Game of Thrones: I became a crown prince for a day.

Chapter 652: The North Has No Harvest

It was a sunny and windy afternoon.

Rhaegar walked out of the conference hall and planned to have a good sleep.

We will consider the candidate for prime minister later and there is no need to rush.

……

Throne Hall.

Viserys said goodbye to his ministers and sat on the Iron Throne with great anticipation.

This iron chair still hurts my butt, and it’s a bit cold and uncomfortable.

"Grandfather, Your Majesty..."

A bunch of silver-haired children, with smiles on their faces, came over like young swallows returning to their nests.

The oldest was Rhaena, and the youngest was Egg, who was being dragged to the ground by Visenya.

"Okay, okay, let's tell today's story."

Viserys laughed heartily, and the iron chair seemed less hard.

There are a dozen healthy children, either grandchildren or children of my younger brother Damon.

I would never have dared to think about it in the past.

How can he be prime minister with this treatment?
If it weren't for his deteriorating health, he would have been worried that his eldest son would not be able to handle government affairs.

He was too lazy to even attend the imperial meeting.

"You should rest, Viserys."

As the story began, Allison came in from the side of the hall.

"Wait a little longer, there's no rush."

Viserys held Visenya in one hand and Egg in the other, and ignored his wife's urging.

After working so hard for so many years, it’s time to enjoy yourself.

“You always stay a little longer.”

Allison sighed helplessly and wrapped a blanket around her husband's legs.

I glanced at my left hand wrapped in gauze from the corner of my eye and saw a small stain of dried blood.

That was the wound that was cut last time on the Iron Throne.

Although there is no ulcer, it has not yet healed.

Viserys noticed it as well, but smiled but said nothing.

It's just a cut.

The couple stayed together, looking after the naughty dragon cubs.

Allison is over 40 and is also a grandmother.

He picked up the brother and sister Jaehaerys and Jaehaera who were picking their fingers on the ground and placed them closest to him.

The children of Aegon the Firstborn, her purest grandchildren.

They are more popular than the grandchildren born to their daughter Helena.

"You're not going to the tea party?"

Viserys looked at his wife in surprise, a little disturbed by today's storytelling.

"I'll accompany you."

Allison's eyes were lowered, and it was obvious that something was wrong.

Viserys knew it all too well. He put down his grandchildren and asked carefully, "What's the matter?"

"The whole court is talking about the election of the Prime Minister."

Allison hesitated and whispered, "My father..."

"Otto did a great job in Cohort."

As soon as Viserys heard the conversation, he interrupted immediately.

Allison refused to give up and continued to persuade: "My father is old and it is unsettling for me to be far away from home."

King's Landing is no longer the King's Landing of the past.

This place does not belong to a queen mother without support.

She would feel much better if her father Otto could return to King's Landing to serve.

"Allison, this isn't okay."

Viserys sighed and said, "Otto's decision to use his remaining energy in Qohor was his own."

There are not many ministers stationed in Essos, and the responsibilities of Qohor and the Golden Fields are entirely up to Otto and Cole, one civil and one military.

The eldest son would not agree to transfer him back.

Allison was in a daze, looking indescribably lonely.

……

Director's Hall.

Tuk-tuk-tuk!
Baerlon was reading old memorials in the hall when there was a knock on the door.

"I'll open the door."

Benilla stood by the bookshelf, a feather duster in her hand.

Walking towards the door, the girl's mature body was slim and attractive.

creak-

The door opened and a fat old man stood in front of it.

"you are?"

Benilla had never seen a new face.

"My name is Desmond Manderlay, and the Crown Prince knows me."

Desmond smiled, his triangular eyes sparkling with shrewdness.

With just one glance, he spotted the young man working in the hall.

Baeron looked up when he heard the voice and asked in surprise, "Lord Desmond, when will you visit King's Landing?"

The then Earl of White Harbor was one of the most powerful lords in the North.

He was wearing a silk robe, with gold and gem rings on all ten of his fingers, and his gray hair was combed back.

His bloated figure and smiling eyes make him look like a shrewd businessman rather than a high-ranking lord.

"Your Highness, I landed at the Mud Gate this morning."

Desmond was very humble and bowed. "The commander of the Iron Guard said that His Majesty the King has fallen asleep, so he led me to see you."

Belron suddenly realized and said kindly, "Please sit down, sir."

He looked at Bernila again and said, "Please pour a glass of wine for Lord Desmond. Don't let the guest who came from afar say that we are not hospitable enough."

"Okay." Benilla nodded and picked up the wine jug to pour wine.

The brother and sister sang in unison, all of which fell into Desmond's eyes.

After sailing all the way from White Harbor, he was not given a grand reception when he arrived at King's Landing, which of course made him feel dissatisfied.

However, since the Crown Prince could say this, the previous injustice no longer mattered.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Your Highness."

Desmond forced a mercenary smile on his face and thanked Benilla for pouring the wine: "And you, my dear lady."

As he spoke, he looked him over without leaving any trace.

The eldest daughter of Prince Daemon and the heir to Tyrosh across the sea.

Her fiancé, Prince Aemon, died without any engagement.

Benilla was very sensitive to prying eyes, and frowned calmly: "You're welcome, Lord Desmond."

Baelon glanced at her, then looked at the smiling Earl of White Harbor.

Those who knew Benilla knew that she was beginning to have a seizure.

Before that, Belron asked the purpose of his visit: "What can I do for you?"

Speaking of business, Desmond put away his smile and said seriously: "Your Highness, the kingdom won the war against the Basilisk Islands. I hope to borrow a loan from the treasury in the name of White Harbor." Baeron was even more confused: "White Harbor has always been rich."

