Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 344 Castle Construction
Night fell outside, and the fire in the stove glowed only a faint red light.

Louis sat at his desk, flipping through the thick workshop daily report and labor list.

Now that two-thirds of the mountain road has been built and the transportation line has been opened, most of the laborers will be idle in a while, so we can make use of them.

“Once the mountain road is repaired, these people can be put to other tasks. Besides, it would be dangerous if such a large number of people were unemployed.”

Louis took out a new sheepskin, flattened it on the table, paused with the brush between his fingers, and then began to write.

The clean draft gradually took shape on the paper: the outer walls of the circular fortress, the location of the four towers, and their orientation toward the main street and square.

These are all images I've been conceiving in my mind for a long time.

Just then, a soft sound came from the doorway, and Louis turned around to look.

Emily leaned against the door frame, wearing a light blue robe loosely cinched at the waist.

Her blue hair was simply tied back, with a few loose strands hanging down her neck, swaying slightly in the firelight.

She didn't come in, but leaned against the door, one long leg naturally crossed over the other, her expression carrying a hint of drowsy tenderness.

"What are you drawing?" Emily asked, her voice filled with curiosity but kept low so as not to wake the baby in the cradle.

Louis turned and continued drawing: "The design of the new castle."

He added that the height of the furnace tower on the south side was marked, “The mountain roads in Red Tide Territory are almost finished. A large number of craftsmen and laborers are now available, so we can’t let them be idle; they have to do something.”

Emily was very interested when she heard this. She quickly took a few steps closer and looked down at the paper. The outline of a ring fortress was beginning to take shape.

She opened her mouth slightly and yawned a little: "Introduce me to him."

Louis continued drawing as he explained to Emily, “The main tower is located on the western highlands, overlooking the entire city. The furnace tower is close to the geothermal zone and is used for heating. It is surrounded by walls on all four sides, with a road in the center leading to the Blazing Tide Square.”

He spoke slowly, as if he were mentally considering each position.

Emily listened while looking at the design drawing, the candlelight casting a bright glow on her face.

The design drawings are neat and simple, depicting a magnificent castle with just a few strokes, much like the person she knows well—not talkative, yet always able to do everything to the best of his ability.

Emily chuckled softly, walked behind him, and leaned over to look at the paper: "It's really well drawn. I always felt like you could do anything."

Her breath was so close, the white rabbit could almost touch his shoulder.

Louis simply raised an eyebrow: "There are many things I don't know how to do. I just think of doing them before others do."

Emily didn't speak again, but gently smoothed the folds of Louis's robe with her fingers on his shoulder.

Louis noticed that she was very close.

The warmth from the fireplace mingled with her scent, carrying a faint floral fragrance.

He didn't turn around, but said softly, "What we're drawing now is a communications tower..."

Emily responded softly, but her eyes no longer looked at the picture.

She reached out and straightened the crooked pen holder beside him, her fingertips lingering briefly on the back of his hand.

"It's too late, you should rest," she said softly.

Louis looked up and his gaze met Emily's; neither of them spoke.

He reached out and extinguished the candle wick, leaving the room in complete darkness.

The sound of snow was still outside the window, and the room was so quiet that only intermittent soft humming could be heard.

…………

Morning light streamed through the gaps in the thick curtains, falling into the messy room.

Mike opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was the huge beam on the ceiling.

The house was large, but it was as messy as a construction site.

Wooden crates were piled up to half the wall, blueprints and half-finished ale were scattered on the table, and even hammers brought back from the workshop were placed in the corner.
On the other side of the bed, his wife was still curled up, half-asleep and muttering, "You've only been back for two days, and you're already going to work again?"

Mike sat up and put on the sawdust-covered coat: "Lord Louis called me, saying it's important."

The old woman sighed and pulled the blanket over her head: "You see Lord Louis more often than you see me."

Mike smiled but didn't reply. He grabbed a few pieces of leftover bread from last night and poured himself a sip of cold tea.

The taste wasn't great, but he was used to it, and besides, even a bite of bread was a luxury in other parts of the North.

When I stepped out of the house, it was still dark, and a cold wind immediately rushed into my collar.

Mike pulled his cloak tighter and climbed into the waiting carriage at the entrance: "Let's head straight to the government building."

Upon hearing this, the driver immediately cracked the whip, and the wheels rolled over the stone road, making a crisp creaking sound.

For work convenience, Mike's house is located near the artisan district.

