Iron Powder and Spellcasters

   Chapter 256 Iron Peak

  The next day of the feast, in the early morning, the three newly formed infantry battalions lined up neatly on the playground of the Gervoudan military camp.

"Someone told me that day that after winning the battle, he wanted to eat meat and sleep. I promised him, 'Return to Revodan, slaughter pigs and sheep!'" Winters stood in front of the stage and asked the whole army: "Yesterday, did you kill the pig?"

   "Kill it!" the soldiers replied.

   "Have you slaughtered sheep yet?"

   "Slay it!"

   "Did that big guy have enough to eat? Did he drink enough? Did he sleep enough?"

   "I'm full!" a soldier shouted.

  There are also soldiers who shouted: "I want to eat another meal!"

   "Want to eat another meal?" Winters laughed: "I do too! White haggis soup, delicious! Roast pork, delicious!"

The    warriors laughed.

   "But not!" Winters changed the conversation: "We can't afford to eat or drink! If we hold yesterday's banquet again, the Tiefeng County Government will go bankrupt!"

   Winters took out the purse, emptied it, and showed it to the soldiers: "Look! There's not a single silver chip left."

  Things were actually serious, but Winters' relaxed tone relieved a lot of anxiety.

   "So." Winters said heavily: "We have to farm! If you don't farm, there will be no bread!"

The    warriors realized that they were going to be given land, and everyone was excited and nervous.

"In the first year of granting the land, everything is going to be abandoned! The number of farm tools and farm animals is limited." Winters announced: "So this year, farm tools, livestock, seeds and rations will be distributed in units of companies and used in a centralized manner! During wars , you are a collective; when dividing and cultivating the land, you are still a collective! A company is a village, do you understand?”

   "Yes!" The soldiers shouted in unison.

   "That's good!" Winters laughed proudly and waved his right hand: "Go and plant all the fields! Plant as much as you can!"

  When Winters disbanded his army, Bard was also giving a speech, a hundred kilometers southwest of Gervoudan.

   "Don't worry about the three or two gardens!" He stood on the carriage, spreading hope to hundreds of people who were suffering from hunger and cold: "There is no need to fallow this year! Any land that can be dug up! Plant it all!"

   "Wheat! Barley! Buckwheat! What kind of thing!"

   "Don't delineate the fields! Don't divide the fields to the households! There's no time to waste!"

   "Ploughs and farm animals are distributed uniformly! Men pull the plows! Women and children sow and harrow the fields! If you want to eat, you must work!"

   "Get through the winter! Persevere until next summer's harvest!" Bud's voice was firm and powerful: "You will be full!"

  Overwintering crops are usually planted in late September to early October.

  It is now October 20th, and we must race against time to plant winter crops before cooling down.

   "Let the refugees re-farm", this sentence is easy to say, but only Bud knows how hard it is to do - Winters knows part of it.

   Because everything is missing.

  Lack of shovels, rakes, plows, farm animals... Everything that can be imagined is extremely scarce.

   Not only is it difficult to restore agricultural production, but how to ensure the survival of refugees is also a big problem.

   Refugees are people, they want to eat, drink, and have a house to live in.

   Seeing that winter is coming, and the refugees are short of warm clothes, they need a lot of fuel for heating.

   In such a difficult situation, no matter who is in charge, it will be overwhelmed.

   But there was a long smile on the corner of Bud's mouth, because in his opinion, the key issue of life and death has been solved by Winters.

The    regime has won the qualification to live, and the remaining difficulties are small problems.

   And there are ways—always more difficult than difficult.

  Forty veterans, three hundred militiamen selected from the refugees, this is all the men in Bud's hands, standing in front of him at this moment.

"The **** battle, the Montagne tribune won it! It's a beautiful win!" Bud said coldly: "The bloodless battle is up to us to fight. If we can't win, the blood of others will be lost. It's white flow!"

   The atmosphere was solemn and solemn, and everyone's bodies were tense.

   "Ish of Ganshui Town!"

  Ish is no longer the timid farmer he once was, and he answered loudly with energy.

  Bud ordered: "Bring your people, get the detailed property list of the Blue Mountain Manor, and go to count them one by one. Bring back the farm tools. The house, temporarily sealed! It will be distributed in the future!"

"Yes, sir!"

   "What are you waiting for? Go now!"

  Ish took the lead, brought a team of men and horses, and set off immediately.

  Because of Bard's successful "peaceful handover", the property of each manor has been preserved intact.

