Chapter 129: Planning and Matchmaking
The lookout tower was not particularly high, but fortunately, the surrounding terrain was flat with no other tall structures, leaving their vision almost entirely unobstructed. Even from this vantage point, the far end of the fence extending to the west remained a blurry, indistinct line.
"Just how much land did you fence off?"
"As much as the Hand granted you. I kept going until I hit inhabited areas—couldn't exactly fence in people's homes, could I?" Tyrion shrugged. "The area currently enclosed is about the size of five or six Red Keeps. Don't let the scale fool you; if things go well, I'm worried it still won't be enough."
Egger scanned the horizon and then looked back at the First Workshop already in operation. If there were no need for spacing between buildings, he felt the enclosed area could easily fit dozens of factories of that size.
Tyrion continued: "When the armies of the six kingdoms were gathered before the Bloody Gate, book sales were at their peak. The workers were going from dawn to dusk and still couldn't keep up with the increasing orders. Now that the war is over, the growth of orders has begun to slow. Once the second workshop is finished, the production pressure for papermaking and printing will be greatly alleviated..."
"The nobles and soldiers who participated in the suppression of the Vale rebellion have seen our printed books. Once they take the cheap volumes they bought in the camps back to their respective homes, clever merchants will soon come seeking to buy in bulk to sell outside the Crownlands."
"I've already considered the issue you mentioned, but long-distance shipping costs are too high for that to be a primary sales channel." The dwarf, lacking height, leaned against the railing as if lying on it. He extended a hand toward a patch of land on the riverside west of the construction site. "That spot will hold the final papermaking and printing workshop once the investment is secured. After that, we're finished with this industry. I've run the numbers; even accounting for the books sold to other regions, three factories are sufficient. To expand further, we would have to open markets in the other seven kingdoms."
True enough, the market was saturated. In an era of backward productivity, the wealth gap was stark—aside from the lords, no one had any money. Even if reduced paper costs lowered book prices, most people still couldn't afford them. Literacy among the poor was even lower, and the Night's Watch industries couldn't afford to drop prices just to chase a demographic that looked large but mostly wouldn't buy.
"To open those markets, we'd have to cooperate with the Great Lords of the Seven Kingdoms—we provide the technology, the people, and the startup capital; they provide the convenience and the permits." Egger nodded, adding with some concern: "I'm just afraid those high nobles will covet the profits, refuse to cooperate, and try to steal the technology to go it alone. Case in point, that Lady Margaery of House Tyrell has already tried to fish for information about papermaking and printing from me."
"Is that so? I remember her as just a young girl about Nina's age; does she truly have such a calculating mind? If it comes to that, there's no helping it. People aren't fools, and papermaking and printing aren't exactly complex mysteries. You can't expect to live off a monopoly forever. That's why I set up the startup loans and subsidies for new inventions..." Tyrion said, pointing in another direction. "Look, all the land within the fence has been leveled. How it's used is entirely up to us. That row of empty space by the river is reserved for projects requiring water power; the areas far from the river are for you to arrange. There are currently too few workers to draw in traders and peddlers, but after another wave of development, once we persuade some workers to move their families here and settle against our fence... the situation will change rapidly."
Egger stared blankly at Tyrion's blueprint. "Are you trying to turn this place into a satellite town of King's Landing?"
"Why not? How many people live outside the walls of King's Landing? They are a source of cheap labor, and once they get jobs and earn wages, they will quickly become a new class far wealthier than ordinary peasants. Why treat their gold dragons and silver deers as if they aren't money?" Tyrion withdrew his hand. "Of course, these are just plans and ideals; in reality, it won't be that smooth. We'll have to adapt as things develop. Now, what I really want to talk to you about in detail are the people."
Egger nodded. The people Tyrion had brought to meet him were average by modern standards, but in this world of mediocrity, they were more than qualified for entry-level leadership. As for moving up, that would depend on ability and careful selection.
"That fellow Gerold we just squared off against was once an officer in the Gold Cloaks. He quit because he was dissatisfied with the corruption in the City Watch. I recruited him through a contact and have had a few chats with him; I know him a bit. His brain might not be as flexible as yours, but he's a good fighter and more than capable of managing several dozen men..."
"No need to make excuses for him. Do I look like someone so petty?"
"Mm, I'm just mentioning it so you have it in mind. I hire workers at random—as long as they can work, it's fine. But for management, I'd rather leave a position empty than settle... Anyone I introduce to you, you can use with confidence." Tyrion leaned on the railing, looking down at the ground over a hundred meters below. Following the dismissal, the dozen or so minor leaders of the industry had gradually departed, leaving only Arya, Nina, and Casey. They were waiting for the two Big Bosses to finish their heart-to-heart. The two girls, one tall and one short, were huddled together chattering, while Egger's young aide, Casey, stood at attention a few meters away.
...
"Egger, what do you think of the girl Nina?"
