Iron Powder and Spellcasters

   Chapter 380 Vortex (6)

  Time is money, and Carlo Ed knows it best.

  Although he disagreed with Winters' idea of ​​cooperating with the Commonwealth, Carlo Ed still arranged a meeting with the "enemy" for Winters as soon as possible.

  The next day of the reception at Este House—the third day after Winters arrived at Steel Castle, Baron Granasi visited several large workshop owners in the pro-United Provinces non-stop, expressing his willingness to purchase.

   "Lord, please see, this is the forge of my family." A plump middle-aged man walked in front of Winters and opened the door of the workshop diligently: "It has been passed on to me for the third generation."

   Father Kaman whispered for Winters to translate. Winters listened, nodded slightly, and followed the fat white man into the workshop.

   Fatty White's name is [Ernst Fuller], forty-two years old, a full member of the Steel Castle Blacksmiths Guild.

   He was the eleventh workshop owner Winters visited today, and the last on the list that Carlo Ed gave Winters.

  Fuller inherited a small firearms workshop, including two forges. Fuller's fortune was far less than the six "forge masters" Winters had met before.

  Perhaps because of this, Fuller's attitude is more positive and urgent. He enthusiastically introduced all aspects of the workshop to His Excellency the Baron:

   "Lord, look, here is the forging table, where the iron plate is bent to make the barrel of the gun. Stop now, when I'm busy, oops, ding ding bang! The noise makes people's eyes look like gold stars..."

   "There is an annealing furnace over there. Since my grandfather, my workshop has not used an outside hardening craftsman. Although it occupies a place for a forging furnace, it can save a lot of money every year..."

   "There's... oops! Watch out for head banging! Sorry sorry, this **** beam was in the way decades ago... I'll saw it off tonight!"

  Winters stopped on his forehead, and in front of him was a typical blacksmith's workshop: a furnace, a hydraulic hammer, a bellows, an anvil, and various tools.

   He has visited similar workshops ten times today, and the freshness has long since faded.

  Fuller left the Baron and others in the workshop, hurried into the warehouse, and soon returned with a black wooden box.

  Fuller solemnly opened the wooden box. The wooden box contained an exquisite spring-wheeled short gun. The wood used for the stock had a beautiful natural texture, and the gun body was engraved with complicated and exaggerated patterns.

   "The best gun." Fuller said with a big smile: "Of course the most heroic knight."

   Winters picked up the short gun, the center of gravity was roughly in front of his hand, and the grip was good. Looking at the muzzle, it sure has a rifle.

   "[Old language] The masterpiece of your workshop?" Winters asked.

   After listening to Kaman's retelling, Fuller nodded vigorously and replied proudly: "Of course!"

   Winters stroked the intaglio of the gun body lightly and looked back at the furnishings of the workshop - nothing special, just ordinary tools such as hammers, chisels, saws, rulers.

  Winters could hardly imagine that such an exquisite weapon came from such a humble, low-rise workshop.

   But it was indeed born in the small workshop of the Fuller family, but its father was not Fuller, but a skilled and unknown gunsmith.

   "The people of Steelcastle may think that the forge represents wealth." Winters could not help thinking: "But the blacksmith who wields the hammer and chisel is the real source of wealth in this city."

   Winters smiled and said a few old words, and Kaman dutifully translated: "The baron asked where the craftsman who made this gun is? He hopes to thank him in person."

   "Uh, he should be at home..." Seeing the sullen face of the Baron, Fuller immediately changed his words: "I'll send someone to find him now."

   Winters frowned, nodding satisfied until he heard Kaman's retelling.

  Kaman continued to act as a bridge of communication: "The baron said that as far as he knows, the steel fort blacksmith's business scope is very narrow, and one family only does one business. The baron wants to know, does your workshop make rifles?"

"Your Excellency is really good at seeing!" Fuller complimented loudly without hesitation, and he boasted vigorously: "Fuller's workshop is the number one gun maker in Steelcastle. His Majesty's uncle, the Duke of Lotaire, came to my house. Order a shotgun. Go to Duke Lotaire's vault now, and maybe you'll find a shotgun with Fuller's surname inscribed..."

After a lot of chatter, Fuller said what Winters wanted to hear: "Please don't worry, my lord, I can supply as many arquebuses as you want."

   Winters quietly put the musket back into the wooden box.

   Rifled revolving guns are expensive and are mostly playthings of the rich. Especially according to Fuller, their main customers are imperial aristocrats, and they can't sell a few a year.

   In such a workshop that specializes in expensive shotguns, the owner dares to pat his chest and say, "How many muskets can be provided"?

   Either Fuller was lying, or the fat white man was more anxious than he showed.

   Winters was right, Fuller did have a backlog of muskets. Among them are those made by Fuller's own workshop in the autumn and winter, as well as the finished products purchased from other workshops.

   A long time ago, Fuller considered himself a business genius, but because the family business was too small to be used, he wanted to seize the business opportunity of the Palatine Civil War to show his talents and buy a few more forges.

