At this point in the conversation, it was difficult for the old ministers, who had once sworn allegiance, to oppose the proposal.
Corlys glanced subtly at his daughter before slapping the table with his large hand in agreement with the suggestion.
It was the same reasoning behind his appointment as the Lord of the Admiralty.
A woman governing Lys under the title of Prince Regent was far better than the crown prince managing it directly.
Otherwise, the Velaryon family would struggle to get a foothold and claim a share of the benefits.
Leonor also agreed and moved on to the next topic: "The princess governing Lys is not an issue. Perhaps we should discuss the selection of council members."
Lyman pondered for a moment. "There are multiple candidates for the council. The Iron Throne should appoint one or more members."
"For the sake of fairness, Your Majesty, we should call upon talented individuals from all regions and conduct an impartial selection," Orwyle suggested humbly, speaking for the first time.
"Hold on, the selection of council members requires further discussion."
Viserys chuckled, his eyes falling upon the two envoys present.
For a moment, no one paid attention to Otto's displeased expression.
Only Alicent, her face grim, silently took a large sip of wine.
Father and daughter had sought to secure benefits for the Green faction's children, only to realize that their influence in the Small Council was severely lacking.
Between the king and the crown prince, they had already been crushed into insignificance.
The meeting continued.
Rhaegar helped Rhaenyra take a seat and spoke plainly: "The council will initially consist of three members. The Black Swan, Johanna Swann, will take one of the seats, remaining in Lys to assist the future queen."
Viserys raised an eyebrow with interest. "The daughter of House Swann who was abducted?"
Johanna Swann's tragic experience had been a sensational topic at the time.
Rhaegar nodded. "She is an incredibly capable woman and played a significant role in Lys' victory."
He held a great deal of respect for Johanna—not just out of sympathy, but because of her exceptional abilities. She had handled many of Lys' affairs on his behalf.
Among the newly conquered Free Cities, Tyrosh had been slow to submit under Daemon's harsh rule, and Rhaenys had yet to subdue the old noble families of Myr.
Only in Lys had Johanna successfully negotiated with the remaining elite class, consolidating control and stabilizing the situation.
Viserys, impressed, said sincerely, "Having such a loyal and talented individual serving the crown will undoubtedly make Rhaenyra's governance much easier."
With that single statement, Johanna's position as a council member was secured.
Rhaegar smiled and raised his cup in a toast.
He needed Johanna's service to maintain his influence over Lys' political landscape.
After all, power-sharing did not mean foolishly handing everything away.
Father and son played off each other seamlessly, leaving the others in the room exchanging glances.
Corlys, deep in thought, cast a glance at the envoys from Pentos and Volantis before nodding slightly.
Having been away from the political center for years, he noticed that his cousin, the king, had grown significantly in political acumen.
Perhaps it was also thanks to having a strong heir, one who gave him the confidence to say "no."
After considering the situation, Corlys raised a hand calmly and declared, "As the prince previously stated, the second council seat should belong to House Velaryon."
"Of course, Lord Corlys," Viserys agreed without hesitation.
With a confirmed answer, a faint smile appeared on Corlys' otherwise stern face, and he said no more.
When it came to family interests, there was no need for politeness.
The royal family had promised benefits, so there was no reason for him to refuse.
With just a few exchanges, two seats had been allocated.
The envoys from Pentos and Volantis no longer appeared indifferent. They leaned forward eagerly.
"Your Majesty, the Iron Throne should grant our city-states a council seat as well," one of them urged.
At the onset of the war, the Targaryens had engaged in extensive negotiations with various factions.
First and foremost was the matter of port taxation.
This was not difficult to implement.
With the three daughters' cities under their control, the Iron Throne had full authority over tax rates.
The prince of Pentos and the Triarchs of Volantis believed the tax rate should be significantly increased, with an appropriate share allocated to them.
In fact, if the three Free Cities under Targaryen rule had excessively high taxes, more merchants would be drawn to Pentos and Volantis instead.
Next came the issues of land and population.
Tyrosh was under Daemon's control, while Myr and Lys remained under the Iron Throne's jurisdiction.
Both Pentos and Volantis had expected at least one of these cities to be handed over to them.
At the very least, they demanded large portions of land and a significant number of enslaved people as compensation.
But the Targaryens had no intention of paying such a high price.
Viserys spread his hands and said with feigned innocence, "There are only so many council seats. I can grant you the final one, but your two great cities will have to negotiate among yourselves."
The envoy from Pentos frowned and pressed further. "Beyond the council seat, Your Majesty, we also request that the land and population of the three cities be allocated accordingly."
"No," Viserys shook his head firmly. "I will not divide land that belongs to House Targaryen."
After a brief pause, he added with emphasis, "And Westeros does not permit slavery in any form!"
"Make no mistake: land and population are out of the question."
The envoy from Pentos turned grim, his expression darkening as he sternly asked, "If no land or population is to be distributed, how does the Iron Throne plan to compensate its allies for their losses?"
"Port taxation!"
Rhaegar remained composed as he took over the conversation.
The Volantis envoy spoke in a heavy tone, "Even if Lord Corlys' tax policies were implemented and fully allocated for ten years, it would still not be enough to make up for the wealth we are owed!"
Rhaegar idly rolled a stone sphere in his hand and said generously, "That is precisely why I intend to divide the revenue over a hundred years!"
"What?"
Viserys was stunned, momentarily thinking he had misheard.
A hundred years!