   Under the leadership of the owner of the Blue Mountain Manor [Richard Marta], the owners of the manor cooperatively provided a list of fixed assets such as farm tools and houses.

  If the payment is violently cleared, it will definitely lead to wear and tear, and it will not be as smooth as it is now—this is why Bud would rather give money than rob it.

  House and farm tools are all things Bud desperately needs.

  Houses are the residences provided by the estates to employees and tenants, and most of them are empty.

   Although these houses are dilapidated, they are just right for refugees.

  The farm tools of each manor are also valuable resources.

   In other words, Bud wants to "borrow the chicken to lay the egg".

   It is still the land, the tools, the houses, and the cultivation and production of grain.

   But the laborers must be replaced, and the tax collectors must also be replaced.

   Team after team was dispatched to check supplies, but Anglo, the pony herder, did not receive orders.

  Anglo waited silently.

   "Anglo." Bud softly called Anglo to his side: "You go to Gervodin."

   "Send the letter and let others go!" Anglo was a little anxious: "I'll stay here to help you!"

  Bud sighed: "You have to go to this matter. If not allowed, I want to go in person!"

   "Okay! I'll go!" Anglo nodded heavily.

   "You go deliver a message."

"what?"

   "Go to your centurion." Bud said solemnly: "Whatever he wants!"

  Angelo was stunned, his centurion was Winters Montagne.

   "What do you want?" Anglo whispered.

Bud motioned Anglo to sit down and smiled bitterly: "What do you want! It's not enough to rely on old farm tools, you have to build new ones. Tell that guy, don't patronize the banquet to celebrate, but come to help me too. help!"

  Anglo didn't dare to speak, and nodded desperately.

  The more he talked, the more helpless he became. He instructed the pony herd: "Remember to tell your centurion - stop making plow carts! There are enough plows, they are all cultivated land, you can make do with wooden plows!

   Did he only know the plow cart? Instead, make some other farm implements! Bring me some axe too! I sent a bunch of plow carts. I don’t have any farming animals here. Could it be possible for someone to pull the plow carts? Can a heavy plow truck be pulled by humans? "

  Anglo had never seen Lieutenant Bud complaining, and it was the first time he heard these complaints.

   He vaguely felt that Lieutenant Budd seemed to have regarded him as the centurion of Montagne, which was why he poured out his belly full of bitterness.

   "Let the Forge Township make more small farm tools." Bud's words are not over yet: "Don't make pure iron! Waste! Make clad iron! First, consider whether it is durable or not."

   Only Forge Township in Tiefeng County can make heavy plow carts, and blacksmiths in other villages and towns buy from Forge Township.

   For example, Misha, an old blacksmith in Wolf Town, was unable to do heavy work because of his physical condition, so he just repaired and built, and occasionally hit small pieces of iron.

After    Winters took over Forge Township, he ordered the blacksmiths in Forge Township to build plow wagons with all their might.

  In his opinion, what do you want without a plow for farming?

   But the reality is that there are more ploughs than livestock on the refugee side.

  Heavy-duty plow carts are for horses and can be pulled by two or even three horses.

   If the plow is purely human, the lighter the plow, the better, and there is no need for such a heavy plow at all.

  Bud was absent, and even if someone knew that there was something wrong with Winters' order, no one dared to correct him.

The    error continues like this.

   And Winters was happy, he thought he had done the right thing.

"Also, after the war is over, the horses should not be used in a concentrated manner." Bud rambled: "Don't worry about war horses or galloping horses, farming is the priority now! Distributing the horses can save forage. Andre certainly doesn't. Agree, leave him a few more horses, and he can figure it out in a few days..."

  Bud told a lot, all of which he wanted to tell Winters during this time, but couldn't get into the latter's ears.

   "Remember?" Bud asked Anglo

  Angelo nodded sharply and shook his head sharply.

   "What did I say?"

   "Plough cart!" Anglo swallowed: "And horses!"

   "Don't plow the cart! Want a horse!" Bud sighed: "Okay, you go."

  …

  The lives of refugees have opened a new chapter.

   The officer who raised the emblem of St. Aldous and ordered them to swear allegiance, really gave them land, tools and houses.

   They are no longer "refugees", but have regained the status of "peasants".

   This alone is something they never dared to think about in the past.

   But their production methods are different from ordinary homesteaders and tenant farmers.

  Compared with the common model of [landlord and tenant] or [government and peasant farmers], the "new government" they call adopted a new and backward system.

