Descending Flour Street northeast of King's Landing on Rhaenys's Hill, one comes to a labyrinthine, convoluted slum of unpaved alleys and intersections. The buildings here are low and dilapidated, crammed together along narrow lanes, and the stench of pigsties, stables, and tanneries mingles with the smells of wine cellars and brothels... If you know your way around, you can even find shops serving "bowls of brown."
It has a name that is unpleasant, yet well known: Flea Bottom.
The legendary Kingsguard Ser Duncan the Tall, the former false king's "Onion Knight," Davos Seaworth...
Countless stories of those at the bottom rising to prominence began here, just as much of the stench that permeated the entire city also originated from this low-lying area.
Now, Daenerys Targaryen, with her brilliant military achievements and the might of her great victory, had finally brought the flames of the newly established dynasty to this slum located in the heart of the Seven Kingdoms.
The Master of Coin and acting mayor of King's Landing, the famous Imp Tyrion Lannister, spearheaded the first official "relocation" in the history of Westeros. The royal government compensated the original residents at the assessed price, provided new housing in the suburbs of King's Landing and long-term contract work, or a one-time buyout, as resettlement, and expropriated the entire area of Flea Bottom. Thanks to the "low human rights advantage" of the backward feudal era, even the few holdouts who did not want to move, as well as the thugs and ruffians who demanded exorbitant prices or looted amid the chaos, were dealt with by him through a combination of leniency and authority, preventing any significant social unrest.
...
"The deep trench being excavated is a sewer. Upon completion, it will connect to the drainage and sewage system built by Jaehaerys I back then. While eliminating the problem of Flea Bottom's low-lying terrain being prone to flooding, it will greatly improve the city's discharge and self-purification capabilities. Furthermore, with policies prohibiting citizens from dumping household waste and excrement onto the streets, the stench of King's Landing will be significantly improved in a short time."
Standing on a pile of rubble slightly higher than the surroundings, surveying a bustling construction site where no buildings had yet risen, Tyrion explained his plan for Flea Bottom after it was leveled to his assistant and beloved apprentice, with a hint of self-satisfaction.
"Once completed, the sewer will be covered and fenced, with sidewalks laid on both sides. A small amount of housing will be added to the east, connecting with the original wealthy district, to accommodate the Reach nobles 'invited' to King's Landing. The south, near the main road, will be designated as a commercial district for building various financial centers... The remaining area will be planted entirely with flowers, grass, and trees, and organized into a public garden open to the public, named 'King's Landing Central Park.' What do you think?"
"How could I possibly have any opinion on a plan discussed and decided by Lord Aegor and Master?" Nina said with a faint smile. "I just have one question. Flea Bottom is located between the Dragonpit and the Red Keep, in the eastern part of the city center. It only became a slum originally because of its sanitation problems, but after relocation and reconstruction, it will definitely be a treasure trove of land where every inch is worth gold... Isn't allocating nearly half the area to build a 'public garden' a bit too extravagant?"
"I had this question too, but I quickly figured it out... This actually relates to a shift in mindset. I happen to have some free time today to sort it out, so let's talk as we walk."
Tyrion nodded and moved his short legs, heading south down the pile of construction debris.
"An example can illustrate this point. Suppose you are a noble, owning a castle at the intersection of a major road on a plain. Would you rent out your castle's hall to passing merchants and travelers as a resting place, even if it were very profitable?"
"Of course not, that is where I live!" Nina replied without hesitation, then added after realizing something, "But Daenerys should be living in the Red Keep, not camping out in Central Park, right?"
"Indeed not, which is why I said this relates to mindset. If you think about it that way, does Daenerys only need one bedroom to live in? Then what is the point of such a large Red Keep? In nature, the more powerful a creature is, the larger the territory it needs. A field mouse is content with any hole, while a tiger needs tens of thousands of acres of territory to feel secure. The same principle applies to people." Tyrion wagged his finger. "For a beggar, a bridge arch that keeps him out of the rain is his dream dwelling. A yeoman farmer will likely want a small cottage that can shelter him from wind and rain. A slightly affluent citizen with a bit of social standing, which is roughly your current status, will definitely yearn for a large house with separate bedrooms, a kitchen, and a living room. And by the time you reach the lordly class, you can probably imagine and understand that the entire castle is 'where he lives'..."
Tyrion spread his hands. "Do you understand what I mean?"
"I understand. For Daenerys, all of King's Landing is 'where she lives.'" Nina understood quickly. She was not stupid, it was just that there were two social ranks between her and Daenerys, so she could not grasp this principle immediately on her own.
"Exactly. For any normal person, the needs regarding their dwelling are first comfort and safety, then dignity and social interaction... and finally, no, it will never be about making money. Unless it is..." Unless it is a brothel or a whorehouse, he thought to himself, pausing and swallowing the latter half of the sentence. "Looking north from within the Red Keep, one can overlook Flea Bottom, so the future 'Central Park' will be to the Red Keep what a common citizen's living room is to their bedroom. A park covered in vegetation will not only improve the view for those residing in the Red Keep, but also greatly improve the environment and air quality of the entire city, enhancing the city's 'livability.'"
"That word was also invented by your man." Tyrion casually explained before continuing his eloquent speech. "King's Landing is not only Daenerys's residence, but also the face of the Westerosi kingdom... And in the grand political strategy of de-regionalization, it is also a huge gilded cage for the Reach nobles. In her agreement with the Reach nobles, Daenerys required them to move their entire families to King's Landing to stay as guests for at least two years. But what happens after two years? The ideal scenario, of course, is that some nobles firmly return to their territories, while others are attracted by the superior and convenient living environment of the Seven Kingdoms and never want to go back..."
"And given the current messy, stinking state of King's Landing, that goal is absolutely impossible to achieve. The royal family needs to quickly improve King's Landing's 'livability,' and this Central Park is a small but firm link in this vast plan, pushing it toward that goal... With this explanation, you should finally understand why we will not commercialize the park for profit, right?"
"I understand." Nina still only half understood, but considerations at this level of national policy were, after all, beyond her rank. Hearing Tyrion's tone, it was clear he had finished explaining, so even if she still did not understand, she could only go back and slowly ponder and digest it.
"Alright, I didn't ask you to come here today just to walk with me and listen to me brag. There is a very important task I need to give you." Tyrion's expression turned serious, and he added with a complaint, "I'm simply too busy!" He pointed forward. "Do you see that row of bulletin boards by the road?"
Following Tyrion's finger pointing east, Nina saw a row that had been erected in advance on the east side of the road near the edge of Flour Street, at the southernmost tip of the original Flea Bottom...
If Tyrion had not already revealed the answer, she really would not have been able to tell that they were bulletin boards, because they were far too tall and imposing, more than two people high. Anyone wanting to write on them would probably need a ladder. Rather than bulletin boards, they looked more like a wooden wall.
"I see them."
"Behind this wooden wall, the building whose foundation is being laid is the 'King's Landing Royal Exchange.' It will take some time to complete, but the kingdom's financial situation is already so strained that it must open. There is no other way, so I had to first erect a bulletin board facing the road at the location where it will rise, to block the view of the ruins and the dust from the construction site, while also allowing the kingdom's financial machine to start operating in the open air." Tyrion slowed his pace and looked at Nina. "I want you to come here and oversee the sale, trading, and interest payment of the Targaryen national debt, working with me to jointly stabilize the empire's economic and political situation."
(To be continued.)