Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 252 New Territory Planning

The returning carriage moved slowly across the icy mud, its axles creaking between the snow and frozen earth.

Outside the window stretched a gray and white northern wasteland, where the last snowflakes had not yet melted.

The temperature inside the carriage wasn't high, but the dim yellow light of the oil lamp made it feel exceptionally peaceful.

Louis sat at the table, a hand-drawn map with a rough outline of the terrain spread out in front of him, and slowly began to sketch lines on it with a pen.

Emily nestled opposite him, wrapped in a fur cloak, holding a freshly brewed cup of hot tea in her hands.

The aroma of the tea carries a faint bitter wheat flavor, bringing a touch of warmth to the chilly air.

She glanced at Louise and chuckled softly, "Are you planning to plan the entire North like this without taking a break?"

Louis didn't look up, but said calmly, "Have you ever seen anyone sow seeds without first plowing the land?"

Emily leaned closer, tilting her head to examine the map he was drawing: "So you're plowing the land now?"

"They're paving the road."

He frowned slightly, his pen moving back and forth across the map, occasionally pausing to circle a spot, then frowning as he erased and redrawn it.

The firelight reflected a faint glow in his eyes, as if an invisible blueprint in his mind was slowly taking shape.

Emily was mesmerized for a moment before softly smiling and saying, "My lord... please introduce me to him."

Louis didn't look up, only raising an eyebrow: "What?"

"You've spent so long drawing this picture, I'm almost memorizing the patterns. Why don't you teach me so I can learn too?"

Louis then put down his pen, glanced at her, and said with a gentle look, "You really want to hear me talk about terrain zoning and village models? Be careful, you might dream about allocating granaries after listening to that."

Emily blinked: "Anyway, the road ahead is long, so why don't I pretend to be a strategist and give you some advice?"

Louise nodded, turned the map slightly toward her, pressed the corners with her elbow, and gently tapped the large expanse of brown land with her pen in her other hand.

“This land is our current territory,” he said in a low voice.

“If we just leave it unattended, with 800,000 square kilometers, that’s only one person living on average every eight square kilometers. It’s too scattered, too empty, which is equivalent to not being governed at all.”

Emily leaned closer to take a look. The large area of ​​the map was dotted with sparse dots, like ashes scattered in the wind, completely lacking any coherence.

“But what if we cram everyone into that hilly area of ​​Red Tide Territory?” He paused, tapping a small red spot on the map with his pen. “It would be too crowded. Resources, food, and job opportunities simply can’t be supplied.”

"So you want to divide up territory?"

Louis nodded: "Not just the territory, I plan to divide the entire land into four regions with clear division of labor."

As he spoke, he quickly sketched on the map.

"First is the Red Tide Territory." The pen tip steadily circled a relatively concentrated area, and the familiar terrain outline leaped onto the paper. "This is our starting point, and it will also be the core of the future."

I intend to transform it into Red Tide City. The goal is to make it a new hub city in the North, like Frostspear City, a convergence point for strategy, livelihood, and governance.

Emily's tone was slightly teasing: "Are you planning to rival my father?"

Louis paused for a moment, then chuckled, his voice low and gentle: "How could I dare to think that way?"

He looked up at her, a hint of warmth in his eyes: "It's not that I want to be on equal footing with your father... but that I don't want the North to have only one option."

Emily watched him intently as he drew, and a slight smile appeared on her lips: "Then draw it beautifully."

Louis then pushed the map toward Emily and lightly touched on the areas circled on it with his pen.

“Apart from the Red Tide Territory, those lands were all newly allocated to us. They are too big to be taken in one bite.”

He paused for a moment, then looked up and smiled: "So, I plan to develop it in three layers."

"That sounds quite professional," Emily said with a light laugh, holding her teacup.

“Of course.” Louis suppressed a laugh, his tone still serious. “The first layer is called the core development zone. It’s the most resource-concentrated part of the entire area: there are rivers, good soil, and several mineral deposits.”

This part is where I will focus on resettling the first batch of people, building settlements and villages, setting up post stations, and repairing roads. All the initial investment will be tied up here.

He drew a clear, dark border on the map.

“This place is like a seed. If this one takes root, the entire southeastern North will follow suit.”

Emily nodded, then became serious: "And the second floor?"

“Resource reserve area.” He circled out a layer. “Although there are mines and farmland here, the terrain is poor and transportation is inconvenient.”

We can't invest too much at once. But we can send a few hundred people to garrison the area first, gradually clearing the road and preparing for the next phase.

"It sounds like digging irrigation ditches before planting crops."

"That's the idea."

He drew a third layer, paused slightly, and softened his tone: "Finally, there's the untouched outer area. There might be minerals, forests, and water veins here."

But the terrain is complex, and there are monsters lurking... Our current manpower and resources simply cannot sustain a full-scale deployment."

"So, leave it empty for now?" Emily asked.

