To Bert Bancroft's surprise, the young Earl actually remembered the promise he made last time. As a humble businessman, Bert felt deep gratitude towards Jason Liu.
Even if Jason had forgotten his words, Bert wouldn't have dared to ask for anything. He was just a common merchant, a commoner, and in Westeros, commoners had neither the right nor the courage to question nobles.
After learning the prices of Jason's luxurious four-wheeled carriages—1,000 golden dragons for a large one and 700 for a smaller one—Bert thought for a moment and then placed an order. He decided to buy five large carriages and five small ones. He also promised that the next time he traveled north, he would bring more money to purchase additional carriages for his business in the West.
Following his order for the carriages, Bert turned his attention to the solar lighting equipment. When the merchants from the western border saw how the lights worked, they gasped in amazement, calling it "magic." Without hesitation, Bert ordered 20 sets, each costing 100 golden dragons, for a total of 2,000 golden dragons.
Since Jason couldn't spare men to travel west and install the lighting, he told Bert to select a few smart servants from his workforce and send them to Baron for training. That way, they could learn how to set up and maintain the lights themselves.
Bert was finally ready to leave by the afternoon, his convoy packed with goods. Once he was gone, Jason Liu had time to travel to the logging site south of Winter Market Town.
Sitting in a small, well-cushioned carriage, Jason let Barlow handle the reins. Two horse-drawn carriages rode ahead, leading the way as they galloped south along the King's Road.
The journey was less than ten kilometers and took only 20 minutes. Though the King's Road was rough and uneven, Jason hardly felt the bumps thanks to the carriage's advanced shock absorption.
As the carriage, marked with the sigil of House Easter, approached the logging site, workers stopped what they were doing to watch. Everyone recognized the symbol—it belonged to Lord Jason Liu, the Earl of Starfire City. His arrival meant something important.
"Alright, stop staring! Get back to work!" a young stonemason in charge of a hundred workers shouted. He had noticed his men pausing to watch the carriage, so he quickly ordered them to resume clearing weeds and stones.
The carriage was escorted by 14 cavalry guards from House Easter, along with four mounted guards led by dicken. They surrounded Jason's carriage as it came to a halt in front of a newly built log house. This structure served as both a barracks for stationed soldiers and a storage room for food supplies.
Inside the log house, Jon, McCann, and Bud were in discussion with Torrant and other master masons about the construction progress. When they saw Jason's carriage stop, they immediately stepped outside to greet him.
One of Jason's men, quickly opened the carriage door. Jason adjusted his black formal attire, placed his left hand on the hilt of his sword, and stepped out slowly.
"My lord!" Jon, Bud, McCann, and the masons bowed respectfully.
Jason gave them a nod, then turned to survey the busy construction site. "How is the work progressing?"
Before Jon or Master Torrant could answer, Jason had already started walking towards the workers who were digging the foundation. Behind him followed dicken, Chris, Kent, and Rubin, while Jon, Bud, McCann, and the masons quickly caught up.
Jon and his men were dressed in camouflage uniforms. They wore black stab-proof vests on their upper bodies and sturdy protective boots on their feet, giving them a sharp and disciplined look.
Hearing Jason's question, Jon stepped forward, staying a respectful step behind. His expression was serious as always. "My lord, everything is progressing smoothly, except for an incident two days ago. Some workers cutting trees near Wolfwood were startled by a black bear that suddenly appeared. Fortunately, our soldiers reacted quickly and drove the bear away. No one was harmed."
"Wolfwood is known for its wolves," Jason noted. "Make sure the workers stay alert, and keep soldiers on guard while they work."
He stopped by the foundation pit where workers were digging.
Master Torrant, eager to explain, stepped forward. "My lord, we are preparing the wooden fence that will surround the loggers' residence. Tall logs will be buried deep in the ground to provide protection."
Jason looked down at the deep pit. "Good. The northern wilderness is too dangerous at night. Besides wild animals, there are bandits and wildlings. These workers need protection."
Bud, standing nearby, scratched his head. A hint of fear crossed his face. "My lord, these wooden fences might keep out the beasts, but they won't stop the wildlings!" He hesitated, then added, "I remember when I was a child, some wildlings climbed over the stone wall of our village. They killed the entire Somme family and stole their food and livestock."
Bud's face paled at the memory. "I saw their bodies being carried out... hands and feet cut off... stomachs sliced open... It was horrible. I can never forget that sight."
Rubin nodded grimly. "Wildlings are ruthless. They kill anyone they raid, even people from the North. They don't care. They're just savages."
Jason had heard about wildling raids before, but now he was starting to understand just how brutal they were. He knew he had to take this threat seriously.
After some thought, Jason made his decision. "We need more soldiers at the logging site to defend against wildlings and beasts. I've decided to recruit 200 more men. From them, we will select the 100 best riders and train them as cavalry."
Jon's eyes lit up with excitement. "My lord, when should we start recruiting? There are over 2,000 villagers in the nearby settlements. Many of their sons are over 14 years old and strong enough to serve."
"Start today. Recruit immediately!" Jason ordered. "Spread the news at the construction site. Any man of the right age and in good health may apply. We will take the best 200."
Jon, Bud, McCann hurried off to spread the word.
Jason watched them go, knowing this was just the beginning. With more soldiers under his command, his territory would become stronger—and in Westeros, strength meant everything.
------------------------
For Advance chapters visit : patreon.com/Mythic_Muse