Under the Red Keep, in a secret passage buried deep in the belly of Aegon's high hills, Varys, dressed in full camouflage, held a torch and walked side by side with his companions: "The plan can't catch up with the changes, whether little Aegon is ready or not, the counterattack must start quickly." ”

"Hurry up, how fast, the hell, the kid hasn't grown up yet, I can't hold him by the head or feet, can I?" Illyrio grumbled, "what's going on, you're in such a hurry?"

"The Iron Islands were the first to attack the western coast, but they were repulsed head-on and did not take advantage of anything. The old lion refused to hand over his children, but took the initiative to send troops to sabotage the grain production and transportation in the riverlands, and also set up a bank in Lannisport, imposed gold controls and forced the sale of war bonds - more than a certain amount of gold in the house and not in the bank is considered treason, and all property is confiscated and hanged......"

"He's crazy!" said Illyrio, surprised, "This is indeed a quick way to raise a lot of money, but what is the difference between it and robbing? ”

"The same was said when Tywin destroyed Reyes and Tabek, but didn't he end up being the most powerful and stable duke in the country? Moreover, the difference between forced borrowing and open robbery is that if he wins, he may pay it back in the future. The eunuch frowned and said, "So far, I don't see where his winning point is, but there is news from the birds that the lion intends to hire mercenaries from the Stonesteps and Essos to harass the east coast of Westeros in order to delay time...... But what's the use of delaying time? unless Robert is dead......"

"Hiring outsiders to harass behind enemy lines? Illyrio nodded with interest, and then changed the subject: "How is the king's injury?"

"What's the use of a strategy, no matter how interesting it is, it's just to tickle the Six Nations and cause even more hatred. Varys said worriedly, avoiding a puddle on the ground: "The king's injuries were showing signs of improvement, but suddenly they began to deteriorate again the other day, and the church people said that it was because of the 'ghoul' in the Red Keep, but I think it was Paischer who did something in the medicine...... The Prime Minister apparently had the same suspicions, so he ordered other scholars to take over the treatment of the King. ”

"Is that ghoul real?"

"As far as I've seen, the night watchman pushes it out every day for display, and the people who come to see it can block a few streets, and you can see it for yourself...... Why do you ask this?" Varys tilted his head and looked at Illyrio: "Could it be that you think that a Westeros with ghouls and strange ghosts is not worth fighting for for half your life?" I promise you, since the Great Wall can hold back those ghosts for thousands of years, it will not be enough for a while, if you really don't feel at ease, then donate some money to the Great Wall and help them." ”

"I'm going to take the boat back to Pantos tonight, and I'm going to donate money or something...... Besides, those threaten Westeros, and the Braavosians are far more anxious than I am. The Governor shook his head, suppressing his curiosity about seeing the ghouls, and returned to what he had just discussed, "Paischer, is that the scholar you told me about being loyal to the Lannisters?"

"Yes, if he succeeds, we will have more time, and if Robert lives...... Even if the Lannisters play with the art of war, it is useless, and it is the population and resources that determine the outcome in the end. Varys muttered, "Perhaps, I should help the Lannisters......"

The eunuch pushed the mechanism on the wall, and with a low rumbling sound, the path was slowly sealed by a stone slab, turning into a smooth, hard, crackless stone.

......

The Governor turned a blind eye to this scene and continued to ask, "Does the destruction of the Lannisters have any effect on our plans?"

