Well, I'd really be sorry for the big gift I gave to the Stark family if I didn't take advantage of it now.
Thinking of this, Jason Liu felt a bit embarrassed. "Mrs. Catelyn, Robb, I also hope to cut down more trees every month in the future. But as the workers cut deeper into the Wolfswood, the transportation distance will increase, and the log output will gradually decline.
"In order to maintain a stable output of 600,000 logs per month, we'll need to increase the number of carriages and workers, which means I may have to recruit more laborers from the villages under Winterfell to work in the logging fields!"
Having said that, Jason Liu looked at Catelyn and Robb and tentatively made his request. "So, I hope to be able to recruit more workers from within Winterfell's territory—or even across the North—without restrictions."
Robb thought it was a major issue. It turned out to be just recruiting villagers to work at the logging camp. It seemed trivial to him, and he subconsciously agreed, "Of course —"
"Wait a minute, Robb!" Catelyn quickly interrupted her son. "The villages under Winterfell have already sent over 2,000 people to the lumberyard. We can't continue pulling from Winterfell's territory."
Robb was puzzled, but he didn't contradict his mother. He trusted she had her reasons, even if he couldn't think of them at the moment.
Lady Catelyn finished speaking and turned to Jason Liu. "Lord Jason, you may recruit workers from other territories in the North, or even outside the North, but you may not take more people from the villages under Winterfell."
Yes! Because this ties into Winterfell's future military recruitment.
The so-called army recruitment—while it sounds noble—really means the lords must bring their own armed men in response to their liege's call to war.
If they win, these levied soldiers might profit by looting enemy castles.
If they lose, then—unfortunately—they're likely to die on the battlefield or become prisoners, waiting for their lord to pay a ransom.
If their lords are unwilling or unable to pay, then they may be enslaved by the victors, working mines or fields until they die of exhaustion. This fate is not uncommon.
In short, life under the rule of nobles can be grim.
Catelyn was concerned that Jason Liu's lumberyard had already recruited too many young men from Winterfell. If war broke out in the future, Winterfell might find itself short of available soldiers, so she could not allow him to continue hiring from their territory.
"I promise to recruit only from other territories in the North—or from the Riverlands. I'll ensure the logging farm can produce a stable supply of logs each month. That's beneficial for everyone!"
Jason Liu mainly wanted to use the Stark family's name to recruit outside Winterfell. Since Catelyn had agreed to that, it was enough.
After all, his own name carried weight only in Winterfell. In other regions like the Riverlands, people wouldn't recognize the East family name.
So, Jason Liu would instead present himself as working under the protection of House Stark.
He would soon be recruiting thousands of people—the more, the better.
Of course, the logging farm wouldn't need so many workers. Most of them would be needed for building a new site in the future.
Yes, Jason Liu was already planning to build a base in the North.
Staying within Winterfell's watchful eye ensured the safety of the East family's property, but it also severely limited his military expansion.
Due to the Stark family's oversight, he hadn't dared to grow his forces. Even now, the 300 soldiers under his command had already drawn their attention.
Though relations between the two sides remained friendly for now, if Jason Liu continued increasing his forces, the Starks would eventually object.
No one likes a threat growing next door—especially not in this war-hardened world.
In this barbaric age, where strength was everything, Jason Liu needed to build his military power to survive the inevitable chaos that would engulf Westeros.
That meant finding a site far from the Stark household—and far from the other major houses of the North—where he could operate in secret.
It was time to review the map of the North and find a suitable place to settle.
The North was vast and sparsely populated. Jason Liu didn't need fertile land, as he wasn't relying on agriculture to feed his workers or followers.
With that in mind, he left after paying Mrs. Catelyn and Robb.
Over the next few days, Lina often saw her lord poring over a map of the North spread out on the table.
He even summoned Boris from the next courtyard, interrupting him while he was teaching medical theory to Bachelor Adrian's apprentices.
A few days ago, Adrian had visited Boris and finally acknowledged his medical expertise. He sent a raven to the Citadel from Winterfell, recommending Boris for bachelor qualifications.
Now, Boris was finally on track to achieving his lifelong dream.
The joy was written all over his face. Lately, he could hardly hide his smile.
Now, pulled in by Jason Liu to study the North's geography, Boris was helping locate a barren but well-positioned site for what would become the true castle of House East.
Of course, they wouldn't reveal this to the public.
Jason Liu was planning to lease the land officially, but privately he believed that after the coming war between the Starks and the Lannisters—and a series of ensuing events—the Stark hold over the North would weaken.
At that point, he intended to turn the leased land into a hereditary domain of House East.
Although this approach was risky, obtaining land outright was almost impossible.
Even if Jason Liu maintained good relations with House Stark, it would still be difficult to have them grant him territory officially.
So he needed to change the narrative—start by leasing the land, then slowly take control.
The important thing was to get hold of the land first—and hold onto it.
After all, the Starks could never imagine that their grip over the North might slip in the future.
Jason Liu intended to exploit that.
Only he knew this plan. He wouldn't tell anyone until it came to fruition.
Boris had no idea that his own lord intended to seize land from the Stark family. Such a bold ambition!
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