Game of Thrones: Kings in the North

Chapter 26 The Iron Vault Messenger

A few days later, the envoy of the Iron Bank office in White Harbor arrived in Winterfell.

The envoy was dressed in a red and white robe, with kind eyebrows and kind eyes, a fiery red beard and a fat figure.

"Duke Ed, I am Saul, the person in charge of the White Harbor Office of the Iron Bank. I heard that you have a need for loans, and I will ride to you immediately."

With the help of Krall, the two parties quickly reached an agreement on the loan amount and when to release the loan. The Iron Bank agreed to loan 50 golden dragons to Winterfell, and then the two parties began to negotiate on the interest rate.

Krall said: "Saul, this is the Duke of Winterfell in the north. He rules the vast land between the Neck and the Great Wall. You must have seen the projects in the winter town, right? Factory buildings, a big market , The farms are being built, and Duke Ed will have opportunities to ask you to borrow money in the future, but at this interest rate, you must show sincerity and must be preferential."

Saul looked humble.

"You can't find a lower interest rate than this in the Seven Kingdoms. I don't believe you can go to any rich merchant or noble's house south of the Neck to inquire casually."

Saul even took out an account book, on which there were many rich merchants on the other side of the narrow sea, the Maharaja and his like borrowed from the iron bank at the interest rate, according to the interest rate on it, Saul’s loan interest rate to Winterfell City is indeed favorable .

Kral threw the account books aside in disgust: "How many nobles in the Seven Kingdoms would borrow 50 golden dragons at one go? Saul, I have worked for the Iron Bank for many years, and you can still hide this trick from me? To be honest Let me tell you, it's all left over from my play."

"If you don't want to give Duke Ed a discount, I can send someone to Braavos to find other messengers from the Iron Bank. I even know some keykeepers. I also have friends around Aquaman. We will talk to you about business, completely It’s because you are the representative of the Iron Bank in Baigang, you don’t cherish this opportunity to make money, and I’m sorry to lose such a large order!”

Saul became visibly nervous. There was competition among the employees of the Iron Bank. He didn't want to lose this order and lose customers like the Duke of the North.

So after a heated discussion, Saul was forced to lower the rate while Kral kissed the opal ring on his right thumb.

This is the secret signal that Kral made an appointment with Ed in advance. Klar kissing the ring means that the messenger of the Iron Bank has set the interest rate at a very low level, and Ed can announce that the deal has been completed.

To Klarer's surprise, Ed said, "I think the rate could be lower."

Saul smiled wryly and said, "Duke Ed, this interest rate really can't be lowered. Your financial advisor, Kral, is a former employee of the Iron Bank. Can I deceive you? I will definitely be managed by such an interest rate when I return to the Iron Bank. My colleagues would blame me, and my colleagues would laugh at me."

Ed said slowly: "That's good. If I add the wood from the northern border to the transaction as an interest rate offset, do you consider lowering the interest rate?"

Saul licked his lips, and Kral realized at once that Eddard had put in a deal that was hard for a Braavosi to resist.

The vast land in the north is covered with large forests, the most famous being the wolf forest. In the north, wood is not valuable, but in Braavos, the price of wood is very expensive.

Braavos is a city built on islands, full of muddy land, salt marshes, shallow water beaches, and forests on the outer islands. However, since Braavos has no city walls, these forests play the role of "windbreak wall". Cut the wood above.

Andas near Braavos is dominated by hills and plains, with few forests. The arsenal can produce a purple-hull galley every day, which requires a lot of high-quality wood.Braavos As one of the busiest ports in the world, Braavos uses a staggering amount of wood.

Therefore, Braavos' timber supply is heavily dependent on imports, which are expensive.Firewood is one of the most expensive commodities in Braavos, and in winter the price of wood will be even higher, much to the complaints of many passing travelers.

It is to Braavos that much of the timber from the North is sold.Deepwood Motte, the Forest Clan, and the people living near Winterfell transported the felled timber to the White Knife, where it was shipped to White Harbor, and from there to Braavos.

Eventually, Saul, under Ed's timber offensive, cut the rates even further.

The two parties signed a contract, and Saul said: "Master Ed, Iron Bank looks forward to the next cooperation with you, let us use gold dragons and wood to warm each other!"

After Saul leaves, Karal gives Ed a thumbs up.

"Lord Ed, I really admire you. You know how to use the wood that the Braavosi people covet as bargaining chips. You know how to identify the needs of the other party and seek benefits for yourself. You are really a business genius."

Ed stroked his forehead with both hands, "Business wizards are getting poorer."

Krall laughed and said: "At least the stables, barracks, factories, warehouses, and breeding farms in the winter shelter town can continue to be built. You can't let these buildings be half built and just be abandoned, right?"

Ed took a deep breath, "After the expansion of the winter shelter town is completed, I can only hope that Yantun, the beehives, and the factories and farms in the winter shelter town will make money for me, otherwise I won't even pay the interest. rise."

Krall frowned, "Lord Ed, I know you are ambitious in the Yantun plan, but as a financial advisor, I must remind you that your Yantun plan is easy for the lord and private businessmen to take advantage of loopholes. Winterfell is purchased at the market price, so who can guarantee that the lords and merchants won't mix private salt into the salt in Yantun and resell it in Winterfell to make money?"

Ed said: "It's understandable for the vassals to get some oil and water, cats and mice, what's the point of stealing some meat?"

Krall smiled exaggeratedly, "But what if cats cause more harm than mice? Lord Ed, you have already summoned your vassals, and the vassals will recruit soldiers. War will make them poor and depraved. Sooner or later, these vassals will make their minds on Yantun sooner or later."

Ed checked the account books, "The matter of Yantun will be settled slowly in the future, and I can proceed to the next step of the plan now. Klar, when you go out, tell the guards at the door to ask them to find the shipbuilder Marin."

When Marin came to the study, it was already dark. Ed and Marin looked at the blueprints of shipbuilding under the honey candles, and Marin showed a model of a future northern battleship.

Marin said: "Master Ed, according to your instructions, the warships in the north will be refitted on the basis of the Braavos Sea King warships. When fighting at sea, the catapults, ballistas, and crossbowmen on the top floor , can condescendingly attack the enemy, and the attack power is amazing. Give me money and enough manpower, and I estimate that the first ship can be launched in a month."

Ed was a little disappointed, "The arsenal in Braavos can build a galley warship in a day, and you want a month?"

Marin said helplessly: "Master Ed, I have worked in the arsenal for many years. The arsenal's efficiency is high because they have a lot of skilled shipbuilders, and they work on an assembly line. How many such workers can you find in White Harbor? I would say one month is still optimistic."

"Lord Ed, with all due respect, it is too wasteful to spend such a large amount of money to build a ship to deal with rock pirates. The money can be used to hire a fleet of mercenaries to fight for you in the Free Trade City, and you can even go to Sea King There, spending money to let Neptune send troops, the combat effectiveness of Neptune's fleet can be described as unparalleled in the world."

Ed said: "I don't trust mercenaries. As for spending money to hire Neptune's fleet, I would rather spend money to build my own fleet. Marin, we northerners are all descendants of the ancestors. The ancestors are not good at sailing, but I Believe that we can grow slowly. We have no desire to conquer the ocean, but we must guard our oceans and rivers."

"Otherwise, we will have to let the ironborn and rock pirates run rampant."

(End of this chapter)