Chapter 191: Encounter with Tyrion

"Slander?" Dany's interest was piqued as she asked, "Maybe what the Ghiscari say is true. I've heard that the Mother of Dragons is not only ten feet tall but also has a ten-foot waist, steals men's souls with sorcery, and is nothing short of a monster."

"Maybe." The girl from Volantis shrugged and said casually, "Maybe that woman is a monster, but the Ghiscari are far from being as brave, righteous, and noble as they claim in their performances."

"The nobles and great merchants hate the Mother of Dragons because of maritime trade. You don't seem to be a noble, yet you dislike her too. Why?" Dany asked curiously.

"She's a madwoman. How could a world exist without slaves? I don't want my current life to be ruined," the blonde girl from Volantis replied.

"In Braavos, we have no slaves. Now, we have surpassed Volantis and become the foremost of the Nine Free Cities. And, if I may say so, the newly freed people of Slaver's Bay might not be worse off than you."

"The Mother of Dragons allocates 15 acres of cultivated land to every freed slave, with a fixed tax rate of one-tenth. She also provides interest-free loans, allowing them to buy oxen and start small businesses. Everyone has property."

The Ghiscari's talk of the "Five Hawks Fighting the Dragon Queen" had indeed provoked Dany. At this moment, her emotions were slightly heated, and her words were a bit blunt.

Sure enough, the blonde girl grew suspicious. She took a step back and asked warily, "Who are you? How do you know so much?"

"The New Ghiscari and Qartheen all know."

Whitebeard picked up the conversation in a calm tone, "We just returned from Jade Sea. When we passed through New Ghis, they were hosting a 'Dragon-Slaying Assembly.'"

"Do you know about the Allied Army, the United Nations, and the Dragon-Slaying Assembly?"

"Even Volantis sent representatives, and it was one of the most important council members."

"I—I..." The girl from Volantis blushed with embarrassment and muttered, "I'm just an ordinary free citizen. I don't know what the noble lords are up to."

After saying that, she lowered her head and quickly ran away.

"I didn't expect the Ghiscari to be so vicious," Whitebeard muttered in a low voice.

"Let's stay an extra day and find out where those bastards are staying," Dany gritted her teeth.

After walking another few dozen meters, the Cadillac atop the elephant turned back and called out, "Guests, we've arrived! Ahead is the Merchant's House. What kind of room would you like to book? I can take you a little further if needed."

The Merchant's House stood by the Fishmonger's Square, facing south. It offered the finest wines in Volantis and the most abundant accommodations.

It was a massive four-story structure towering over the surrounding warehouses, taverns, and brothels. Its street-facing side stretched over three hundred meters wide, with five large doors, each leading to different levels of lodging.

"Upper mid-tier will do," Barristan called out to the blonde coachman, then turned to Dany and explained in a low voice, "The highest-tier guest rooms are private courtyards—clean and quiet, but not ideal for gathering information."

Dany nodded, agreeing with his decision.

Two minutes later, the elephant stopped in front of the middle entrance.

Before the carriage even came to a full stop, a young man with black hair, dressed in a clean white linen tunic, approached and bowed. "Are you two looking for a place to stay?"

Dany noticed that a door was tattooed on his face.

A doorman?

Barristan disembarked with his backpack and began speaking to the inn's attendants. Meanwhile, Dany noticed that Cadillac, who had led the elephant, hadn't left. Instead, he looked at her expectantly.

She smiled and asked, "Are you waiting for a tip?"

Caught off guard, the long-faced youth looked a bit embarrassed and stammered, "Before coming here, my master told me you were a generous guest. You even gave Aunt Kelly a golden honor."

"If I give you a tip, won't your master take it away?" Dany asked.

"Maybe he'll reward me with a roast chicken and a bottle of sour grape wine," he said with anticipation.

"Alright, for the sake of your roast chicken and wine."

Dany nodded, removed her backpack, and took out a handful of shiny copper coins.

"Find something to hold them in," she said to the dumbfounded youth.

"Oh..." At first, Cadillac looked disappointed, but then he reconsidered—after all, the money wasn't his to begin with, and the carriage fare was only a few coppers. The tip was over ten times that, so it wasn't too bad.

With a cheerful step, he walked over, untied the linen cloth around his waist, and said, "You can drop them here!"

Clatter, clatter— Two handfuls of fresh copper coins poured into his cloth pouch. The blonde youth bowed repeatedly, exclaiming, "Thank you, Miss! Thank you, Miss!"

Seeing this, the nearby attendants became even more eager to serve Barristan.

"The first floor is the main hall. Street-facing rooms can be noisy, while the backyard's second-floor rooms are the most spacious and comfortable," one of them said.

"Two connected premium rooms facing the street—we'd like to see Volantis' night view," Barristan responded.

"Understood."

"And our horses..."

Before they could finish, Cadillac had already untied the reins securing the horses to the elephant carriage.

"Catch!" Dany tossed him two more copper coins. "This is for you—go to the square and buy yourself a fish steak and a cup of wine."

"Miss, you're a kind and generous person!"

As Dany stepped into the Merchant's House's public lounge, she was immediately met with the noise of merchants and travelers, combined with the heat of torches and bonfires. The air was thick with the scents of ale, roasted meat, sweat, foot odor, and the perfumes of courtesans.

Under the chandelier-hung ceiling, there were seventy to eighty oak round tables with no partitions. Most tables were already occupied.

Sailors and travelers drank with courtesans in their arms, merchants huddled in corners whispering about deals, and a grain seller, waiting to ship his goods, stood atop a table loudly promoting his black rice from Yi Ti to the surrounding traders.

