Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 351 Intelligence and Autumn Harvest

When Louis woke up, it was just dawn.

Still feeling tired from last night's journey, he rushed back to Chichao from Dawn Harbor. The overnight trip made him fall asleep almost immediately.

He raised his hand to rub his temples and subconsciously looked to the side.

Emily was sleeping beside him, her blue hair spread out on the pillow, her breathing shallow, her eyelashes fluttering.

The baby in her arms was curled up in a ball, half-encircled by her arms.

Louis looked down at them, his expression softening for a moment, before gently getting out of bed.

He put on a thick robe, walked to the window, and pushed open the wooden window.

The morning mist enveloped the entire Red Tide City, and the snow-covered streets and alleys stretched into the distance.

The red-domed houses were faintly visible in the mist, like undulating waves.

Then Louis raised his hand and waved it. After a familiar soft chime, a pale blue light screen spread out in mid-air.

[Daily intelligence update complete]

[1: The Second Prince was attacked by a mysterious high-ranking extraordinary knight during a hunt, losing his left arm and currently remaining unconscious.]

[2: The sixth prince, Asta August, has recently used his royal status to bring rare magic stones into the fold of Earl Holmes.]

[3: A tribe of frost giants has appeared in the northern valley of Red Tide Territory, suspected to be seeking refuge for the winter.]

He looked at the first one, his brows furrowing slightly.

The severed arm was not just a physical body; it also connected to the dozen or so legions that had already defected to the Second Prince, and to the network of the Military Affairs Department.

Even if his arm can be reattached, the injury will diminish his sharpness by half.

If the second prince falls, the political balance in the capital will immediately be disrupted.

Will the legions continue to support a crippled prince, or will they split up and side with other princes?
If the military were to split, the empire would no longer have a complete defense line, which would mean that foreign forces could take advantage of the situation to invade.

The cracks in the capital city are larger and deeper than they were six months ago, as if someone is secretly cutting the blood vessels of the empire with a knife.

Louis silently assessed the situation in his mind; he could almost foresee the struggle between legions, the tearing apart of military power, and the purges among the royal family.

He mentally crossed off all the possibilities: internal purges within the military affairs department? Vatican intervention? Being bought off by the noble faction? Or the Federation using him as a test?

The intelligence report didn't reveal who it was, only coldly stating the result.

This strike can't be the end; it's just the beginning.

There is a very high possibility that internal strife will break out in the capital next year, leaving little time for the northern border to protect itself and consolidate its power.

Louis sighed deeply; the pressure on him was mounting.

Why fight and kill each other? Wouldn't it be better to join hands and build a better empire?
[2: The sixth prince, Asta August, has recently been using the name of the royal family to bring rare magic stones to win over Earl Holmes.]

“Asta…” Louis’s lips twitched slightly, a faint, cold smile appearing on his face.

For him, Asta could never turn the tide.

His every move is almost always reported to him on the daily intelligence system.

Although he couldn't escape the grasp of his own destiny, Louis was somewhat annoyed by the sight of the sixth prince jumping and hopping around.

It would be good to get rid of this thorn at the right time, but not now, since it has other uses now.

As for Holmes, he was one of the political legacies that the Duke of Edmund left to himself.

Unfortunately, the old Earl of Holmes died this year, and his ambitious son succeeded him. It seems that the young man has the idea of ​​using the prince to ascend to the throne.

“Interesting,” Louis said in a low voice, a hint of cold amusement in his eyes.

He suppressed his smile and looked at the third item.

[3: A tribe of frost giants has appeared in the northern valley of Red Tide Territory, suspected to be seeking refuge before winter.]

Frost giants are natural enemies of Louis, who has just arrived in the North, and he needs to carefully set traps to hunt them down.

But now even a single elite knight squad from the Crimson Tide can wipe out these giants; they are no threat at all.

But Louis was quickly calculating another possibility in his mind.

If these giants could be captured alive and handed over to Merian, the bio-alchemist, for research, domestication, or modification, they would gain a long-term fighting force far exceeding short-term benefits.

Even if taming fails, the giant's corpse is an excellent fertilizer and raw material in the northern wilderness. The bone meal left by the magic essence can improve the soil in the cold region, and alchemists can also extract useful magical energy components.

Louis silently noted: "Send a reconnaissance team in to observe first, trying not to alert them. If the number is manageable, prepare a capture plan."