  The new government did not allocate land to them by head, but concentrated on using farm tools, farming animals and seeds to collectively cultivate a large area of ​​land in "battalions" - known as "farms".

   The reason why this system is backward is that it is completely copying the feudal manor model.

  Aristocratic manor is like today's farm. There is no need to demarcate the land with ditches and ridges, and the land of the lord and the land of tenants and serfs are arranged in a staggered manner.

When   tenant farmers and serfs cultivated their own land, they also cultivated the lord's land at the same time.

   From this point of view, the relationship between the new peasants and the new government is similar to that of lords and serfs.

  The rights of the new peasants were limited, and they had to work whether they wanted to or not.

  The land is not demarcated, and it is all cultivated uniformly.

  Many old people still remember the days when they worked in the noble manor, so they easily accept the status quo - they are all farming for the master anyway.

   But this system is also an unprecedented new system:

   It means that a regime bypasses the layers of middlemen and directly reaches a “deal” with the peasants at the bottom.

   There are no lords, no tax collectors, no masters and masters of masters.

  Like there is only one sun in the sky, even if the farmers are still farming for the "Master", they are also farming for the biggest and only master, the new government of Tiefeng County.

  Bard is not ignorant of the fact that "farmers are motivated by dividing fields into households".

   He is also very clear that "the refugees will work hard this year, not because they are hardworking, but because they are hungry. When they can eat enough, the collective labor model will make them lazy."

   But he decided to do it this way, after much deliberation.

  There is no way, the migrants do not have the conditions to "distribute fields to households".

  Resources are too scarce and must be used centrally.

   If you want to divide the land to the household, you must first "divide the land".

  To divide the land, it is necessary to demarcate the boundary, and the demarcation uses the furrows and ridges. It is too late to rush to plant the wheat. How can there be time to do this?

   And Bud doesn't have any talents who can measure the land and calculate the area.

   Calculating the area is not a simple task. The land is rugged and the shape will not be square. If you want to find the area of ​​a polygon, you must at least learn Geometry first.

   Not to mention that the ridges and furrows will also occupy valuable cultivated land.

   Growing up in a province where arable land is tight, Bud has seen farmers whose land is cut into discrete pieces.

   He still lacks livestock and farm implements.

   To get the most out of the only cows, horses and farm implements available, they must be used intensively.

  Bard has no shortage of manpower, so "people rest, ploughs do not rest" is the ideal state of the moment.

   Therefore, in the end, the farms must be divided into households, and collective farms are only a transitional measure.

  After settling some refugees in Heishui Town, Bud led the remaining refugees to continue to migrate to Wolf Town and Wuqi Town.

   Only one Heishui town could not accommodate all the refugees.

   But Blackwater Town gave Wolf Town and Wu Mastiff Town a good start.

  Why relocate refugees to such remote places?

   This is also the consensus of Winters and Budd after a long discussion.

"Although the North Eight Towns are more prosperous, their hearts do not favor us, and there is no danger to defend. The eight towns south of the St. George River are our core territory." Winters summed it up this way: "The more the refugees go to the southwest, Relocate, as far as possible from the tentacles of the New Reclamation Corps. Even closer to the sphere of influence of the Hurds is worth it."

   So Bud gave priority to resettling refugees in Wolf Town, Heishui Town and Wumastiff Town.

   If they cannot be resettled, they will be distributed to other towns and cities according to the principle of proximity.

  In this way, after a big victory in Blackwater Town, Bard embarked on a long journey again.

   There are many dangers ahead for him, he knows this and is ready.

  So what is Winters Montagne doing at this moment?

  If Bud knew the answer, he might be **** off - Winters was feeding.

   To be precise, Winters is feeding Xiao Changsheng.

   "You bastard! No one is robbing you!" Winters was about to go crazy. He pulled Changsheng's neck hard, trying his best to prevent Changsheng from dipping his entire head into the milk: "You're not afraid of choking!"

Scarlett on the side of    laughed so hard that she leaned forward and backward.

  Anna was also there, she smiled reservedly, this was the first time she had come to the stable on her own initiative.

  Because it was the first birth, and it was difficult to give birth, the mother of the longevity did not let it drink milk, and later she did not produce milk at all.

   Winters had to find two ewes as nurses for Changsheng—and a cow afterward.

  Changsheng was born on September 21, exactly one month now.

   A foal is born with sixteen teeth, four of which are incisors, similar to human incisors.

   And the four-week-old Changsheng has grown another four incisors, and the power of sucking is getting stronger and stronger.