Buyers were also striking copper gongs, walking through the hall while shouting, "Iron ingots! Unlimited purchase of iron ingots!"

A corpulent bank representative sat in a fixed position in the hall, roaring as he devalued the collateral offered by borrowers.

Dozens of female slaves with tattoos of wine bottles and dining tables on their faces moved between the tables, serving guests food and drinks, clearing empty plates, cups, and jugs.

After walking a few steps into the hall, Dany realized it was even larger than she had anticipated. The first floor of the massive "口"-shaped building was entirely a dining area. The central courtyard was paved with stone paths, filled with grape trellises, and featured an artificial rock garden with a pavilion and a stage for performances. Caves were carved into the rock garden itself.

From the front hall, one could see straight through to the courtyard, and even glimpse the back hall and side halls without any obstruction.

Only gray stone pillars supported the roof—there were no walls on the side of the hall facing the courtyard.

(The latest chapter was first published on Six Nine Book Bar!)

Many drinkers stood in the courtyard, wine jugs in hand, watching the performances on stage.

Dany and Barristan also found seats along the corridor, ordered some wine and food, and curiously watched the performance on the rock garden stage.

Before the play had even finished, Dany's expression darkened.

The story being told was about two Ghis people—a father and daughter named Hila and Hyman. It was essentially the Ghis version of The Oriole, Xier, and the Bedbug, which was similar to the story of Yang Bailao and Xier.

Hyman was portrayed as diligent and capable, while Hila was pure and kind. The father and daughter lived a simple yet happy life on their Yunkai estate—until disaster struck.

The Ghis girl sang in a sweet yet sorrowful voice:

"I once lived by Yunkai's gate,

A home so warm, our fields so great,

A life of joy, no darkened fate—

Until the Dragon Mother came one day.

She's cruel and ruthless, full of scorn,

She stole our house, our fields she torn.

My mother stood, refused to bend—

Dragonfire burned her in the end.

My father cursed her tyrant hand—

She dragged him to the pyramid's land.

A hundred times, again, again,

Tormented, shamed, by wicked men!"

"Pfft—"

From the western corridor, a guest spat out his wine and burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Now that's creative! A hundred times? A hundred times?! Damn these Ghis bastards, their tricks get more ridiculous by the day!"

"Hey, if he was tormented a hundred times, how is your father still alive?" A drunken man in the courtyard pointed at the middle-aged Ghis man beside the girl and shouted.

"The lord is strong and well, his life force lingers still!" The middle-aged man clapped along as he sang.

"Oh-ho! A lord, are you? Some noble blood, huh?"

"My grandfather was a Wise Master, with a lineage ten thousand years old!" the Ghis man sang.

The Ghis girl continued:

"Fire as robes, blood as broth,

The Dragon Mother burned my home to naught.

Fifty thousand farmers, hanged and slain—"

Now they were even blaming Daenerys for the burning of the Ghisian Plains and the massacre of fifty thousand slaves.

"I ought to cut those bastards down myself."

"Your Grace, patience! A little restraint avoids greater ruin. One day, the world will know the truth." The white-bearded knight held down Dany's clenched fists, whispering in her ear.

Dany shook her head, expression cold. "I don't care if they twist the truth—history is mine to write. But it's obvious now—the Ghis have stolen my propaganda tactics."

Back at the square, when she saw Five Eagles Battle the Dragon Mother, she hadn't fully realized it. But now, with this blatant plagiarism of Yang Bailao and Xier, she suddenly understood—the Ghis had studied and refined her own policies, then used them against her.

Even these once-simple people from another world had learned to play dirty!

"Uh, well… this is..." Whitebeard's face twisted awkwardly before he hesitantly suggested, "Perhaps we could… hire a few bards to spread—"

"That would be way too fake!"

It was the same guest from the western corridor again, pounding his thick oak table so hard that plates and cups clattered. "Oi! You Ghis bastards on stage, can you at least try to make sense?

The Dragon Mother conquered Meereen and Yunkai—why in the hell would she burn her own lands?

She's been freeing slaves all this time! Even the dumbest Westerosi lord wouldn't slaughter his own farmers for no reason—if they all died, who would farm for her?"

The word Westeros was like a magnet, instantly drawing the attention of both Dany and Barristan.

At the table sat three people—one was a noseless dwarf, another was a solemn-faced, square-jawed middle-aged man, and the third had his back turned to them.

"Seven Hells! Tyrion!" Barristan gasped in a low voice.

"Who?"

"The Imp—Tyrion Lannister, the dwarf son of Tywin Lannister!"

"What's he doing here?" Both of them spoke at the same time, exchanging glances. Then Dany smirked. "Think he'll recognize you?"

Whitebeard stroked his blue-dyed beard and shook his head. "The Imp is clever, and he spent years in King's Landing. I can't guarantee I'll fool him."

Dany tilted her head, studying Game of Thrones' second main character.

His legs were thick and twisted, his body deformed, and his head was disproportionately large. If he were slightly better looking, he might've been able to pass as a big-headed, endearing child.

But he was downright ugly. His face was oddly unbalanced, and missing a nose. His dark, hollow nostrils, combined with his prominent forehead and his mix of brown and golden facial hair, made him look somewhat like a feral Pigsy.

Er… he wasn't even 1.1 meters tall.

A monkey's body, Pigsy's head—was there anyone in the world uglier than him?

(End of chapter)

Want to read the chapters in Advance? Join my Patreon

https://patreon.com/Glimmer09