He turned off the daily intelligence system, let out a soft breath, and reflected on the day's intelligence. Beset by internal and external troubles, only he was building the empire.

A slight rustling sound came from behind me.

Louis sat down on the edge of the bed and reached out to touch the baby's forehead.

The child babbled in his sleep and gripped his fingers tightly with his hand.

Louis touched his face for a while, then walked to the window and began his routine practice in the snow-white morning light.

He sat cross-legged, his hands clasped in front of his chest, and slowly guided his breath.

His breathing rhythm seemed to match the rise and fall of the waves, and the fighting spirit in his body flowed like the tide, vibrating in his blood vessels and slowly flowing back along his meridians. He could clearly feel his body's strength gradually increasing.

He continued like this for a full hour until his internal energy was completely stable before slowly stopping.

After a short rest, he closed his eyes and entered a meditative state.

My thoughts sank into a pure, magical world, where time seemed to stand still.

The Primal Meditation Technique unfolded automatically in his mind, a void world shaped by consciousness. Louis slowly guided his mind, directing the points of light, and the magic flowed smoothly and purely.

Another hour passed, and the two forces of battle qi and magic intertwined and resonated with each other within his body.

His fighting spirit has now stabilized at the level of a high-ranking elite knight, just one step away from becoming a transcendent knight.

His magic power had long since surpassed the limits of ordinary mages, entering the realm of archmages.

In terms of the purity of his spellcasting, most of the great mages from the magistrate's forest might not be able to match him.

With the added power of the Scorching Vine Garden and the Mother Nest, his overall combat strength is no less than that of a beginner peak knight.

Looking at the entire Red Tide Territory, and even the Northern Territory, he is undoubtedly the number one combat force.

Of course, in order to conceal his true strength, Louis's aura was that of an elite knight and a novice mage.

Louis smiled with satisfaction. From a noble knight with no talent to his current strength, this journey would have been impossible without the daily intelligence system and his own ruthless determination. After the training session ended, the light in the room gradually brightened.

Emily and Sif were both awake, and the child was lying on the bed babbling.

The three of them ate breakfast together in a gentle atmosphere.

Louis tidied the child's clothes, whispered a few words of advice, then put on his coat and went out.

The wind outside carried the scent of snow as he boarded the carriage and headed towards the Red Tide Administrative Region.

We passed by a construction site for a new castle along the way.

It is still in its early stages. The massive stone foundation has been erected, and craftsmen are busy working on it. The booms of the cranes are rising and falling, and the roar of the steam engines is mixed with the sound of hammers striking.

Although the building is not yet complete, its future grandeur can already be seen from its structure.

The carriage continued on its way, crossing the stone arch bridge over the main street and stopping in front of the administrative building.

Bradley was already waiting at the door.

His expression remained as serious as ever, but when he saw Louis, a rare smile appeared on his face.

“It’s been a long time, Lord Louis.” He bowed.

“Long time no see, Bradley.” Louis smiled back and patted him on the shoulder. “You’ve had a long day.”

The two walked into the office together, and a wave of heat hit them in the face.

The documents were neatly stacked, and the air was filled with the scent of ink and paper.

Bradley flipped through the thick ledgers, the firelight reflecting on his face, making the wrinkles of time appear even deeper.

He then opened the ledger report, which stated the results of this year's autumn harvest: "The data for this year's autumn harvest has been compiled."

Thanks to the combined efforts of farmland expansion, investment in greenhouses, and tool innovation, this year's autumn harvest totaled 310,500 tons, half the amount of last year's harvest.

100,000 tons of green wheat, 5 tons of rice, and 140,000 tons of miscellaneous beans and tubers.

In addition, new greenhouse crops were included in the statistics for the first time, totaling 15,000 tons, which will be used for urban supply and reserves of medicinal herbs and feed.

Louis didn't answer immediately, but tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, the rhythm steady and slow. His eyes were calm, as if he were calculating, or weighing his options.

On the surface, he remained calm, but inside, a subtle sense of satisfaction welled up within him.

The harvest at Mailangling and the various camps steadily increased, even exceeding his own predictions.

This is the achievement he values ​​most: food is not only the foundation for the survival of the red tide, but also a weapon for future expansion.

Louis mentally calculated the growth rates in various regions, his mind drifting to those once barren hills now covered in golden waves of wheat—the prosperity he had achieved through order and planning.

