RoWE - Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Busy

In his original world, Aeg's plan to rival banks would have been akin to challenging state machinery. Any illegal fundraising would have faced severe legal repercussions.

However, in Westeros, where the economy and financial industry were virtually nonexistent, not only were there no relevant laws, but under Eddard Stark's tenure as Hand of the King, the Night's Watch would certainly be granted the right to legally raise funds.

Aeg wasn't an economics major; in fact, he should have been clueless about these matters. Fortunately, before his transmigration, he frequently visited a forum called "Bihu." In that place where industry elites and storytellers coexisted, and where experts and braggarts debated, he not only learned how to quickly spin stories and be witty, but he also gained some insider knowledge and trivia that ordinary people might not know. and now, these skills were coming in handy.

What Aeg wanted to do was indeed a form of robbing Peter to pay Paul, commonly known as a Ponzi scheme. at least until he found a way to make money. It was Tyrion's quick realization of this that led to his initial firm refusal to participate.

But at a critical moment, Aeg had a flash of inspiration. He used a form that was not entirely accurate or professional but relatively easy to understand to explain to Tyrion the operation of a larger scam. A fact that most people were unaware of, and even if they were, they might not believe it. but it was nonetheless true: modern society was indeed built on this grand scam of using "nonexistent money" to construct itself. This great exercise of human imagination was far more important than any technology or new invention. And once everyone participated, it could no longer be called a scam.

What Aeg did was to broaden Tyrion's horizons with this super scam, which was far more exaggerated than robbing Peter to pay Paul. He used a method of fighting poison with poison to increase Tyrion's tolerance for the fundraising he was about to undertake. Aeg did not tell Tyrion about the potentially disastrous consequences of mismanaged finance, nor was he sure if his attempt to introduce these concepts to this world was right or wrong. He also didn't know if his plan would ultimately succeed. but he had to appear confident. how could he convince a feudal nobleman encountering this knowledge for the first time if he himself looked doubtful and hesitant?

Having a Lannister on board was not a necessity, but if Tyrion was willing to cooperate, everything that followed would be much smoother.

Aeg wanted to shed his black cloak and return to his original world. He couldn't. and didn't want to. spend every day busy with raising the ransom for his freedom. After much thought, "fundraising" was the only way he could think of to solve the financial problem once and for all.

***

Aeg was truly busy.

First, he had to inspect the two assistants and the office space that the honorable Eddard Stark, the Hand of the King, had arranged for him. Although these two matters could be resolved with money, in the current phase before fundraising began, it was best to save as much as possible.

Then, he had to arrange for the delivery of the first 'ransom' payment from Tyrion to the Wall.

Finally, he needed to prepare for a trip to Dragonstone to get the obsidian mining operation underway.

The tasks didn't seem numerous, but in this era, just the travel time for any errand could be considerable. As a newly freed man and a new official, he was naturally cautious and didn't dare to slack off.

Aeg and Yoren arrived at the Red Keep, found a place to have lunch, and then entered the royal castle again, arriving at the base of the Hand's Tower. The King's Hand was even busier than the time traveler. They didn't get to meet Eddard Stark again. Yoren was directly taken to the dungeons, while Aeg met the two Stark guards who had been instructed to assist him: Oden and Davy.

The two soldiers from Winterfell approached with the inherent friendliness of the North toward the Night's Watch. After a cordial introduction, Aeg was led by them to the eastern camp of the City Watch of King's Landing.

There, he met Janos Slynt, the current commander of the City Watch. a short, stocky man with a bald head, a double chin, and a sleazy demeanor.

Aeg harbored no affection for the man before him, known for his corruption and selling offices, and in the original story, betraying Eddard Stark. Slynt, in turn, showed little interest in a Night's Watch member from the Wall who seemed unable to bring him any profit. Fortunately, since this was a request from the Hand of the King, despite his sour expression, the watch commander didn't dare to obstruct or cause trouble. He nodded in acknowledgment of Aeg and casually assigned a gold cloak to show Aeg and the others the house that would now serve as the Night's Watch's office.

The house was situated opposite the gate of the eastern camp of the City Watch, not far from the noble district and the Red Keep. Being part of the Watch's property and located on a busy street, even the money-hungry Janos Slynt hadn't dared to rent it out for business on his own. After lying vacant for some time, it was acquired by the Night's Watch, who approached Eddard Stark at the right time.

To be honest, Aeg was pleased with the outcome. A street-facing property so close to the city's security forces would have been unaffordable if he had to rent it himself, with all the gold and silver he had. Seeking help from Eddard Stark had indeed been the right choice; this was definitely a considerable favor to the Night's Watch.

After inspecting the house and collecting the keys, Aeg brought the two guards from Winterfell back to the inn where he was staying to meet up with Tyrion. As the sun began to set, they set out from the Albatross Inn toward the port and merchant district by the Blackwater Rush in King's Landing to purchase supplies.

Passing through the streets of the Septas, the Muddy Way, and the Fisherman's Square, they headed south and exited through the River Gate, also known as the Mud Gate, to reach their destination.

The Mud Gate was anything but muddy. It got its name because people disembarking at the port often had wet mud on their feet, and with the heavy foot traffic, the roads and squares were covered in mud, turning into a quagmire after rain.

Three hundred years ago, this area was completely covered by forests, with only a few fishermen settled on the north bank of the swift and deep Blackwater Rush. Later, Aegon the Conqueror arrived from Dragonstone, and his army landed here. Now, it had become the most prosperous area outside the walls of King's Landing.

Houses, pavilions, brick warehouses, wooden inns, and market stalls; taverns, graveyards, and brothels. all kinds of buildings stood one after another, with the noise audible from afar. Hundreds of docks lined the waterfront, and countless ships were moored in the harbor. Deep-sea fishing boats and river ferries came and went on the Blackwater Bay, while merchant ships unloaded goods from Braavos, Pentos, and Lys non-stop.

This was the largest port for foreign trade in Westeros. To accommodate the Fisherman's Square inside the city walls and the cargo distribution area outside, the walls and gates here were the weakest in King's Landing, making the nickname "Mud Gate" even more fitting.

Tyrion knew almost every notable merchant at the port, and with his reputation as the "Imp" of House Lannister, few dared to cheat him. Aeg was content to take it easy in this matter, following along and watching the dwarf skillfully negotiate all transactions and arrangements for the ransom he had paid: from setting prices and delivery dates to hiring ships to transport the supplies to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. Nothing was left to worry about, and his freedom for at least the next three months was secured.

The first task for the two guards from Winterfell was to ensure that these supplies arrived at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea on time, in the right quantity and quality, to be delivered to the Night's Watch.

Night fell, and before it got too dark, Aeg found a small merchant ship that would soon be heading to Dragonstone. After paying a deposit of a few silver stags, the captain agreed to wait for him to board the next day before setting sail. Everything was settled, and the night was deep. Aeg's second day in King's Landing had passed busily and fulfillingly.

*****

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