Although Bessie knew that the dragon eggs were extremely important to Viserys, they still didn't understand Pentos' true purpose.
How could the little king have such courage and agree to go to the meeting alone?
"Your Majesty, do you want to think about it again..."
However, Viserys waved his hand and interrupted what Bessie wanted to say.
"It doesn't matter."
"It's just a banquet. I believe in the credibility of the Governor."
Viserys spoke in a calm voice.
"I just need to bring some personal soldiers for protection."
Then the little king turned his head and looked at Illyrio, and then said.
"How is it, Lord Governor?"
And Illyrio stood there and blinked slightly, seeming to be in a daze.
He also didn't expect that Viserys didn't even stutter. When he agreed to the invitation to Pentos, he originally thought that he might need to spend more time.
Is this young king so courageous?
Illyrio suddenly felt that Viserys' ability to lead the family out of the previous predicament and start the current situation may not only rely on luck.
Although he had no ill intentions towards Viserys, inviting the young king to Pentos was the common will of several other governors, and they all wanted to meet the Targaryen heir.
In fact, since the rise of Andalus, the governors of Pentos have set their sights on this newly built small city, and then observed it carefully. They watched it gradually grow and become a force that is close to Pentos and cannot be ignored.
Powerful.
Even on the rise of Andalos, there were some small help from Pantos, both covert and covert, which helped the city develop rapidly.
As for the reason why Pantos made such a small move, perhaps no one except these governors can know.
"sure!"
Then the governor of Pentos nodded immediately, since Viserys agreed, everything would be easier to handle.
"Your Majesty, please rest assured that Pantos also respects the rights of guests."
"Killing a guest at a banquet is a heinous crime in Pentos that even the gods will not forgive."
Illyrio's chest slapped loudly as he assured Viserys.
But then he thought of something again, and then asked.
"Hey, by the way...Your Majesty."
"How many soldiers did you bring with you just now?"
Viserys just said that he would bring "a little" personal soldiers for protection on this trip, but in Illyrio's opinion, there are only six or seven people, and at most there are only a dozen people.
This time he traveled so far in a carriage with only fifty soldiers.
"right."
However, Viserys nodded calmly after hearing Illyrio's words and then spoke.
"I have about four thousand soldiers."
"How many?!"
The governor of Pentos almost jumped up when he heard Viserys's words. Did the little king of more than 4,000 people come to keep an appointment or to attack the city?
Although it is impossible for more than 4,000 people to defeat Pantos, it would take at least tens of thousands of elite soldiers and siege weapons to conquer a giant city-state like Pantos.
However, Viserys personally leading an army like this will undoubtedly cause panic to the citizens of Pentos.
Seeing the expression on Illyrio's face, Viserys shrugged slightly.
"The Governor doesn't believe it?"
Then the young man turned to Bessie and asked.
"Bessie, do I have four thousand personal guards?"
The young knight standing next to the throne was holding the hilt of the sword with one hand. He breathed a sigh of relief after hearing what Viserys said. It seemed that the little king had not lost his calm yet.
Now Bessie knows that Viserys is very brave and dared to go to Braavos alone when he was young.
But what he didn't know was that at that time, Viserys was still like a frightened rabbit, turning pale with fright at the slightest disturbance.
Then Bessie held the hilt of the sword, nodded and said.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Your bodyguard does have four thousand people."
This involves the composition of Andalus' military strength.
Today, the city's standing force for external warfare consists of more than four thousand brave and capable Andal warriors, all of whom are nominally Viserys's bodyguards.
The Dragonstone navy is stationed in a remote port, and the traditional Targaryen naval forces are not included.
After taking into account the three to four thousand fleet sailors and navy, plus the more than four thousand brave and capable Andal warriors, as well as the guards who maintain the basic city defense of Andalus, there are approximately less than two thousand people.
For a city with a population of only 80,000 people, it was able to cobble together an army of nearly 10,000 people. The ratio of population to soldiers reached 8:1, which is already a very astonishing number.
If you don't compare it with nomadic peoples like the Dothraki, you can almost count the whole people as soldiers.
And now Viserys wants to take away the four thousand most elite Andal warriors in Andalos and follow him to Pentos for the appointment.
"Your Majesty, wouldn't having more than 4,000 personal guards be too much?"
Illyrio saw that Viserys's face didn't look like he was joking, and then his big greasy face wrinkled into a bitter melon look.
He understood that it was Viserys who didn't want to believe them.
"Indeed, more than four thousand people is a bit too much."
Viserys stood in front of Illyrio, smacked his mouth slightly, then nodded and spoke seemingly casually.
"Then how about I leave more than 4,000 people outside the city and only bring a hundred knights into the city?"
"Of course it's okay!"
When Illyrio heard that Viserys changed his mind and only brought a hundred knights into the city, he breathed a sigh of relief and immediately agreed.
"Um?"
However, as soon as his words left his mouth, the wealthy businessman governor was stunned for a moment.
He suddenly felt...had he been fooled?
Viserys's original intention may be to bring a hundred elite knights into the city, so that even if they encounter danger, they may have some ability to resist. They may even cooperate with the four thousand people outside to have a certain chance of escaping through the door without being completely captured.
"this..."
"All right."
A bitter smile appeared on Illyrio's chubby face. He did not expect that Viserys was not only brave, but also capable of some clever tricks.
"In that case, Pentos awaits His Majesty's arrival."
...
soon.
A few days passed.
beep--
The long and desolate horn sound sounded, and four thousand elite Andal warriors in Andalos broke out of camp.
Rumble——
War horses are galloping, flags are fluttering, and spears raised high like a forest reflect the cold light in the sun.
The soldiers guarded their king's left and right, marching towards the Velvet Mountains, pointing directly to the rich pearl of the bay-Pantos.