“Very good,” Louis praised. “Food is our strength, and it is also the root of the red tide.”

Bradley nodded and continued, "As per your instructions, the remaining internal grain reserves will be maintained at 60,000 tons as official reserves. The remaining 150,000 tons will be allocated to external distribution."

"100,000 tons, sell them."

Bradley paused for a moment, and Louis continued, "In the past, it was relief, given away for free, but now the disaster in the North has eased, and they have their own production and resources, so starting this year, we will no longer give alms."

Of course, we are selling at a discounted price. The northern territories can spend money or exchange supplies for grain. Due to the short distance and the red tide, the price of grain can be only half that of grain transported from the south.

Priority will be given to Duke Edmond's allies who have submitted to him and early allies of the Red Tide; others will be subject to purchase limits. Anyone who attempts to hoard or resell will face consequences.

Bradley looked at the young man before him, and a complex sense of respect welled up in his heart.

That boy, who was once invisible within his family, now knows how to govern the entire Northern Territory with rules, shaping power, popular support, food, and destiny into an invisible hand that controls the entire Northern Territory.

Louis continued, "There are three tiers: Allied Price, Regular Price, and Premium Price."

Allied territories are paid at cost plus a small tax as a symbol of trust and mutual assistance; neutral territories are paid at normal transaction prices. They owe us nothing, nor are they protected by us.

As for those rebels and hesitants, if they want grain, they'll have to pay three times the price. The Red Tide does not nurture enemies.

Louis paused, as if casually mentioning, "Earl Holmes, listed at the highest price."

Although Bradley didn't understand, he quickly wrote it down in the ledger: "Yes, sir. Earl Holmes offered the highest price. I will make the specific percentage public so that they can see it clearly."

Louis's gaze lingered on the snowy landscape outside the window: "From this year onward, the Red Tide is no longer a philanthropist, but the ruler of the North. Anyone who wants to survive must follow our rules."

Bradley nodded quietly, but his heart was churning. He realized that the young lord before him was no longer just the master of the Red Tide, but the cornerstone of the entire Northern Territory.

Louis softened his tone and asked, "Bradley, how is the repair work progressing in the southeastern part of the North?"

Although Bradley hadn't expected Louis to ask this question, he calmly replied, "Reporting to you, sir, the overall situation is good. Almost all the post-war ruins have been restored, and transportation lines have been reopened."

The population is also steadily returning, with some areas having recovered to two-thirds of their pre-war levels. Areas like the area around Red Tide Territory are now even more prosperous than before the war.

Louis nodded slightly, as if weighing something: "Very good, it seems we can hold our ground, and it's time to move forward."

He paused, his tone becoming even lower, "It's time to extend our reach into the southeast and take control of the entire north."

Bradley looked up, a look of delight on his face: "It should have been done long ago, sir."

You've been too cautious, maintaining the North's support for your policies for the past two years with food supplies. But if you want to truly seize power, food alone is not enough. If you take that step, no one in the North will be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with you.”

“Then let’s begin.” Louis turned around. “We will use order and interests to make the winds of the entire North move with the Red Tide.”

Bradley straightened up, his expression solemn: "Yes, sir."

Louis smiled, his tone softening. "No need to be so serious, Bradley. Tell me, what advice do you have? What would my father, the Duke of Calvin, have done?"

Bradley pondered for a moment before replying, “His Excellency the Duke… he has always been adept at winning people’s hearts through marriage alliances, especially in the southeastern provinces, where almost all the nobles are relatives or in-laws of the Calvin family.”

Louis's smile faltered slightly as the image of the old duke, who had dozens of children and whose offspring were as numerous as eggs, flashed through his mind.

Then she subconsciously thought of her one-year-old son. How could she arrange a marriage?

I am actually very diligent every day, but it is possible that I may never have a second child in this lifetime.

After all, while the power of bloodline makes knights strong, it also makes their reproduction almost a luxury. Many nobles in the empire have only three or four children in their entire lives.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but smile bitterly. His father, Duke Calvin, had fathered more than thirty children in one go, which had long made the entire empire wonder what kind of tonic he had taken.

Bradley realized something, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward for a moment.

He coughed lightly and continued, "Of course, sir, you don't need to follow his example. The Red Tide has its own path."

"Actually, I had already planned this."

Louis smiled slightly and gently pulled out several sheets of paper from beside the table. They were covered with dense markings and annotations.

(End of this chapter)