Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 30 A Letter from the North

Louis continued to explain his design concept: "In terms of defense, the gate will be covered with thick iron plates, which will not only protect against slashing but also against fire."

Arrow slits can also be designed at the top of the stone wall, allowing our archers to engage in battle from inside at any time.

Boiling oil outlets were left in concealed locations on the rooftops. Once the enemy approached and attempted to climb, hot oil could be poured on them to scald them to death.

These underhanded tactics can greatly enhance the defensive capabilities of the Tulou (earthen buildings).

Finally, he patted the blueprints and concluded: "Stones around the perimeter, mud and turf, wooden frame for the interior, hot spring water as a heater, and the Tulou castle is done!"

The craftsmen were stunned, completely amazed by this simple yet practical design.

What surprised them even more was that Louis was able to design such a complete building in such a short period of time.

Several people couldn't help but whisper in admiration, "Lord, you're simply a genius!"

Mike pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded: "It is indeed feasible. The construction period could perhaps be shortened to within six months, or even faster..."

But I can't guarantee success, because this is something new and unprecedented.

“You can research the specific technologies and do your best,” Louis patted him on the shoulder.

Upon hearing Louis's words, the craftsmen began to whisper among themselves, and an atmosphere of excitement spread throughout the workshop.

If this audacious plan succeeds, it will not only provide Red Tide Territory with stronger defenses, but also further enhance its reputation in the North.

And so, the Tulou project in Chichao Territory was officially launched.

…………

As usual, the Duke of Calvin got up and did his favorite exercise to stretch his muscles.

After washing up and changing his clothes, he finally sat down in his study and began to review the mountain of letters.

Most of the letters were about mundane matters: land management, economic allocation, marriage alliances between nobles, and conflict mediation...

Suddenly, his gaze fell upon a particular letter.

The sender was Louis Calvin.

The name made Duke Calvin pause slightly; it seemed somewhat familiar.

After a moment's thought, he finally remembered that Louis was his eighth son, the one whose mother had died young and who was not very talented.

A few months ago, in order to comply with the emperor's decree to expand the territory, he casually sent him to the northern frontier to develop the wasteland.

"Sigh, there are too many children; it's difficult to remember them all," Duke Calvin sighed at the Verdun circuit.

He now has ten daughters and twelve sons, as well as two pregnant concubines.

In terms of raising children, he has always adhered to the strategy of winning by sheer numbers, believing that as long as he has enough children, some of them will eventually succeed.

And this tactic actually works.

For example, his eldest son Gaius is now the vice-commander of the Imperial Guard's "Dragonblood Knights".

He is most likely to be the next patriarch of Calvin.

The Duke looked at the envelope bearing the Calvin family crest, a hint of impatience creeping into his heart.

This is probably a letter begging to return to the South.

But since it's already been sent, I might as well take a look.

The letter began with Louis simply reporting that he had arrived safely in the Northern Territory and that everything was running smoothly.

Then a surprising piece of information was mentioned.

Louis discovered that his fiefdom contained a large amount of cold iron ore, and even found the extremely rare magic marrow ore.

Duke Calvin chuckled softly upon seeing this.

Magic marrow mines are only found in large quantities in the Emerald Federation, while the Iron Blood Empire has very few. He thought Louis had simply gotten incredibly lucky and didn't believe the child had discovered such a valuable resource by chance.

Regardless, the value of this territory has indeed increased significantly, making it worthy of investing more resources in its development.

But the contents of the letter that followed surprised Duke Calvin even more.

He originally thought Louis would ask for gourmet food, fine wine, beautiful women... things that involve enjoying a luxurious life.

However, Louis's request was completely different from what the Duke had expected.

He made a series of pragmatic and practical requests:

Craftsmen specializing in construction and mining are used to improve the infrastructure of a territory, especially in mining and castle construction.

Secondly, he requested the provision of grain, various seeds, and livestock.

Finally, I'd like to specifically mention the Bloodstone, a mysterious mineral that can test whether someone has the potential to become a knight.

"It seems this kid is much smarter than I thought."

The Duke raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of interest stirring within him in this son who had been almost forgotten.

After reading the letter, Duke Calvin tapped the table thoughtfully.

Some recent difficulties have quietly surfaced in my mind.

The emperor has recently taken increasingly harsh measures against the old powerful families, and the power of the eight great families is being weakened one by one.

As new powerful figures emerge one after another, the struggle for interests intensifies.

The political situation in the Iron Blood Empire is now even more unpredictable, and even he himself has begun to feel an unprecedented pressure.

Perhaps opening up the northern border is a way out, he thought.

Of course, it's impossible for him to pour a lot of support into the North.

However, using Louis's territory to sow a seed in the North is not a bad option.

Having figured all this out, Duke Calvin ordered his guards, "Bring Bradley here."

A moment later, an old butler entered the study.

Duke Calvin gestured for him to sit down, then picked up the letter from Louis from the table and slowly placed it in front of Bradley.

“This is a letter from Louis…” Duke Calvin paused slightly, “He asked me for talent and resources, and after some consideration, I decided to give him some support.”

Bradley nodded seriously and picked up the letter to read it quickly.

Duke Calvin continued, "You will go to the North with the team to investigate the specifics of the Magic Mine and see if what Louis said is true or false. Also, you understand that the Magic Mine cannot be exposed easily."

“Yes, Your Grace,” Bradley replied, without a hint of complaint about being sent to that godforsaken place.

"In addition, I will give him some limited support. I will assign several experienced craftsmen and architects to help him improve the town's construction."

A small squad of knights will also be sent to help Louis increase his fighting strength. They will also bring some funds, food, tools, seeds, and livestock as support.

These aren't many things; consider it giving him a chance.

Duke Calvin considered for a moment, then said, "If he can govern the territory well, the family will increase its investment; if he shows any incompetence, the family will immediately withdraw all support."

Bradley, you're in charge of covert surveillance to ensure everything is under control.

"Understood," the old butler Bradley replied, bowing slightly.

The Duke stood up, walked slowly to the window, and gazed northward.

“Louis, I hope you won’t let me down,” he said softly.

(End of this chapter)