Is this cheat code from Bika? Just do it!

After all, even the most skilled cook can't cook without rice. Relying solely on the meager tax revenue of Winterfell, without substantial financial support, any plans to improve lives are nothing but castles in the air.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Link walked slowly to Jin Meiting's side and asked with concern.

"Oh, it's Lord Link!"

At this moment, Jin Meiting was squatting by the lawn, washing her face with water drawn from the well.

Hearing the voice, she looked up at Link with a slight smile on her lips: "Not bad. Last night, the maids laid out thick blankets for me. They were soft and comfortable to sleep in."

“You’ll get used to it. In a few days, I’ll arrange a personal maid for you to take care of your daily needs,” Link said with a gentle smile.

"You've been so kind to me, Lord Link, I don't know how to repay you..."

Jin Meiting lowered her head slightly, her voice full of gratitude.

"Completing the task I assigned you well is the best way to repay me."

Link patted Jin Meiting's shoulder gently, then smiled and joked, "Of course, if you're willing to repay me with your body, that would be wonderful too."

"This..." Jin Meiting's cheeks flushed instantly, and she shyly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

However, she could tell that Link was just joking. After a moment of contemplation, she picked up the wooden basin beside her and said, "Sir, I've finished washing up and I have to go to work now."

"Going to work? You really think this is the modern workplace?" Link couldn't help but chuckle.

26. Winterfell's Deadbeat

"I don't have anything else to do if I'm not working," Jin Meiting winked playfully and replied with a smile.

Changing the subject abruptly, she stopped and turned to Link: "By the way, sir, could you grant me some personnel appointment authority? There are some vacancies that urgently need to be filled. Otherwise, even trivial matters have to be reported to me layer by layer, which is really cumbersome. I'd like to establish a hierarchical national government system similar to that of the 21st century, where affairs are handled and reported level by level. This way, our management will be more efficient and convenient."

“No problem, just go ahead and do it. As for who to appoint, just give me a detailed list later,” Link replied without hesitation.

"OK, thank you, sir!"

Jin Meiting's eyes sparkled with excitement. After thanking him, she hurried away with light steps.

Link turned slightly to the side, glancing behind him, and said, "Agnes, let's go for a stroll outside the city."

"it is good."

Before she could finish speaking, Agnes gracefully leaped from the balcony and landed steadily behind Link.

Link and Agnes first went to the slums together to check on the progress of the cabin's construction.

The dilapidated thatched huts where the orphans used to live have now been completely demolished and replaced by a two-story wooden house.

The wooden house is spacious and bright, with sunlight streaming through the new window frames and casting warm patches of light on the ground. Outside, a wide bluestone road winds its way out, its surface smooth and even, a far cry from the dilapidated and shabby state it once was.

On one side of this hopeful wooden house, the residences for Raymond and other disabled veterans have also been completed.

With this arrangement, the veterans can take care of these orphans at any time, sheltering them from the wind and rain, and giving them the care and protection they lack.

Link intended to visit the orphans first, but as soon as he reached the door of the wooden house, a fierce argument broke out not far away, and the noisy shouting instantly shattered the tranquility of the place.

One of the voices was all too familiar to Link; it was Raymond's slightly hoarse yet powerful voice.

How is this going?

A sense of doubt arose in Link's heart.

Raymond is an honest and upright person who always works hard in silence and is unlikely to argue with others easily.

For him to get so angry, something must have happened rather unusual.

Driven by curiosity, Link quickened his pace and headed toward the direction from which the argument was coming.

As Link got closer, he could clearly hear their conversation.

"Raymond! Why haven't we been asked to build new houses yet? Don't think that just because the lord gave you this task, you can ride roughshod over us and act superior!" a sharp voice shouted, full of dissatisfaction and provocation.

"How many times have I explained this to you! First, build houses for the disabled villagers so they can have a stable place to live; then, help the poor families with only women and children. Their lives are difficult, and they need help even more. You lot, you're all able-bodied men with hands and feet, yet you don't know how to go out and earn money, and when it comes to work you always make excuses and try to shirk your responsibilities. Do you really expect the lord to build houses for you for free? You'd better all obediently go to the back of the line!"

