Aegon and Larys made their way to Maegor's Holdfast.
Maegor's Holdfast is a massive square fortress located in the very center of the Red Keep.
Behind twelve-foot-thick walls and a dry moat filled with iron spikes.
It is a castle within a castle.
Along the way, elite guards from the Hightower Family were visible everywhere.
Due to Aegon's presence, Larys did not have many informants in Maegor's Holdfast.
But he could feel that the Hightower Family's power within the Red Keep was definitely more than what met the eye!
Recently, the Red Keep had replaced a large number of valets, cooks, and rat-catchers.
These people all had ruddy complexions, were tall and strong, and their palms were covered in calluses. Surely they weren't from using mops or pot handles?
"No one is allowed to approach."
Before entering the room, Aegon specifically instructed.
Upon arriving at Aegon's room, Larys stood somewhat awkwardly in front of the desk.
"Sit down, don't tell me I need to pull up a chair for you?"
As he spoke, Aegon had already poured a glass of red wine and handed it to Larys, then poured himself a glass of cold plain water.
"You're not drinking?" Larys looked at Aegon, who was drinking water, with surprise.
The wine Aegon poured for him was Red Gold wine from the Arbor, worth a considerable amount!
Nobles all enjoyed drinking fine wine.
The better the wine, not only was the taste more exquisite, but it was also a symbol of power and wealth.
"Why wouldn't I drink?"
Aegon waved his hand, indicating that Larys didn't need to mind these small details.
Aegon, both in his previous life and now, was someone who enjoyed drinking, but he only drank during meals.
But if he had to drink it every day, at every meal, or diluted with water as if it were water, he couldn't stand it!
Aegon pulled up a wooden chair and sat facing Larys.
"Tell me, what interesting things have your little mice heard?"
"My brother, Harwin, he is going to die." Larys rubbed the stemware in his hand.
Aegon immediately frowned upon hearing this. What did that mean?
What did he mean he was going to die?
And this was the intelligence you gathered?
Wasn't this your plan?
Suddenly, Aegon seemed to remember something and quickly motioned for Larys to continue.
"A mouse told me that His Majesty summoned Prince Daemon. He ordered Prince Daemon to eliminate Harwin and retake the Stepstones within half a year.
And His Majesty will marry Princess Rhaenyra to Prince Daemon a year later and give them his blessing."
Aegon narrowed his eyes and was silent. After a moment, he suddenly sneered.
"His Majesty is truly biased, to have gone to such lengths for Rhaenyra." His tone was flat, his eyes full of disdain.
"Your Highness, I don't think Harwin is the key." Larys frowned.
"Harwin isn't the key? He is Rhaenyra's old lover!
He fathered three bastards, the eldest of whom was even named heir, how embarrassing!"
"Your Highness, whether Harwin lives or dies doesn't have much impact on you, but the problem lies with the Stepstones!" Larys said in a deep voice.
"The Stepstones?"
"That's right, we all know His Majesty's temperament.
He would never be interested in the Stepstones, yet he ordered Daemon to retake the Stepstones within half a year.
Why?"
"How should I know why? It can't be to give them to me, can it?"
Aegon scoffed.
But soon, the smile on Aegon's face faded, and like Larys, his brows were tightly furrowed.
"He wants to transfer me away from King's Landing?" Aegon's expression changed.
Viserys actually wanted to transfer him away from King's Landing!
To put it nicely, it was a transfer, but in reality, it was expulsion to prevent him from continuing to expand his power and influence!
"I think it's very likely.
As long as a peaceful Stepstones is granted to you as a fief, you will be plunged into endless territorial defense wars.
If you lose even a small part of your fief, the Black Party will seize the opportunity to widely publicize it.
Who would be willing to let someone who cannot even defend his own fief ascend the Iron Throne and become the Protector of the Realm of the Seven Kingdoms?"
Larys was silent for a moment, then continued:
"The most crucial thing is, you basically have no room to refuse this time, which is fundamentally different from your refusal at the banquet.
If His Majesty truly enfeoffs you as Earl of Stone Steps Isles, then in the eyes of others, this is a reward for you, not a detriment.
After all, the tolls collected daily from a peaceful Stepstones are a very considerable income.
And if you refuse, no matter how you try to defend yourself, the Black Party will definitely portray you as a coward lacking the courage to protect the Kingdom!
Or you have already prepared for war and will directly move to eliminate the Black Party.
In this case, His Majesty would have no choice but to declare you heir and abdicate early.
But I don't think going to war is a good option. Although you have four dragons, you don't have enough troops.
Don't look at some nobles who are now clamoring to support you; they are all fence-sitters and will never go against the King for you."
Larys's analysis was very objective.
Although Aegon had four dragons, he was not invincible. Unless absolutely necessary, he didn't want to break ties.
Moreover, he still had many plans that hadn't been implemented yet.
He needed time to prepare and accumulate the power to crush the Black Party in one blow!
"Do you have any good suggestions?" Aegon tapped the table absentmindedly, his eyes flickering.
Larys slightly adjusted his collar and sat up straight.
"I think... you can completely go with the flow!"
"Elaborate."
"Please forgive my upcoming offense, Your Highness." Larys looked at Aegon.
Aegon nodded in agreement.
After getting Aegon's permission, Larys then stated his thoughts.
"His Majesty has always been thinking about how to drive you out of King's Landing, thinking that this would weaken your influence, but he has forgotten how he himself came to sit on the Iron Throne.
In 101 AC, the Great Council to choose the heir was held at Harrenhal.
At least a thousand lords took half a year to arrive gradually.
The Great Council's debate lasted thirteen days.
Princess Rhaenys and her daughter were also excluded respectively due to their gender.
Finally, only two candidates remained, Laenor Velaryon and His Majesty.
Ultimately, His Majesty won the succession with an absolute majority of votes.
Was it because Laenor had no right of succession?
Or was it because His Majesty was too outstanding?
Clearly neither!
In the eyes of many, the Great Council of 101 AC established an unbreakable precedent regarding the issue of succession: regardless of age, the Iron Throne passes to sons, not daughters, nor to the male descendants of women.
This was not only the will of Jaehaerys I but also the will of most nobles in Westeros!
So even if you leave King's Landing, you still have the Queen and others to help you maintain your foothold in King's Landing.
Your fundamental influence will not be greatly affected.
On the contrary, you only need to achieve some success in the Stepstones and let everyone see your methods and courage, and you can also take the opportunity to win over more allies!
Therefore, there is no need for you to insist on staying in King's Landing; that would only be counterproductive.
It's better to go to the Stepstones with the flow and let the Black Party relax their vigilance.
It would be best to split the Triarchy composed of Tyrosh, Myr, and Lys.
Destroy Tyrosh, take over the entire Stepstones, and annex Tyrosh's land in the Disputed Lands.
Once you have a firm foothold, you can also build your own army and avoid being held hostage by the nobles under your command with their armies!"
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