Arya left, leaving only the bond issuance duo in the room. Aegon glanced at Tyrion and asked, "How did you settle that paper-making inventor?"
"Well, things are a bit more complicated than you think. It wasn't one person trying to make paper, but a family who made a living weaving. More accurately, it was the youngest pair of siblings in that family," the Little Imp said. "The sister discovered that the residue on the cloth washing tools would always form small paper-like pieces after prolonged use. She had a sudden idea: she steamed and mashed a bolt of cloth in water, then dried the water, creating a complete sheet of paper."
"That truly is an extraordinary woman," Aegon said with interest. "Then, she and her brother tried making paper with other materials?"
"Yes, although they made paper, it was more like hardened cloth than paper. To be honest... the quality was too poor even for wiping one's backside. Besides, the cloth they wove wasn't enough to make clothes to sell and support the family, so how could they use it to make large amounts of paper?" Tyrion continued, "The weaving and clothing industries haven't been doing well recently; just making a living is difficult. Although their family didn't object, they didn't have much material support for their new invention. So the brother found a paper merchant to try and sell his creation, hoping to borrow some money to improve the technique. He was refused, and finally... we picked them up."
So that's how it was. It wasn't that the working people of the Ice and Fire World lacked brains, but that inventions and creations were stifled by short-sighted resource holders!
"You brought them back?"
"Yes, I told them to stop weaving. The whole family moved into the city. I rented them a large courtyard in a place with low land prices. I'm covering all their food, drink, and paper-making expenses. They only need to produce usable paper as quickly as possible."
"Hmm, that's good, that's fine."
"What exactly is this confidentiality agreement you mentioned?"
"It's nothing magical or new, just an agreement. Explain clearly to him... to her and her entire family that we will support his family, reimburse all his experimental costs, and provide a bonus once usable paper is successfully developed. But once there is a breakthrough in paper-making technology, it must not be leaked or sold to other patrons; it can only serve our plan. Otherwise, the Lannister family, the Night's Watch, and even the Hand of the King will hold them accountable."
"That's exaggerated. How can I and the Night's Watch hold him accountable? As for the Hand of the King, he might not even care about this."
"A commoner, show him a document signed and sealed by the Night's Watch Commander and the Hand of the King, and you, a celebrity. Can't that bluff him?" This world indeed seemed to have no concept of patents. Aegon thought for a moment, then shrugged, "Of course, the best way is still to feed our inventors well so they don't have second thoughts. First, provide equipment and tools for that pair of siblings, let them make a batch of paper for me to see as soon as possible, and then make specific decisions."
"Alright, I'll listen to you," Tyrion nodded. "Aren't you going back to the Albatross Inn today? It looks like there's nothing left for you to do at this Night's Watch Office for now."
"There are still some Trivial tasks. You go first, I'll return later. Don't go to bed too early, we still need to discuss recruiting tonight."
"Okay."
"We agreed you'd manage the funds. Take the money with you."
"Okay."
...
Aegon sent Arya, Tyrion, and their attendants away, leaving the Night's Watch Office with only one person again. It was nearing dusk, and he had an important matter that he had to handle after dark. He lacked help, but this was something he wouldn't trust anyone else with, no matter how many subordinates or employees he had.
It was still summer, and the sky darkened very slowly. Aegon endured the time, waiting for the sky to gradually turn dark. He ate dinner at a small restaurant not far from the City Watch barracks, and then sat in the office for a while longer until it was finally pitch black outside.
It was about time.
He left the Night's Watch Office, closed and locked the door like a regular merchant closing up late, mounted his horse, and began heading towards the Albatross Inn. Of course, there were no streetlights in King's Landing, and this area wasn't like Street of Silk where "business" could still be done after dark. The shops on both sides had already closed, and there were almost no pedestrians on the street. Aegon sat upright on his horse, tilting his head slightly to look left and right, confirming that there were no living creatures within dozens of meters in any direction.
Then, he quietly reached into his bag, fumbled for a rolled-up small piece of paper, placed it beside him, took a breath, and released his hand.
In the silent night, the paper rolled into a stick slid from the man's palm, rolled along the horse's back, rubbed against the horse's hair a few times, spun as it fell to the ground, and was then kicked by the hind hooves of Aegon's mount as it stepped forward, floating half a meter away and rolling into a corner of the flagstone road. Silently, a carrier of a rumor melted into the darkness, its origin known to no one.
