Chapter 191: Seeking Survival in a Chaotic World
The sales of dragonglass products were hot beyond imagination. Even in the modern, scientific, and magic-free society before his crossing, the selling point of warding off evil was recognized and bought into by countless people. How much more so in this ignorant world where magic truly existed?
Following as accurate a market research as the sales department could manage, the pricing for Dragonglass products was finally established.
Ordinary dragonglass fragments, with their sharp edges and corners ground down to prevent injury, were made into irregular beads smaller than grapes. Marketed under the name Dragonglass Grains, they sold for ten copper pennies. The primary selling point was: "The poor are also afraid of ghosts; even those without money have the right to ward off evil."
Then there were the Dragonglass Ornaments—carved, polished, and buffed into various floral shapes or patterns, some even drilled with holes to be worn around the neck on a string. These were priced between five and ten silver stags. Even without the supernatural claims, polished obsidian was an attractive accessory in its own right, and it quickly became one of the most popular items among the middle and upper classes.
The above pricing targeted the commoners and the well-to-do. After making the people witness the existence of wights and feel true terror, setting a price point that was expensive but affordable ensured that sales volume and individual profit remained at a delicate, perfect equilibrium, maximizing the interests of the Night's Watch industries.
As for the most mysterious items... those supposedly only obtainable through special channels like internal employees of the Night's Watch office, City Watch officers, and a very small number of underworld figures—Military-Grade Obsidian. These included dragonglass arrowheads, daggers, and spear tips, and their prices were limitless. Ranging from forty or fifty to over a hundred silver stags, the cost depended entirely on the salesperson's eloquence and the buyer's level of more money than brains. It was worth noting that the spear used to kill the wight that day had auctioned for nearly twenty gold dragons.
The process of digging up the nearly inexhaustible natural glass from Dragonstone, transporting it to the industrial park, and having craftsmen perform minor processing before selling it to the citizens of King's Landing had very low overhead. The largest cost was labor, and the most frustrating issue was actually how to stop the workers from smuggling obsidian out of the park. It was a business of pure, massive profit. As an ignored and useless resource, large quantities of obsidian were currently only produced on Dragonstone in all of Westeros, leaving Egger with no competitors. The profit margins even surpassed those of papermaking and printing.
But one must eventually pay their debts. The lesson of Janos Slynt being toppled and beheaded despite his wealth of ten thousand gold dragons was fresh in everyone's mind. While Egger was making money hand over fist and paying out dividends to shareholders and investors, he didn't forget to let the City Watch and the local thugs—who had come seeking protection and were indeed useful—have a taste of the spoils. To be a Great Man in the eyes of the public, deterrence alone was not enough. Only an entity that could both inspire fear and ensure its subordinates lived well could establish a long-lasting power. From ancient times to the present, east or west, this was an universal truth.
Because the money was coming in so fast, Egger even began to feel a bit uneasy. When Stannis Baratheon originally allowed him to mine obsidian on Dragonstone freely, it was at the request of Eddard Stark to provide weapons for the Wall. But now that he was using that obsidian to rake in gold like a madman, what if the Lord of Dragonstone—who had no money, no power, was disliked by the nobility, and lived a meager life without Egger's tribute—grew jealous? A single blockade or regulation would ruin everything.
This might have been a case of a small man judging a gentleman by his own standards, but in business, peace of mind was paramount. Egger began trying to visit Stannis, hoping to give him a share or dividends of the obsidian industry to keep him satisfied and himself secure. Given the man's temperament, he likely wouldn't be greedy enough to make outrageous demands.
Unfortunately, the Master of Ships had been busy lately leading the Dragonstone fleet to deal with the swarms of pirates and mercenary ships, causing Egger's men to miss him several times in a row.
Everything was proceeding smoothly, but the good days didn't last long. Before he was even aware of it... by chance and by necessity, the Seven Kingdoms fell into total chaos.
Renly Baratheon and Margaery Tyrell had quietly left King's Landing, and the Stormlands army had turned back toward the capital without warning while on their way to the Westerlands. Without a little informant like Arya, Egger didn't learn this explosive news at the very first moment, but fortunately, it wasn't too late. As the City Watch began recruiting new levies in King's Landing and Eddard Stark issued a second summons to the remaining forces of the Crownlands lords, Egger—viewed as a patron and godfather by half the Gold Cloaks and one of the most powerful non-nobles in the capital—could hardly remain deaf to it.
