There was nothing special to prepare for lunch in the wild—just bring some fresh meat, and then fry it in the pot or bake it directly.
Well, to take care of Mr. Jason's food on the road, Lena used three freight carriages loaded with a lot of fresh fruit, fresh meat, various snacks, canned fruit, and canned meat.
Soon, Lena had cooked steaks, fish steaks, and kebabs, stir-fried vegetables, browned bread on both sides, a few small cake desserts, canned yellow peaches, canned braised meat, and a fruit bowl.
Summer red wine from Qingting Island, large bottles of apple juice, and orange juice were placed on the small round table.
Looking at the 1-meter-diameter round table filled with food, Jason Liu shook his head with a wry smile. He couldn't eat that much.
However, Lena—who called herself Lord Jason's personal maid and housekeeper—didn't think anything was wrong with it. Lord Jason was the noble Earl of Starfire City, and even King Robert himself acknowledged it.
An earl should have the pomp and formality to match his noble status; otherwise, it would be too simple and might be ridiculed by other nobles.
Jason Liu didn't know where the girl Lena had learned all these aristocratic theories, but he didn't object. It could elevate his status and make people more respectful.
He had shown plenty of kindness, but the majestic side couldn't be neglected.
A little of both—the way of civil and martial balance!
As a ruler, one must master this degree.
Jason Liu had just been an ordinary person before, but after being a respected and saluted count for over half a year, he naturally learned some imperial tricks.
Well, things he figured out by himself. He didn't know whether they were right or not.
In any case, he aimed to gain a good reputation while maintaining a high profile—so that common people both respected and feared him.
He had a piece of toast, a few skewers of lamb, and a large steak, followed by a glass of summer red wine.
Recently, Jason Liu enjoyed drinking summer red wine from Qingting Island in the south.
After washing his hands with the clean water that Bella brought and wiping his hands and face with a clean white towel, Jason Liu asked Lena and Bella to clear the leftovers on the table.
Lena instructed the five newly recruited maids to remove the food from the round table. There were still a lot of kebabs, fried fish steaks that Mr. Jason hadn't touched, and other canned fruits. The fruit plate and canned braised pork made for a great servant meal.
Lena's happiest moment every day was dividing up the leftover meals from Mr. Jason and Bella.
Now that there were five new little maids around, Lena, as the head maid, naturally and generously invited the five timid girls to enjoy the leftovers that Master Jason hadn't finished.
Jason Liu suspected that Lena, a foodie, made so many dishes each meal just so she could eat them.
Of course, he didn't mind that at all.
After all, being served by Lena and Bella was very comfortable. Jason Liu had truly gotten used to having a fragrant young girl by his side now!
As for letting Dicken and Kent—those sweaty big guys—serve him, Lord Jason would rather die.
Jon, Rubin, McCann, Chris, and the others, along with Bachelor and his assistants, and more than 80 masons led by Old Torrant, were busy managing the old men, women, and children of the workers in the camp.
They had them rest in a designated area and use the bushes away from the camp as toilets.
McCann was busy directing hundreds of cooks to toast bread and cook vegetable soup.
Anyway, the simpler and faster the food, the better. As long as there was enough bread for everyone to eat their fill, that was enough.
The first midday camp and lunch break took nearly two hours.
Then the old men, women, and children got back into the freight wagons. The wagons had wide wooden planks fixed to the boards and were big enough to seat 30 people, though it was a little crowded.
That was fine—it was better than walking.
In the morning, the horses were put back into their harnesses, the stoves were dug up, and the young cooks loaded the bricks and stones into the carriages to be rebuilt at the next stop.
Dozens of large iron pots, nearly two meters in diameter, were carried to the riverbank by the cooks to be cleaned and loaded into the wagons.
Fifteen large white plastic buckets were hauled by five freight carriages. The buckets were filled with boiled water. If anyone was thirsty, they could drink from the taps outside the tall white buckets.
Jason Liu had issued a strict order forbidding anyone from drinking raw water. Though many didn't understand why, no one dared disobey Lord Jason's orders.
The older workers still remembered the criminals who were hanged by Mr. Jason himself. The 200 new workers were even more timid, terrified of making a mistake and being driven out.
This job was too good—they could eat their fill every day and get high monthly pay. They were not willing to give that up.
Jason Liu got into the carriage, and McCann rode up beside it. "Sir, everything's loaded into the wagons, and everyone's been counted. It's a big group. Shall we go now?"
Jason Liu nodded and ordered, "Let's go, then!"
"Yes—" McCann answered loudly, then winked at his sister Bella, who was peeking out from Mr. Jason's carriage window. He turned his horse and rode off to pass on the order.
Bella raised her hand and waved, smiling at her brother McCann. Watching him ride away, she happily picked up the rag again and wiped the window glass.
Rumble—
Hundreds of carriages began moving forward. The tall steel wheels and rubber tires rolled over the cold northern dirt road, making a deep, dull rumble.
Tap tap—
Nearly 6,000 strong young men marched in neat steps, almost rhythmically, walking beside the carriages and guarding the elderly, women, and children riding in the center.
Watching their parents, wives, or children chatting and laughing happily on the wagons, the men smiled constantly and walked for several hours without anyone saying they were tired.
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