Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 297: Win people’s hearts
On the afternoon of the tenth day, the snow line gradually receded, revealing some bare, dark brown mud in the mountains and forests.

The long line finally came to a stop, the wheels making a muffled thud as they sank into the edge of the snow.

Heavy horse-drawn carriages were parked one after another on the side of the road at the foot of the mountain, a total of more than fifty.

A large guard of guards dispersed and patrolled the surrounding area.

The accompanying family members also got out of the car to help with the work, a rare opportunity for them to get out of the car each day.

Mary carefully stepped down from the carriage, carrying a small jar.

Her skirt was soaked by the snow, but she didn't bother to wipe it off. She held her three-year-old daughter, Ini, in one arm and, with the other hand, helped the other women prop up the cooking utensils on the snow.

"Have you heard? It's quite cold in Red Tide Territory too."

"I heard that the land there was all carved out by fighting, and the houses were all burned down..."

"But we've had plenty of food along the way; there was even meat in yesterday's porridge."

"Well... we just kept going south, like there was no beginning or end."

Mary lowered her head, tearing apart a dry biscuit to feed the child. She paused slightly, then didn't reply.

She wasn't sure where this road led.

All that is known is that it was a single sentence from Duke Edmund that led the entire Knights of the Broken Blade and their families to set off with Louis.

Actually, she had some complaints in her heart, but she didn't dare to say them out loud. After all, Duke Edmund was practically a god to them.

To be honest, this migration was much more dignified than she had initially imagined as exile.

The carriage was not only covered with thick blankets, but also provided with clean water bags and wooden bowls.

Hot porridge is delivered three times a day, and knights patrol with lanterns every night to ensure the area is free from attacks by wild animals and bandits.

Even though she still had doubts, it didn't feel like an exile at all; it felt more like a well-arranged acceptance.

Mary sat with Ini in her arms against a tree root, the child leaning wearily on her shoulder, her eyes still half-asleep and timid.

"...I really don't know what will happen next," she murmured softly.

"Clatter, clatter, clatter." Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves came from afar.

Mary subconsciously looked up and saw a young, black-haired knight appear in her field of vision, protected by several knights.

He rode a snow-white warhorse, wearing a dark red cloak and no armor, only a well-tailored riding outfit that accentuated his slender figure.

Another woman followed closely behind.

She rode a chestnut warhorse, her long blue hair tied back, her riding attire clean and sharp, her demeanor elegant yet aloof.

It was Emily, Mary recognized her—the daughter of Duke Frostspear and the wife of the Lord of the Crimson Tide.

"Stand up! Everyone stand up!"

"It's Lord Louis, the Lord of the Crimson Tide!"

"And the lady! It's the Duke's daughter, Emily!"

A soft commotion suddenly arose near the carriage, and the people around the fire rose and bowed hastily but respectfully.

Even a fleeting glimpse from afar reveals that the figure in the red cloak and with blue hair is like two flames on the snow, instantly drawing all eyes.

Mary slowly stood up and instinctively hugged her daughter tightly, only to find herself holding her breath involuntarily.

She wasn't unfamiliar with nobles. Back in Frostspear City, as the wife of a knight squad leader, she had the privilege of attending the Winter Banquet with Smith several times, meeting many nobles and even exchanging pleasantries with Emily once or twice.

But in her mind, there were only two kinds of nobles.

One type is as rugged and bold as a general, often reeking of alcohol, and speaking in a rough and gruff voice.

The other type is aloof and superior, but often carries an air of arrogance and indifference that looks down on others.

The young lord before her, who was said to have defeated the barbarian king, was unlike any noble she had ever met before.

He was dressed simply, without a sword or armor, and had only a few guards by his side.

But as he slowly walked into the crowd, he seemed to bring with him an invisible ripple, causing everyone to subconsciously step aside and look up at him.

It was a kind of...aura like the surface of a lake at night.

Seemingly calm and undisturbed, yet beneath those serene eyes and brows, a deep current clearly lies hidden.