He had expected Tyrion to continue discussing other grassroots leaders; why bring her up so suddenly? "I was actually about to ask you. Instead of letting her tinker with the process in the workshop, why did you move her to my office?"
"When you first left, I took your seat and felt I lacked an assistant, so I brought her in to help for a few days. After spending some time with her, I realized she learns everything instantly, so I decided to train her... Improving the process is something her brother and his workers can handle. I took her as an apprentice and kept her at the office for a while. Her performance was better than I hoped. When the 'notes' incident broke and I was scared out to the city outskirts, she proved she could already manage the office independently. Are you actually dissatisfied?"
"You? Took her as an apprentice?"
"What, only you are allowed to have female apprentices?" Tyrion was annoyed by Egger's tone of doubt and shot him a sidelong glance. "It is no exaggeration to say that, gender aside, she is smarter than anyone else in the Night's Watch industries... except for you and me. To have stumbled upon and discovered such a pearl in the sand—we've had a stroke of incredible luck."
Egger hadn't seen this brilliance in Nina, but given that Tyrion was currently risking his life in King's Landing to help the industry, he couldn't very well contradict him. "The office requires management. Literacy, accounting skills, and a quick wit aren't enough; one must be able to receive guests—she blushes and stammers just talking to me. What will she do when people come to the door?"
"Blushes and stammers?" The dwarf looked surprised. "She's never been like that with me. She's a remarkably bright and assertive girl, meticulous in her work—doesn't tolerate a grain of sand in her eye. When she's pressed, she even dares to talk back to me. Go ask those new employees at the office; which of them doesn't both love and fear her?"
Tyrion often joked, but he never told lies. Egger rubbed his chin... Could his sudden return have startled her? But if she lacked even that much psychological resilience, how could she earn Tyrion's high praise?
"Tsk, it seems the reason is obvious. You're her bane; she turns into a fool when she meets you. Of course, I wouldn't rule out the possibility she's intentionally acting fragile." Tyrion stared at Egger for a moment longer. "She likes you. I don't believe you haven't noticed. While you were in the Vale, she asked me every day when you were coming back. And just now while you were lecturing... you didn't notice the way she stole glances at you? Her eyes were full of stars and tenderness... What do you plan to do with her? Dangle her along? Tame her? That's quite boring, isn't it? Aren't you feeling the 'strain' yourself?"
I am, Egger thought. He'd only managed through sheer self-control. He shrugged. "I have no such intentions. Subordinates are subordinates, women are women. If the relationship gets messy, it causes trouble."
"Do they conflict? Perhaps I have a cultural gap with you people from the East? Forget it... to hell with culture. I'm a rough man, seasoned in the bedchamber but clumsy at matchmaking. I'm not in the mood to dance around it—I'll be blunt: my apprentice likes you. As her master, I hope you'll give some sort of response. Most of this is personal bias, but there are indeed practical reasons."
Tyrion spread his hands, offering his practical justification: "If I have to go back to Casterly Rock today, Nina is currently the only one who can partially replace my role in the industry and share your burdens. We've developed too quickly and have structural issues; middle and high management is our weakest link. Men are sometimes loyal to a person or a force because of beliefs and oaths, but women are different—they give their emotions expecting a burning return. She likes you, so she puts her heart and soul into whatever you order, but that passion won't last indefinitely... And there's one more thing you shouldn't forget. I don't know the marriage customs of your homeland, but in Westeros, once a woman marries, she must prioritize bearing and raising children and looking out for the interests of her husband and his house. Do you understand?"
"I understand. You could have just said that from the start." Egger realized what Tyrion meant: if he didn't make Nina completely his, he couldn't fully trust a female executive who might be snatched away at any moment.
"I suspect you'll think about being a Man of the Night's Watch, but I must remind you—Nina likes you despite knowing full well what you are." Tyrion rolled his eyes. "A common girl of her background would never have the chance to marry into a noble house in her entire life. Now she has participated in the birth of the Night's Watch industry from nothing; her horizons and knowledge have expanded greatly. Do you think she'd still be willing to marry an ordinary man?"
Tyrion believed that since the identity of the rumor-monger was known, he was safe for the time being. But Egger knew that Eddard Stark might already be investigating the princes' parentage... This thought weighed on Egger like a massive stone, making it hard to breathe. How could he have the mind to consider how to respond to a girl's affection?
The Imp didn't notice Egger's impatience and continued to ramble: "Either find someone competent enough to replace my apprentice's position quickly, or make her yours. The longer it drags on, the worse it gets. Nina is far too beautiful once she dresses up; for a common girl, that isn't entirely a good thing. You have to keep an eye on her—King's Landing isn't as peaceful as it appears on the surface."
Egger sighed. "Understood. I have my own sense of how to handle it. Don't worry too much about this."
"I trust you, of course." Tyrion let out a helpless sigh. "Let's drop this. Tell me about your trip to the Vale. Besides Margaery Tyrell fishing for commercial secrets, was there anything else worth mentioning?"
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
On Patreon, you can explore Extra Chapters in advance!