"The impact is too great, and the lion is my best pawn. This place was already a little close to the exit, and Varys lowered his voice a little: "If you want to ensure that the Seven Kingdoms are in a state of chaos at the time of Little Aegon's landing, you must have a strong enough force to pry the situation at the most critical moment. The western border and the river bend land meet the conditions, and the northern border has few people...... But counting the Stark family's ruling prestige and ability to influence the rivers and valleys, they can barely squeeze in. But of the three, Eddard Stark, who is now Prime Minister, is a cautious and calm man, and I can't control him, and the Riverlands is full of factions, trying to manipulate like marionettes, and it is not enough to take the whole line of Westeros, only the gold-rich, powerful, and centralized West...... There is a sensitive, proud, and egotistical ruler. All it takes is one thread that interferes with Tywin's judgment and makes him feel that his family's reputation and prestige have been violated, and he can use the power of the entire Westside in its entirety. Now, this best piece is in danger of destruction, and I can't even guarantee that I will find a suitable replacement before I die. ”

"What were you doing earlier?" Illyrio frowned, "How could you let such a farce happen when the Kingkiller 'attacked the king and ran away'?"

"I'm not a god, I can't judge what a fool will do!" Varys couldn't accept his partner's accusations, and his tone was dissatisfied: "Ed is a suspicious person, you can't guess how much effort I put into it to make him 'on his own' to deal with the Lannisters......! When it's time for us to use it, all we need to do is help the Lannister siblings escape back to the West, and war is on the verge of breaking out. Who wants to kill the commander of the garrison halfway, and forcibly stop me from the monarch killer who has already arrived at the gate of the city and is about to consciously board the ship to go to the house arrest place!"

"Is it that when I came to hear that I was beheaded in the square of the Great Basilica of Baylor, and before I died, I shouted, 'I have done my service to the king's country, I have shed blood for the Iron Throne, and I want to see the king'?"

"Yes, that's him. ”

"Well, I believe it's not your fault, take back what you just said and apologize. Illyrio accepted Varys's explanation, and with the relationship between the two, he couldn't really quarrel after all: "The elimination of the Lannister family makes it much more difficult for you to create chaos in the future, but it is a big deal to spend a little more money and manpower, and the matter will not be done?"

"Chaos can still be created, but without a powerful and controllable variable...... It's much harder to maintain chaos. Varys took a deep breath: "The only thing that can be used to make a fuss is the struggle for the throne after Robert's death." ”

Illyrio answered without hesitation: "Then let Robert die, do you really have any loyalty and affection for him?"

"Robert can die, but what about after death? The North is a natural ally with the rivers and the valleys, and Littlefinger can influence the valleys through his wife, but with this guy being forced away by a note, the rebellion of the Righteous is put down...... It is now almost impossible to stir up relations between the three families, and I have not even now figured out who was responsible for the original note, and the Bend and the Stormlands are now near...... Without the strong neutrals of the West, and Dorne is one of ours, then no matter how much I toss, this war will inevitably evolve into a war between the two alliances of the North and the South, do you know what I mean?"

"When the Civil War starts, when they are both defeated, can't we take advantage of the situation again?"

"You always take everyone else for fools, and we can play those nobles because I'm in the dark and they're in the dark, but they're not stupid. Once the war starts, I have no means to control the battle and the outcome of the battle, the strength of these two alliances is already similar, the northern alliance cannot enter the river bend, and the southerners will not be able to break through the bloody gate and neck...... They know that they can't tell the winner, and there is no variable like the Western Realm that is strong enough to break the game, and neither side will go all out to fight hard, after all, ...... Winter is coming. I can provoke a war, but I can't control its course, and no matter how I deduce it, Westeros will eventually split into two parts, north and south, except whether the kingdom and the west are under the actual control of the south or the north. When the time comes, do you want little Aegon without a dragon to learn from his nominal ancestors with mercenaries, defeat the two major forces of the north and the south successively, and re-unify the country?"

