Game of Thrones: Kings in the North

Chapter 3 Gathering at Winterfell
Ed took Jon, Theon, and Robb, and stood at the head of Winterfell, watching the crowds on the King's Road, the continuous carriage of horses and oxen, spreading to the end of the sky.

When the cavalrymen and ravens of Winterfell spread the news, it caused a sensation among the people in the northern border. People gathered in Winterfell from all directions.

They set off from Deepwood Moor to the west, from the Mountain Clans, Last Hearth, Kahoe City to the north, from the Brooklands, Bleaktown, to the south, from the country beyond White Harbor, from the Old Mountains, Flint's Finger, The widow looked, and the Dreadfort set off. People drove cattle and sheep, pulled carts full of grain and daily necessities, and brought their families with them to the winter town under Winterfell, just like countless cold winters in the past thousands of years.

The only difference this time is that it is still summer.

Robb frowned, "Father, I don't understand. At first you invited people from the northern border to settle down in the winter town, but no one came. Why are so many people here now?"

Before Ed could answer, Theon interjected, "Master Ed marked each house and an acre of land with a price of 100 copper cents. At this price, it would be difficult to buy a piglet. These farmers are trying to be cheap. Winter City still has a chance to be legal." Hunt, they come naturally."

Ed smiled. "Theon, you're only partly right. Do you know the deeper reason?"

Theon shook his head, and Jon said, "Master Ed, I know."

Ed looked at Jon, "People often say that illegitimate children are very good at observing words and expressions, and seeing the truth. Jon, why do these people gather in Winterfell?"

Jon said coldly: "Because of the fear of winter."

Yes, this is the root cause.

Duke Ed released the news that once the houses in the winter shelter town were sold out, they would no longer accept other northerners when winter came, which frightened the northerners.

Now the summer has lasted for six years, but even the longest summer will burn out.The old people in the northern border have all seen the power of harsh winter. Some cold winters can last for ten years, food is scarce, and the cold will make the northerners fall into a freezing hell. When it comes to cold winter, the winter town is their only hope.

When Ed invited the people to settle down in the winter town, these people either waited and watched, or didn't want to come at all. However, when they heard that Winterfell sold the houses in the winter town at a low price, they would no longer accept them in winter after the houses were sold out. Fearing the cold winter, the people who are sheltering from winter began to flock to the winter sheltering town.

Outside Winterfell, a tent was set up, and the manager, Weiyan Poole, was in charge of buying and selling houses. You could get a house and an acre of land for 100 copper cents.People lined up.

Jory Cassel, captain of the Winterfell guards, led a team of cavalry and spearmen to maintain order in the crowd, and Fran, the chief animal trainer, led a group of hounds and stood guard in the distance.

Residents who came to settle down in the winter town, the horse-drawn carts and ox carts were full of goods.Ed saw an old man with a white beard, the cart was full of wine, a woman's carriage was full of goats, and a boy's ox cart was full of cages of chickens, ducks, geese, and rabbits.

A butcher's carriage was full of pork, Arya was chatting with a butcher brother, and Bran followed her sister.

Sansa and Jenny Poole, little Beth Cassel walked through the crowd, all smiles on their faces.

When Duke Ed appeared in the crowd, there was a commotion immediately, and people bowed to Ed one after another.

A stout old man with silver hair walked up to Ed, "Lord Ed, my name is Caron, I am a blacksmith. I have worked in the blacksmith shop in White Harbor for decades, and I was lucky enough to In Kahoe City, serving Lord Karstark."

"But every winter, I take my family to live in the winter town. I was born in the winter town. My three sons and six grandchildren were born here. This is my hometown. I will never forget the history The Tucker family has accepted my kindness in the cold winter, but it is the first time for me to live here in summer."

Duke Ed smiled and said: "Caron, let's settle here in the future! Let's fight the cold winter together. If you want, you can also go to Winterfell and forge iron for me. I have a blacksmith Mikken, and I need more blacksmiths. .”

Caron nodded, "It's my honor to serve Lord Ed. My son and grandson are all blacksmiths or blacksmith apprentices."

Nowadays, there are more and more residents in the winter town, and the original mills, blacksmith shops, hotels, etc. in the winter town can't meet the needs of so many people. Ed is planning to set up a forge in the winter town. A blacksmith like Caron is needed.

Ten days later, all the houses in the winter shelter town were sold out, and nearly 2 people flocked into the winter shelter town.At night, Ed stood in the castle study, looking out through the window, the winter town lights and every house was flickering with candles and torches.

Weiyan Poole put a thick book on the desk.

"My lord, this is the registration list of every resident. Every house in the winter shelter town has been sold, plus taxes, and a total of 286600 copper cents have been collected. The winter shelter town is already full, but There are still many people who have not been allocated houses, and some people have asked to live in the castle."

The captain of the guard, Jory Cassel, said: "My lord, the residents of the Winter Refuge Town are overcrowded, and it is difficult to maintain law and order. If so many outsiders live in the castle, my guards will not have enough manpower. I think these people should be allowed to leave." way back."

"No." Ed rebuffed straight away, "They brought their families and came all the way to the winter shelter town. How can we let them go back? The guards are not manned enough, so they are recruited directly from the townspeople."

Ed turned to the chief manager, Weiyan Poole, "Weiyang, you arrange these people to live in the castle. The abandoned first castle can be used, and the rats and spider webs in it can be cleaned up."

Maester Luwin was taken aback, "Lord Ed, didn't you say that after the winter town is full of people, it will stop accepting people?"

Ed did let it out, claiming that if the house is sold out and the occupants are full, he will no longer accept winter escapers. This is just Ed's strategy to coerce the people in the north to settle in the winter escape town, but the honest Maester Luwin Take it for granted.

Ed sighed. "That's true, but I'm just a soft-hearted person, and I can't refuse my own people."

Vayon Poole showed embarrassment, "Master Ed, we have a lot of free space in Winterfell, but there are still many people on the King's Road, rushing towards Winterfell. If we try to accept every northerner, then Our castle's supplies will run out before winter."

Ed smiled and said: "Don't be too pessimistic, these people have food, and it's not winter, they won't sit and eat. The land outside Winterfell will be reclaimed soon, and manors will be established in patches. With the labor force, the grain storage will only become more and more abundant."

"Perhaps!" However, Weiyan Poole's expression clearly disapproved, "I can handle it right now, but if there are too many people, I can't even arrange a place to live."

Ed stared out the window at the lights of the winter town, his eyes shining with triumph.

"Put up the tents in the warehouse, set up tents outside the city, and set up temporary settlements. Anyway, we will expand the town soon, and there will be more houses by then, to accommodate the people who come later."

(End of this chapter)