Chapter 2 Winter Refuge Town

Author: Sai Longhu

Chapter 2 Winter Refuge Town

The tallow candle flickered in the maester's room. Maester Luwin shook his head and sighed after hearing Eddard's plan.

"Master, the wish is good, but the winter resort town can never develop into a city like White Harbor. White Harbor guards the mouth of the White Blade River. The White Blade River goes deep into the hinterland of the North. Every day, ships bring water to White Harbor from the upper reaches of the White Blade River.

Animal skins, wood from the Wolf Forest, and all kinds of food. Ships from the south bring food from Highgarden, honey, gold from the west, melons and fruits from the valley, and ships from across the narrow sea bring spices and gems from foreign countries to White Harbor.

"

"White Harbor is the mouth of the North. In winter, the residents of the winter towns shiver around the stove, but White Harbor can continue to operate by relying on the advantage of the ice-free harbor. White Harbor can become the youngest city in the Seven Kingdoms.

It’s because of its geographical location, the Mandalay family’s wealth and nearly a thousand years of hard work. These are things that winter towns don’t have.”

Ed looked at the map of the North on the table and his eyes stayed on the winter resort town.

"I know that developing a small town into a city is a long process, but you have to take the first step. When the winter resort town can attract enough residents to move in, I will lead my people to carry out large-scale construction

.”

Maester Luwin touched his necklace and said with a wry smile: "Master, I'm afraid your first step plan will go bankrupt. Now that summer has entered its sixth year, the North has experienced many harvests, and just this month a harvest was completed.

, they have enough food, why would they leave their homes and come to a winter town?"

"The winter season is the only reason why they come to winter towns. This has been the case for thousands of years and will continue to be the case in the future."

At dinner in the evening, Arya and Sansa sat on either side of Eddard, and Theon, Robb, Bran and Jon sat opposite. Eddard told the children the plan.

Sansa was very excited, "Dad, when the winter town becomes lively, will there be singers coming?" Sansa has always loved songs and singers the most.

Arya pouted, "I don't care about singers. Dad, are there any circus performances?"

Ed smiled, "Believe me, it will happen."

Robb made a face, "Dad, when there are more people in the winter town, we will form a city garrison, just like the golden robes of King's Landing. At that time, Jon, Theon, I can command the garrison to maintain the city.

Peace of the town.”

Theon stuffed a piece of beef into his mouth, "Do we need a garrison? These country bumpkins can protect themselves. Besides, they are all very poor, and most of their daughters are ugly. Who will take advantage of them?"

Jon glanced at Theon with disgust, "Winterfell should protect every citizen of the North."

Ed touched Jon's head and said, "After my invitation is sent out, the houses in the winter town will probably be full. Jon, don't worry, we will protect these people."

Master Luwin sent out ravens, and Eddard even sent out cavalry, directly to the nearby manors to invite people from Severn City, Tollon Square City of House Tolha, Horwood City and other places to come and settle in the winter towns.

On the first day, three families came, with a total of 21 people. Then the number became smaller and smaller, and by the fourth day, no one came.

Walking on the empty streets of the winter town, Ed felt depressed.

"how so?"

Maester Luwin on the side said: "Master, I have already said that unless winter is coming, the people would rather stay at home and guard the granary to bask in the sun. Perhaps, the master can send someone to investigate among the people."

"No, I'll go there myself."

The next day, Eddard put on a pair of dirty leather armor, hid his face in his hood, pretended to be a wandering warrior, and left Winterfell on horseback.

Ed came to a village. He vaguely remembered that this was Lord Severn's territory. Ed saw a middle-aged man farming. The farmers had just finished harvesting and started farming.

Ed stood up and dismounted, "Friend, I want to ask you for directions, how to get to the winter town?"

The middle-aged man had disheveled brown hair and an unkempt beard. He looked at Ed.

"Go north along the King's Road. What do you do?"

"I am a wandering warrior, and I want to find a job in the winter town. I heard that the Duke of Winterfell invited his people to settle in the winter town. Maybe I can spend some money to buy a house to live in and a piece of land to farm.

.”

The middle-aged man showed his rotten teeth and said with a smile: "Listen to me, don't go. Winter towns are only lively in winter. It's summer now. Lord Ed invites residents to settle in winter towns. Most of them want to let the people free of charge.

Let's work for him! These noble lords make us do hard work like driving cattle. I might as well stay at home and farm."

Ed frowned, "It is inevitable for a lord to requisition the people. Is it different if you stay here?"

The middle-aged man wiped the sweat from his forehead and approached Ed.

"It's still comfortable at home. Our Mr. Severn here is a good man. He usually secretly hunts wild boar, deer and other things in the woods, but Mr. Severn turns a blind eye. If you are in a winter resort town, you are in the wolf

Lin, try poaching? It's next to Winterfell, and the winter towns are overcrowded. If someone reports you, you'll either lose a hand, or you'll have to be sent to the Great Wall and wear black clothes."

"I know a buddy from the village next door. Last winter, in the winter town, he went hunting in the Wolf Forest. He was caught by the soldiers of Winterfell for poaching wild boars. He begged hard, but he was still arrested.

Sent to the Great Wall of Despair."

"Going to the winter resort town is nothing more than farming. I also farm at home, and I can sneak in some game when I have nothing to do. Here, I pay taxes to Master Severn, but when I go to the winter resort town, I pay taxes to Duke Ed. What's the difference?

There are many foreigners in the winter resort town, so I won’t go there!”

Eddard was sitting in the study, with Maester Luwin sitting across from him.

"It seems that I must come up with a sincere policy in order to attract my people to settle in the winter towns. That's it. Maester Luwin, I want you to send a message and spend 100 copper cents.

The Winter Town will purchase a house and an acre of land, and will have the right to use the reclaimed wasteland after five years of continuous cultivation. Every time there is a good harvest, Winterfell will open the wolf forest to the residents of the Winter Town for hunting for a month."

Wild boars have been overpopulated in the Wolf Forest recently, and hunting is open to the public during the harvest season. Ed feels there is nothing to lose.

Four-fifths of the houses in the winter resort town are currently idle, and most of the ownership of these houses belongs to Winterfell. In winter, many residents who go to the winter resort town to spend the winter will choose to rent a house, and the price is only ten times that of an ordinary hotel.

Once in a while, leave when spring comes.

The maintenance costs of these houses are staggering, and when they are overcrowded in winter, the rent cannot be collected much. Ed simply sells them at low prices to attract residents to settle here.

Maester Luwin smiled and said: "Such a price, as well as the right to hunt during the harvest season, I believe it will attract some people to settle here."

Eddard stood up and said, "Maester Luwin, tell my people that when the houses are sold out, there will be no empty houses in Winter Town for those who will not come."

"Tell them that when the houses are divided, the winter resort town will no longer accept new members. When the cold winter comes, they will have to find ways to suffer on their own."
Chapter completed!