Louis was already used to his own domineering aura, so he didn't feel uncomfortable at all about these curious glances.

He simply swept his gaze gently over the crowd, occasionally nodding in greeting, and sometimes smiling at the children, like a foreman inspecting a workshop in a market, without a trace of condescension.

As people gradually gathered in the camp, whispers and stares surged in like a tide.

Louis stood on a slightly raised snow mound, and without taking out his speech notes, blurted out: "I have indeed been too busy lately and have not been able to come to see you sooner. I feel guilty for only coming now."

I know that for most people, the Red Tide Territory is an unfamiliar name. It's normal for some of you to be worried about the future.

But I can tell you that you don't need to worry about these things. Because you are already part of the red tide.

Louis turned slightly to the side, his hands naturally behind his back.

“Each family member will be allocated an independent house, and the arrangement will be completed within three days at the latest.”

If you are willing to work and have a skill, we will assign positions based on your skills. We will not leave anyone idle, nor will we force anyone to do anything against their will.

Furthermore, upon arrival in Red Tide Territory, each household will receive fifty gold coins as a settlement allowance.

He paused, a slightly apologetic smile playing on his lips: "It's not much, but... it's just a small token of my personal appreciation."

There were faint rustling sounds in the crowd, and Mary heard a woman next to her quietly take a breath.

"As for your husbands," he raised his voice slightly, "the treatment of the Broken Edge Knights will be increased by 30%, with equipment, horses, and military pay all provided in accordance with the Red Tide First-Class Knights. They have followed me here, and I will never let them down."

His gaze swept calmly over the truckloads of people and families in front of him.

“I dare not promise you overnight riches, nor can I guarantee a smooth journey. But I can assure you that all those who are willing to take root in Red Tide will receive the respect and rewards they deserve.”

For a moment, the surroundings were so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

In the stillness, the little girl in Mary's arms suddenly stirred.

“Mom…” Her voice was very soft, but it reached Louis’s ears.

Louis turned his head and saw the child with round eyes, timidly peeking out from under the blanket.

He immediately smiled gently, and surprisingly bent down, squatted in front of the child, and asked softly, "How old is she?"

Mary was taken aback, and hurriedly stood up to bow, a hint of unease in her voice: "She's three years old, sir... her name is Inee."

“Ini…” he repeated softly, as if trying to memorize the name.

“In the Red Tide Territory, children start school at the age of six. Even if they can’t become knights, as long as they are willing to work hard, they can become butlers, accountants, or even the managers of the territory.”

Louis then looked up and glanced around: "Everyone here, if you have any suggestions or questions, please feel free to ask them now."

He spoke sincerely, but after he finished speaking, there was silence.

Several women kept their heads down, and some children were secretly peeking behind him, but no one spoke. Some were awestruck by the vision of the future revealed in his words, while others were intimidated by his status as a lord; in any case, no one dared to be the first to speak.

Seeing that no one spoke, Louis nodded to a few Broken Blade Knights beside him and gave them some instructions regarding the details of the allocation of family carriages and accommodation.

After saying that, he mounted his horse and prepared to leave.

Emily was already waiting in front of another horse, and the two rode side by side, trekking through the snow.

The crowd finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The tense atmosphere dissipated like a snapped string, and whispers immediately spread between the carriages.

"That's Louis... My God, he's so young and so handsome!"

"Did you hear that? Fifty gold coins... and they were given out directly!"

"My God, that's a whole year's salary for an elite knight! It's real gold!"

"I thought he would talk to us about the great cause of the North, but he just came up with accommodation, food, and jobs... That's too direct."

They didn't hear any empty rhetoric, nor were they encouraged to talk about glory and sacrifice.

What they heard was a house that "truly belonged to the family," a place where "if you want to work, you can be arranged to work; if you want to farm, you can have land."

"The treatment of the Broken Edge Knights is 30% better than that of Frostspear City."

And there was that resounding promise: "We will not let down anyone who follows the Red Tide."

That strike was perfectly accurate, hitting the very vital spot.

