Rhaegar walked the streets of Tyrosh, codenamed Justin the Piper.
Tyrosh is a fortress city protected by high walls, located at the northeasternmost tip of the Stepstones. Its black inner walls are magnificent and grand, possessing a strong Old Valyria style. Unfortunately, the House Targaryen knows nothing about this technique, not even the basics. They are illiterate, uncultured Dragon Kings, the lower-tier Dragon Kings knowing very little about the core technologies of Old Valyria. When Rhaegar sees Tyrosh, he always thinks of Sunspear in Dorne on the peninsula; the two cities are too close. However, Tyrosh is much larger and livelier. The Dornish voluntarily gave up their naval power, and Sunspear became an extension of land power; otherwise, Dorne's Sunspear might not have been inferior to Tyrosh. The relationship between the Dornish and the Tyroshi is also very good; previously, many children of Tyroshi Archons were raised together in Dorne's Water Gardens.
The Tyroshi are known worldwide for their boisterousness, flamboyance, and greed. Rhaegar's blue suit doesn't stand out much. He merely appears younger, more handsome, and more vibrant.
Rhaegar scanned the streets of Tyrosh. Religious freedom prevails here, as it does in all the Free Cities, except for the theocratic states like Norvos and Qohor. The three-headed god of Tyrosh resides in a tower with three turrets; the first head devours the dead, the third head spews forth new life, but what the middle head represents is unknown. Besides the three-headed god, there are also followers of the red god rhllor.
The Red Priests ignited flames, let out resonant cries, and began to pray again. The sleeves, collars, and edges of the Red Priests' red robes were embroidered with yellow flame satin. Their prayers generally meant to light the holy fire, help them resist the darkness, illuminate their path, warm their bodies, because the long night is dark and perilous everywhere, and save them from monsters.
Rhaegar had no interest in these charlatans. He was immune to magic, so what was the point of believing? He was disgusted by all gods—the three-headed god, the Seven Gods, the red god, and the black goat.
Rhaegar was more interested in finding Dragonseeds of the Targaryen bloodline in Tyrosh, looking for any information about House Blackfyre descendants, but unfortunately, there were no obvious clues. Daemon Blackfyre's wife was Rohanne of Tyrosh, a noblewoman from a prominent Tyroshi family. After Daemon Blackfyre was shot dead by his half-brother Bloodraven on the Redgrass Field, Blackfyre fled Westeros with Daemon's widow and his remaining sons, exiling themselves here. Daemon Blackfyre's wife was very prolific, having seven sons and several daughters, and most of these children lived to adulthood, which was unimaginable in that era. Given this population, the House Blackfyre would sooner or later declare war on the main branch of the Red Dragons; their family was simply too fruitful and prosperous, even more so than the main line. Rhaegar did not believe that the House Blackfyre was extinct just like that; he had to retrieve the blackfyre.
But being too handsome was also a nuisance, constantly drawing attention. Many mercenary groups and even pleasure gardens tried to recruit Rhaegar because he was young, handsome, and appeared agile, making him more suitable as a warrior than a down-and-out flutist. As for the pleasure gardens, they assured Rhaegar that with the handsome eyes and heroic face of the blue piper, even if he were mute, he would quickly become their top attraction, earning far more than a wandering flutist.
Rhaegar was annoyed by these people. He didn't do much to those with good attitudes, but those with bad attitudes were beaten black and blue by Rhaegar. The Tyroshi also heard that the beautiful, handsome, elusive piper wandering the city was also a bad-tempered, ruthless warrior! However, Tyrosh was already undergoing a new round of internal strife, and not many people cared about a piper. Speaking of which, Rhaegar indeed had a princess ancestor who had gone to sea and left many Dragonseeds across the Narrow Sea.
Rhaegar fashioned himself a silver mask and wore it. A silver mask was no challenge for Tyroshi blacksmiths, who were skilled at making ornate helmets, adorned with gold and silver carvings, exaggeratedly shaped into various birds and beasts.
Rhaegar was very satisfied: the Silver Fool, the Silver Piper, the Silver Flash of Tyrosh. Shireen might have guessed it was him, but the girl hadn't appeared, perhaps busy with other things.
