Winterfell City's first heavy snow, like a punctual messenger, arrived as scheduled.
The fluttering snowflakes, like light spirits, slowly drifted down from the gray sky, clothing the entire world in a pristine white gown.
Inside the study, the firewood in the fireplace crackled and popped, the dancing flames freely releasing heat, diligently dispelling the faint chill that quietly seeped in through the gaps in the doors and windows.
Above the fireplace, a deer head with massive antlers was mounted.
Under the flickering firelight, the deer head's antlers cast a huge shadow on the wall behind it. The shadow resembled the giant claws of a ferocious beast, as if it could pounce from the wall at any moment, adding a mysterious and slightly eerie feeling to the warm room.
Opposite the fireplace was a dark red long wooden table, its surface covered with dense rolls of parchment and books.
Most of these parchment rolls recorded new decrees awaiting Link's signature.
These decrees concerned the lives of the people in the territory and the development and direction of the entire territory.
Normally, this place had become Kim Mi-jung's exclusive office, but last night Meiting had just lost her virginity, so today Link was taking over her work, allowing Meiting to rest for a day and sleep in.
He sat at the wooden table, sometimes deep in thought, sometimes writing furiously, his focused expression as if the entire world consisted only of him and these urgent documents.
After a long while, Link finally looked up. Through the window behind the study, his gaze could penetrate the fluttering snowflakes, seeing Winterfell City winding and extending in the foreground.
On the city streets, a few pedestrians occasionally hurried by, their figures appearing especially small against the backdrop of the snowflakes.
At the end of the city were continuous mountain ranges, which were the mountains where Thorn Ridge was located.
It lay like a sleeping giant dragon, spanning between heaven and earth, completely separating the Human Kingdom and the North into north and south.
Below, a thin layer of snow had already fallen in the garden, like a soft white blanket spread over it.
Next to it was a pavilion with upturned eaves, where Link would sometimes come for afternoon tea when he was tired.
Sitting in the pavilion, brewing a pot of fragrant tea, watching the snow outside, and enjoying the tranquility and comfort.
If the weather was good, he would also go to the garden to bask in the sun, letting the warm sunlight fall on his body, dispelling his fatigue.
In his previous life, owning a real stone castle was almost a fantasy.
Just to visit it, one had to pay for a ticket, let alone own it.
At that time, he could only imagine the luxury and majesty of castles in television, movies, or books.
But now, he not only owned this castle but also controlled two towns.
Whenever he thought back, Link felt that all of this was too unreal, as if he were in a fantastical dream.
Taking a deep breath, Link tightened his collar.
Although the fireplace in the study was burning fiercely, even so, Link still didn't feel very warm.
The temperature in the study was still very low; if he didn't wrap himself tightly in his fur coat, he would still feel very cold.
"Is winter in this world so cold?"
Link looked at the fluttering snowflakes outside and couldn't help but frown.
His eyes revealed a hint of helplessness towards this cold weather.
The temperature outside now had probably already reached minus ten degrees Celsius or more.
Few people could be seen on the streets anymore; apart from some essential construction work still ongoing in the territory, most work had been forced to stop.
Those workers, dressed in thick clothes, shivered in the cold wind, yet still held fast to their posts, contributing their strength to the development of the territory.
Most of the commoners in the territory hid in their houses, huddled on their beds.
They wrapped themselves tightly with all the clothes and bedding they had in their homes, enduring the bitter cold, praying for spring to arrive soon.
It was also fortunate that before winter arrived, Link had already ordered the construction of wooden houses for the commoners in the territory who had no homes.
In this cold winter, having no home meant death.
Although those wooden houses were not luxurious, they could provide the commoners with a place to shelter from the wind and rain, preventing them from freezing to death on the streets.
Otherwise, with the current weather, without even a wooden house to live in, the only consequence awaiting those commoners would be to freeze to death.
Even with houses now, the lives of the commoners in the territory were not easy.
Although wooden houses could withstand wind and snow, the coldness was still bone-chilling.
This world did not have so many means of keeping warm; commoners did not have modern thick down jackets or warm heating, and could only rely on their own bodies to resist the severe cold.
Fireplaces made of bluestone were a luxury only nobles enjoyed in winter.
But even with the fireplace lit, Link still felt cold, so one can imagine how agonizing it must be for those commoners without fireplaces to get through this winter.
But for ordinary commoners, having a wooden house to shelter from the wind and rain was already a blessing; how could they dare to ask for more?
The commoners' only way to keep warm was to huddle on their beds, wrapping themselves in all the clothes and bedding they had at home.
"This winter is indeed much colder than previous years. Even if the commoners all have houses to live in, some frail individuals will probably find it very difficult to withstand such a harsh winter."
Old Slo refilled the fireplace with firewood, looked at the flying snow outside the window, and said worriedly. His face was full of concern.
"If only we had coal," Link sighed.
Because most of the commoners' houses were built of wood, the commoners dared not light firewood for warmth indoors in winter.
Firstly, because firewood burned too quickly and could not guarantee burning for a long time.
Often, the fire would go out after a short burn, unable to provide continuous warmth.
Secondly, because the thick smoke produced by burning firewood would fill the interior.