Raymond's voice carried suppressed anger, yet also revealed an undeniable firmness.

After listening for a few minutes, Link roughly understood the ins and outs of the matter.

There are always some people in this world who are unwilling to work, yet fantasize about getting something for nothing, and always want to take advantage of others.

These people are unwilling to work, yet they eagerly await others to build them new houses, and even clamor to be ahead in line so they can get the benefits before others.

Isn't this just a classic example of a deadbeat?

Link couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion. Before he transmigrated, he had seen many people like this in reality. He never expected to encounter them again after transmigrating to this world.

It seems that there are quite a few people like this in every era.

This is human nature.

Just as Link was pondering, the argument over there became increasingly heated, and the atmosphere became tense.

"Why should we be last in line! Raymond, let me tell you, you have to arrange for someone to build us a new house tomorrow, or don't blame us for being impolite. Be careful, we might break your other good leg too, turning you into a complete cripple!" The leader of the thugs threatened viciously with a fierce look on his face.

"Fuck you! You sons of bitches, you're absolutely insane! If you're so capable, break my leg right now, Raymond. I want to see just how much you lazy, shameless bastards can do!" Raymond retorted angrily, his eyes wide with fury.

"You cripple, if I don't teach you a lesson, you'll never learn!"

Enraged, the leader of the thugs shouted and cursed as he raised his hand and viciously slapped Raymond across the face.

"Lord Link, aren't you going to step in and stop them?"

Seeing Raymond stagger and fall to the ground after being beaten by those thugs, Agnes leaned closer to Link and asked in a low voice.

27. Orphans

"Don't rush, I want to see what choice Raymond will make under such a threat."

Link's gaze was fixed on the situation on the field, his expression calm, and he slowly spoke.

You should know that Raymond was someone he personally promoted.

If he easily compromises and gives in to the threats of these thugs, then he is clearly incapable of shouldering great responsibilities and cannot be entrusted with important tasks.

Such a person, if he can betray the interests of others for his own safety today, will be able to betray his own rights as lord for even greater benefits tomorrow.

If this continues, he might become the next Orlando, stabbing someone in the back for his own selfish desires.

After all, a person's appetite will only grow as they eat more.

For this reason, Link planned to take this opportunity to test Raymond's true nature and see if he was a promising talent or a spineless coward.

but...

Link didn't step forward immediately; instead, a group of children rushed to Raymond's side like arrows, shielding him tightly behind them.

"You're not allowed to bully Uncle Raymond!" a childish but firm voice rang out.

Standing at the very front was a little girl who looked no more than twelve or thirteen years old. She was thin, but her eyes were full of fearlessness.

The other children surrounded her closely, like young wolves, glaring fiercely at the thugs, their small bodies seemingly brimming with boundless courage.

"Those orphans Raymond was talking about, are they you little brats? Why should we build houses for you bastards first? I'll capture you and sell you into slavery!" the leader of the thugs shouted viciously.

These kids were no match for these adult thugs. In no time, they were all pinned to the ground. Even when they fell, they stubbornly struggled and refused to give in.

"Come at me if you dare, you bunch of bastards!"

Raymond, his eyes blazing with fury, dragged his injured body forward and lunged forward, grabbing the thug leader's leg tightly and shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Let go of me, you cripple!"

Enraged, the gang leader kicked Raymond hard in the stomach. Raymond groaned in pain but still gritted his teeth and refused to let go.

The gang leader threatened viciously, "Either promise to build us houses tomorrow, or I'll capture these little bastards and sell them into slavery!"

"Impossible! Sarah, run! Go find Commander Lina!"

Raymond screamed at the top of his lungs, trying to buy the children a chance to survive.

"Trying to run? No way! This little bastard is quite pretty; she might even fetch a gold coin!"

