(3 Months Later)
Another three months had passed, and under the rule of Jon Snow or Aegon Targaryen, or as the people called him, Lord Aeos, Astapor had begun to witness a massive transformation.
The old Astapor had been a poverty-stricken city. Its buildings along with the houses of the residents had been crumbling, with dirt and garbage littering the streets.
Even the city walls were half-ruined, on the verge of collapse. Only the rich nobles and merchants who lived off the blood and sweat of slaves enjoyed a decent lifestyle. But even they were not immune from the foul stench of the sewage and waste which was disposed without any organised manner.
But since Jon had taken up the mantle as the new monarch, things had begun to change.
Jon had ordered large portions of the city to be reconstructed. Marketplaces and other public areas had either already been renovated or were in the process of being transformed.
The streets had been paved with new baked bricks, and proper sewage canals now lined them, which was disposed of at some distance away from the city. Since, most of the waste was biodegradable waste and not the plastic of the modern world, it was not much of a problem. Besides, they had too much land to be worried about this.
Flowers and local plants had been planted along the thoroughfares to give the city a pleasing appearance. The entire city was being beautified.
Gone was the pungent stench of sewage and rotting garbage, replaced by the fresh, salty fragrance of ocean winds.
While it may seem that Jon was wasting too much time on a single city, he was forming a base which would act as a lure for the other cities. The developments in Astapor would make sure that people of other cities would be willing to accept him or even support and help him when he invaded the other cities.
The spies Jon had selected from among the former prostitutes had also nearly all been dispatched. He was a little wary of this venture, uncertain of how successful it would be.
For now, the women had only been sent to the other Free Cities only and selection of another batch was ongoing. He hoped they could settle in well.
On his part, he had trained them both hard and smart. Each woman was given a small contingent of two maids and two Unsullied disguised as personal servants. His birds, his special bonded creatures, provided an additional layer of security, ensuring the spies did not have to rely on risky networks to send messages.
On the economic front, Astapor was thriving. The alcohol business had become a massive success, its demand rising constantly. Wine, especially, was among the most popular new products. It had already become a favourite among Essosi nobles and was starting to gain favour in Westeros too.
Jon deliberately kept the wine's supply limited to maintain its exclusivity. To meet growing demand and to begin exporting more to Westeros, he had commissioned new factories for alcohol production on an industrial scale.
These were far larger than the small brewery he had first acquired. The kingdom, or more precisely Jon himself, maintained full ownership and control of all alcohol production.
Merchants had to buy directly from his factories, though Astapori merchants were given preferred treatment. As compensation for the closure of their brothels, many former brothel owners were offered roles in this lucrative trade.
The same was true for construction materials. Whether it was baked bricks, cement, or limestone paint, everything was in huge demand. From wealthy nobles and merchants to ordinary commoners dreaming of sturdy homes, everyone wanted them.
Yet Jon still controlled the supply carefully. He had no intention of flooding the market too soon. Nearly half the production was used for Astapor's own renovation. The city's walls were being reinforced. The cracks were being stuffed with cement, and additional brick layers added inside and out to strengthen the stone defences.
For the heavy industries, brick baking and the cement manufacturing, Jon had established a small satellite city some distance from Astapor.
Surrounded by stout brick walls, it kept dust and pollution away from the main city. It housed massive kilns dedicated to producing bricks, cement, and limestone paint.
Despite all this, Jon was well aware that Astapori products had started to be resisted by the ruling elites of the other cities. His speech of building an empire was fresh in the memory of the most of people and with the massive economic success of Astapor, it did not seem far fetched. Hence, the ruling elite of the other cities were not keen on supporting their would be.
But as is everywhere, wealth speaks louder. The pure wealth making merchants of those cities were opposed to the idea and hence an agreement had been reached between them. But Jon knew that the resistance would only continue and very soon he would have to make a move on his next target.
Jon, followed by Sylvia, Jelerion, and a dozen Supreme Shadows, was walking through the city toward the port. The port itself had been renovated and now stood in far better condition.
Wherever Jon passed, people looked at him with awe and reverence. Even wealthy merchants gazed at him with wonder, despite the fact that he had taken away their slave businesses. Under his rule, Astapor was prospering. The climate for trade was excellent, and the nobles were richer than ever. Naturally, they respected and even admired, Lord Aeos.
When Jon reached the port area, he did not turn toward the sea.
Instead, he walked along a newly constructed road that connected the port to a set of new buildings. Hundreds of people were already waiting on either side of the road, eager to witness what was about to unfold. Unsullied stood in tight formations, keeping the crowd at bay.
This area beside the port had once been empty wasteland. But under Jon's command, new structures had risen here part of another of his flagship initiatives that he was about to inaugurate today.
It was one of those initiatives which was going to serve as Jon's power base in every Essosi city.
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