Bradley ignored the young knight's exclamations and took out a notebook, opening it to a page and introducing:

"The current food reserves are as follows: 170 tons of rye, 70 tons of potatoes, 20 tons of turnips...

If distributed rationally, this batch of staple food is enough to feed 2,000 people for three to four months."

Louis slowly scanned the orderly arranged sacks of grain in the warehouse, with clear markings on the wooden boxes and a reasonable distribution of layers, all stacked proportionately, with gaps for moisture and rodent prevention.

He praised, "Very good."

Bradley continued to lead the way, pushing open the door of the adjacent warehouse.

A rush of smoky aroma with a roasted scent hit him.

"Regarding smoked fish, this season's production is 12 tons, along with another 10 tons of fresh fish stored in ice pits to preserve." He introduced while walking, "To increase the winter food stock, we made our fishing nets denser. During the last wave of fish migration in autumn, we should be able to catch quite a bit more."

Louis nodded.

Initially, to maintain sustainable fishery, he had instructed to use nets with large holes to let the small fish go.

But given the current special circumstances, to handle emergencies, he personally approved to change the net holes to be smaller for intensive fishing to maximize the harvest.

Further inside was a small room filled with cured meats and dried herbs.

The space was not large, yet it was organized neatly.

Wild game was hung on the wall, and farmed meat cuts were placed on shelves.

In the corner, there were several bundles of dried herbs, not a lot, but enough for emergencies.

"These are from the rounds of hunting and slaughtering before autumn." Bradley introduced, "Not much, but can be quite useful."

After making a round, they retraced their steps through the warehouses and finally returned to the exit of the main warehouse.

Bradley opened his portable notebook, organizing his records with his head down, while summarizing in a soft voice:

"Combining staple grains, smoked fish, cured meats, and miscellaneous herbs, the current stock is as follows:

170 tons of rye, 70 tons of potatoes, 20 tons of turnips, for staple food use;

12 tons of smoked fish, 10 tons of fresh fish, with processing ongoing;

About 4 tons of cured meats and wild game, some still air-drying;

Although herbs are few, they are barely sufficient and can treat several common cold ailments accordingly."

He paused slightly, speaking steadily: "If we follow a standard of two pounds of grain per day, distributing rationally, rotating, and supplementing with a labor-for-grain policy,

it can support the current population of over 2,000 in Red Tide Territory, barely making it through the four-month-long winter.

However, if we encounter extreme cold, snow-blocked roads, or external disasters, it will become tight. The coming months require strict control over entries and consumption."

Louis listened quietly, not speaking immediately, knowing Bradley was not wrong.

The food... is indeed "enough."

But this "enough" is supported by frugality, by system, and by human will.

Should anything go wrong in any of these links, even just a sudden winter epidemic, or the spring coming late by a few days, the little surplus in the warehouse could be consumed clean in a matter of weeks.

Red Tide Territory, located in the southern part of Northern Territory, is somewhat better off than the true extreme cold regions, but the winter cannot be underestimated.

From early December to the end of March the following year, a whole four-month-long permafrost period awaits, with low temperatures, and snowstorms average once or twice a week, snow accumulation reaching up to three meters. The coastline will also enter a fully frozen period, lasting at least one to two months.

No matter how full the warehouse is, it cannot guarantee to withstand this period's storms, delays, and various "what ifs."

And this is already the best situation the Red Tide Territory, and even the entire Northern Territory, could achieve to face the harsh winter by the year's end.

He could not demand more of the people. They had already been frugal and hardworking enough.

Moreover, Bradley's accounts only considered the existing population of 2,500 in Red Tide Territory.

There are more people waiting to be accommodated in the newly acquired territory of over a thousand square kilometers.

Most of those people are refugees displaced by war and can't possibly have any surplus food for wintering.

If relief is not provided, it is almost predictable that by the end of this winter, they will one by one die in the snow, unable to find even their bones.

"Even with the newly supported food from father... it's actually just a little, not enough to save those people."

Louis silently calculated, his eyes darkening slightly.

The food supported by the Calvin Clan, including black rice, legumes, dry wheat flour, and a bit of salted meat, totaled less than 100 tons.

After deducting wastage on the long journey and storage losses along the way, what truly ends up in the warehouse might only be seventy to eighty tons.

These supplies can somewhat sustain a few hundred people.

But for those thousands waiting for food to survive the winter, it's merely a drop in the ocean.

His fingers lightly tapped the edge of the warehouse door, pondering for a long time.

He understood that there were, in fact, only two choices before him.

One was to give up on the refugees in that new territory.

Wait till spring next year to buy slaves from the South, to develop and build at a lower cost, slowly turning the land into one's truly own fiefdom.

This path... is the correct one.

As long as he closed his eyes and didn't look at those people shivering in hunger and cold, everything would fall into place.

But Louis couldn't do it.

His gaze fell to the distant valley, as if seeing those shabby figures kneeling and begging in the snow, he couldn't bear it.

But the limit of food storage had been reached, and field gathering wouldn't make it in time.

Only one method truly could fill the gap — buying food, which is the second choice.

He is currently the Calvin Clan's agent in the Northern Territory, having the right to mobilize all the resources and trade channels of the business associations.

Taking this path, the cost of buying food would also be significantly lower than ordinary nobility.

"Bradley."

The old man stepped forward immediately, slightly bowing: "Yes."

Louis ordered, "Arrange for a group to buy food directly through the Calvin Family's commercial channels."

Surprise flickered in Bradley's eyes, then he lowered his head to respond, "Understood, but... regarding funds..."

"Don't worry about money." Louis said calmly.

The rewards exchanged from wartime merits, the revenue from extracted and sold Demon Marrow, and the various miscellaneous earnings, altogether, he now held cash exceeding 20,000 gold coins.

In other words, he was almost "so poor that he only had money left."

But that's just right, because this money should be spent on the most critical place.

Even if not lavishly, saving a bit is enough to buy people hope for a winter.

So this matter, he not only could do, but also must do it cleanly and efficiently.

"Buy for me — the most durable for storage, the most filling, the cheapest yet most reliable." He locked eyes with Bradley, speaking smoothly and without haste, "The most important thing is, it must be fast, before winter arrives."

Bradley nodded solemnly, "Understood."

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