The pungent smoke made it difficult to breathe; they would probably be choked by the smoke before freezing to death.
Furthermore, lighting a fire in a wooden house carried a very high risk of fire.
Once a fire broke out, in this cold winter, the commoners would have nowhere to escape and could only watch helplessly as their homes were engulfed by flames.
It was a pity that Link had not yet discovered coal in this world.
Otherwise, with coal, if a batch of stoves could be made, and the commoners taught how to use chimneys and prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, it would safely help the commoners in the territory get through the cold winter.
Coal, that was a treasure for winter heating. With it, the commoners in the territory would no longer have to endure this biting cold.
"Coal? What is that?"
Hearing the word 'coal' from Link for the first time, Old Slo asked in confusion.
"Coal, it's a kind of ore used for heating in winter."
Link didn't think much of it and, with the intention of explaining, told Old Slo about the characteristics and appearance of coal.
He described in detail the color, texture, and burning characteristics of coal, hoping Old Slo would understand its importance.
Unexpectedly, after hearing Link's description of coal, Old Slo's face actually became a little excited.
His eyes sparkled with excitement, as if he had discovered some treasure.
"Lord, I think, I think I know about this coal you're talking about!" Old Slo said excitedly. His voice was even trembling, as if this discovery was of great significance to him.
"You know about coal? Where is it?" Link's spirits lifted, and he quickly asked.
His eyes were filled with anticipation.
If there really was coal, the cold winter would no longer be a threat. The commoners in the territory would be saved.
"When I inspected the commoners and land resources of Thorn City's territory as you requested, I found a place near that iron mine that showed signs of being excavated. According to the commoners there, the original Lord Bear Peter once sent laborers to dig there, presumably expecting to find minerals. But in the end, they didn't dig up any valuable minerals; instead, they dug up some black stones."
"Black stones?" Link was a little excited.
"Yes, and during the excavation process, the mine shaft suddenly collapsed, crushing a group of laborers inside. People said it was a place abandoned and cursed by the gods, considering it an inauspicious place. So after that, Bear Peter never sent anyone to excavate there again."
"Coal mine shafts are indeed prone to collapse if not handled properly. What happened later?"
"I went to the site and saw a collapsed and buried mine tunnel there, with some black stones scattered on the ground, very similar to the coal you described, Lord. And these black stones are not far from the surface. If we want to mine them, I estimate we won't need to dig very deep shafts; we can probably dig a lot by digging downwards from the top."
Old Slo reported everything in detail.
"Is there an open-pit coal mine nearby? Quickly send someone to get me some of those black stones from there. I want to identify them myself."
Link ordered. His heart was filled with joy and anticipation.
If there really was an open-pit coal mine producing near Thorn Ridge, then the commoners in the territory would be blessed.
They would no longer have to shiver in this cold winter.
With coal, it would also be possible to collect coal gas and make coke, which would be very useful.
The coke oven gas, a by-product of coking, has a high calorific value and is an excellent gaseous fuel for open-hearth furnaces and heating furnaces, making it an important energy component in integrated steel enterprises. Coking chemical products are important chemical raw materials. Therefore, coking production is also an important part of modern steel industry.
There are also by-products like tar, which are all good things.
Not long after Link gave his orders, several pieces of black ore were placed before him.
Looking at these 'black stones', Link's eyes revealed a hint of joy.
Immediately, he could confirm that these black stones were indeed coal! The familiar color and unique texture allowed him to recognize them at a glance.
Link tossed these black pieces of coal into the roaring fireplace.
Before long, the coal began to burn among the firewood in the fireplace. The scorching flames danced merrily, adding a touch of warmth to the entire study. Link felt the warm air, his heart filled with joy.
After confirming that there was indeed coal production in the territory, the next step was to begin mining it. Link knew this was an important task, concerning the welfare of the people in the territory.
He began to consider the mining plan, how to organize manpower, and how to ensure the safety of the extraction.
At the same time, Link began to draw a blueprint for a stove. This stove had a simple, rough design, essentially a cylindrical shape with a chimney attached.
Link then ordered the blacksmiths in the territory to start manufacturing these stoves according to his blueprints.
One day passed, and the blacksmiths in the territory produced the first stove according to Link's drawings and delivered it to him.
The finished stove was about half a meter high, with a hollow belly to hold the coal, and a movable iron lid on top that could seal the stove.
At the back of the stove, there was also an iron pipe for venting carbon monoxide from the stove, acting as a chimney. Later, a small opening could be cut in the wooden house wall to extend the chimney, expelling exhaust gas and preventing poisoning.
Link looked at the stove, his heart filled with a sense of accomplishment. Undoubtedly, this stove would bring warmth and hope to the common people in the territory, allowing them to pass through this cold winter safely.
"Next, it's honeycomb briquettes."
Link opened "friend of military and civilian dual-use talents"; it contained the most basic method for honeycomb briquettes: 80% coal mixed evenly with 20% yellow mud. Next, a briquette machine would be needed, which was simple; just find two carpenters to make it, as its principle is similar to a balloon pump.
The manufactured honeycomb briquettes would only need a few days to dry before use; before that, firewood could be burned for warmth.
Without further ado, Link immediately arranged these matters one by one.