  Changsheng's three "wet nurses" were so painful that neither ewes nor cows were allowed to drink their milk directly.

   In desperation, Scarlett had to express milk first, and then feed it to Changsheng in a bucket.

   A new problem arises - Changsheng will not drink milk from the bucket.

When   Scarlett came to Gervodin, she also brought two puppies from the litter of hounds at home.

   In preparation for the battle a while ago, Gervoudan's horses were all requisitioned. Changsheng has only puppies for company and plays with puppies every day, causing him to behave more and more like a puppy rather than a foal.

   It is exactly when it needs a lot of milk, and it is hungry all the time.

   So every time Scarlett puts the milk bucket in front of Changsheng, Changsheng can't wait to stick her whole head into the bucket.

   Even the nostrils are dipped below the liquid level, and you will choke when you drink it.

   In view of the longevity's "godfather" - Winters has returned to Gervordan, Scarlett will solve the difficult task of solving this problem to Winters.

   Winters was not surprised.

  When Winters was a child, Elizabeth secretly picked up a kitten that was just a few days old from the garden.

  Ira dared not let her mother know, and begged Winters to help her.

   Winters has always been his sister's "marionette", and he couldn't bear to watch the kitten die, so he tried his best to feed the kitten.

   That's when he discovered that a newborn kitten didn't know how to drink milk from a plate.

  The kitten smelled the milk and nibbled on the edge of the plate, but didn't know how to drink it.

   Later, he secretly cut a piece from his aunt's silk clothes, cut the silk into flocks, and used the silk flocks to drain the cat's water, so that the kitten could survive.

后来不知什么时候，小猫自然而然学会了舔着喝奶；因为温特斯剪破绸衣，艾拉被珂莎暴揍了一顿；那只小猫也从此留在温特斯家中，被起called "Little General".

   So Winters confidently took over the task of [The Immortal Drinking Milk], and Anna learned about it, so she also came to see it.

   "The stables are dirty and smelly." Winters discouraged Anna: "It's just feeding the foal, nothing to see."

   "I want to know more about you." Anna replied softly.

   Then there was the embarrassing scene in front of him. Winters failed as expected, Changsheng snorkeled and drank milk as always, and the two ladies were smiling.

   It wasn't until he drank the milk to the bottom that Changsheng's nostrils were completely exposed.

   "Bring a plate to this bad boy later!" Winters said bitterly.

   "What if Changsheng can't drink milk?" Scarlett asked.

   "Hungry! If you are too hungry, you will naturally learn to drink milk."

  Scarlett blinked: "Okay."

   "I'm sorry." Winters sighed and looked at the blacksmith Shaosha with a wry smile: "I made you laugh."

   "Don't dare, Lord Tribune." Shaosha laughed along with him: "It's very interesting! I have also worked as a farrier before, and I like horses very much!"

  The blacksmith Shaosha was summoned by Winters to meet him.

  For Winters to restore agricultural production, iron farming tools are the most urgent need.

   Therefore, as the blacksmith with the highest status in Gervodin, and he did not participate in the previous rebellion plots, Saocha was very reliant on Winters.

   Winters had previously ordered that the blacksmith Shaosha should not be blocked if he asked for an appointment. So Ciel didn't think much about it and took Shaosha directly to the stable.

  The stables are home to Winters, Anna, Scarlett and Changsheng, and the atmosphere is private and intimate.

   Shaosha broke in by mistake, which was actually embarrassing.

   Seeing that Winters and Shaosha were going to talk about business, Anna said to Scarlett, "Ms. Mitchell, I have a gift for you, come with me."

   After saying that, Anna saluted gently and pulled Scarlett to leave.

   "Let me introduce you." Winters stopped Anna and said to Shaosha with a smile, "This is my wife."

   He introduced Scarlett again: "This is my sister."

  Anna's cheeks suddenly rose up with red clouds; while Scarlett's eyes were a little dim, but quickly returned to their usual wild and energetic appearance.

   "My wife's opinion is very important to me." Winters explained to Saosha seriously: "So if you have anything, you can say it in front of them. It also saves me from repeating it again."

   Shao Shawan never expected that the famous "Blood Wolf" actually had a more powerful "she-wolf" in his family.

   And there is no way to tell from the outside that this Madame Montagne, who is known to be a famous lady at first glance, has the ability to calm her husband.

   But Shaosha really heard what the Montagne tribune said in person: "My wife's opinion is very important to me."

