Jason Liu had only planned to inspect the construction site for the logging farm, but seeing so many people gathered for the task was still quite inspiring.
Even so, for the sake of his own safety, he would never refuse the protection offered by his subordinates. After all, Westeros was far from a peaceful place. Beyond the dangers of wild beasts lurking in the forests, there were also bandits and outlaws who roamed the roads, preying on the unsuspecting.
Safety first. Always.
A group of over ten cavalrymen, along with a horse-drawn carriage, made their way south along the King's Road, passing by the Winter Town market.
The King's Road was the most important highway in Westeros, stretching from King's Landing through the Crownlands, the Riverlands, and the Neck, all the way to the Wall, where the Night's Watch held their vigil. The road was more than ten meters wide—a rarity in this world.
Given the feudal nature of Westeros, where productivity was low and resources were limited, building such a massive road must have required a tremendous amount of labor, materials, and money. In history, only a ruler as powerful as Aegon the Conqueror could have commanded such a project. Robert Baratheon, the current king, lacked both the authority and the funds to undertake anything of similar scale.
Although the King's Road was still primarily made of packed earth, it was at least a solid, rammed dirt path. Lords whose castles were nearby would occasionally call upon their smallfolk to perform maintenance. Despite years of use, the road remained in fair condition—though deep and shallow mud pits still dotted its surface. As long as the weather stayed dry, travel was manageable.
However, the wooden carriages of Westeros were notoriously uncomfortable. On rough terrain, they would rattle and shake so violently that passengers inside could be thrown around like sacks of grain.
Luckily, the carriage Jason Liu rode in had the benefit of modern technology, featuring shock-absorbing mechanisms. Pulled by two horses, it could easily maintain a speed of 20 kilometers per hour without any issues.
Twenty kilometers per hour was the optimal travel speed, ensuring that the horses wouldn't tire too quickly and could sustain their pace over long distances. If they needed to sprint for a short period, they could reach speeds of over 40 kilometers per hour. With additional horses, they could even push close to 50 kilometers per hour. However, at that speed on the uneven King's Road, even the best shock absorption wouldn't make the ride any smoother.
Fortunately, Jason Liu and his men were not in a hurry. Maintaining a steady pace of over 20 kilometers per hour was more than sufficient.
In less than 20 minutes, they arrived at the plot of land designated for the lumber mill.
As soon as the carriage stopped, Kent dismounted quickly, trotted over, and opened the door for Jason Liu with an eager smile. "Sir, please watch your step!" he said in an overly flattering tone.
Jason Liu, long used to Kent's ingratiating ways, simply stepped down and looked around.
The land before him was an open field, covered in wild grass and stretching over tens of thousands of acres. The North was vast, and land like this was abundant.
To the west, not far from their location, loomed the immense Wolf's Wood—the largest forest in the North.
According to maps, the Wolf's Wood covered at least 300,000 square kilometers. This ancient forest had stood for countless generations, its trees growing undisturbed for ages. The sheer thought of harvesting such an immense supply of lumber was thrilling.
Environmental destruction? That was not a concern in this world.
Compared to modern industrial societies, Westeros was still an agrarian world overflowing with untouched wilderness. Even if every tree in the Wolf's Wood were cut down, it would barely make a dent in the region's ecology. It was industry, not logging, that truly damaged the environment.
Director handed his horse over to a soldier of House Dustin and surveyed the surrounding area. Nearby, a tributary of the White Knife, the largest river in the North, flowed steadily eastward.
"Sir, what do you think of this location?" Director asked with a smile.
Jason Liu took another glance at the Wolf's Wood, then at the riverbank to the east, and nodded approvingly. "This is a good spot for the lumber mill. We'll build it here."
Directors's face brightened. If Jason Liu proceeded with this plan, Winterfell could benefit from selling timber to him, bringing in additional revenue.
"Lady Catelyn has already given permission for you to use this land freely," Director continued. "As for manpower, since the wheat harvest in the North has just ended, you can recruit workers from the nearby villages. As long as it doesn't interfere with their farming, you can hire as many as you need."
Director still found it baffling that Jason Liu insisted on providing proper housing and high wages for these commoners. In his mind, all these people needed was a bit of food and a few copper pennies to keep them working. Why waste good coin on them?
Were nobles who didn't oppress their peasants even real nobles?
He couldn't understand it. The only explanation he could come up with was that Jason Liu was a rare, benevolent lord—much like Eddard Stark himself.
After selecting the site, Jason Liu and Director rode around the area, confirming the best spots for different parts of the lumber mill.
"Now that the location is decided, I'll return to Winterfell and report to Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn," Director said. "You can begin recruiting workers and start construction immediately."
As the steward of Winterfell, Bernard had plenty of responsibilities and no intention of lingering. This land was worthless to him—Jason Liu could do with it as he pleased. If not for Eddard and Catelyn Stark's direct orders, he wouldn't have wasted his time here at all.
Jason Liu simply nodded and let Bernard leave without further comment.
Turning to Jon, who had been chatting with dicken and the other guards, Jason called him over.
"Jon, when we get back, coordinate with Bud and McCann. Send riders to the nearby villages to spread the word—we need to recruit a large number of workers to build the lumber mill."
Jon immediately nodded. "Understood, my lord."
Jason continued, "I'll leave the details to you. Work with Bud and McCann to get everything organized. The sooner we gather enough people, the faster the lumber mill will be built."
"Yes, my lord!" Jon agreed without hesitation. Then, after a moment of thought, he asked, "How many workers do you want to recruit?"
Jon knew his lord always preferred efficiency. When they had built that small castle not long ago, Jason had hired hundreds of workers. Would it be the same this time?
Jason looked out at the vast, untamed land before him.
The sooner, the better.
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