83. Bull-shaped dog head gold

He frowned slightly but didn't refuse. "I agree! But remember, Tyrion, you are the Queen's younger brother, and the guardian of Casterly Rock in the West."

Before Tywin could finish speaking, Tyrion interrupted, "...the second son of the Duke of Casterly Rock, whose every action represents the Lannister family. So, I should be on my best behavior, not bring shame, and avoid causing trouble. Is that what you're trying to say?"

Tywin's eyes twitched, but he gave a stiff nod, clearly displeased.

Tyrion, already expecting this, smirked and responded sarcastically, "Don't worry, Father. I'll be obedient, I promise. I'll cause you no trouble. Now, if you don't mind, I'll take my leave and let you get back to your business."

Without waiting for a reply, Tyrion turned and opened the study door, walking out with his usual swagger. As he left, his thoughts turned to how he could make the journey to King's Landing more enjoyable. He was already plotting ways to have some fun on the road.

He figured Princess Myrcella and Prince Tommen would be thrilled with the gifts he had brought for them. But Joffrey, that arrogant little prick, wouldn't be pleased to see him at the Red Keep—just like his mother, who despised his presence. On the bright side, Jaime would be happy. After all, Jaime had made the long trip to King's Landing himself.

Meanwhile, over the last two days, Jason Liu had been watching Jon train his group of young recruits while going about his daily business dealings. The group of 110 boys had made some progress, though far from perfect. At least now, they weren't crashing into each other as much during their training drills. A few of them still struggled, but overall, it was coming together.

Jason couldn't help but feel some sympathy for Jon, who had grown hoarse from all the shouting and yelling at the boys. He was constantly frustrated with their slow progress, and his voice showed it. Even Lina, Martha, and Sutan were surprised to see this side of Jon. They had always known him to be quiet and brooding, but now they found his constant scolding of the soldiers oddly entertaining.

"Master Jason, it's a pleasure to see you again!"

Jason was snapped out of his thoughts when a group of carriages arrived at the store. Stepping out was Bert Bancroft, a merchant from the western border. His face was tired but full of energy, and he greeted Jason with a smile and a respectful salute.

"Bert! It really is you!" Jason exclaimed, pleased to see the businessman from Golden Tooth City. "Come inside and have a drink. You must be exhausted from your journey!"

Bert followed Jason into the store, his men unloading two large boxes behind him. Jason glanced at the boxes curiously but said nothing for now.

"Master Jason, can you guess what I've brought you?" Bert asked with excitement, not even waiting to sit down or drink any water.

Jason's eyes lit up as he looked toward the boxes. "Did you really bring me dog head gold... no, natural gold nuggets?"

Though Bert wasn't familiar with Jason's terminology, he didn't mind. With a beaming smile, he placed one of the boxes on the table and opened it. "Lord, look for yourself! I worked hard and spent quite a sum to bring you this natural gold nugget!"

Jason leaned in to look, and as soon as his eyes fell on the contents of the box, his breath caught. Inside was a large, uniquely shaped nugget of gold, resembling a bull. He couldn't help but smile. This was exactly the kind of find he had been hoping for—something rare and valuable.

He reached out to pick up the heavy nugget, feeling its weight in his hands. It was much heavier than he expected, which only added to its value in his eyes. Jason was thrilled. In his experience, the larger and more unique a gold nugget was, the higher its price.

Still holding the bull-shaped nugget, Jason looked at Bert with genuine appreciation. "This is fantastic, Bert! I'm impressed. You've really outdone yourself this time. I didn't expect you to find such a remarkable piece."

Bert's face lit up with pride. "I'm glad you like it, Lord Jason. It wasn't easy, but I knew you would appreciate something as unique as this."

Jason set the nugget down carefully, still smiling. "You've earned my thanks. I'll pay you well for this. But besides the payment for the gold nugget, is there anything else you'd like from me? Maybe a discount on your next purchase of goods?"

To Jason's surprise, Bert shook his head. "No, Lord Jason. Your prices are already more than fair. In fact, they're lower than I expected, considering how popular your goods are."

Jason raised an eyebrow, suspicious. It was unlike any merchant to turn down a chance for higher profits. "Then what is it you want from me?" he asked.

"Friendship," Bert replied without hesitation. "Your friendship is worth more to me than any discount. I hope that, in the future, if you bring in new products from your homeland, you'll allow me to be the first to purchase them."

Bert's face reddened slightly as he made his request, clearly feeling a bit embarrassed. "That's all I ask," he added quickly.

Jason chuckled internally. It all made sense now. Bert wasn't rejecting profits—he was thinking ahead, hoping to secure even greater ones by gaining exclusive rights to new products Jason might bring in.

Jason smiled at him. "Friendship, you say? I see... Well, I'll keep that in mind, Bert. You've done good work for me, and I appreciate your loyalty."

With that, they shook hands, solidifying an understanding between the two that went beyond just this transaction.

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