Not encountering any patrolling Gold Cloaks, Aegon deliberately took a detour, cautiously dropping a small piece of paper every few dozen meters like a bomber dropping bombs. After dozens of such drops, he had thrown away all the stock he had prepared last night.
The content of the paper was simple. Written in the tone of a young Ser from the Great Gorge, it told a simple yet earth-shattering story that could cause a huge stir.
***
[My name is Ser Hugh, and I served the late Hand of the King Jon Arryn as an attendant for many years. By the time someone sees this paper, I must already be dead.
Months ago, I inadvertently stumbled upon the affair between Lord Jon's wife, Lysa Tully, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Petyr Baelish. Lady Lysa threatened me not to tell anyone, or she would surely have my head. Lord Baelish, on the other hand, promised me endless wealth and glory if I didn't speak carelessly.
Under the dual influence of fear and greed, I did not immediately inform my Lord of my discovery... until he suddenly "fell ill" and passed away.
Lord Jon was old, so falling ill seemed quite normal, but after paying attention, I noticed that the frequency of meetings between that man and woman increased around the time of the Lord's death. This made me suspect that Littlefinger might have instructed Lysa to poison Lord Jon.
I have no proof, and although I was knighted as Lord Baelish promised, there has always been a faint unease in my heart: if my guess is true, someone like me, even with noble status, is probably still just an ant that can be easily crushed in the eyes of a powerful figure like Littlefinger, who has connections everywhere.
So I wrote down what I knew and gave it to a trusted friend. If I die unexpectedly one day, it must be because Littlefinger murdered me through trickery, and my death will further prove that Lord Jon's passing was by no means natural. I am a small person, my hesitation killed a noble Lord, my life is worthless, but the truth must be revealed to the world, and the sinner must be punished.]
***
The matter was done. Now, he could only hope it wouldn't rain in the next couple of days and that a few of these papers would fall into the hands of people who were literate and fond of gossip.
...
Due to his low status, the death of Ser Hugh did not cause a shock or investigation, but the mystery surrounding his death was no less perplexing than Bran's assassination—Aegon learned through chatting with Jack that his transmigration had not changed the fate of this young man from the Great Gorge. This newly knighted man had still died on the spot a few days before Aegon arrived in King's Landing, when his throat was pierced by the lance of Ser Gregor Clegane during a joust.
There are many questions here: Did someone cheat in the draw that determined the order of contestants in the tournament? If so, did Gregor receive an order to kill his opponent? If so, who did this order come from, and what was its purpose? Did Ser Hugh truly know some secret, or was it merely to distract Eddard's attention?
Even Aegon knew nothing of these questions, but they weren't important. He wasn't seeking the truth now, but hoping this paper would cause trouble for his enemies.
Apart from the cause of Jon's death, almost everything in the story on the paper was fabricated. But rumors have an interesting characteristic: as long as a part of it is true, people will subconsciously believe the rest as well. Whether Lysa and Littlefinger had an affair in King's Landing, whether Ser Hugh really knew some secret he shouldn't have, or even whether his death was truly just a coincidence—it didn't matter. As long as it was true that Lysa and Littlefinger had known each other since childhood and were familiar with each other, that Jon Arryn had suddenly died of illness was true, and that Ser Hugh had died in a joust was also true... then this paper was enough to give the accused a hard time.
Even better, Littlefinger had once boasted everywhere that he had taken the virginity of the two Tully sisters, which made the gossip part of this paper even more convincing... He wondered if that young Petyr Baelish, who had once used this as capital for bragging and was smug about it, would regret his youth and foolishness in a few days?
Littlefinger could arbitrarily stir up trouble in King's Landing. A clever mind was certainly one aspect, but a more important and fundamental point was the "underestimation" of most people—born into a declining minor noble family on the Fingers, lacking martial prowess, running a brothel that decent people disdained, and not showing much ambition... Although many "great figures" interacted with him as equals on the surface, and even relied on his financial acumen, they deeply and subconsciously looked down on him. This was the most important factor that allowed him to successfully act as a troublemaker and stir up bloody storms in the Seven Kingdoms.
But now, someone who understood him and intended to deal with him had arrived in King's Landing. His good days... were coming to an end.
—