That was not one year or ten years—Targaryen rule over Westeros had only lasted a little over a century.
"Let me finish, Father."
Before the ministers could object, Rhaegar spoke resolutely, "To fairly compensate all of our allies, I am willing to allocate the taxation revenue from Lys, dividing it among our allies in place of land and population."
"In return, the Velaryon family, as well as Pentos and Volantis, must contribute labor and resources toward the restoration and development of the port. You will not simply reap the benefits without effort."
Corlys frowned deeply, cautious as he asked, "According to your proposal, how much of the revenue would we receive?"
Rhaegar had already prepared for this. He gestured for Tormund to hand over several ledgers and explained rationally, "The Iron Throne will take ten percent, the Prince of Lys will receive thirty percent, and the remaining sixty percent will be evenly divided among the three of you."
Each faction would receive twenty percent for a period spanning a hundred years.
It was an unfathomable amount of wealth.
The Prince of Lys' share was not excessive—one-tenth would be paid to the Iron Throne, strengthening the bond between the two.
Corlys examined the documents, his face filled with disbelief. "Prince, are you expecting us to fund the reconstruction of Lys as well?"
The records made it clear: Lys' development would rely on financial contributions from all three allies, in addition to the Iron Throne.
Rhaegar stated matter-of-factly, "Lys has suffered the devastation of war. The Iron Throne alone cannot bear the financial burden. Otherwise, why do you think I am distributing the tax revenue over a hundred years?"
"Our return on investment will take a full century?" Corlys immediately caught the key point.
Rhaegar replied, "Slow and steady—your family will have a steady stream of substantial income for the next hundred years."
"Allow me to consider it carefully." Corlys responded with solemnity.
Rhaegar smiled without pressing further, giving the three parties time to think.
The value of Lys' port taxation was indisputable—among the Nine Free Cities, only Braavos and Pentos had superior trade hubs.
Beyond the revenue, each ally would also receive a certain degree of port management rights.
It was an incredibly tempting offer.
Even Rhaegar himself felt some reluctance in making this decision.
However, if it secured land and population from the Three Daughters while simultaneously binding Pentos and Volantis to his cause through economic interests, it would be a strategic boon for the Targaryens' foothold in Essos.
With three city-states under his control, the division of Lys' benefits would ensure Myr's preservation.
As for Tyrosh, he needed to negotiate with Daemon to distribute some of the port's tax revenue accordingly.
The allies fell into deep thought, and a temporary silence filled the council chamber.
Otto Hightower, after composing himself, tentatively asked, "Prince, Lys follows the High Tower system. What are your plans for Myr?"
Rhaegar calmly answered, "As an inland city-state, Myr will be directly governed as part of the Crownlands, modeled after the administration of King's Landing."
The royal family would hold nominal control while ministers would be elected to manage internal affairs, turning Myr into a city-state with colonial expansion potential.
According to his vision, he would grant land to brave and distinguished noble second sons and landless knights, assisting them with loans to develop their fiefs.
At the same time, he would promote certain members of Myr's native freedmen class, solidifying control over the city.
Over time, this system would form a structured hierarchy, with villages and towns surrounding the city in a stable framework.
Otto's eyes flickered with thought before he said, "Myr will require an influx of talent. The Small Council can select a group of promising young men for governance."
"Exactly, and I must rely on the ministers to oversee this process," Rhaegar acknowledged before adding, "Lord Otto, as the Master of Laws, I have some ideas that require your cooperation."
His gaze sharpened.
Tormund swayed slightly as he pulled another document from his sleeve and handed it over.
Otto hesitated before taking it, a sense of foreboding settling over him.
The last time he vied for the position of Master of Laws, he had spent three years implementing the street-cleaning project in King's Landing.
For that, he had endured a daily bombardment of dead rats and cats thrown at his residence, earning the nickname "Shit and Piss Minister" from the flea-ridden masses.
And now, Rhaegar had another scheme in mind.
Rhaegar saw his unease and chuckled. "With the reconstruction of three city-states, we will require a large number of craftsmen. I intend to establish a unified 'Craftsmen Registry.'"
"A separate registry for craftsmen?"
Otto, well-read and knowledgeable, immediately understood the implications.
Rhaegar neither confirmed nor denied it.
Otto frowned, puzzled. "Craftsmen hold a low social status. King's Landing is full of them—why go through the trouble of creating a specialized registry?"
The concept of household registration was too advanced for Westeros. At present, the region still followed a rudimentary system of family-based identity records, without formal documentation.
The existing social hierarchy was simple: nobles, knights, and commoners.
Craftsmen were categorized as commoners, with little to no special distinction.
"This is to foster skilled artisans," Rhaegar explained. "There may be many craftsmen, but experts in specific trades are far rarer. A designated registry will help preserve and pass down their knowledge."
For example, stonemasons would have a unique registry, ensuring their skills were passed down through generations.
Changing one's registry would not be allowed—except for those who sought military service to earn merit in battle.
Otto, ever rigid in his thinking, scoffed, "Prince, even if you create a separate craftsmen class, it won't change anything."
A mere piece of paper—how could that possibly benefit craftsmen?
Even if it did, what impact could mere artisans have?
Westeros had always been a land ruled by nobles and knights.
Rhaegar, patient as ever, elaborated, "The Craftsmen Registry is meant to protect artisans. They build castles, forge armor, and craft stirrups. They are the best servants a kingdom can have."
(End of Chapter)