Chapter 762: Jeyne

  Aegon chose to confess his thoughts, then anxiously awaited the outcome.

  He had no idea how his uncle Viserys would punish him. However, what surprised Aegon was that after Viserys listened, he cast a different look at him for the first time—a look that contained praise and more complex thoughts.

  "Very well."

  "Since that's the case, the position of the High Septon is yours, Aegon."

  Viserys patted Aegon's shoulder and said no more.

  He did not punish Aegon. In his eyes, the current High Septon was corrupt. If it weren't for his obedience, Viserys would have dealt with him long ago.

  Afterwards, Viserys, accompanied by his squire Robb, left the city wall. Robb also glanced at Aegon before leaving, leaving him alone, staring blankly at his uncle's departing figure.

  The power structure of the empire was solidifying. The soldiers and knights who had made contributions in the early days of conquest had mostly become nobles. Thanks to Viserys's lenient noble policy, after winning two conquest wars and conquering the Seven Kingdoms, he granted a large number of noble titles. The number of nobles in the Seven Kingdoms reached an explosive peak.

  Former nobles, even knightly families, now had their own castles or villages. However, many soldiers of humble origin also caught the wave of the times, transforming into "peasant nobles."

  Though their territories were mostly just farmland, it symbolized a class transition and a change in status.

  But in recent years, as the empire gradually stabilized and refrained from launching wars, the number of new nobles sharply decreased. Due to new regulations, war was the best way to create nobles. Those once "mudfoot" nobles were gradually finding their footing.

  Despite their humble origins, once they became nobles, their identities underwent a disconnect.

  Thus, a phenomenon of mutual protection and other similar relations began emerging among the high ranks of the empire.

  This was a social issue and, at the same time, a human one.

  Nowadays, the higher-ups of the empire had already completed their identity changes.

  "Your Grace, Lord Myles Toyne is seriously ill, and his health is deteriorating. Perhaps he is considering resigning as Hand of the King."

  Highgarden, the exclusive garden of the imperial family.

  After touring Essos, Viserys returned to King's Landing, but after a few days, he returned to Highgarden.

  Highgarden was now Viserys's main office. The empire's operation mainly relied on the high-ranking ministers of the Small Council, who personally managed affairs. Important decisions still required consultation with the Emperor.

  Viserys sat in Highgarden, overseeing the vast empire he had built, spanning the Narrow Sea.

  However, most of the high-ranking ministers of the Small Council remained in King's Landing. After all, King's Landing was still the political core of the empire. But one person followed Viserys wherever he went, like a dog—Lord Ramsay Bolton, the Count of Harrenhal, and the Chief of the Interior Department. As one of Viserys's earliest followers, Ramsay had done a lot of work for Viserys. Moreover, many of the things Ramsay did for Viserys were too numerous to count, and he knew that no matter how many people disliked and hated him, as long as he didn't fall out of favor with the Emperor, no one could touch him.

  When the incident of Qyburn dissecting corpses spread, many people in King's Landing were indignant. However, what was the result? Qyburn was virtually unscathed and almost regained his status as a maester.

  But now, whether Qyburn regained his status as a maester or not was no longer important.

  Because Ramsay knew Qyburn's position in Viserys's heart. Qyburn was also a member of the Interior Department, joining the special agency when he was brought to King's Landing by Emperor Viserys.

  However, Qyburn's status and position were special. He was a special talent, and naturally couldn't be used as an ordinary agent. Many of Qyburn's sources of corpses and living people were arranged and handled by Ramsay.

  So, as a lowly-born illegitimate son, Ramsay eventually became the Count of Harrenhal, even wielding the power of life and death, becoming one of the most untouchable people in the empire. Some people would rather offend the Hand of the King than offend Ramsay.

  As for Lord Myles Toyne's current serious illness and his intention to resign, it wasn't unexpected.

  Jon Connington, the governor of the Westerlands, had never been in good health. When he was still the commander of the Golden Company, he had some old injuries. Occasionally, these old injuries would flare up, tormenting him half to death.

  In fact, if according to the original trajectory, Myles Toyne should have died from illness in the year 296 of Aegon's Landing. Now, he had lived three more years, which wasn't a loss.

  But Myles Toyne didn't have to worry about leaving no one behind. Several years ago, he married a beautiful Westerlands girl from a noble family who gave birth to his son.

  The Toyne family had no foundation in the Westerlands. Although many Westerlands nobles had suffered heavy losses in the turmoil and wars many years ago, and many had disappeared into the river of history, the Toyne family found it challenging to completely replace the Lannister family's position, ruling Casterly Rock and the Westerlands.

  So, Myles Toyne adopted the simplest and most effective method: marrying a Westerlands girl.

  However, this seemingly simple request was not easy.

  Because of the war, the Westerlands people, led by Duke Tywin, resisted tenaciously. Queen Rhaenyra, riding the dragon Rhaegal, soared in the Westerlands' sky for several months, continuously setting fires to cities, villages, and forests.

  Therefore, many Westerlands people, although they had given up resistance and become citizens of the empire, still harbored hatred for the Targaryen family. After all, many of their relatives and friends had died in that brutal war, and it took time to calm their hearts. The Westerlands was one of the most unstable places on the empire's map.

  And Myles Toyne was seen as representing the Targaryen family's rule in the Westerlands. Although Westerlands nobles would not openly resist, it was not easy for the Toyne family to rule the Westerlands smoothly.

  So, when Myles Toyne wanted to marry a suitable Westerlands girl, he encountered obstacles.

  After all, Myles Toyne had a well-known ugly appearance. Many women were frightened away when they saw his appearance—big nose, crooked jaw, and jug-shaped ears. Many women ran away when they saw his appearance.

  Moreover, he was not young anymore but asked for a young and beautiful Westerlands girl as his wife, aged under twenty.

  After all, besides his illegitimate children in Essos, Myles Toyne also needed a legitimate heir with a recognized status. His future wife must have reproductive ability, be able to bear children for him, and ideally be a little beautiful, to offset Myles Toyne's ugly appearance genes.

  However, at this time, there was a long-established noble family in the Westerlands, now declining with the changing times, approaching Myles Toyne.

  They urgently needed the Westerlands governor to restore their family's former status. Therefore, the family head agreed to marry his eldest daughter to Myles Toyne.

  The girl who later married Myles Toyne was Jeyne Westerling.