Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 113 It’s Snowing

Jon stayed one night and set off early the next morning.

He didn't forget to haggle with Bradley, exchanging some corn and spices for several baskets of smoked fish, which he happily packed into his baggage.

It seems he really likes this flavorful and long-lasting specialty of Chichao Territory.

Before leaving, he waved casually and said to Louis with a smile:

"I'll come again next spring, and we'll take a bath together then!"

The knights and soldiers around him were all trying so hard not to laugh that their faces turned red.

For a moment, the area in front of the castle gate was filled with a wonderful and lively atmosphere.

Louis sighed and watched as Jon led his large entourage, carrying knights, provisions, and a cartload of smoked fish, away.

…………

The snow in the North fell silently.

The wind made no sound at night, only quietly blowing across the earth.

As dawn broke, Louis stood by the window, gazing at the world outside, which was turning white.

The air was damp and chilly, and the villages, hillsides, and riverbanks of Chichao Territory were covered with a thin layer of silvery white.

The snowflakes fell like a light veil, slowly enveloping the entire territory.

Outside the window, the rooftops of the village were already faintly decorated with a white color by the snow, and the trees seemed to be wearing silver robes, standing quietly in the cold wind.

All of this looks incredibly beautiful.

However, this also means that the most difficult season in the North has finally arrived.

For the lords of the North, the hardest thing is not the cold itself, but how to keep life going during the long winter.

Supplies, provisions, fire starters, animal hides... everything was of utmost importance.

Fortunately, Louis was already prepared.

The management model of Red Tide Territory is different from that of other territories in this world; it follows a feudal lord system unique to Red Tide.

The distribution of resources is not just about making a living, but also about making everyone feel important in this territory.

During the winter, Louis adjusted the food distribution standards to minimize unnecessary disparities and ensure that every family could have enough to eat.

Every family, whether farmers, artisans, or knights, received its due resources according to the number of family members.

Each family of three receives 20 jin (10 catties) of grain per week, which is enough to get through the winter when productivity is low, provided that there is no extravagance or waste.

In addition to food, Louis also made special arrangements for winter supplies.

Each household received a cotton coat and a blanket to ensure everyone could stay warm on cold nights.

As for firewood and charcoal for heating, they are allocated reasonably according to the size of the family to ensure that every household can stay warm in the cold winter.

Louis also established an additional reward system.

Those who make greater contributions can receive more food or heating supplies as a reward for their efforts.

For example, skilled workers such as craftsmen, carpenters, and blacksmiths, or managers such as Luke and Mick.

Needless to say, the Cavaliers ate whatever Louis ate.

These extraordinary warriors responsible for protecting the Red Tide Territory enjoy special privileges.

Through this reasonable allocation, Louis not only ensured the smooth operation of the territory but also strengthened people's trust in him.

The system of distribution according to work makes everyone feel like they are part of the Red Tide territory.

Even the lowest-level labor slaves could feel that their contributions were valuable, that they could obtain enough supplies to survive the winter, and that they would not be afraid of being abandoned.

As a result, order was maintained in the Red Tide Territory during winter.

Today's task is to distribute heating supplies such as cotton-padded clothes, blankets, firewood, and charcoal.

These are the most precious and important life-saving items in this harsh winter.

A cotton coat, a blanket, a bundle of firewood, a few charcoal bricks, and so on.

They determine whether each family can survive the long, cold nights to come.

"One cotton-padded coat for each person, one blanket for each household..."

Louis stood in front of the warehouse piled high with supplies, holding a parchment in his hand, carefully and meticulously checking every item to ensure that nothing was embezzled.

He whispered to the staff distributing the items, while personally checking to ensure that no name was missed and no number was mixed up.

When the distribution officially began, Louis walked directly to the distribution station in the square and stood side by side with the staff.

The residents who came to collect supplies were stunned to see Louis there.

No one expected that their lord would actually show up in person.

Those eyes seemed to become moist in an instant.

No one shouted loudly, nor did anyone cheer wildly.

The atmosphere was one of cautious restraint, as if afraid that speaking would shatter this precious warmth.

They simply walked forward silently, whispering their thanks to Louis when it was their turn to receive the supplies, or exchanging a few quiet words with him while holding the blankets and cotton-padded clothes.

As someone received the cotton-padded coat, they whispered, "Thank you, my lord... May the gods bless you with a long and healthy life."

Louis didn't say much, just nodded, his gaze gentle.

He would occasionally exchange a few simple words with the residents, showing his approachable nature.

A thin, small child carefully held a cotton coat, wearing worn-out shoes, his nose red from the cold.

He looked up at Louis and muttered, "I... want to fight for you in the future, like a knight, to protect everyone."

Louis bent down, gently stroked the child's hair, and smiled, "I'll wait for you to grow up."

The child's eyes lit up, and he gripped the clothes tightly in his hand, his gaze exceptionally determined.

Another woman, carrying a heavy load of coal, walked with a limp. As she passed Louis, she quietly placed a hand on her chest in a gesture of prayer and whispered:

"Dragon Ancestor, please have mercy on Crimson Tide Territory, please have mercy on the great Lord Louis."

……

The distribution is still ongoing, with people lining up one by one.

Some people would say a few words of gratitude to Louis, while others, not being good with words, would simply look at Louis with gratitude.

What pleased Louis the most was that no one complained at all.

After all, these ordinary residents had barely managed to survive the past winter.

They survived on a meager meal a day in a cold, windswept wooden hut, relying on the faint light and warmth of a fire.

Many people even had to burn their furniture and remove old door panels for warmth, just to get through the long snowy season.

Now they can wrap themselves in thick cotton clothes, eat a bowl of hot soup around a pile of firewood, and sleep peacefully with a blanket at night.

Such a change is nothing short of miraculous in this harsh northern land.

The residents knew in their hearts that without Louis, they would most likely be buried in the vast ice field by the snowstorm that winter.

(End of this chapter)