They left their familiar Frosthal Mountain with their children, luggage, pots and pans, all to follow their husbands to their post.

The future is uncertain, the journey is tiring, who isn't filled with anxiety?
But now a young lord stood before them and told them personally: “Your husbands deserve the best, and you will be well taken care of.”

This feeling was completely different from the high-and-mighty nobles I had encountered in the past.

It's no longer "Knights should obey their lords, and you'd better pray for yourselves," but rather "Since you've come with me, I will protect you."

Mary listened quietly, her gaze still fixed on the direction Louis had left in.

She was still holding her daughter, but her arms were noticeably looser.

She was always cautious, even pessimistic, and never expected to have a good life in a place like the North.

Even though Smith kept telling her, "Don't worry, the Red Tide Lord is a capable and generous person."

She simply took it as her husband's defense of loyalty.

But when she met Louis for the first time today, she sensed the difference.

There were no empty promises, nor any authoritative authority.

He spoke slowly but sincerely.

Even though she had never been involved in politics, she clearly sensed this.

She looked down at Inee and gently smoothed her hair: "Maybe... it's really worth trying to believe."

…………

The Knights of Broken Edge are one of the strongest military forces in the entire North.

The reason why Duke Edmund was able to stabilize the North for decades was because of the three elite knightly orders under his command.

The Duke has now handed over actual control of the legion, along with their families and offspring, to him.

Louis had already reached a preliminary understanding with the head of the delegation, deputy head of the delegation, and other senior officials through a series of negotiations and mutually beneficial arrangements.

But for the lower and middle-class knights, and for their families, weary from the swaying of their carriages, this was a different story.

The name Louis Calvin is too distant.

Can a young man under 25 really lead them?

They had doubts, suspicions, exhaustion, and unease.

Louis didn't expect to win loyalty with a single order, which is why he specifically arranged this inspection.

It wasn't an order or a lecture, but rather a direct distribution of heartwarming gold coins and specific policies.

To most people, the small token of fifty gold coins is an unnecessary expense.

But in Louis's view, it was the cheapest investment.

A few cartloads of gold coins are all it takes to build trust between the lower ranks of an elite knightly order and their new lord.

Moreover, this is something that the entire Louis mine owner can afford.

"If you want to gain the loyalty of an army, it's not just about being good to the general; you have to make every soldier's wife, children, and parents feel that following you gives them hope."

This is a very simple and straightforward logic. After all, with 800 meals to eat, six sticks per second is not the limit.

Of course, economic and material incentives were only the first step Louis took.

Housing allocation, job placement, increased military pay, and a settlement allowance of fifty gold coins...

This is the simplest and most effective way to leave a physical imprint on people.

But what he truly wanted to establish was a complete sense of belonging, both physically and spiritually.

Money alone is not enough to silence the families of soldiers; what you need to get them to speak up is to defend you.

This is the channel that Louis excels at: building a cult of personality.

This isn't the first time he's done this.

As early as in the main city of Crimson Tide, he appeared on the stage as a war genius, in the classroom with his feats of personally slaying monsters, and in the mouths of the common people as a savior...

Of course, these stories are all true; they are just exaggerated in artistic expression.

This time is no exception, but of course, it cannot be accomplished overnight.

However, Louis has already made a good start.

On the first night after he left, the Duanfeng family members, who had been quietly complaining about "settling in the wasteland," stopped sighing.

Around the campfire, the complaints that had been there quietly changed their tone.

"I'm not exaggerating, but his aura is completely different from those other young masters I've met before... His eyes seem to see right through you."

"At first I thought it was already amazing that he was able to fight at such a young age, but now I see, wow, he's even more handsome than my husband."

"The key is that he's not just a pretty face. What he just said... was for our sake, wasn't it? Have you ever heard of a lord personally distributing money and arranging housing?"

"And look at Miss Emily standing next to him, aren't they a perfect match... They're like a painting together..."

A sense of personality cult has quietly arisen in the hearts of many Broken Blade Knights' families, even though they have only met this young lord once.

(End of this chapter)