"It's too bad...... But, don't we have dragons, or three of them? ”

"It's Daenerys who has dragons, not us. Varys corrected, "Only by getting her back quickly and marrying little Aegon can we barely call her our dragon...... Little Aegon can't control the dragon, you know this, as for whether their children can or not, it's still unknown. Damn, I knew the situation would change so quickly, I shouldn't have let Jorah run east with her in the first place. The last time I heard from her, she killed a bunch of slavers in Astapor, got the Unsullied, and set foot on the road to Yuankai, and now I don't know where she went. ”

"Those three young dragons...... Isn't it important? ”

"Dragons are still young, the important thing is Daenerys Targaryen. You don't know the mentality of the people of Westeros, Daenerys is the Targaryen descendant who is recognized and believed by the entire Seven Kingdoms, and it is indeed true. Little Aegon who was with her and recognized by her was Aegon Targaryen!" Varys stepped up the stairs and suddenly turned around, "I asked you to find Petyr Berish, did you catch it?"

"I have a strong sense of anti-tracking, but I still found out where I am going, and I am chasing. But this guy's reputation in Westeros is already stinking, and no matter how smart he is, he can't use this kind of person to serve Aegon. ”

"Aegon can't use him, or it will be a stain on his reputation to ascend to the Iron Throne in the future, but the queen doesn't care. "Littlefinger is the second smartest man in the Seven Kingdoms," said Varys, "and would be a huge help to a little girl who is adrift and helpless...... When you find him, send him straight to Daenerys, but remember to tell the girl about the ugly things Petil has done, and don't let our future queen be by such a rotten person. ”

"It's not difficult, I'll let Beworth go with him, and if Littlefinger dares to touch the queen's brain, break his neck. Illyrio said, "But the girl is far away in Slavery Bay...... I will send the person who assists her, and it will take half a year and a year for the person you said to be the 'second smartest in the Seven Kingdoms' to help her clear all the difficulties along the way back to Westeros...... I'm afraid that the war will be over by then, how can you solve this?"

"Let Aegon land with the Golden Regiment first, join forces with Dorne, stabilize the situation first and then plan later, and don't let Westeros stop until Daenerys returns. ”

"It's going to take at least a month or two, and the Lannisters will make it through that. ”

"Obviously, it can't hold out, as far as I'm talking to you now, the cavalry from the north may have already marched into the Riverlands and expelled Tywin's arsonist team, and the next will soon be the Six Nations attacking the western border, and gold can't stop the army. I'll have to buy the lion some time to at least hold out until little Aegon lands. Robert must die, and then, I'm afraid, I'll have to be a military spy for the lions, trying to keep them from losing too quickly. Varys sighed with some chagrin, "Damn, I should have done it while Paisil was still treating the king, so that I could get away with suspicion...... Now, Robert is surrounded by Eddard's people, and it's not easy to do. ”

"Old friend, you are the best magician in the world, how to make the king disappear, please think of a way. Try to change the trick for a while, please. ”

"I'll do what I have to do, but you have to act fast. Even the best juggler can't throw a hundred balls in the air forever. Varys sighed, "I need more money, and fifty birds." ”

"How many?" said Illyrio, embarrassed, "you don't want the kind you want, you're young and literate, and you have to have no father, no mother, and no family...... If the age requirement is relaxed a bit, a hundred will not be a problem, and the older ones will not be so easy to die......"

"No, it's safer to be younger. Adults looking around arouse suspicion, but who would stare at the little kids running around?" Varys shook his head resolutely, "As for dying...... Game of Thrones, how can there be no risk? If you are uneasy, you should be kind to the birds when you train them. ”

"That's all there is to it, do you have any advice on going ashore?"

"Mix in with the pirates hired by the Lannisters, land quietly in the stormlands, and don't rally or raise the dragon banner first. The specifics were all under Griffin's command, and he knew the place well. Then secretly hook up with Dorne...... Try to see if you can take Storm's End, and if you succeed, you will officially announce your return with the momentum of Storm and Dorne, and if you can't take it, you can retreat to Dorne nearby, and wait for the queen to come to the aid with three dragons and the Unsullied. Varys shook his head: "Specifically, it's useless to discuss it now, as soon as the war starts, anything can happen, you got a bunch of staff and followers for little Aegon, it's time for them to come in handy." ”

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