“Okay, leave it blank for now.” Louis put down his pen and tapped the map lightly with his fingertips. “The first floor is for feeding people, the second floor is for reserves, and the third floor… wait for the right opportunity.”

He paused for a moment, then slowly drew three circles on the map: "These are our 'core development zones'."

Emily leaned over and heard him recount the story in an almost storytelling tone.

"The first area is the river valley basin region."

His pen traced the great river that meandered across the map: "One main river, two tributaries. Once the waterways are connected, the waterways can link the Red Tide Territory. We can grow crops in the fields, fish in the river, and there are also salt crystal mines and spirit soil layers where we can test some magical energy facilities."

"How many people do you plan to settle in this area?" Emily asked.

“Fifty thousand people,” he answered readily. “Three towns, including the main town, plus twenty to thirty villages. Grain will be the priority, followed by fish. Mining will be carried out along the river, and workshops will be set up along the fields.”

Emily raised an eyebrow: "You're planning to grow enough food for the entire southeastern North yourself?"

"It's not preparation, it's a necessity."

She chuckled softly, "Okay, how about the next piece?"

“The forest belt at the foot of the southern mountains.” He circled another area. “The forest is a temperate coniferous forest, suitable for grazing cattle and horses, and also for logging. Further in, there may be precious minerals such as diabase and veinstone…”

He pointed to the edge: "These two towns will serve as centers for carpentry and forging, and we'll implement a military settlement system. Blacksmith villages, war preparation workshops, and livestock farms can gradually develop."

"How many people?"

"Thirty thousand people, five to ten villages per town, they must be able to endure hardship and produce..."

Emily nodded, then looked at the third circle: "What about this northern mining area?"

“The northern hills are mineral veins.” Louis’s tone suddenly became more serious. “Currently, we have only estimated 10,000 people. There is flint marrow oil, Qi vein stone, and possibly deep demon marrow veins buried there, but it is very dangerous and strange phenomena occur frequently.”

He glanced at her: "So we need to select experienced miners and bloodline knights to explore this area, set up fortified villages, and gradually delve deeper."

Two towns and eight mining villages. Each small village had a few hundred people and was staffed with an agricultural official or village head. The towns had militia, granaries, and trading posts. Only the main town housed the administrative center and military outposts.

As he spoke, he drew three circles on the map: "The three regions have different rhythms, but they share a common red tide core."

Emily looked down at the three circles, suddenly feeling a little dazed. It was as if, through this rough, yellowed parchment map, she could vaguely glimpse the future land of the Red Tide:
Towns and cities took root and expanded amidst the wind and snow; oxen slowly trod across the field ridges; the sound of hammers echoed in the blacksmith's shop; the furnaces in the border region reflected the deep light of the mine tunnels; herds of livestock roamed leisurely under the forest; and smoke rose from the river mouth.

It is orderly wheat fields and mine tunnels, newly established camps and towns, and the future.

She took a sip of her hot tea and asked, "Then how should these territories be managed?"

“Yes.” He gently placed a small stone on a point on the map, as if pressing down a cornerstone for the future. “I will grant the land ‘symbolically’ to the knights who have made meritorious contributions, but only with administrative rights, not real power.”

He looked up at her, a barely perceptible smile appearing on his lips: "Nominally, I'm appointing you as the lord of the estate, which sounds respectable. But the granaries, mines, foundries, and tax system will all be supervised and managed by the civil officials I send."

Emily blinked: "Won't the knight be unhappy?"

“They’re not stupid,” Louis said calmly. “I will give them dividends, enough for them to live like nobles, and I will also give them the right to mobilize troops, enough for them to maintain their face and prestige.”

But if anyone actually treats their fiefdom as private property or an ATM, the civil officials will report it directly, and I will immediately revoke their authority.

As he spoke, he took a pen and drew several radial lines on the map: "In this way, each point falls on a grain route, a mining route, or a river confluence, forming a large network."

Defense, administration, and transportation were all combined. These were the initial points of settlement, the lines were the post roads, and the central point was Chichao Territory.

"So the Red Tide Territory is like the heart?" Emily asked.

“Yes.” He nodded. “It’s the pulsation that gets the blood to the limbs.”

After saying this, he looked at the crisscrossing axes on the map, his gaze as calm as the undercurrent beneath the surface of water.

Emily, however, was completely absorbed in watching.

Louise was not as flamboyant as the gilded aristocrats of the capital, nor as naturally assertive as her father; rather, she possessed a quiet sense of leadership.

He commands respect without issuing orders; he commands respect without holding a high position.

She sighed softly, her gaze still lingering on his long, well-defined fingertips.

"That's what I like about you..." she thought to herself, "...you're never arrogant or impatient, and you always act like a true lord."

As Louise's pen moved across the map, filling in the lines little by little, the entire map of the southeastern North was divided into clear layers and a logical network.