As the gang leader spoke, a greedy and ferocious smile appeared on his face, and he reached out to grab Sarah.

His hand was about to touch Sarah...

call out!

A sharp, cold light shot out from afar like a meteor, instantly piercing the thug leader's palm.

The cold light, still powerful, shot fiercely towards the ground, creating a shallow crater in the hard earth and splashing up some light blue pebbles.

"Ah—it hurts!"

The gang leader let out a bloodcurdling scream, writhing on the ground in agony, blood gushing from the wound on his hand.

His hand is now useless; it was hit by the Shining Stone Shard, and half of his palm is gone.

"Damn it, who is it!"

The other two thugs were so frightened by this sudden turn of events that their faces turned ashen, and they looked in terror toward the direction from which the cold light had been shot.

The next second, large beads of cold sweat instantly appeared on their foreheads, and their legs began to tremble uncontrollably.

"My...Lord..."

"Drag these villains to the central square and, in front of the entire city, give each of them one hundred lashes! If they are lucky enough to survive, banish them from Winterfell and never let them set foot there again!"

"As ordered!"

The city guards behind him responded and strode forward, their iron-like arms instantly seizing the thugs.

These thugs, who usually acted like tyrants, were now helpless and like lambs to the slaughter under the control of the city guards.

"My lord, spare us! We know we were wrong, please have mercy!"

The thugs were terrified, their faces ashen, tears streaming down their faces, and they begged for mercy at the top of their lungs.

However, no matter how much they cried and begged, it was all in vain.

One hundred lashes—we'll see if he survives.

“Raymond, if you encounter these scoundrels again, don’t bother with politeness. Go directly to Lina and punish them severely according to the law!” Link said as he quickly walked to Raymond’s side, helped him up, and asked with concern, “How are you feeling? Do you need me to call a doctor to take a look at you?”

"Lord Link, don't worry, I'm sturdy and thick-skinned, this little injury is nothing!"

Raymond grinned and waved his hand dismissively, but then said with a guilty look, "Alas, I'm so sorry to have made you laugh today. If it weren't for my leg being so useless and making it difficult for me to move, those three thugs wouldn't have gotten the slightest advantage from me!"

Link was speechless upon hearing his words.

This guy is still stubbornly insisting that he has thick skin and tough flesh.

If I had acted even a fraction of a second later, who knows what kind of trouble would have occurred.

28. Farming with faith? You're kidding!

"If you are alright, come with me for a stroll around the city later."

"Alright, sir! Look at my spirits, I'm really perfectly fine, hahaha!"

As Raymond spoke, he pounded his chest, but the hand struck the spot where the thug had kicked him earlier, causing his smile to freeze instantly. His facial muscles twitched, and he almost lost his cheerful demeanor.

"Alright, stop pushing yourself. You should still see a doctor to get a proper check-up later, so you don't leave any hidden health problems." Link glared at him helplessly.

“Okay, hehe!” Raymond scratched his head and smiled sheepishly.

"My lord, are you the lord who built our new house?"

At this moment, Sarah, along with several other children, timidly gathered around, their eyes sparkling with curiosity and awe.

“That’s right, this is the lord that your uncle often talks about!” Raymond smiled and patted the children’s heads.

To Link's surprise, the children suddenly knelt down before him, their small bodies prostrate on the ground, respectful and devout.

"Get up! Why are you kneeling before me? Stand up, all of you!"

Link rushed forward and pulled the children up one by one.

"My lord, we are penniless and have no way to repay your kindness. You not only built houses for us, but also provided us with food and clothing. No one has ever cared for us like you have. We..."

Sarah looked up, her eyes filled with grateful tears, her voice choked with sobs, and she broke down in tears before she could finish speaking.

Link crouched down and said slowly, "Listen carefully, the future of Winterfell rests on your shoulders. You young people are full of vigor, like the sun at eight or nine in the morning. Now you just need to grow up well and use your strength to serve Winterfell in the future. That will be the best way to repay me!"