After experiencing the thrill of commanding the business world of King's Landing for over a month, a sense of helplessness once again surrounded Egger. The Night's Watch industries had grown enough to withstand the ripples of war, but it was certainly not powerful enough to prevent a civil war—and this time, it was going to face the direct impact of the conflict.
The Night's Watch industrial park was located on the banks of the Blackwater, in the northwestern suburbs of King's Landing. Renly's army was approaching from the west along the Goldroad. If the Reach rose in his support, they would likely march east along the Roseroad and cross the Blackwater at a suitable point to complete the encirclement of the city.
Unless one was blind, such a massive complex of buildings as the industrial park could not escape notice.
The land-grabbing development in the suburbs model had allowed the Night's Watch industries to start with almost zero cost and engage in large-scale production, growing into the behemoth it was in less than a year. However, as a satellite town and an economic development zone for the capital, the park lacked proper walls and contained warehouses filled with grain and military supplies. To a massive army of thousands, it was a piece of fried bacon sitting on a plate—aromatic and easy to take.
The biggest problem was that land in King's Landing was worth its weight in gold; he simply couldn't move the industrial park inside the city walls!
As the leader of his faction, Egger had to seek survival for his cause.
The situation was tense, and the gates of King's Landing were beginning to be strictly regulated. While Egger's status allowed him smooth passage for the time being, if the gates were formally sealed in a few days, no one would be able to make an exception for him. Steeling himself, he took a squad of guards and three times as many horses out of the King's Gate and began galloping west along the Goldroad.
Because of Melisandre's existence, the moment Renly decided to rise for the Iron Throne, his defeat and death were already preordained. What Egger needed to do now was to prevent—or rather, request—him not to drag the Night's Watch industries down with him.
...
The weather was clear and bright. The Goldroad was dotted with Gold Cloak scouts sent by Eddard Stark for early warning. Fortunately, Egger already possessed a level of recognition and authority among the City Watch comparable to their commander, so he encountered no obstacles or questioning. Setting out in the morning, he rode without stopping for a full day. On the morning of the second day, he encountered the scouts of the Stormlands army. After stating his purpose, he was led into Renly's camp.
Even after witnessing the grand army of six kingdoms led by Robert during the suppression of the Vale rebellion, Egger was still shocked by the sheer scale of the camp before him. With one look, he realized this army was far more than the ten thousand plus Stormlanders he had heard about from Allar Deem. It wasn't that he could count the numbers instantly, but rather because beside Renly's high-flying crowned stag banner, he also saw the golden rose of Highgarden.
The Reach had actually managed to assemble another army and rush to join Renly in less than ten days, even while their main elite force was in the Westerlands. Their combat effectiveness was unknown, but the sheer numbers were terrifying. King's Landing would be hard to defend!
This war against the Lannisters involving six kingdoms had unintentionally given Renly a perfect opportunity for a coup. Normally, if someone gathered an army at Storm's End or Highgarden, inquiries and warnings from King's Landing would have arrived before the men were even assembled. But under the banner of fighting the Lannisters in the West, his army had casually passed the gates of King's Landing without raising anyone's suspicion. Even better—the speed of the Stormlands' mobilization and marching ranked near the bottom among the six kingdoms. This weakness had become the greatest advantage at the critical moment. Because they moved slowly, the main armies of the other five kingdoms and the Crownlands had already entered the theater of war, with none able to return to help in time. This battle would be a one-on-one showdown between the Stormlands army, supported by the new Reach forces, and the defenders of King's Landing!
Was all this coincidence a result of Renly's long-term planning, or was he simply seizing an opportunity as it arose?
Passing through the massive camp, Egger tried to identify the sigils of the various houses of the Stormlands and the Reach. He had done his homework in this regard, yet he still couldn't recognize them all. In addition to the noble armies, there were many hedge knights and free riders. These people had not gone to the West to answer Tywin's recruitment; instead, they had continuously gathered under Renly's banner along the way, choosing the more charismatic and generous side in this clash of two stags.
...
When Egger was led to the entrance of Renly's grand tent, the Lord of Storm's End was eating breakfast with Margaery and his closest noble subordinates. They were chatting and laughing, seemingly full of confidence in their victory.
"Your Grace, the Chief Logistics Officer of the Night's Watch, Egger West, seeks an audience."
"Bring him in." Renly did not stop eating. Once Egger entered the tent and stood in the center, he even asked cordially, "Lord Chief Logistics Officer, have you had breakfast? My camp cooks made plenty; care for some?"
