The five assistants could handle common illnesses like colds and fevers, as well as dress wounds. Jason considered rotating them on duty at the logging yard to ensure there was always medical assistance available.
Toilets were another issue that needed attention. These farmers couldn't be allowed to relieve themselves anywhere as they did in their villages. Proper sanitation was necessary.
The latrines had to be built downwind, far from where the workers lived. Large communal toilets would be constructed to accommodate the 2,000 laborers. Regular cleaning had to be organized, and a composting area would be set up. Jason planned to use the composted waste as fertilizer for a few acres of land where onions and carrots—staple vegetables in Westeros—could be grown year-round.
Standing before the vast wasteland, Jason couldn't help but feel the urge to cultivate the land. It wasn't that he needed the food—he had enough supplies—but leaving fertile land unused felt wasteful. It went against his instincts.
Yes, that was it. From sanitation to composting to farming, everything fit together perfectly.
Shaking his head, Jason made a note of it on paper, pushing the thought aside for now. It was time for dinner, and dwelling on such matters might ruin his appetite.
Outside the store, Bud stood before the gathered crowd of more than 2,000 people, his chest puffed out with pride. He declared loudly, "The benevolent and noble Lord Jason East could not bear to see the suffering of these elderly women. Out of his boundless kindness, he has offered them work."
The elderly women, 137 in total, were sent to the kitchens or given light cleaning tasks at the lumberyard. It was work they could manage despite their age.
"Thank the gracious Lord Jason East! May the gods, old and new, bless you and your family!"
Hearing that even the old and frail had been given work by the generous Earl, the elderly women clasped their hands together and wept tears of gratitude, whispering heartfelt prayers.
"Hooray! Long live Lord Jason!"
"Hail to the great and merciful House of Easter! May the gods bless you!"
"May the noble and generous Lord Jason East enjoy good health and prosperity!"
"In the name of the gods, old and new, may Lord Jason Easter and his house be honored forever!"
These peasants, though simple and uneducated, were not fools. They knew who treated them well and who oppressed them.
Unlike the other nobles of Westeros, who saw them as mere tools to be used and discarded, Jason East had given them work with wages they had never dared to dream of. To them, he was a lord unlike any other—one who showed them compassion and fairness. Such kindness was rare, and it filled them with deep gratitude.
Most nobles did not just exploit them for labor but also committed unspeakable cruelties, stealing their daughters, abusing them, and leaving them powerless to resist. Under the feudal system, where nobles controlled every aspect of their lives, common folk had no choice but to endure in silence.
To them, lords were untouchable figures with the power to take lives as easily as they slaughtered livestock. Fear ruled their existence.
But now, for the first time, they had encountered a noble who treated them with dignity. Jason Liu, a foreign count, had given them an opportunity for a better life. And for that, they were truly grateful.
Inside the store, Jason Liu heard the cheers and praises of the gathered farmers. However, he had no desire to step outside and bask in their adulation.
Jon, Bud, and McCann waited for the cheers to die down before addressing the crowd.
"Tomorrow, bring your tools—hoes, axes, and iron spades—and gather early at the winter market town. We will head south of Winterfell to begin work on the land," Bud announced.
The crowd murmured excitedly. With their instructions clear, the villagers gradually dispersed, chatting among themselves about the work ahead. Many made plans to meet early the next morning and travel together.
Before dawn the next day, the 2,000 villagers gathered outside the Easter store. They arrived in groups, each village sticking together in clusters.
Some pushed wooden wheelbarrows with a single wheel beneath a plank, carrying old hoes and woven baskets. Since both husbands and wives had been hired, many brought their children along. Older children huddled beside the wheelbarrows, clinging to their mothers, while younger ones lay on makeshift carts, sleeping soundly in tattered clothes.
Some men carried nothing but a farming hoe or an axe slung over their backs. Others, having no tools of their own, held wooden sticks they had picked up along the way.
They whispered among themselves, speaking in hushed voices so as not to disturb the noble count's household. Yet with over 2,000 people gathered, even whispers turned into a constant hum of conversation, punctuated by the cries of restless children.
Inside the store, Barron and the others, who had been laying out the floors, were startled by the commotion outside. Alarmed, they ran to the barracks to inform Jon, Bud, and McCann.
Jon and his men, momentarily stunned by the massive gathering, quickly sprang into action. They grabbed their weapons and rushed toward the castle gates, summoning soldiers to prepare for any possible disturbance.
The once quiet castle burst into life, torches flaring as guards took their positions. Energy-saving lamps illuminated the scene, casting a brilliant glow over the castle grounds.
Outside, the villagers gasped in astonishment at the brightness of the lights. They had never seen anything like it. To them, it seemed as though hundreds of candles had been lit all at once.
Inside his chambers, Jason Liu was roused from his sleep by the noise. Lena, already awake, stood outside his door, along with several guards.
When Jason opened the door, he found Lena and dicken waiting for him.
"My lord," Lena and dicken greeted, bowing respectfully.
Jason yawned, running a hand through his tousled hair. His face still bore the grogginess of sleep. With mild irritation, he asked, "What's going on? Why is it so noisy outside?"
----------------------------
For Advance chapters visit : patreon.com/Mythic_Muse