Westeros does not have construction groups, engineering companies, or similar organizations and people who make a living from infrastructure construction.
The Northerners all live in ancestral castles, basically staying put for decades or even centuries, thrifty to the extreme, patching things up year after year. Naturally, no one was willing to take on the task of building a new stronghold, something they had never encountered before, which would likely be very troublesome and bring huge losses.
The Night's Watch Logistics Department, however, was different. Under Aegor's leadership, they already had the experience of establishing the King's Landing Industrial Park, building Crown Town from scratch, and extensively repairing numerous newly activated ancient fortresses along the Wall. Although not battle-hardened, they had already experienced most of the mistakes they could make and the detours they would take, making them stand out north of the Neck.
This was the fundamental reason why Aegor encountered no resistance and easily won the project when he proactively applied for it.
Everyone was happy to accept help, but asking them to take money out of their own pockets was not so easy. As soon as Aegor finished speaking about requesting funding, the hall, which had just been buzzing with discussion, suddenly fell silent. Everyone looked at each other, and no one spoke up.
Robb frowned, pondered for a moment, and shook his head. "Aegor, we appreciate the Night's Watch's goodwill, but establishing a navy is a military action by the North against the Iron Islands. It is neither right nor reasonable to increase the burden on the Night's Watch. How about this, you make a list of all the construction costs for the port and the stronghold, and I will reimburse all of it and reasonably apportion it among the Northern lords. Labor and defenders, and even the land rent for using the Gift's coast, will also be considered for compensation and remuneration as appropriate. We will absolutely not let our Night's Watch brothers lose a single golden dragon.
"As for the rest, you have seen, although we won a lot of spoils in the Westerlands before, we are still in a state of war, and various expenses are enormous. The economic situations of each house are different, and it is really inappropriate for me to make decisions for all the lords. How about this, after the meeting, you all discuss it privately, and each house will provide support as much as possible based on your actual situation and ability."
...
He had intended to strike while the iron was hot, taking advantage of the opportunity with most of the Northerners gathered together to speak, saving himself the trouble of running all over the map to find them one by one. However, he did not receive a positive response.
But calming down and thinking about it, Robb's statement also made sense. He was only the Warden of the North, not the complete master and King of the North. He could not simply wave his hand and order all his vassals to take out their family fortunes to lend to the Night's Watch. In this matter, it was indeed inappropriate for him to bring it up publicly.
If it must be discussed privately, then so be it. The difficult days of fundraising in the early stages of the Night's Watch Industry were still vivid in his memory. Having personally been on the front lines and built such a large enterprise, and now with his status, position, and reputation far surpassing what they once were, would he instead be afraid of trouble?
But confidence was one thing. When he actually went to visit the major lords one by one to discuss borrowing money after the meeting and a short rest, he encountered trouble.
It was not that the Northern lords were stingy, but rather that Aegor, the 998th Commander, had been burdened by the 997 Commanders before him.
Since its establishment, the Night's Watch had relied on the Northern lords for support. When the Gift was not in decline, the proportion of external help was smaller, but as the Gift gradually became depopulated, it grew larger and larger. By the time Aegor transmigrated, the Gift's productivity was infinitely close to zero, and it was almost entirely the North that was supporting the last of the Night's Watch.
The Night's Watch Commander saying "borrow" equaled "take." This was a recognized understanding throughout the North.
Fighting the Wildlings, which had now become the White Walkers, paying protection money to sponsor a professional army was obviously much cheaper and easier than raising and training farmers yourself. And since the North bordered Beyond the Wall, this money could only be borne primarily by those who directly benefited, and could not be pushed onto the other Six Kingdoms.
So, if a black-clad brother came to ask for money, you definitely had to give it, but you did not expect to get it back. Therefore, you should not be too generous. This was the customary attitude of the Northmen toward the Night's Watch borrowing money.