To put it another way, shouldn't we go to the Iron Bank of Bluffs for loans?

The one who is close to the water gets the moon first. White Harbor and Bluffs have a lot of trade exchanges.

"You don't know that White Harbor and the North have their own problems."

Desmond's expression darkened as he explained, "You are a dragon king born in the south. You happened to have experienced the ten-year long summer. Perhaps you have never even seen winter."

Baelon frowned, doubting things he didn't understand.

Desmond continued: "It is summer in King's Landing, but winter has come to the North, and the crops are covered with snow."

"How could this be?"

Benilla stood aside holding a wine jug and exclaimed in surprise.

It should also be a long summer in the north.

Desmond seemed to have guessed what the girl was thinking, and said with a hint of panic, "You don't know, the spring in the North was still warm, and the snow suddenly fell."

"Duke Creggan inspected the North and said that he was afraid that the entire North would have no harvest this year."

The Manderly family is not native to the North, but they are descendants of the original ancestors.

Having settled in the North for thousands of years, people have long been in awe of the severe cold.

Baeron was frightened and looked through the memorials from the North in the past six months.

As expected, there was no news from any of the noble families, as if the North was isolated from the world.

"Is winter really here in the North?"

Baeron's heart sank and he couldn't help feeling distressed.

He knew the prophecy of Aegon the Conqueror in A Song of Ice and Fire and was aware of the existence of the White Walkers outside the Wall.

My father was eager to conquer the golden fields of Essos for the sake of the family's future.

"Your Highness, I know it's unreasonable to borrow money from the treasury, but White Harbor really has no other choice."

Desmond said helplessly: "The Iron Bank refuses to lend money, and the port of White Harbor is about to freeze. I can only prepare in advance before the real winter comes."

Hearing this, Belron was silent for a moment.

The reason why the Iron Bank refused to lend was simple. Whenever there was a war, White Harbor and Seagull Town were the main forces to resist Bluffs.

Now that the Basilisk Islands have been destroyed, Bluffs has lost his potential ally.

Of course, we are unwilling to help the enemy overcome difficulties.

As I was thinking about it, I put a hand on my shoulder and massaged it gently twice.

Baeron raised his head and met Benilla's gaze.

Benilla did not interfere with his judgment, but gave him encouragement with her eyes.

Baeron felt warm in his heart, and his thoughts gradually became clear: "Lord Desmond, I'm sorry for what happened in the North."

"I hope the royal family can lend a helping hand."

Desmond didn't want any polite words and just wanted the reward for his loyalty to the crown.

"Please be patient."

Belron said calmly, "It is said that what is worrying is not the scarcity of wealth but the inequality of wealth. The natural disaster that befell the North affected all the noble fiefdoms."

"What do you mean?"

Desmond was a little anxious.

"I can't make the decision."

Baeron pushed it away with one sentence, and then comforted: "I will discuss with my father and reinforce the North in a safe way."

His words were well-founded and showed the skill of pretending to be confused.

Desmond is a well-known old fox, how could he not understand what the crown prince meant.

His face suddenly darkened, and he stood up to say goodbye: "Then I will stay in the inn until the king summons me."

After saying that, he nodded in a friendly manner at Benila and stormed out the door.

"You have offended him."

Bernila poured herself a glass of wine and leaned her hips against the table.

Now that the person is gone, I can finally stop pretending.

Belron snorted lightly and said dissatisfiedly: "He offended me."

Lending money is a favor, not lending is your duty.

How can you fail to borrow money and then turn your head against someone?

Old Town, the largest of the five major ports, has to be loyal to the royal family. Why is White Port, the last one, so arrogant?

"Think carefully. White Harbor's support represents half of the North."

Benilla took a sip of the sweet wine and reminded in a connoisseur-like manner.

"Are you much older than me?"

Baeron tilted his head, feeling unhappy.

"Hmm~" Bernila shrugged, her eyes unable to hide her concern.

Baeron pinched his nose and supported his chin with one hand.

The hall fell into silence.

……

into the night.

Rhaegar had just woken up, and the sudden news seemed like the sky falling.

"Is it snowing in the North?"

Before I could even wake up from my sleepy eyes, I immediately became alert.

Baelon nodded like a chicken pecking at rice: "I sent a raven to deliver a message to Lord Creggan of Winterfell, asking for details."

"Well, it's pragmatic."

Lei Jia gathered up his messy silver-gold hair and said with a headache: "The ten-year long summer is about to end. I wonder how big the backlash will be."

What a headache, a migraine from sleeping.

The pain got worse when I heard the bad news.

"Father, how should we deal with this?"

Baeron looked serious.

"The North is not like the South. It is a stubborn place that is content with its own way."

Rhaegar's thoughts turned, and for the sake of safety he said, "Send someone to the North to work with Cregan to thoroughly investigate the situation."

Desmond is a shrewd businessman who speaks a mixture of truth and lies.

Seeing is believing.

"Who to send?"

Belron's eyes lit up.

Seeing this, Rhaegar swallowed the word "Aegon" that was about to come to his mouth and asked, "You want to go?"

The eldest son would also be a good candidate, as it would allow the people in the North to see the sincerity of the royal family.

The key point is that Aegon is too unreliable.

"I can."

Bellon smiled.

I was almost bored of staying in King's Landing, and Uragas was doing nothing in Blackwater Bay all day.

"You can't do it alone, you need someone to accompany you."

Rhaegar's eyes flashed, and he took his second son's misfortune as a warning.