Emily's teacup had gone cold, and her gaze fell on the map: "These two areas have similar population densities, but you set up a town in one and left the other empty. Is it because of the terrain?"

“The former has a water source, while the latter is located in a swamp with an unstable foundation.” Louis casually scribbled a few intelligence keywords on the corner of the paper, his tone as calm as ever. “We’ll consider developing it once we have enough craftsmen. There’s no rush.”

"Can this kind of place also be used as a grain reserve?" she asked tentatively.

“Okay.” He glanced at her and nodded. “You’re suited for this.”

Which one?

"Offer suggestions and act as a strategist."

She was momentarily speechless, her ears turning slightly red, but she still straightened her back: "I'm not an ornament. I also studied politics in Frostspear City."

“I know.” Louis’s tone remained calm, but with a hint of teasing.

Emily didn't respond immediately, but silently watched him continue planning, while a brand new outline of the North gradually emerged in her mind.

Louis sits in the center of the map, and the point his pen points is where the future frontier will rise.

"...Do you really have a way to build all of this?" she asked in a low voice.

"Yes," he said very softly, but without the slightest hesitation. "As long as you don't make any big mistakes and don't be too greedy, you will definitely succeed if you take it slow."

Emily gazed at him quietly, her eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions: respect, reassurance, and affection.

She suddenly realized that she had unknowingly become accustomed to watching him draw maps and make plans on such a night, in such a carriage, while she offered suggestions, took notes, sometimes seeking warmth, and sometimes remaining silent.

By the time they came to their senses, the carriage had already slowly entered the border of the Red Tide Territory.

The morning light pierced through the thick clouds, and a wisp of smoke rose in the distance, appearing quiet and gentle against the gray-white northern sky.

Louis put away the map and rubbed his slightly sore eyes: "We're here."

Emily pulled back a corner of the curtain and said softly, "Welcome home, my lord."

“I’m back,” Louis said with a smile. “We still have a lot to do.”

Emily leaned against him and softly replied, "Okay, take your time."

Smoke from the town's chimneys swayed in the cold wind, and the repaired watchtowers and granaries were beginning to take shape.

Bradley was already waiting at the door, handing over the latest statistics and several requests for instructions.

Louis glanced through the documents a few times, then went straight into the main hall and summoned his subordinates to begin implementing the next phase of adjustments.

The first priority is the redrawing of territorial boundaries.

Some of the planned new territories overlapped with the fiefdoms of the Xuefeng Plain nobles before the war.

But the situation had changed: after the insect plague, many of the original territories were burned down, the population was displaced, and the nobles could barely protect themselves, let alone defend their borders.

Louis then personally explained the adjustment plan to the dozen or so surviving nobles and generously compensated them with a new plot of land that was larger and seemed to have better resources.

“Your old territory has been completely destroyed by the Mother Nest, and it will not be easy to repair,” Louis said sincerely.

"But this new land has good water sources, is suitable for farming, and is close to major transportation routes, which will also pass through it in the future. I am not trying to deprive you, but to build a greater order together."

The nobles were already quite grateful for the protection they received from the Red Tide during the insect plague, and now that they had acquired new land, they were extremely grateful to Louis.

Moreover, their knights were returned as well, and Louis did not seize power by taking credit for his achievements.

The agreement only establishes a joint defense agreement: in the event of war, Red Tide will still be in charge of coordinating and unifying the defense.

"After all, if the defenses are breached, no one can hold them back," he said.

Although some nobles felt this was inappropriate, they dared not bring it up in front of Louis.

And so this system of "using their grain to guard our walls" was quietly established.

At the same time, the resettlement plan for the displaced people was officially launched.

Based on the population data registered during the winter, Louis categorized the refugees and assigned them according to region, skill, and physical condition, then led them to various new territories to build new homes.

Farmers skilled in farming were sent to suitable arable areas such as river valleys, plains, and hot spring valleys to be responsible for spring planting and the establishment of granaries.

Carpenters, stonemasons, blacksmiths and other skilled workers gathered in the "town workshop area" and began to repair roads, build houses and set up workshops.

Soldiers were assigned to border outposts and fortified positions to perform defensive duties, while also cultivating wasteland.

Merchants gathered in the two future main towns to participate in the construction of the post stations and exchanges.

As for unemployed households and widowers and the weak, they are assigned to odd jobs and helpers by the town council, and are provided with subsidies and public kitchens.

As a result of these actions, the population of the Red Tide Territory began to spread out like veins, connecting the starting point, lines, and surfaces.

Having done all that, Louis immediately embarked on his journey to the valley basin.

That was the "granary land" he personally selected, with spiritual soil surrounded by rivers, geothermal layers that were not completely frozen, and large tracts of empty fields abandoned by insect corpses.

“Spring planting is about to begin,” he said softly, looking up at the overcast sky from his horse. “We need to get the first batch of seeds to fall before the snow melts.”

(End of this chapter)