The streetlights were still sparse, and plumes of smoke, smelling of coal, were already rising from the forging area in the distance.

The main street of Chichao gradually became lively. Many apprentices and craftsmen recognized him and stopped what they were doing to wave at the car window.

Good morning, Mr. Mike!

"Is everything settled at the port?"

Mike lifted the curtain and nodded in response.

The heating in the carriage was insufficient, but he felt a long-lost sense of peace.

After several months of work in Dawn Harbor, things are now on track, so we'll hand everything over to Russell. There's no need for his old bones to stay there anymore.

Over the years, Mike has watched Red Tide Territory transform from a barren land into a place with roads, bridges, and walls.

The thought of being able to participate filled him with enthusiasm.

Five years ago, he was an old craftsman abandoned by the old guilds of Frostspear City, but now he has become the chief engineer of Crimson Tide.

"The Lord's kindness is no joke," he muttered to himself, a smile playing on his lips.

The silhouette of the administration building gradually became clearer through the fog.

That was the cleanest place in Red Tide City, with newly paved stone bricks and a shining badge on the door.

Mike pushed open the door and entered. The meeting room was warm, and the stove was burning brightly.

Louis sat in the main seat, Bradley stood beside him, and a young clerk was organizing scrolls.

Mike paused for a moment, then quickly took off his gloves: "I'm sorry, sir, for keeping you waiting?"

Louis looked up: "It's alright, you've come at the perfect time."

Mike glanced at the pile of parchment scrolls on the table and became suspicious.

I had only been back from Dawn Harbor for three days, barely catching my breath, when I was summoned into the main hall, and this was not a routine briefing.

Louis didn't exchange pleasantries and simply spread several drawings on the table.

The thick sheepskin was pinned down by stones, and Mike turned his head to look.

The drawings were already densely packed; they weren't just random ideas, but a complete plan.

It was the prototype of a ring fortress, with the outer walls embracing the main castle, the south tower close to the geothermal zone, and the west tower standing on a high slope, overlooking the entire city. The cross-section, towers, underground levels, and pipeline routes were all drawn neatly, layer upon layer, as if they could be sent directly into the workshop for immediate operation.

Mike held his breath, his fingers involuntarily touching it: "This... what are you planning to do?"

Louis said directly, “Build a real castle. The mountain road is almost finished, and the craftsmen and laborers are all available. It’s time to start construction.”

“The castle?” Mike repeated, his eyes gradually brightening from surprise.

Louis nodded.

"Finally!" Mike couldn't help but laugh, his laughter filled with barely suppressed excitement. "To be honest, sir, what I've disliked the most these past few years are those earthen buildings."

Winters aren't cold, but it hardly feels like the heart of a territory. Red Tide Territory is the best in the North, and the lord lives in one of those cylindrical buildings.

Bradley chimed in, "This should have been done a long time ago. The master finalized the first draft of the plan last night. We invited you here today to confirm the procedures and timeline."

Louis picked up his pen and lightly touched the parchment with the tip: "The outer wall is five meters thick, and construction will begin from the north section."

Then, following the ink line, he drew a clean arc: "The rock strata here are solid and can bear weight. Once the foundation is stable, we can extend southward."

The exterior has a double-layered structure, with the power supply and exhaust pipes running inside, and the outer layer made of cold iron. The top of the tower is covered with copper, which can conduct heat and prevent icing.

The geothermal pipes need to be laid in advance, under the first floor, running around the entire north side. This side is the furnace tower, close to the geothermal zone; we can try using the steam engine to provide heating later.

He looked up at Mike: "Can you do it? Wouldn't that be too much of a stretch?"

Mike scratched his beard: "It will require more layers of distribution pipes, but it's feasible. If the fire pressure is too high, we'll add a buffer valve. As for the steam engine, I'll have Hamilton try it out."

Louis nodded and added a mark to the map.

Bradley, watching from the side, interjected, "What about the grain storage area? Won't it get too hot if it's too close?"

Louis thought for a moment and drew another partition wall outside the wing: "Add a ventilation shaft to this floor so that the heat can be dissipated, and there won't be any problem."

Bradley nodded and said nothing more.

Louis continued drawing upwards.

“This is the West Tower and the main fort.” He pointed out the outline of the tower. “The main fort is my own residence, and it also serves as a watchtower. An observation deck and a beacon tower will be added to the top of the tower.”

“We can put a spiral staircase up there,” Mike added, “that way it’ll be easier to operate in case of an emergency.”