A qualified Palatine man will never listen to his wife's advice, unless he can't beat his wife - thinking of this, Shaosha has a third of pity for the blood wolf, and Montagne, who is gentle and considerate in appearance but surprisingly powerful. The lady gave a three-point respect.

  Looking at the blacksmith Shaosha, Winters woke him up: "Didn't you say that there is iron ore in Tiefeng County? I asked you to write a report, how is it?"

   Shaosha hurriedly took out a folded piece of parchment from his arms: "Lord Tribune, this is my first time writing a report, so it's not good, please..."

   Winters quickly took the parchment: "I see, you say."

   Shaosha cleared his throat and began to narrate: "The reason why Tiefeng County is called Tiefeng County is because of the Tiefeng Mountain in the northwest. And Tiefeng Mountain is called Tiefeng Mountain because of the iron ore.

Before    opened the edge, this was the place where the Hurds smelted iron. Thirty years ago, when my father-in-law's family moved here, the iron ore was also being mined. But now we are using bar iron from Steel Castle, and that iron ore is deserted. "

  Anna listened attentively, and Scarlett was also fascinated.

   "Any reserves?" Winters asked only what he cared about most.

   "Yes." Shaosha nodded again and again: "My father-in-law said yes, the mines are not broken, and they are still very rich."

   "Then why not?"

Shaosha scratched his head and said sincerely: "Actually, I don't know either. I moved to Gervodan only 14 years ago. At that time, Tiefeng Mine had ceased production. So my father-in-law told me, if there is anything Sorry for the mistake."

   "Just say what you know." Winters frowned subconsciously.

   Shaosha was startled and nodded quickly: "Yes! Yes."

  Anna noticed the change in Shaosha's mood, she kept it in her mind, but she didn't move or speak, just listened quietly.

Shao Sha continued: "My father-in-law said that the ore from Tiefeng Mine is not good, and the iron produced is brittle and rusted. Moreover, the blacksmiths in Forge Township use small furnaces to smelt iron, and it takes money and charcoal to buy ore. It costs money, time, money and effort.

   It is not as cheap as buying steel bars directly. Steel fort bar iron is shipped by water, it is very cheap, and the quality is first-class. Objects made of steel fortress bars are a little more expensive, and everyone is willing to buy them. There is no forge master to smelt iron. "

   Winters said thoughtfully: "Like sword bars, don't you only buy Steel Castle sword bars?"

"It's really like the steel castle sword. They are all ready-made, cheap and easy to use, so no one spends time and effort forging swords." Shaosha smiled bitterly: "To tell you the truth, my sword forging skills are also abandoned. I used to be the best swordsman, but now I only make beautiful hilts and scabbards."

   Winters laughed heartily, his laughter comfortable and happy.

   "Mr. Shaosha, can you invite your father-in-law to come to me?" Winters restrained his smile and asked the blacksmith Shaosha seriously.

   Shaosha's expression is a bit complicated: "Sir, my father-in-law was smashed to his back eight years ago and is now paralyzed in bed. That's why he hired me as a son-in-law and inherited his forge..."

   "I'm sorry this happened." Winters patted Shaosha on the shoulder: "Then I'll visit in person."

   "I don't dare to be... I don't dare to be..." Shao Sha hurriedly resigned.

   But Winters would not allow him to refuse, and after agreeing on a time, he sent Saosha away.

  Anna also took Scarlett out of the stable, and before she left, she motioned for Winters to come to her later.

   "Charle!" Winters called loudly.

   Xia Er, who had just sent off Shaosha, rushed over: "What's the matter? Brother?"

   "When Miss Navarre is with me in the future." Seeing Ciel's inexplicable appearance, Winters became annoyed: "Don't bring guests directly to me!"

   "Oh...Okay." Ciel stood at attention with a smile and gave a crooked salute: "Yes!"

   "Let's go." Winters waved his hand and laughed: "Call me Carlos Soya!"

   [Cultivation makes people happy]

   [Because the author is named a waste person, Tiefeng County is called Tiefeng County, just because it has a Tiefeng; and Tiefeng is called Tiefeng because it really produces iron]

   [Yes, Forge Township is called Forge Township, also because it is the iron production center of Tiefeng County, and there are many forge furnaces - sincerely thank the enthusiastic book friend Qian Jin Tailin for providing the place name]

   [Newborn kittens don't drink milk from the plate, cover their faces, and rescue the milk cat's personal experience]

   [Thanks to book lovers for their collection, reading, subscription, recommendation ticket, monthly ticket, reward and comment]

   (end of this chapter)