As Rhaegar walked the streets of Tyrosh, the city's fragmentation was expanding. Mercenaries were everywhere like a gust of wind, and the old and new parties frequently clashed and fought.
"Lies! All lies! The treaty is fake, the peace is fake, our Archon sold the Stepstones to the Westerosi! He succumbed to dragons and fire, he is unworthy to be called the Archon of Tyrosh!" A fat slave trader with a forked blue beard roared in front of a three-headed god temple, raising his arm. Tyroshi slave traders were extremely wild, even venturing beyond the Wall to capture wildlings, completely risking their lives for money. They were furious that the shipping lanes were controlled by the Iron Throne.
"Lies, my ass! Have you forgotten how the Lyseni waged trade wars against us all these years? Besides, what good would come from cooperating with the Lyseni? Back then, the Lyseni screwed over our entire grand fleet, and the widows of Myr and Tyrosh cursed the Lyseni together before the Archon's Council, have you forgotten that? Isn't peace better? That's a barren land, only pirates and slave traders would like it." Another Tyroshi with a purple forked beard said discontentedly.
"You speak well of the Westerosi, you're a traitor to Tyrosh!" the slave trader angrily accused.
"You're spouting nonsense!" The merchant was equally unyielding, and the two began to fight.
Rhaegar watched the two factions with interest. Slave traders, mercenary adventurers, and pirates were intricately linked, naturally supporting the reopening of the Stepstones. Normal merchants, however, would generally support the Archon of Tyrosh; the Stepstones were a desolate place, and normal shipping lanes were best. It was better for Westeros to control them than for the Lyseni to get involved.
The Tyroshi no-holds-barred fighting competition officially began. The two factions furiously engaged in battle. Beatings and insults, even assassinations and kidnappings, occurred in many parts of Tyrosh, fueled by the instigation of the Lyseni and Myrish.
Rhaegar looked at the Tyroshi sky, feeling as if the city had plunged into a bloody hue.
"War! War! We want war!" Near the Fountain of the Wine God in the inner city of Tyrosh, the largest procession surged menacingly towards the Archon's mansion.
Rhaegar also stood in the crowd, watching this colorful, awe-inspiring, massive procession. A demonstration of this scale in any city meant the situation was dire.
Leading the charge was Governor Dario, a senior governor of the Tyroshi Archon's Council and a powerful opponent of the Archon of Tyrosh. Governor Dario's hair and forked beard were bright blue, and he wore a vivid ochre-red robe, roaring loudly. Every time Governor Dario cheered, the crowd behind him responded with enthusiastic support. This man, who had lost in a previous election, harbored resentment towards the Archon of Tyrosh. Now, with financial support from the Lyseni and Myrish, he brazenly jumped out again to incite war.
Behind Dario were his supporting governor colleagues, representatives of his investor merchants, some mercenary leaders, and the great slave traders of Tyrosh. Rhaegar even saw traces of Lyseni and Myrish merchants in the crowd. The Lyseni and Myrish governments were very cunning, only dispatching merchant groups to inject funds, not yet choosing to get directly involved themselves.
The Tyroshi Archon election was a notorious case of vote-buying, where investors, with a gambling mentality, poured vast sums into various candidates, facing either victory or defeat. Now, the defeated Dario still had a chance of success, and many investors reappeared by his side.
"Brother, aren't you going to shout a few slogans? They're paying for it," a mercenary quietly said to Rhaegar, who was watching the commotion.
"No!" Rhaegar shook his head. In such a chaotic situation, he didn't believe the Archon of Tyrosh would remain indifferent. This money wouldn't be easy to get.
"The Archon's guard is here!" Someone shouted, and many onlookers or those paid to loiter scattered, leaving behind only Governor Dario's die-hard supporters.
A guard force of three to four hundred men charged menacingly, wearing helmets adorned with various birds and beasts, bright silver armor, and wielding longswords or crossbows. The guards were the Archon of Tyrosh's personal retainers; most of their wages were paid by the Archon, and they would only obey his commands.
"Disperse quickly!" the bearded guard captain shouted fiercely, as the soldiers beat their shields and brandished their longswords.
The soldiers formed a shield wall and began to advance.
Governor Dario showed no fear. He took off his clothes, revealing armor underneath, and the mercenaries behind him also stepped forward, ready to fight the guards.
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