   And now, he just wants to get rid of the guns in the warehouse as soon as possible.

  Because those muskets not only occupied all his movable property, but also a considerable part was purchased by borrowing and credit...

   Winters smiled, and he didn't even need to speak, Kaman already knew what he was going to say.

   "Mr. Fuller." Kaman coughed and said with some reluctance: "Your Excellency the Baron doesn't buy muskets."

   "Huh?" Fuller was taken aback: "Then what does the lord want to buy?"

   "His Excellency the Baron only buys gun barrels."

  …

   It was not until evening that Winters, Kaman and the two accompanying guards returned to the hotel.

   As soon as he got off the carriage, Winters went back and forth around the carriage he was riding in to check, only to take off his clothes and get under the carriage to see.

   "What's the matter?" Kaman asked strangely: "Are there people hiding under the car?"

   "It's nothing." Winters had doubts lingering in his eyebrows: "By the way, do you feel that this carriage is much bumpier than the one we sat in yesterday?"

  Kamanliorga recalled: "It's a little bit."

   "Where is only a little?" Winters shook the carriage vigorously.

   "Yesterday was the carriage sent by Mr. Esther." Kaman didn't care: "Today is the carriage that Mr. Ed borrowed from you, of course there is a difference."

   Winters asked earnestly, "What's the difference?"

  Kaman was very uncomfortable with Winters' sudden serious tone, and he subconsciously replied: "How do I know?"

   "I thought you were really learned." Winters was rather disappointed.

  While the two of them were talking, Anna walked into the courtyard and urged, "You two gentlemen, if you keep arguing, dinner will be cold."

   Winters and Kaman looked at each other and asked cautiously, "Is it still the mammy sent by Mr. Ed to cook today?"

   "Are you dissatisfied with anything?" Anna pretended to be angry.

   "No." Winters sighed. "Of course, it would be better if her sense of taste was normal."

   A deep and mellow voice came from behind Anna: "I'm preparing dinner today, my lord."

  Berrion, wearing an apron, walked out of the room and bowed in a salute. Ciel appeared right after, and ran towards Winters excitedly.

  Winters was first surprised and then surprised, hugged Charles, and asked Berrian: "How is it going?"

   "According to your order." Berian replied calmly: "We have bought all the books and gold measuring instruments that can be bought on the market."

  …

[Dining room]

  Berrian minced the beef, squeezed it into balls, boiled it with shredded radish and a little spice to make a pot of extremely delicious beef ball soup.

   In addition to the two unlucky **** who were drawn to stand guard, Winters, Anna, and others gathered in the restaurant. There was no distinction between superiors and inferiors, and there was no difference in status. Everyone gathered around the long table to share the hot broth.

   "Did things go well today?" Anna asked Winters while passing the bread basket for the others, and Dussack who received the bread basket was all flattered.

   Winters was looking intently at a heavy folio book: "It's okay."

  Ana made a threatening nasal sound.

  The people around the table stopped their movements instantly, and even the air in the dining room became a little cold.

   "I don't know how to describe it briefly..." Winters raised his head and said with a smile, "They all rejected me anyway."

   Winters didn't get a deal today.

   None of the Steelcastle workshop owners could accept the insulting offer made by Winters, but no one refused on the spot, and everyone said that more time was needed to consider.

   "Then say it carefully." Anna slightly dragged a long tone.

   Winters looked around the dining table, and faced with the curious or confused expressions of his subordinates, he suddenly realized that now might be a good opportunity.

   All the subordinates that Winters takes with him are the "reserve officers" who have high expectations and are expected to shoulder more responsibilities in the future, and they are also the people he trusts the most. It is not a bad thing for the reserve officers to hear more, see more, and understand more.

   "Then I'll talk." Winters put the folio aside, picked up the soup bowl, and glanced at the subordinates at the table: "You listen too."

   So Winters described the plight of Steel Castle in simple terms, the competition between the Union Provinces and Veneta for Steel Castle, as well as "opportunities in crisis" and "difficulties in taking advantage of opportunities".

   He admitted that he had spoken very carefully, but several reserve officers still listened ignorantly.

  Koch—the Blackwater farmer who has followed Winters since the first army was founded—asked hesitantly: "You mean, they don't have anywhere to sell their stuff, and you want to buy them and won't agree?"

   "Almost so."

   "Why?" Koch was even more puzzled: "What are they thinking?"

   As to what the workshop owners were thinking, Winters could probably guess a thing or two: Paul Wupper had sent a special person to the House of Commons at Clarion to defend the embargo law. The workshop owners may still have a glimmer of hope, waiting for the news of the defense.

  Winters stated his conjecture, paused for a moment, and pondered: "I think... Regarding the game of embargo laws, Steel Castle has a very small chance of winning."

   "Why?" Karman interjected, asking, "I think the people of Steelcastle are very confident."

   "Steelcastle thinks he has the right." Winters took a piece of bread and broke it open: "But Hornburg has guns.

