Chapter 247: King’s Landing’s Plan of Reconstruction
The table was laden with beef stew, roast lamb, cream cake, and a bottle of red wine with the cork pulled.
Rhaegar's appetite was immense. He grabbed a piece of beef and muttered, "Father, you eat so well this early in the morning?"
"I am a king, after all," Viserys said with a smile, taking a sip of wine. "With the burdens I carry, it is a small pleasure to indulge in good food."
He patted his rounded belly, a testament to his indulgence.
"You have a point," Rhaegar agreed, taking a large bite of food. Being king did have its perks, though he worried about his father's health with such a rich diet.
As they ate, father and son chatted, enjoying their little gathering. Halfway through the meal, Rhaegar pulled out a list and handed it to his father, who had just finished his wine.
"What's this?" Viserys leaned back in his chair and took the list.
"It's my plan for improving King's Landing," Rhaegar explained.
Intrigued, Viserys read the list:
1. Eliminate rats, deodorize, and seal complex secret passage entrances and exits in the Red Keep.
2. Repair and excavate King's Landing's sewers to facilitate proper sewage disposal.
3. Expand areas, repair public toilets, and hire septic workers and septic carts.
4. Organize Flea Bottom, take in a group of orphans, women, and children, and organize laborers for construction work.
5. Select land in the Crownlands and organize the poor to cultivate it, providing royal subsidies and tax relief.
Viserys frowned at the first three items, his expression complicated. "Rhaegar, your plan is ambitious. Otto has been trying to clean up the streets of King's Landing, but his efforts have been ineffective and have drawn criticism from the common folk."
"And last night a wagonload of filth was thrown at him," Viserys added, grimacing at the memory.
Rhaegar had anticipated his father's concern. "The key is sewers and public toilets. If we provide convenient facilities, people won't have to dump their waste in the streets."
The concept of public toilets was foreign to Viserys. Rhaegar continued, "Public toilets were an idea I saw in a dream. They fit our needs perfectly."
Much of Otto's failure stemmed from banning open defecation without providing an alternative. Building public toilets and hiring waste collectors would solve the problem. Though it seemed simple, it was a revolutionary proposal.
Viserys considered it carefully. With public toilets, people would have a proper place to dispose of their waste. Anyone caught defecating in the streets could then be properly punished.
"There's only one thing," Viserys thought.
Viserys hesitated. "Repairing the sewers, public toilets, and hiring workers will cost a considerable amount of money."
King's Landing had sewers, but they had long been neglected and were mostly clogged. Repairing the public toilets required funds for materials and labor. Hiring septic tank emptyers and haulers would further drain the treasury.
Rhaegar pointed to the remaining two suggestions, his tone thoughtful. "We could hire laborers from Flea Bottom to do the work in exchange for food."
People were dying of starvation and exposure every day in King's Landing. This food-for-work approach would save money and help the refugees-a win-win.
After a long pause, Viserys asked, "What do you think?"
"About what?" Daemon's head dropped and his voice grew longer.
"The new plan!" Viserys snapped. "Answer me honestly or you'll starve for another three days."
Daemon stared at the list, surprised. "You know?"
"Hmph, my own brother eating shit in the dungeon—do you think I don't know?" Viserys retorted sarcastically. "I don't care what Alicent said to you. Just don't mess with these crazy women."
"Oh, you don't," Daemon sighed, shaking his head.
"What do you know? Just answer the question!" Viserys was losing patience.
Daemon shook the list and adopted a more serious tone. "It's alright. The sewers in King's Landing do need cleaning, and building public toilets is a good idea." When he had been the commander of the City Watch, he had both loved and loathed patrolling the streets.
Apprehending criminals was thrilling, but the stench of King's Landing was unbearable. Every day, his boots stepped in a different kind of filth.
...
Viserys nodded in satisfaction and continued, "What about the last two points: employing civilians and encouraging the opening of land?"
"Who came up with this plan?" Daemon asked, sidestepping the question.
"Rhaegar's suggestion," Viserys replied honestly.
"Tsk, clever boy, full of possessiveness," Daemon smirked. He could see the implications of the plan: to clear out the excess population of the monarchy and eliminate the potential for civilian riots. Every generation of Targaryen kings had entertained this idea, but it was undoubtedly difficult to implement.
After thinking for a moment, Daemon banged the back of his head against the iron railing and murmured, "The plan is feasible and seamless." With a twinkle in his eye, he added, "Who will execute the plan?"
"Otto Hightower," Viserys said bluntly.
"Oh, good choice," Daemon sneered, baring his teeth and shrugging slightly. "This kind of drudgery where you'll be cursed for even suggesting it is perfect for Otto, that old bastard."
"Daemon, watch your language," Viserys warned, glaring at him. Like it or not, Otto was still his father-in-law.
"Che, you asked. I'm going back to sleep," Daemon retorted, throwing away the list and lying down on the wooden bed.
Viserys, seething with frustration, said through gritted teeth, "Daemon, don't you want to get out of here?"
"And how can I do that, as a sinner?" Daemon asked rhetorically, pulling the covers over his head.
"Hmph, think about it," Viserys grunted coldly, leaving the words, "Vaemond is dead."
With that, he walked out of the dungeon under Erryk's escort.
As the sound of footsteps gradually faded, the wooden bed in the cell creaked. Daemon lifted the covers, his eyes gradually regaining their brightness. Vaemond's death had introduced too many variables. It could be a prelude to war or the beginning of House Velaryon's decline. All he needed was the right opportunity to escape the cold, damp dungeon.
With that in mind, Daemon closed his eyes and muttered, "Brother, you and I are really connected by blood..."