Traveling from Starfall to Beacon Tower on horseback took half a day, but sailing downriver was much faster.
Arthur stood on the deck of the warship, gazing into the distance.
The towering stone tower of Beacon Tower gradually came into focus. The flame at its summit burned brightly even in daylight.
To the northwest of the tower lay a concave stretch of beach, carved out over the years by the currents of the Torrentine and the sea.
The terrain here was flat—exactly the location proposed in Jerry's plan for the new port.
Since no port or pier had been built yet, Arthur and his party lowered a small boat from the warship and rowed ashore.
Karl 'Bi' leaned on his oar and sighed in admiration. "The current of the Torrentine slows to almost nothing here, and the ocean currents from the Summer Sea to the north are blocked by the protruding rock face."
"Add to that the flat terrain and the absence of hidden reefs, and this is absolutely the perfect choice for building a port."
Jimmy nodded in agreement. "This location is almost dead center along the coastline of the Starfall domains. Establishing a port here is convenient, and it will make it much easier for the fleet to dock and patrol the coast."
"Then we execute Jerry's plan," Arthur said. "Build the port here. Quentyn, you will be responsible for overseeing the port's construction."
Stepping onto the shore, Arthur walked on the soft sand, bending down to scoop up a handful. Fine grains slipped through his fingers.
"Can this sand... really be made into glass and window panes?" Arthur asked, rubbing the grains between his thumb and forefinger.
Torres, a glassmaker from Myr—a small man with olive skin—immediately stepped forward.
"The sea sand here has a uniform texture. Glass made from it is tough and durable, though the sand needs to be washed multiple times with fresh water."
He pulled out a finished glass pane. Sunlight passed through it, casting colorful spots on the ground. "To make stained glass panes, we add metal salts during the firing process. I mostly use this kind of sea sand for my glass."
It was hard to imagine that the sand in his hands could, through the craftsman's art, be transformed into glass panes sold for the same price as eastern spices.
Knowledge truly was wealth.
Arthur tossed the sand back into the sea and clapped his hands. "Karl, I approve both of your proposals. You will also oversee the construction of the salt pans and the glassworks."
Having given his instructions, Arthur strode toward Beacon Tower. "Jerry, come with me to see the Peach Orchard."
Jerry, who was still feeling dejected about not being put in charge of the port construction, quickly caught up with Arthur.
Now, the entire Peach Orchard was surrounded by a two-meter-high wooden palisade, with three-story wooden watchtowers at the corners. After the guards pushed open the main gate, Arthur stepped inside.
Almost a year had passed since the orchard was burned. Revisiting the site filled Arthur with a sense of nostalgia and dislocation.
He still remembered Pate guiding him through the orchard, introducing the peach groves he had meticulously planned and tended, and showing him the wines produced by the distillery.
And the Amber Peach Wine, initially priced at ten silver stags a flagon.
He also remembered the devastation when the orchard was burned—the twisted, blackened trees, the ruins left after the fire, the desolate scene of ash swirling in the wind.
Now...
Before his eyes, peach trees were reborn from the ashes. Though their trunks were not as thick as before the fire, they had already begun to blossom and bear fruit.
Arthur saw pink peach blossoms attracting bees, and he spotted beekeepers and fruit farmers moving through the groves.
If he hadn't walked to the hill at the end of the orchard and seen the rows of graves, it would have seemed as if the Peach Orchard had never been destroyed.
Standing before Pate's tombstone, Jerry, who had been silent the whole way, spoke up.
"Lord Arthur, as you can see, the peach trees have started to bear fruit. The master brewers have begun fermenting the first batch of Amber Peach Wine and peach brandy."
"However, it needs time to ferment and age to ensure it develops the desired flavor and quality."
"Well done. To restore ruins in a year... Pate did not misjudge you." Arthur gazed at Pate's tombstone. The original simple wooden marker had been replaced by a large stone monument, carved with a lifelike statue of Pate.
"When the distillery produces the first batch of Amber Peach Wine, use the first run to offer a libation to them. Let them know in the afterlife that the Peach Orchard has been rebuilt."
"As you command." A flash of sadness crossed Jerry's face. "My Lord, do you wish to visit the distillery?"
"No need." Arthur withdrew his gaze from the statue and looked at Jerry. "Are you disappointed that I didn't let you lead the construction of the Beacon Tower port? After all, I said whoever proposed the plan would execute it."
Jerry looked taken aback, but finally gritted his teeth and answered, "My Lord, I admit I feel frustrated."
"Seeking truth from facts—that is why I always appreciated Pate." Arthur nodded.
"I need someone trustworthy to supervise centrally, to coordinate and implement the various plans. This was what Pate did in Braavos."
"I hope you can shoulder this responsibility."
Jerry was stunned for a moment, then immediately knelt. "I swear by Lord Pate's grave that I will not fail your trust, my Lord."
Arthur helped him up and patted his shoulder. "Pack your things tonight. Tomorrow, you return to Starfall with me."
Afterward, Arthur visited the rebuilt almshouse, which was connected to the living quarters of the fruit farmers, beekeepers, and guards.
"The Father brings justice."
"The Mother teaches mercy and compassion."
"The Warrior gives us courage and victory..."
Arthur stopped outside the courtyard gate, listening to the voices of septons teaching the children inside to read and recite religious texts.
After standing outside for a while, Arthur headed to Beacon Tower.
In the following days, his subordinates submitted numerous proposals. Arthur rejected the wildly impractical ones one by one, while modifying and adopting the feasible ones.
The approved plans were as follows:
Gerold Dayne was tasked with continuing the expansion of the arena, adding venues for wrestling, dueling, team melee, horse racing, and bullfighting.
This was intended to foster a martial spirit among the people of the Starfall domains while also providing entertainment venues for them to vent their emotions.
Septon Alyse was responsible for expanding the Violet Sept, adding an almshouse, a scriptorium, and a library.
The almshouse would not only take in orphans but also provide aid to the sick and disabled in the Starfall domains, offering basic food, drink, and medical services at low or no cost.
Arthur intended to use this to train medical personnel and attract desperate patients and their families to the Violet Sept and Starfall.
The scriptorium would allow clergy, scribes, and copyists to work, copying the complete set of religious texts Arthur had obtained from the High Septon, as well as other purchased books.
In Westeros, books were precious items, especially rare manuscripts, for which the Citadel would sometimes pay their weight in gold.
These books could be sold or used to ensure the library provided enlightenment and education to the people.
After calculating the budget for all the adopted plans, Fat Karen reported that the total expenditure was seven hundred and fifty thousand gold dragons, with two hundred fifty thousand already paid out.
Just as Fat Karen breathed a sigh of relief, thinking Arthur's million-gold-dragon plan was coming to an end, he heard Arthur say lightly:
"Put all the rest into the construction of the fleet."