When Aegor raised funds in King's Landing, as long as he explained to the Crownlands lords that he was starting a business, with Tyrion's guarantee and tangible goods as proof, some bolder ones even dared to invest. But now, coming to the Northerners as the Lord of the Wall, he sincerely wanted to borrow, and he had decided he would repay when he had the ability. Unfortunately, the Northerners did not believe him.
They often preferred to give him a hundred rather than lend him a thousand. Anyway, once it was out, it would not come back, so what difference did the phrasing make?
The ingrained impression passed down through generations for so many years was unbreakable. It was simply not something Aegor could reverse with a few words. Not to mention that besides this rigid impression and custom, Aegor faced another problem: he could not explain what he needed so much money for.
...
Having supported the Night's Watch for hundreds of years, the Northern lords were well aware of the costs of guarding the Wall. How much money did it cost to arm a thousand Night's Watch before? Even if Aegor planned to include all able-bodied men in the Gift, let's assume he needed to arm ten thousand people, that would only inflate the expenses to ten times the original amount.
With the grain loan from the Iron Bank and the Night's Watch Industry having income, why did the Night's Watch Commander need so much money? To line his own pockets, or to rebel?
Aegor could not possibly take out Powder and then honestly say: I am trying to establish a cross-era military industrial system, hoping to mass-produce firearms for practical use. In the future, I can not only bombard the White Walkers, but perhaps also use them against the stone castles of the Seven Kingdoms lords... but the required funds are huge, so investment is needed, right?
The Northerners who held the financial power of their respective families were all patriarchs who knew the cost of daily necessities. They had a good grasp of the expenses for food, clothing, housing, and transportation, as well as the cost of supporting an army and feeding the people. Unable to deceive them and unwilling to tell the truth, Aegor could not insist on borrowing a specific amount of money and could only try his best to get what he could.
Fortunately, the Northerners were not completely unwilling to contribute. The lords further south, those who had less contact with the Night's Watch, contributed a few dozen or hundred golden dragons voluntarily as a gesture. Those further north, who were directly protected by the Night's Watch, naturally contributed several times more. Those whose descendants had died in the war against the Ironborn, as well as the Stark family, the Lords of the North, contributed a few more tenths. Piecing it together bit by bit, he did manage to get over ten thousand golden dragons. Although it fell short of expectations, adding the amount that could be reimbursed after the coastal stronghold was built, it was not a wasted trip.
Among the large group of Northerners who grudgingly contributed, dividing their shares based on closeness, distance, family power, and the size of their lands, eager to quickly send off Aegor, the new Commander, only one person was different.
---
After nightfall, Roose Bolton invited Aegor to talk on the walls of Deepwood Motte.
The blizzard he encountered while patrolling the Wall had long stopped. The moon was intermittently visible behind the clouds driven by the cold wind, casting its bright light across the vast Wolfswood. Accompanying the moonlight was the rustling sound, like the sighing of trees, a subtle yet grand and continuous sound of leaf waves.
When the wind was strong, the sound of leaf waves was louder. When the wind was light, it was quieter. Just listening to this sound, one could understand why Deepwood Motte was always particularly susceptible to sneak attacks.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the two walked side by side along the top edge of the wooden wall. Aegor first expressed his thanks to Lord Bolton.
The Old Flayer was ruthless, cold-blooded, and heartless, likely harboring disloyal intentions toward the Stark family, and had even scattered his seed to produce the utterly heinous and vicious creature known as Ramsay. Fortunately, in this timeline, Ramsay Snow, disguised as Reek, was decisively eliminated by Aegor as soon as he encountered him, so he did not have time to wreak havoc everywhere.
But setting that aside, whatever kind of person Roose Bolton was, it did not change the fact that he had spoken out righteously several times and helped him considerably. For this person, with whom he had almost no prior contact, who was clearly not an ally but was more like one, Aegor's thanks were truly from the heart.