"East Tower for communications, displaying Swiftbirds and signal flags. North Tower for defense, storing spare weapons and magic explosion devices. The main road enters from the south gate, leading directly to Blazing Tide Plaza."

Mike listened, nodding repeatedly, his eyes fixed on the blueprints: "What about the width of this main road?"

“Eight meters,” Louis replied. “Enough for trucks to drive side by side.”

"What materials should we use?"

"You decide on the materials."

……

The conversation between the two was brief and concise, while the annotations on the drawings became increasingly dense.

When all the designs were finalized.

Mike stared at the design drawings for a long time before saying, "This layout is so smooth... Defense, heating, and transportation are all well taken into consideration."

My lord, this is not the kind of thinking a craftsman could come up with. If you were a craftsman, you would be the world's greatest craftsman.

Louis simply said, "Stop flattering me."

"Hehe." Mike scratched his head sheepishly. "I'm serious."

Bradley looked at the blueprints with great excitement: "If it were built according to these blueprints, it would probably become the number one castle in the North. It would be a wonder."

Mike laughed and said, "That's good, that's more in line with the lord's greatness."

Louis put down his pen and pushed the diagram among them: "Any more questions? If not, take it back and refine it."

Mike shook his head, his expression unusually serious: "No problem, sir. Even if I die on the construction site, I will build this castle for you."

Louis glanced at him and laughed, "I can't bear to see you die. If you fall, I'll have to personally keep an eye on you."

"Then I'll give it my all!" Mike rolled up the blueprints, tied them with a rope, and felt much lighter.

As he stood up, the chair slid backward with a thud.

“I’ll go to the workshop to arrange the manpower.” Mike saluted with a smile, his tone filled with barely suppressed excitement. “This time, we’ll have to let them see the wonders the lord has painted.”

Louis simply nodded: "Go ahead."

Mike responded, turned around, and strode out the door.

The moment the thick door closed, only the low hum of the fire remained in the air.

Bradley stood still, waiting until Mike's footsteps had completely faded away before taking a letter out of his pocket.

The envelope was stamped with a dark blue wax seal, the design of which was a dragon.

"This was delivered last night." He lowered his voice deliberately. "A letter from His Highness Prince Atas, the Sixth Prince."

Louis took the letter and opened it immediately.

His gaze swept across the letter, his lips twitching slightly, as if he were reading its contents aloud:

"Next April, Frostdragon Territory will convene a Northern Reconstruction Conference. It will be chaired by Camille, the special envoy from the Imperial Capital, and all lords from various regions must send representatives to attend and discuss the future of the North and territorial reconstruction plans..."

Louis put the letter down and tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice.

"In other words, the next Northern Reconstruction Conference will be held next April, and the location has been set in Frostdragon Territory."

Bradley frowned, his voice low: "Didn't I consult you?"

Louis shook his head, but his tone was calm, even with a hint of pity: "No, he wrote directly in the letter that he was inviting Red Tide Territory to attend on behalf of all the lords of the North, and he even calculated the time for me."

Bradley's expression grew even colder: "Although he is the reconstruction envoy appointed by the capital, what aspect of the North's current administration, supply lines, and military is not maintained by you, sir? His arrangements... make it seem as if he is the lord of the North."

Louis smiled, a smile that contained no dissatisfaction, but rather a hint of nonchalance.

“It’s normal for him to want some recognition. After all, life in Frost Dragon Territory isn’t easy.” He folded the letter again and put it aside. “Frost Dragon Territory isn’t far from Crimson Tide, and the journey is relatively convenient, so let’s go take a look.”

Bradley nodded, still somewhat indignant: "Should I draft the reply?"

“Okay,” Louis said. “Just write that I will be there on time.”

Bradley wrote it down in his notebook.

Louis leaned back in his chair and looked out the window: "I originally planned to hold the conference in two years. Anyway, I have to meet with them eventually. It's not good to stay in Red Tide Territory all the time. Maybe I'll make some interesting discoveries by looking at other people's cities."

“Then I’ll go back and prepare.” Bradley closed his notebook, bowed, and left.

Louis was left alone in the room, thinking about the contents of the letter he had just received.

He wasn't worried about the prince using his power to seize power, since in this frozen land, whoever controlled the grain controlled the order.

The empire gave him the title of Asta, but not a truckload of flour. Such an envoy is destined to live only by posturing.

Well, it's a good opportunity to see how many nobles in the North are truly loyal to us.

(End of this chapter)