Hundreds of women and children, divided into three groups, ate their meals first, followed by the men.
Since there weren't enough bowls for everyone, families had to share. Those who brought their own bowls found it more convenient to eat. The shortage of bowls wasn't intentional—there simply weren't enough available in Winter Town, and only a few hundred had been purchased. As a result, villagers had to bring their own when they came for food.
Once they had eaten, the children finally shook off the morning chill and became more energetic, looking around curiously at the vast, open land around them.
Although their parents had warned them not to run wild, the children still gathered in small groups, chattering excitedly like sparrows. Their laughter and cheerful voices filled the camp, adding a lively atmosphere to the cold morning.
Barlow and his men had cleared a section of ground, setting up a round table from one of the carriages. A blue-striped tablecloth was spread over it, and soon, breakfast was laid out: grilled bread browned to perfection, a few desserts prepared by Lena and Martha, large glasses of hot fresh milk, fragrant roasted meat, a plate of fresh fruit, and a steaming pot of vegetable soup.
"My lord, your meal is ready," Barlow said respectfully, bowing slightly before hurrying over to Jason Liu's side.
Jason had been watching the children play with great interest, their laughter bringing a small smile to his face. At Barlow's words, he nodded and made his way to the round table.
Sitting down, Jason Liu ate his breakfast at a leisurely pace. Amid the noise and movement of the massive construction site, he was probably the only one who could enjoy such a relaxed meal.
Meanwhile, Jon, McCann and Bud had a quick meal of bread and vegetable soup before joining their hundred soldiers. They remained on alert for any wolves, lynxes, or black bears that might emerge from the Wolfwood, while also helping oversee the hundreds of masons and workers.
With breakfast finished, it was time to get to work.
After several discussions the masons and the others decided to divide the workforce into three groups.
One group, armed with axes, would cut down trees in the forest to be used for constructing wooden huts and walls.
Another group focused on preparing the iron reinforcements and digging trenches.
The largest group was tasked with clearing and leveling the land, removing weeds, stones, twigs, and other debris. This last task, being relatively simple, was given to the children, who eagerly took part. The children, having eaten alongside the adults, were eager to contribute and felt proud that they could help. Their parents had no objections—after all, even at home, children were expected to work.
More than 2,000 people working together created a truly spectacular scene.
Jason Liu, who had grown up in the countryside of City, had never seen such a bustling worksite before. His father had once told him about a time when he was young and had helped build a reservoir, with tens of thousands of people working together. That, his father had said, was a truly grand sight.
Watching the scene before him—the 2,500 workers and children laboring together—Jason finally understood what his father had meant.
With so many hands, progress was swift. Armed with hoes and shovels, the workers quickly cleared the overgrown weeds. Hundreds of children ran around, eagerly collecting stones and twigs and throwing them into designated piles. A sizable mound was already forming.
By the time Jason Liu finished his breakfast, several acres of land near the riverbank had been roughly cleared.
According to his plan, this area would be used for worker lodgings, positioned conveniently close to the river for easy access to water.
Meanwhile, the teams cutting trees had already felled dozens of them, each more than 20 centimeters thick. The branches had been stripped away, and the logs were neatly stacked in an open space, ready for construction.
The masons, responsible for guiding the digging teams, called out instructions, ensuring the trenches were dug deep enough to properly anchor the foundations.
Digging was hard work, so the strongest men were assigned to this task, while the women helped level the ground and cleared debris from the Wolfwood.
As Jason Liu oversaw the lumberyard construction, merchants from King's Landing and Sunspear had arrived in droves, filling the entire Eastern Store.
These were some of the wealthiest traders from King's Landing and Dorne. They had noticed the pens, paper, soap, and other exotic goods being sold by smaller merchants in the city and had traced them back to the Store near Winterfell.
Realizing the potential profits, they wasted no time and set sail northward.
Their ships docked at White Harbor, from where they rented carriages to transport them and their goods to Winter Town, where they eagerly bought Jason's products in bulk.
Jason, leaving the lumberyard in Jon, McCann, and Marb's hands, returned to Winterfell. He traveled in a carriage, escorted by four of dicken's men and twenty cavalry.
As he entered the store, his guards flanking him, Jason saw that the merchants had already gathered at the long table inside the hall, waiting for him.
When they learned that he was the Earl of Starfire City, they quickly stood and saluted him, while silently marveling at how young he was.
Jason listened as they introduced themselves. The merchants from King's Landing came from noble backgrounds, including representatives from the Lake family of Fall Valley, the Stokeworths, the Rosbys, the Rumbletons, the Bywaters, and the Crecys.
Nearly all the powerful noble families of the Crownlands were represented.
In contrast, the Dornish merchants were from less prestigious backgrounds, though they ran large businesses. They were skilled traders, even if they didn't have noble blood.
Jason had never met these people before and had no dealings with their families, but he welcomed them warmly. After all, they were here to do business, and their large purchases would bring significant profits.
Then, during their conversation, Jason learned an unexpected piece of news.
"His Majesty the King, along with the Queen and the Prince and Princess, are already on their way to the North?" he asked, his expression shifting slightly.
According to these well-informed merchants, King Robert Baratheon himself was traveling northward.
------------------------
For Advance chapters visit : patreon.com/Mythic_Muse