At this moment, Earl in the room did not get up.
"Anything else?"
"Yes, Your Highness." Earl Mils took out a letter from his arms, with House Baratheon and Crowned Stag printed on it.
"I am here this time on the orders of Duke Boremund·Baratheon."
"Ten days later, the Duke will Storm's End hold a seventieth-year-old Name Day feast, and you are sincerely invited to attend."
Aemond took the letter and did not open it immediately. He only stared at the fire paint coat of arms thoughtfully.
Boremund·Baratheon--Duke Stormlands, Baratheon is a side bloodline of House Targaryen, and he is also one of the most powerful dukes of Seven Kingdoms.
More importantly, he is the uncle of "Uncrowned Queen" Rhaenys·Targaryen. Even after Vaemond happened, he still firmly supports Rhaenyra's Crown Prince status.
This is an invitation from the core supporters of Blacks.
"The Duke actually remembers me, Prince? It's a great honor," Aemond smiled, "Please reply to the Duke, I will go to the banquet on time."
Earl Mils breathed a sigh of relief, bowed and left.
Earl The carriage drove through the Dragon's Roost Town main street and went to the detention center to pick up the person. The scene outside the car window made him secretly frightened.
Although the houses on both sides of the street are simple, they are neatly arranged, showing that they have been planned in a unified manner.
What frightened him even more was that under the soldiers training in the open space near the town, there were about two hundred young men, half of them wearing uniforms and half plate armor, glowing coldly in the sun.
They practiced in teams of ten: the front row held shields and spears, and the back row held swords and axes, advancing and retreating in an orderly manner.
The other half of the lightly-armed soldiers were practicing archery. The target was set fifty paces away, and the target hit rate was quite high.
Earl Mils himself is Earl, and he is well aware of the cost of raising an army. A set of heavy infantry equipment with full body armor costs at least thirty Gold Dragon. Monthly military pay, food, and maintenance are also ongoing expenses.
He estimated that the annual cost of the Aemond guard must be huge.
His Hay Hall already found it difficult to maintain a standing army of more than two hundred people who were not fully armored.
You know, this Prince has a guard of five hundred people...
This does not include the more than four hundred light armor Forester.
"Military," Earl whispered to the captain Knight next to him, "How can a Prince support nearly a thousand standing armies by relying solely on fief taxes, royal appropriations and fur and timber trade?"
"The king doesn't care?"
Captain Knight lowered his voice. "Sir, there are rumors that...Dragon's Roost has other income."
"Is there any income left?"
"Rumors... a mineral vein may be found in Kingswood."
"Look at the area to the east of the town. There are always guards guarding it. No one can come near it."
"Some people say that the sound of forging can be heard there day and night."
Earl narrowed his eyes. If the rumors are true, if Aemond mines, smelts or even casts weapons without King's Landing's permission...
The problem becomes serious.
But this is none of his business. Others are Prince. He, a Earl, cannot offend a Prince who has real power.
What's more, I still own Prince Aemond from Vhagar. I'm really offended, that is, I will commit suicide again.
At this time, the carriage passed the only tavern in the town, "Three Barrels of Ale". The sound of conversations inside the door floated into the carriage:
"... Follow His Highness Prince to have meat to eat!" A rough and powerful voice shouted, "I Old Scarface have been hiding in the woods for more than ten years, and I have eaten every meal without stopping. Now? Forester! Yue Ling San Silver Stag takes care of food and accommodation, and I can still get 30% of the hunted furs!"
Another young voice answered, "No! My father farmed the land for Mr. Rosby, and after paying the rent, the whole family starved. I fled here last year and got two acres of good land by the river. It is tax-free for two years!"
"The rules are just stricter," the third person muttered. "The punishment for fighting and stealing is severe, ranging from having your fingers cut off to severe cases such as chopping off your hands or hanging..."
"Be strict!" the rough voice retorted, "In the past, a rabbit could stab someone to death in the woods. Now that there are rules, life is stable!"
At the same time, Dragon's Roost East District.
This area was specially walled and guarded by Young Guard. Four sentry towers were set up around it for observation at any time.
Aemond went deep into it accompanied by financial officer Will.
After walking for about a hundred steps, the air became hotter and the sound of clanging iron became louder and clearer.
There was a natural cave deep in Kingswood. The direction was informed by the refugees who surrendered two years ago.
Aemond led people to explore and discovered that the cave contains rich veins of iron ore, and the reserves are astonishing.
He did not report to King's Landing. According to law, the mineral deposits in Seven Kingdoms are shared by the royal family and the nobles of the territory. The mining revenue is divided in proportion, but the king's permission is required for mining.
Aemond chose to mine privately. Without this secret income, the huge expenses of maintaining the army alone would be unsustainable.
Now the entire East District has been transformed into a workshop with thirty furnaces burning day and night. The Smiths are swinging hammers bare-chested, and their sweat beads are shining in the light of the fire.
There were knocking sounds one after another, and the air was filled with the smell of soot and metal.
"The current monthly output of crude iron is 6,000 pounds (almost 3,000 pounds)," Will reported. "After the transformation according to the method brought by Tyroshi the Smith, the output is 30% higher than the old method. The refined wrought iron is about 4,500 pounds, of which 50% is made into agricultural tools and tools, and is sold through the port. The proceeds maintain the operation of the workshop and pay labor costs."
"What about the other 50%?"
Will pointed to a more hidden corner deep in the East District: "Over there is Special Workshop, who is in charge of more than thirty of the most reliable the Smith and their apprentices.
Specially made armaments, armor pieces, sword embryos, spearheads, and arrow clusters. The current inventory can equip four hundred people."
Aemond approached the area. It was even hotter and muggier here. The Smith were making standardized armor components: chest plate, arm guards, and leg guards. There were bundles of gun heads stacked in the corner, all made to uniform specifications.
"How is the quality?"
"Meet Knight armor standard," Will took a piece of chest plate and hit it lightly with a hammer. The sound was crisp, "But it is lighter and tougher. The one you mentioned is Carburizing Process."
Aemond nodded.
"What's going on with the miners?"
"Three hundred and fifty people, divided into three classes. They are all slaves purchased from Slaver's Bay. According to your instructions, they will be free after five years of mining, so they are loyal and reliable."
"A large number of patrol teams have been deployed around the area, and access is strictly controlled."
Will is a little worried. Animal slavery is a serious crime in Westeros. If this matter is leaked, Prince will be punished with a felony.
Aemond also feels a headache.
What he will do next is that this territory may be taken back by his angry father.
He suddenly remembered his ten-year-old brother Daeron who was fostered in the sea House Tall...
Is there any way to persuade Viserys to transfer this territory to Daeron?
And a year ago, Terra, who was placed next to Helaena as a maid, reported that Queen Alicent, who had not slept with the king for many years, unexpectedly became pregnant again after Viserys had a whim.
The king was overjoyed and pardoned King's Landing's prisoners.
Counting the days, the mother is about to give birth to this child.
On Dragonstone's side, Rhaenyra gave birth to another child. Her and Daemon's second child was named Viserys.
If Rhaenyra is a normal person, as long as she keeps giving birth to legally legitimate children, no one can challenge her Crown Prince status.
Just like her fertile female dragon Syrax.
Rhaenyra still insists that the three children of Jacaerys are legitimate.
No matter how Viserys I and her husband Daemon tried to persuade her, she remained indifferent.
Now, history has been reversed by him, and mother Queen Alicent is pregnant again. You must know that in history, Greens only had four Targaryen children, and now they have one more brother or sister...
It is unclear when Blood Dragon Dance will break out in the future, but war is unavoidable.