"You're too polite." The Lord of the Dreadfort's smile itself carried a chilling coldness. If he were to transmigrate to the modern world and play a villain, he would probably take home a pile of awards. "To be honest, the first time I saw the Night's Watch Chief Logistics in King Robert's camp outside the Bloody Gate in the Vale, I knew you were no ordinary person. Sure enough, after more than two years, even I have to call you Lord and rely on your protection now."
"Lord Bolton flatters me. Thanks to the trust of my brothers and the support of the Northern houses, I have the opportunity to serve everyone as Commander. I will do my utmost to ensure the safety of the North and the Seven Kingdoms."
"What are you being polite about?" Bolton was unimpressed by such thoughtless humility, only refraining from showing disdain because Aegor was from outside Westeros and likely had a slightly different culture. "My view of this world is that capable people should rise to the top and show what they can do. Do not tell me that if Cotter Pyke or Ser Denys Mallister had become Commander, you would have been content to be a subordinate and abandon all your ideas?"
The other man seemed to have completely forgotten the existence of his bastard son and Reek, which was a relief. However, although grateful for the Old Flayer's help on several occasions, Aegor had not forgotten the fact that the man in front of him was still a dangerous person. He would not open his heart and talk about everything like an inexperienced child just because of a little favor.
He smiled but did not answer.
"Of course, that assumption is meaningless now. You have become Commander, as I hoped, and taken charge of the Wall and the Gift." Bolton understood and liked Aegor's caution. "Let us talk about something more practical. When you came to borrow money this time, the Northern lords were discussing it privately, and they all thought you were taking advantage of the situation, trying to profit by helping to build the naval port and exchanging favors for money."
...
The Northern lords had discussed it privately before he visited, which was likely true. Otherwise, they would not have given uniformly sized donations as if they had agreed upon it. It was certain they were dissatisfied with the Night's Watch asking for money, but as for how serious it was, Aegor did not believe it.
You cannot have your cake and eat it too, just like some strategy games Aegor played before transmigrating. In areas like money, prestige, and character affection, you often had to prioritize one. Now he lacked money, so as long as he did not anger others to the point where they would deal with him, things like face could naturally be discarded whenever necessary and were not worth taking seriously at all.
Aegor would not have the arrogant idea of taking other people's money and not allowing them to feel uncomfortable about it.
What did Roose Bolton mean by specifically bringing this up? To sow discord between himself and the Northern lords? This method was too childish.
For a moment, Aegor did not know how to reply and could only offer a dry defense. "Building the Gift is not just about feeding all the Night's Watch and residents, but also finding ways to make this land prosperous and strong, capable of self-sufficiency and still resisting if the White Walkers cross the Wall. And to achieve this goal, there is still a long way to go. Although I cannot provide a complete list of expenses, this money will absolutely not go into my personal pocket."
"I believe you." Bolton shrugged, his breath condensing into wisps of white mist in the cold air. "I can even be certain that if you are given enough time and resources, you can operate the Gift into a power far stronger than any house in the North, and you can train the Night's Watch into the most combat-effective army in Westeros."
He turned to look at Aegor, not giving him a chance to interrupt. "But have you considered the long-term future? These people are willing to give money readily today, firstly because they hope you can help in the war against the Ironborn by building a navy, and secondly, they have indeed seen the wights Commander Mormont brought to display and know that the Night's Watch is not just asking for money. But what about the future? After defeating the Ironborn and surviving this Winter, how will you continue to feed the forty thousand residents of the Gift and maintain the Night's Watch, which will be the largest standing military force on the continent by then? By farming in the Gift? Even if you could do it, would you be willing?"
In the dim night, the Lord of the Dreadfort's gaze suddenly sharpened for a moment. "I see, you do not seem like someone who can be content with the status quo. There is a fire deep in your eyes, well-concealed, but unfortunately, not well enough."
(To be continued.)
***
For every 200 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on P/treon to read 30+ advanced chapters: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves
(Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)