It was nearly dusk when he returned to Blackstone Town.
The town entrance, however, was much livelier than usual, and from a distance, he could see many unfamiliar faces.
A group of shabbily dressed, weather-beaten people, men, women, and children, gathered there, mostly carrying simple bags. Their eyes showed the fatigue of a long journey and apprehension about the unfamiliar environment, yet they tried to straighten their backs, as if to show they still had the strength to work, mixed with a hint of longing for a stable life.
They were refugees displaced by war or famine from nearby areas. Hearing that Blackstone Town was recruiting people and that the lord here was relatively benevolent, they brought their families to try their luck.
Several guards maintained order, and the political officer carried out simple registration and appeasement according to Lei Luo's plan for receiving refugees.
The procession continued, and on the north side of the town, the Black Stone Castle's outline had already risen from the ground, significantly taller than when they left.
The sturdy stone walls had been built to the planned height, and massive scaffolding surrounded the stone castle. Artisans and assisting townspeople were busy with the final procedures.
The last thick, arm-span log, intended as the main roof beam, was slowly being hoisted into place by the combined effort of dozens of artisans and townspeople, accompanied by shouts of “Heave-ho, heave-ho,” ready to be fitted into the mortise and tenon structures on both sides of the walls.
“The Lord is back!”
Sharp-eyed individuals spotted Lei Luo and his entourage, and the construction site immediately erupted in greetings.
“The roof is topped!”
When that massive beam settled firmly and perfectly into its designated position, someone excitedly shouted, drawing a thunderous cheer.
According to Thunder Dragon Principality's customs, topping the roof is an extremely important milestone in the construction process, signifying the completion of the main structure, with internal repairs and improvements to follow.
This was not only a celebration of hard work but also an expression of hope for a stable future.
Lei Luo dismounted, handed the reins to a knight, and strode towards the castle construction site.
He took off his leather armor, which was stained with dust from the mountain road and a bit of blood, and a servant promptly handed him a relatively clean lord's everyday attire to change into.
Old Buck, the old town mayor, had already received the news and hobbled over cheerfully with his walking stick, followed by several respected elders of the town, holding sacrificial mead and freshly baked bread.
This was the custom: the topping-out ceremony needed to be personally presided over by the lord to pray for a sturdy building and peace for the household.
Lei Luo took the mead in a clay pot and the coarse but fragrant bread.
He walked to the base of the castle, and according to the simple ritual passed down, he first raised the mead above his head, then poured some on the ground and some into the sky, reciting words of blessing, thanking the earth for its support and the sky for its protection.
Afterward, he broke off a small piece of bread and symbolically placed it on the newly installed massive beam.
Having completed all this, Lei Luo turned around, facing all the artisans and townspeople who participated in the construction, as well as those townspeople who were watching from the side, their faces also beaming with joy, including the newly arrived refugees, who were also infected by the enthusiastic atmosphere, temporarily forgetting their fatigue and unease.
“You have all worked hard!”
Lei Luo's voice was not particularly loud, but on the relatively quiet construction site, it clearly reached every corner.
“The Black Stone Castle was able to be topped so quickly, thanks to the sweat and effort of every single person! This castle will be our common home, our shield against the wind and rain, and our guardian of peace!”
He continued, “Today is a day worth celebrating! As is customary, and to reward everyone for their hard work, I have decided…”
Everyone held their breath, looking at their lord expectantly.
Rewards were a tradition of the topping-out ceremony and the best comfort for hard work.
“Every registered resident in town, including our new friends who arrived today, as long as they decide to stay in Blackstone Town, each household will receive two catties of wild boar meat per person, calculated per capita!”
“Oh!!!”
“Long live the Lord!”
“We have meat to eat!!”
The crowd instantly erupted in an astonishing cheer, even louder than the commotion when the roof was topped earlier!
Two catties of wild boar meat!
In this period of relative scarcity where ordinary households rarely had meat, this was definitely a generous reward!
Although wild boar meat was not as tender as beef or lamb, it was plentiful and rich in fat, enough for a family to enjoy several meals and replenish much-needed energy.
The children were the happiest, jumping and cheering on the spot, almost drooling.
The adults' faces were beaming with smiles, congratulating each other, and their grateful gazes turned towards Lei Luo.
Even the newly arrived and still apprehensive refugees were stunned by this sudden surprise, not expecting to receive a reward from the Lord so soon after arriving in Blackstone Territory.
They knew that choosing to come to Blackstone Town might be the most correct decision they had made during their period of displacement.
Aide had already received a signal and directed several knights to bring over several large baskets of pre-cut wild boar meat.
These were the spoils from the hunting team some time ago; after processing, some were smoked and stored, while others were kept for backup, perfectly used at this moment.
The distribution began immediately.
The knights loudly called out names according to the roster provided by Mayor Buck.
“Old John's family! Five people, ten catties of meat, take it!”
A knight smiled and handed a large piece of wild boar meat, with a good mix of lean and fat, to an old man with a grizzled beard, whose face was flushed with excitement.
“Thank you! Thank you, Knight! Thank you, Lord!”
Old John carefully clutched the heavy piece of meat tightly in his arms, as if holding a treasure, drawing a burst of good-natured laughter from those around him.
“Next, Peter's family! Three people, six catties!”
“Coming, coming!”
A half-grown boy, watching others receive their meat, couldn't help but swallow with a “slurp,” and his mother playfully patted the back of his head.
“Greedy cat! Go home and let your dad stew it until it's tender!”
Amidst a wave of good-natured laughter, the boy finally received his family's share of meat.
Old Buck, the town mayor, slowly ambled over to Lei Luo, his cloudy eyes reflecting the flickering firelight.
“My Lord, look how happy they are.”
He sighed.
“It’s been so many years, Blackstone Town hasn't been this lively, or had this much… hope.”
“It’s just the beginning, Buck.”
Lei Luo's gaze swept over the crowd.
“To truly stabilize Blackstone Territory, we still have a long way to go.”
“Yes, yes.” Buck nodded.
Lei Luo asked, “How is the initial resettlement of the refugees?”
“They are temporarily housed in a few empty houses and makeshift shelters cleared out on the edge of town.”
Old Buck said, “I've spoken with a few of their leaders, and they all expressed willingness to obey your arrangements and exchange labor for food and shelter.”
“Very good.”
Lei Luo nodded.
“More refugees may arrive in Blackstone Territory in the coming period. You should instruct the political officers to do a good job with refugee resettlement, as the development of Blackstone Territory cannot do without population.”
“Yes, my Lord!” Old Buck said.
The next two days passed in Blackstone Town in a busy yet orderly atmosphere.
The internal renovations of the castle continued, with artisans hammering away, stonemasons dressing the walls, and carpenters beginning to make doors, windows, and internal structures.
That afternoon.
Aide rushed to Lei Luo.
Aide's expression was serious, “My Lord, a patrol of knights returning from the outer perimeter reported that they found some… unusual tracks at the edge of the forest, about thirty kilometers northeast of the territory.”