders.

There was a confident smile on Krall's face, "I have completed many loans and deposits for the Iron Bank. My customers are all over the nine free trade city-states and the seven kingdoms. The most famous of them is your king! No matter what It's King Robert, and Aerys the Mad King, who have had business with me."

"Of course, besides the king, I have other clients, such as Lord Tyrosh, Governor of Pentos, Earl Gales of Rosby City, Duke Renly, etc. By the way, I also have a North The client of our land is our valiant and good knight of Bear Island, Lord Jorah Mormont."

Ed said sadly: "Jorah Mormont has fled because of breaking the law, and I have deprived him of his fief and title."

Kral felt as if he had been punched in the face, "What? I'm so sorry, Lord Eddard, Bear Island is far away from Braavos, and I'm not well informed. Actually, Jorah Moore and I Meng is not familiar with it, I just lent him money on behalf of the Iron Bank, that's all. What law did he commit?"

Ed said: "Jorah Mormont sold poachers to slave traders in order to make money. The northern border has always had zero tolerance for human traffickers. Raiders of wildlings, ironborn and rock species often abduct women and children. Lords also buy and sell people, and the population of the sparsely populated northern border will shrink further."

Kral touched her heart exaggeratedly, "It's just human trafficking. I was worried that Sir Jorah would use the loan from the Iron Bank to raise troops to challenge the rule of Winterfell!"

Ed said: "We can end the topic of Sir Jorah. Krall, you have served in the Iron Bank for so many years, why did you resign later?"

Krall looked sad, "My business ability is excellent, but I am not well received by the management of the Iron Bank. They think that my behavior is too high-profile, and my clothes are gorgeous, which is contrary to the pragmatic tradition of the Iron Bank. Do I have to dress like you? A rags like the Stroh Night's Watch to talk about business? The management is clearly targeting me."

Ed was puzzled, "You resigned just because of this?"

Klar pouted, "The Iron Bank ranks the envoys every year, and No.1 rewards a mansion. My ranking often hovers around the second or third place. I remember that at the end of that year, I was ranked second, and my performance was far from No. 1's Gampos. In order to surpass him, I privately helped a slave trader in Reese and completed a loan."

"Braavos is the descendant of Valyrian fugitive slaves. The residents of the city of mystery hate the slave trade. As the largest port in the known world, Braavos welcomes anyone but shuts the door to slave traders. Braavosi not only prohibited the slave trade in his own city, but also relied on a strong naval force to force Pentos to give up slavery-although some powerful and rich merchants, the governor still kept slaves secretly."

"My performance surpassed that of Gampos, and I got the reward from the iron treasury as I wished, and got the key to the mansion. When I took my family and lived in the luxury mansion for the first night, we were having a feast to celebrate, and a group of Neptune's soldiers broke into the door , arrested me. The matter of my loan to the slave trader was revealed, I guess it was Gampos who reported me, shameless villain!"

"I lost my job, was kicked out of the Iron Bank, and relied on my family to spend a lot of money to atone for my sins and get my freedom. In recent years, I have relied on money changers and insurance agents in the port of Braavos."

Ed pondered for a long time, "Do you regret the loan to slave traders?"

"Never." Kral said indifferently, "I love money, and I will do whatever it takes to make it, I admit it, but I'm not as hypocritical as those in power in the Iron Bank or Braavos, who claim to be descendants of escaped slaves, Hate the slave trade, yet they still lend to Volantis, to Lys, to Tyrosh and Myr, all slave-states."

"Is this any different from lending to a slave trader? In fact, a few days after I was accused of lending to a slave trader, the Iron Bank loaned a large sum of money to Governor Rees, which will be re-loaned to the Slave traders. Just because the upper class of Braavos has made enough money and is sitting on mountains of gold and silver, they start to use morality to restrain the lower class from doing this or that."

A gentle scum with excellent ability, it is often a risk to cooperate with such a person.Ed found that when he announced the expansion of the town, he had already embarked on the road of adventure. A lot of golden dragons in Winterfell were spent, huge accounts needed to be managed, and tens of thousands of people outside Winterfell needed food.Before the cold winter comes, he must accumulate enough money and food.

Ed handed over the accounts of the Yantun Project, the Beehive Project, and the Zengdi Army Village to Krall.

"From now on, you will be my financial advisor. You will be responsible for managing the accounts of the winter shelter town and helping me formulate economic policies. Earl Wyman recommended you, and I believe his vision is correct."

(End of this chapter)