The black-based, red dragon banner swayed in the gentle breeze, and the air in Viserysgrad carried the scent of green fields, sour wine, river water, and sweat.
To prevent Viserysgrad from becoming as foul-smelling as King's Landing, not only was attention paid to ensuring smooth drainage and establishing toilets during the city's construction, but Viserysgrad even had a tax on defecation.
Many farmers and residents were initially unaccustomed to it, but eventually, Viserys and Bishop Umber personally declared, "Using the toilet is the will of the gods; indiscriminate defecation by the roadside will lead to infectious diseases," which made Viserysgrad clean and tidy.
Moreover, the total population of Viserysgrad is now much smaller than King's Landing, and its management is more streamlined.
The andals and Loynans were originally elegant and civilized peoples, and now that they have fallen on hard times, they also need proper education.
As the most populous and currently the only city in the Land of Andas, the "White City" of Viserysgrad on the east bank of the Upper Rhoyne River has begun to show immense vitality.
The constant flow of people made the city very lively, mainly villagers from the andal and rhoynar settlements established there, as well as visitors from various regions, and even adventurers and merchants from the major Free Cities.
The people of Andals and the Rhoyne River basin, especially residents on the east bank of the Upper Rhoyne River, were more willing to seek refuge behind the sturdy walls of the White City; after all, compared to the great city walls, exposed villages were simply too dangerous.
Thinking of those fierce and savage bandits and dothraki horsemen, the White City appeared so sacred and beautiful.
The entire Land of Andas seemed to have found its heart, once again emitting a low hum.
In the town below the Viserysgrad hills, the docks, fish market, and meat market were arranged in an orderly and flourishing manner, and now merchants brought a variety of colorful goods.
Cattle and sheep from the Land of Andas, freshly caught trout from the Rhoyne River, apples and sour wine from Andals, statues commemorating the Seven Gods, and so on.
Whether they were wine merchants, silk dealers, knights, blacksmiths, sailors, or fishermen, everyone could find a place in this city.
This is a new city in the Andals and Rhoyne River region, and it will radiate its influence across the surrounding vast lands.
Inside the royal castle of Viserysgrad, Viserys was receiving a new guest, an escaped slave who had fled from the Upper Rhoyne River.
Viserys sat on the throne on a raised platform, while at a long table below the platform, The Red Viper sat as the King's advisor.
The Red Viper had always been Doran's deputy, known for his shrewdness and capability.
"Gracious Lord of the White City, descendant of the ancient Valyria Dragon Kings, King of the Andals, rhoynar, and First Men, King of Andals, the Rhoyne River, and Westeros, His Majesty Viserys the Restorer. We implore your White City to open its gates to us; we are willing to become your loyal servants, offering you taxes and allegiance," pleaded Jalarca, the leader of this group of escaped slaves, a man from the Summer Isles, kneeling.
Jalarca wore a red and green feathered cloak, his skin was as dark as night, and his face bore wheel-shaped tattoos, signifying a cart slave from Volantis.
However, due to his long escape, the feathered cloak appeared somewhat dirty, unlike that of an elegant Summer Isles prince.
"I will listen to your cries," Viserys said.
"I have seen many riverside ruins along the Upper Rhoyne River and the upper reaches of the Rhoyne River, stone structures overgrown with vines, moss, and wild flowers, a scene of desolation. Besides that, I have rarely encountered signs of human activity," Viserys asked again.
"You do not understand that river, Your Majesty. Every stream here might be coveted by River Bandits, and ruins are often the best gathering places for escaped slaves; the slave catchers who pursue us rarely dare to venture so far north."
Most of the escaped slaves fled to both banks of the rivers above Naath, for only slaves yearned so desperately for freedom.
The slaves' journey north was a path of death, a one-in-ten chance of survival.
Volantis or Lys would execute slaves who attempted to escape or harm their masters, hanging their heads on the Long Bridge.
Even if they were lucky enough to escape north to the Upper Rhoyne River, they would face the curse of the Sorrows, the River Bandits of the Dagger Lake, occasional dothraki Khals crossing the river, and rampant local bandits; the risks were simply too great.
Every escaped slave who completed the path of death possessed extraordinary willpower.
"Where did you escape from to get here?" Viserys asked.