  …

  Berlion and Charles not only purchased a large number of test instruments such as balances, crucibles, and glassware, but also bought all kinds of books on the market in complete sets according to the special order of Winters.

  After dinner, Winters was still flipping through the heavy book on the dining table.

  Kaman passed by Winters and asked curiously, "The folio? What book is this?"

  Following means that the entire sheet of paper is cut only once during printing. Thus, each page of the folio is twice the size of a common quarto. Only very important and precious books are published in folio format.

   "Books," Winters replied without looking up.

   "Huh?" Kaman had a strange look on his face and walked beside Winters, his tone was quite brisk: "The purpose is not simple, even if you can memorize the scriptures, it is meaningless."

   However, when Kaman really saw what book Winters was holding, his expression became very subtle.

   Winters was looking at the 532th edition of the Common Language Scriptures—one of the famous apocryphs recognized by the Holy See.

   Winters at the dining table was still amazed: "Wow, how can it be printed so clearly?"

   He turned the page and pointed to Kaman: "Such a small letter can be clearly distinguished, I can't write it by hand. Compared with this book, the printing workshop in Gervodin is a shame."

"Can't you be clear? Monta is the hometown of swearing against religion! Back then, the propaganda pamphlets all over the north and south were all printed by Monta people!" Kaman asked angrily: "Why are you looking at this? ?"

"I originally wanted to be a literacy textbook. My subordinates...you saw it too." Winters's tone was rather helpless: "You say, how can I trust them to lead troops in the future? And many of them are very resistant to learning. , if you don't believe me, ask Charles, how many vines he has broken."

"and then?"

   "Then I thought, using the scriptures as teaching materials, their motivation to read and write should be stronger."

   "So you plan to use the Apocrypha to teach Catholics?" Kaman said bitterly: "I suddenly feel that the existence of the stake is very necessary, such as now."

   "I have another idea now." Winters shouted: "Berion!"

  Berion, who was cleaning the tableware, heard the sound and walked into the room: "You called me? Your Excellency."

   Winters tapped the book: "Is this from Steel Castle?"

"Yes."

   "Find a printing workshop and buy all their typefaces."

   "I'll go early tomorrow morning." Berian answered without hesitation.

   Winters pondered for a moment: "I'm afraid it's not enough just to have fonts..."

   "I'll find a way to hire a few printers..."

   "As long as you are willing to return to the new land with us, you will pay as much wages as you want. Make it clear that you can leave freely as long as you work for three years."

   "You buy books, fonts, blacksmiths, and printers..." Kaman laughed angrily: "You just buy back all the steel castles!"

   "If there was so much gold, I would definitely buy it." Winters said to himself, "I'm like a poor and scared farmer now, and I want to move home when I see anything good."

   Just then, there was a knock on the door.

   The guard standing guard outside the door entered the room, handed Winters two letters, and whispered a few words.

  Winters scanned the contents of the letter at a glance, frowning slightly.

   "What?" Kaman asked with an eyebrow raised.

   "Nothing." Winters frowned and waved the letter in his hand: "The Honorable Mayor Paul Wupper has invited me to sit in on tomorrow's Blacksmiths Guild election debate."

   "What about the other letter?"

  Winters laughed and picked up another letter: "This one? This is an invitation letter from Mr. Paul Wupper's only rival and the number one evil running dog in the province [John Servette] MP."

"what?"

   "I was also invited by Senator Servetus to sit in on tomorrow's open debate."

   "Then...you want to..."

   "Get your horse ready." Winters grabbed his clothes and jumped up from his chair. "I'm going to Mr. Ed's house—hope he's not resting yet."

   Having said that, Winters strode out of the restaurant.

  Everyone has long been accustomed to Winters' style of acting resolutely and doing what he says he does.

  Anna's voice sounded from the stairs: "Put on this robe! Remember to apologize to Mr. Ed..."

   For some reason, Kaman felt that he should also go with him—Steel Castle was not safe, and he was always a little worried about letting Winters go out alone.

  The apocryphal book was still lying quietly on the dining table, and Kaman buckled the book hard as he walked past Winters' seat.

   Out of the corner of his eyes, he inadvertently swept a line of text:

  [I will answer your request and give you wisdom and wisdom]

   [The last sentence was not intended to boast of Winters' wisdom, but to mean that "the act of imparting wisdom to others is a wise act of kindness". So the verses quoted here feel a little out of place, but I haven't thought of a more appropriate one...]

[Berrion and Ciel actually went out for a big shopping trip. Originally they wrote about their shopping experience, but I always felt that it was too much to describe, so I took it all in one stroke... If I continue to write it, I feel like I can't finish the 100 chapters of the fourth volume... But they bought it. Happy to buy it]

   [The word touchstone actually comes from the matter of "touchstone". At that time, there were experimental methods such as soot blowing and pickling, as well as the feudal superstition (touchstone) of alchemists.]

   [Thank you for your collection, reading, subscription, recommendation ticket, monthly ticket, reward and comment, thank you all]

   (end of this chapter)