The sharp-eyed businessmen quickly recognized the enormous potential of Jason Liu's goods.
"If we take this back to King's Landing and spread the word a little, the high lords will snatch it up immediately!" one of them exclaimed. "No matter how much it costs, we can sell it for twice the price!"
Surrounded by these eager merchants, all clamoring to place orders for carriages, Jason Liu had to reluctantly inform them that the carriages had not yet arrived. They would have to wait at least half a month, possibly longer, before the shipments arrived.
Although disappointed, the businessmen immediately asked if they could place orders in advance.
"Of course," Jason Liu said confidently. "You don't need to pay a deposit. Just tell me how many you want, and I'll write it down. In a month, you can return, pay for the carriages, and take them with you."
"One month? That's not too long," one merchant mused, nodding in agreement.
Soon, Jason Liu had secured orders for 120 large carriages and 160 small ones.
The merchants from King's Landing alone ordered 90 large carriages and 120 small ones, while those from other city placed orders for 30 large carriages and 40 small ones.
At a price of 1,000 gold dragons per large carriage and 700 gold dragons per small one, these wealthy traders did not hesitate to place their orders. In their eyes, such luxurious and comfortable carriages were meant for the nobility—commoners could never afford them.
It was no surprise that these goods came from the prosperous southern lands. The wealth and power in the south far surpassed that of the northern lords, making such large transactions feasible.
After inspecting the carriages, Jason Liu led the merchants to his warehouse, where he introduced them to his latest product—solar-powered lighting equipment. He took them on a tour of the halls and guest rooms in the castle, where energy-saving lamps were installed.
The sight of bright, steady light illuminating the rooms left the Westerosi merchants in stunned silence.
"This... this light comes from the sun? And it continues to shine even at night?" One of the merchants from Sunspear, his dark skin glistening with sweat, could barely contain his shock. "It's a miracle!"
The others nodded vigorously, their eyes wide with amazement. If they had not seen it with their own eyes, they would have thought it was some kind of sorcery.
Jason Liu smiled. "This set includes three energy-saving lamps, wires, switches, and everything else needed for installation. The cost? Only 100 gold dragons per set."
The businessmen immediately grew excited.
"Master Jason, the installation seems simple enough, but we are concerned that once we buy it, we won't be able to install it ourselves," a merchant said hesitantly.
"That's an easy problem to solve," Jason Liu assured them. "Leave a few of your men here for a day. My people will train them, and they will be able to install these systems with no trouble."
In the North, Jason's men could handle installations directly, but for merchants in distant regions, training their own people was the only solution. Jason assigned Barron and his team to teach the merchants' subordinates how to set up the lighting equipment. With only thirty men under his command, Jason knew they could not personally handle every installation.
Though some merchants doubted whether their men could learn such a skill, they were too impressed by the bright, clean lighting to resist. They decided to take the risk and purchased several sets to test in their own homes.
By the end of the day, merchants had purchased a total of 150 sets of solar lighting equipment. They left behind their smartest men to train under Barron.
As it turned out, the installation process was simple. By the afternoon, the merchants' men had successfully installed multiple sets on their own, giving their masters confidence. Even the more hesitant traders soon placed orders.
In total, merchants from King's Landing and Sunspear bought 200 sets of solar lighting equipment.
That meant an income of 20,000 gold dragons.
Jason Liu's deposit account now held 120,000 gold dragons, and he still had 180 sets left in the warehouse.
With these successful deals completed, Jason bid farewell to the merchants and turned his attention to restocking. The pens, soaps, and carriages had nearly sold out, and demand continued to grow.
He immediately returned to the modern world to place new orders with the manufacturers, urging them to speed up production. He also arranged for another shipment of pens, paper, and soap to be sent to Westeros.
Jason had a strong feeling that as more powerful merchants across Westeros learned about his products, his business would explode with even larger orders.
Meanwhile, Winterfell was bustling with preparations of its own. Large quantities of food and supplies were being stocked.
A raven had arrived from King's Landing the night before with an important message.
The king himself—along with the queen, the prince, the princess, and a large retinue of nobles and cavalry—was making his way north to Winterfell.
His purpose?
To invite Lord Eddard Stark to serve as Hand of the King and help rule the Seven Kingdoms.
When Maester Luwin delivered the letter, Eddard Stark was stunned as he read it.
Compared to the late Jon Arryn, who had served faithfully as Hand for over twenty years, or Duke Tywin Lannister, the powerful Lord of Casterly Rock, Eddard Stark felt he was hardly suited for such a position.
Even Stannis Baratheon, the king's stern and disciplined younger brother, seemed a more appropriate choice for the role.
Yet, the king had chosen him.
And that choice would change everything.
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