"From the outer city of Volantis, Your Majesty," Jalarca replied, bowing his head. "I was plundered into slavery in the Summer Isles, served as a cart slave in Volantis for two and a half years, then killed my master and fled north."
"What kind of slaves are you all?" Viserys asked.
"There are elephant cart slaves, boatman slaves, and so on," Jalarca replied.
"You have come a long way and endured hardships," Viserys said, looking at Jalarca. "When you arrive in Viserysgrad, it signifies a new life. Andals will provide refuge for escaped slaves, under the light of the New Gods, the Old Gods, and the Rhoyne River."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Jalarca of the Summer Isles quickly knelt in gratitude, thanking the heavens that he no longer had to live in ruins every day.
Living with mosquitoes and bedbugs was not a good life.
"Are you willing to obey my commands, pay me taxes, and take up arms for the White City of Viserysgrad?" Viserys asked.
"We are willing, we pray. We dedicate our lives to Your Majesty, from this day to every day hereafter."
Jalarca promised in a high-pitched voice.
Afterward, Jalarca departed with profuse thanks, his joyful figure like a deer released from a cage.
"Are you really going to take in these escaped slaves, Your Majesty?" The Red Viper asked with a frown.
The Red Viper pitied the escaped slaves but also reminded him of the risks involved.
Viserys nodded: "Why not?"
"According to faith, slaves should be sheltered. But by opening such a convenient door, streams will become rivers in the future, and the slave-owning Free Cities will hate us to the bone. Moreover, Braavos is in the north, while Andals is barely in the middle."
"So this is an opportunity; the population that Braavos cannot accommodate, we can take in," Viserys said.
"It is indeed an opportunity, but also a danger," The Red Viper believed it was a double-edged sword.
"Besides this population, another important factor is that we need a large number of skilled people," Viserys explained. "This group of people, we cannot cultivate in Andals and the Rhoyne River in the short term, but many escaped slaves possess skills and are precisely the suitable skilled people, since Triarchy and Volantis both rely on slaves for construction."
This was also the basis of Viserys's interest in taking in slaves; cities like Volantis were entirely built on slavery.
Slaves produced food for citizens, cleaned streets, educated children, and also guarded city walls, piloted warships, and charged into battle for citizens.
Many of these escaped slaves were the artisans Viserys desperately needed; it was difficult for him to recruit people from Westeros, but there was no pressure in recruiting these escaped slaves from the Rhoyne River.
"It is a grand undertaking, and also a gamble," The Red Viper nodded.
"Do you know the proportion of citizens to slaves in the Free Cities?" Viserys asked The Red Viper.
The Red Viper rattled off these numbers as if they were old friends, "In Tyrosh, the ratio of free people to slaves is 1:3, and it's similar in Lys and Myr. In Volantis, it reaches an exaggerated 1:5."
"Since sheltering escaped slaves has already caused great dissatisfaction among slave owners, what if someone intends to completely liberate all slaves?" A cold light gleamed in Viserys's eyes.
"That's too crazy, it's impossible to achieve," The Red Viper emphasized, his eyes wide. Viserys was truly too insane.
"Even Braavos, wealthy and powerful as it is, can only restrain its vassal city-state Lorath and defeat Pentos," The Red Viper rubbed his palms. "They merely do not allow the existence of slavery and do not trade with Slaver's Bay... But you, you want to make an enemy of the whole world."
The slave trade was a major pillar of world trade, and slave-owning nations were numerous and powerful. This was no exaggeration.
At the very top were the dothraki bandits, Iron Islands pirates, and Basilisk Isles pirates responsible for kidnapping people, and the slave owners of Tyrosh were also known for their belligerence. They would even sail beyond the Wall to capture wildlings as slaves.
The city-states of Slaver's Bay were responsible for training, with great craftsmanship. Yunkai trained bed slaves, Meereen trained gladiators, and Yunkai and Astapor trained the Unsullied.
And other downstream city-states heavily utilized slaves.
"This is an unprecedented feat," Viserys said.
"This is also unprecedented madness," The Red Viper retorted.
"It seems you truly are a Targaryen; greatness and madness are two sides of the same coin," The Red Viper observed Viserys.
Ãdvåñçé çhàptêr àvàilàble óñ pàtreøn (Gk31)