Egger didn't know enough about Renly's capabilities to judge them, but in terms of emotional intelligence and making friends, the man had truly reached the pinnacle. Dealing with him, one never had to worry about being inexplicably embarrassed in public or facing a sudden outburst of rage followed by a flying goblet. Such a man was perfectly qualified to be a Great Lord, but as it happened, he held the position of Master of Laws. Given how much the Baratheon dynasty had rotted, he likely bore significant responsibility.
And now, this man was coveting the Iron Throne. Egger truly couldn't judge whether Renly or a Lannister was more fit to be king. If he had to answer, he felt—perhaps neither was suitable.
Internal criticism aside, Renly's personality of never offending anyone would at least make the upcoming conversation much easier. Egger bowed. "You are too kind, Lord Renly, but I have already eaten."
"Your Grace," a tall guard standing behind Renly corrected. "It is not 'My Lord,' and you should kneel before the King."
Your Grace? Egger felt a surge of confusion. He was just in King's Landing, and he hadn't heard news of Robert's death. Had Renly dared to proclaim himself king on his own? Had Eddard concealed the news of Robert's death, or... The guard's voice sounded a bit strange. He looked up and saw a tall, homely woman behind a smiling Margaery.
It was Brienne the Beauty. This should have been their second meeting, but only now did Egger get a clear look at her face. He had to admit... the actress from the TV show was much better looking.
"King Robert has passed away. Hand of the King Eddard Stark is concealing this from the residents of King's Landing and has altered the will, intending to crown Stannis Baratheon as king and thus usurp the Seven Kingdoms. We have raised our banners to uphold justice and righteousness." Margaery explained with a gentle, polite smile and a steady gaze to the stunned Egger. "I believe Lord Egger has not come as a lobbyist for Lord Stark?"
If he hadn't known Eddard Stark from an omniscient perspective, Egger might have almost believed her. To win the Game of Thrones, the lengths people would go to, and the despicable lies they would weave... was beyond the imagination of most.
"The Night's Watch is impartial and does not interfere in the internal affairs of the Seven Kingdoms," Egger said solemnly. He felt a secret sense of relief—it was a good thing he hadn't played any dirty tricks regarding the sale of the papermaking and printing patents. Although he took a small loss, he could be considered to have a rapport with the two actors before him, and there were no conflicts of interest. As long as he used the banner of the realm's greater good, the probability of achieving his goal for this trip was extremely high. "I have come for another matter—the Night's Watch industrial park is located outside the city and has no walls for protection. Swords have no eyes; I ask that where Lord Renly's blade points, you might show mercy and not involve the men of the Wall."
"The Night's Watch industrial park?" Renly muttered, remembering, and couldn't help but laugh. "I wondered what the Lord Logistics Officer had come for; so it's this."
Many Crownlands lords had shares in the Night's Watch industries; this was well known in the noble circles of King's Landing. In Renly's march on the capital, he still relied on these friends to cooperate from within so he could take the Iron Throne with as little bloodshed as possible. Not to mention he had seen the wights with his own eyes in the Red Keep; even if he hadn't, Renly would not proactively touch the Night's Watch industries.
Of course, not touching it himself was one thing. Whether the thousands of lords and soldiers of the Stormlands and the Reach would go on a looting spree was another... Egger's visit reminded him of this. Renly waved his hand grandly. "This is easily done. Go back and have your men build a wall around the Night's Watch property and paint it black. I shall issue an order that the armies of the Stormlands and the Reach shall leave it untouched."
It's that simple? Egger was truly surprised. But a moment's thought revealed the logic behind it. His mind raced, and he immediately struck while the iron was hot. "And for some of the properties inside King's Landing..."
"Tell them to hang black cloth over their doors."
"Thank you... My Lord!" Egger was overjoyed, but after a moment of hesitation, he still didn't use the word "Your Grace." In the struggle between two stags, Stannis was destined to win. If that rigid man later learned Egger had recognized Renly as king, it would likely cause trouble.
"It is 'Your Grace'!"
Margaery waved her hand, signaling Brienne not to argue over an inconsequential detail like a title with a Night's Watchman who was outside the circle of the Great Game. She then leaned down to Renly's ear, staring at Egger while whispering something to her future husband.
Egger felt a chill down his spine. He quickly searched his memory; aside from not giving her a friendly enough response during the Vale rebellion, he didn't think he had offended Margaery. What dirty trick was this scheming girl up to now?
Under the curious or indifferent gazes of the Stormlands and Reach lords in Renly's tent, Egger endured a difficult minute. It felt like an eternity before Margaery pulled away from Renly's ear. The latter then looked up at Egger and spoke again.
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