Iron Powder and Spellcaster

There are seven forges in Forge Township, something that hasn't changed in more than twenty years.

The "seven forges" are not only the seven actual forges in the literal sense, but also represent the seven workshops.

Since [Boltan Mejri] moved to Gevaudan twenty years ago, [Peter Goncharov] has become the richest man in Forge Township.

Old Goncharov had three sons who grew up to be adults, all of whom were good at work, and old Goncharov was also very good at accumulating family property.

The four of them, father and son, worked together to make the workshop prosperous.

Ten years ago, old Goncharov spared no expense and invited craftsmen from Steel Castle to build the first hydraulic forging hammer in Forge Township.

From then on, the sound of "dong-dong-dang-dang" in his workshop never stopped, and other workshops could not compare to his.

The old Goncharov passed away peacefully in his sleep the year before last, and the forge is currently managed by his eldest son.

In addition to the three brothers, the Goncharov family also has nine assistants and apprentices. It is recognized as the number one workshop in Forge Township.

The smallest workshop in Forge Township is [Vinicius]'s house.

When he was young, Paul Vinicius was also a good blacksmith, and his craftsmanship was even better than Boltan's.

When iron was smelted, it was Boltan, Vinicius, and Goncharov who built the first smelting furnace together.

Later, Boltin moved to Gevaudan, and Paul Vinicius began to drink heavily.

Old Vinicius' body was consumed and his spirit was shattered. He died five years ago, and everyone said he died of drinking.

Now only Vinicius and two underage apprentices are left in the Vinicius family, barely supporting the workshop.

…

Upon learning that the three tribunes were visiting Forge Township, the owners of the seven workshops hurried to the town hall to greet them. Including the three Goncharov brothers and little Vinicius.

The workshop owners were surprised to find that old Mr. Boltan was also here.

No one had seen old Boltan for almost ten years. Many people said he was dead, but no one attended his funeral.

The three Goncharov brothers, Junior Vinicius and other new generation [forge owners] came to say hello to old Boltan.

Boltan was old, and so were his companions, too old to work any more.

Some people pass their forges to their sons or sons-in-law, and some people's forges are resold.

The owners of the forge have all been replaced, and now they are all second or even third generations in charge.

Winters accompanied the old blacksmith Boltan and carefully observed the various workshop owners, especially the three Goncharov brothers.

The seven workshop owners in Forge Township all belong to one [guild], the Tiefeng County Blacksmiths Guild.

Not only them, but other lower-level village blacksmiths—such as Old Misha, the blacksmith of Wolf Town—are also members of this guild.

The first leader of the blacksmiths' guild was naturally old Boltan, and now the nominal leader is Chauchat.

But Shaosha did not have the same prestige as his father-in-law, and his forge was not in Forge Township, so the blacksmiths in Forge Township looked up to the Goncharov family.

Winters looked at the three Goncharov brothers calmly: the second and third brothers looked impatient, but the eldest brother was very steady.

As for young Vinicius... the man looked tired, his shoulders and back were slumped, and he was taciturn, which did not leave much of an impression on Winters.

Winters didn't have any serious business in Forge Township, he just stopped by to take a look.

After all, Forge Township is the only place in the county that can manufacture large iron tools, so he is still quite curious.

He also plans to visit the nearby Juntun Village to see how the autumn plowing is going.

"Your Excellency, how is the progress of your furnace?" Dagancha smiled flatteringly and took the initiative to greet the tribune.

Goncharov's eldest son is tall and has strong arms, but his eyes are a bit small, and he cannot see them when he smiles.

Hearing Dagancha's question, the other workshop owners pricked up their ears and waited for the answer.

"I guess I'm going to fail," Winters chuckled.

As soon as these words came out, the atmosphere suddenly turned cold.

But Winters' tone was relaxed: "It's not a big problem, just come back."

Ookacha said kindly: "My father always said that the more you fail, the closer you are to success. The cheaper iron materials are, which is a great good thing for us blacksmiths. We are all waiting for your good news."

"Thank you for your good advice." Winters smiled reservedly.

The workshop owners also laughed together, and the small town hall was filled with laughter.

Andre stood next to Winters and let out a cold snort.

The relationship between the [shop owner group] in Forge Township and the new regime can be summed up in two words: hot on the outside and cold on the inside, business-like.

For Forge Township, which only has two villages under its jurisdiction, seven forges are obviously too many.

Therefore, the ironware produced in Forge Township must be digested by other villages and towns. Forge Township also mainly produces large ironware that is inconvenient to be made by small blacksmiths.

Forge Township wants to sell iron, Winters wants to buy iron;

The Forge Township was afraid of being killed by the "rebels", and Winters didn't want to see the "Forge" go out.

As a result, the two sides formed a silent tacit understanding of "well water does not interfere with river water".

After a brief chat, Winters proposed that he would like to visit various workshops.

Although Dagoncha was reluctant, he still agreed. Since he agreed, no other workshop owner objected.

The blacksmith workshops are all the same, even the largest Goncharov workshop and old Misha's shop in Wolf Town are not fundamentally different - they are both men with tight cheeks working around the hot metal.

There are only a few things in the workshop: a forge, anvils, templates, and various specialized gadgets.

The only interesting gadget is the hydraulic forging hammer.

Ever since Lao Gangcha spent a lot of money to hire a steel forging craftsman to build the first water-powered forging hammer ten years ago, water-powered forging hammers have been blooming all over Forge Township.

Because the principle and mechanical mechanism of this thing are not complicated, you can understand it at a glance.

The biggest problem is the cost. It costs money to build and maintain. A one-person shop like the old Misha in Wolf Town cannot be used.

Before entering the town, Winters saw the waterwheels on the riverside, so he took the initiative to visit the workshop.

"Your Excellency, please take a look. This is the forging hammer that my father hired a famous craftsman from Steel Castle to forge. It has been ten years, but it is still the best forging hammer in Forge Township." Dagancha proudly introduced a forging hammer. .

Winters looked at it inside and out: "This hammer is quite heavy, isn't it?"

"Of course, a three hundred kilogram hammerhead."

"Oh, three hundred kilograms, that's amazing!" Winters blinked and asked curiously, "Can you let it move? It must be even more amazing if it moves, right?"

Dagancha agreed, and he led several apprentices to work. The water wheel with a diameter of three meters outside the workshop began to rotate slowly.

The huge power is transmitted through iron shafts, reduction gears and a series of cranks and connecting rods.

Finally, the heavy hammer head was awakened, and with unstoppable momentum, it hit the anvil one after another.

An apprentice held a hot, bright yellow steel block and placed it under the hammer head. With the muffled sound of the hammer, the iron bar was first thickened and then flattened bit by bit.

"This is how the plowshare is made." Dagancha explained: "The subsequent bending, drilling, and edge cutting all have to be done manually."

Winters nodded repeatedly with his hands behind his back, and was amazed.

In fact, he was checking his pulse behind his back, and his pulse beat seventy beats - about one minute, and the hammer repeated its up and down movement one hundred and four times.

"It's powerful enough!" Winters asked casually: "How to adjust the strength."

"Uh..." Dagang Chahan smiled and said, "Adjust the water volume."

"Your family only makes plows?" Winters visited Goncharov's workshop and found no plows, only plows.

"It's too troublesome to make heavy plows, so each of our seven workshops builds a part." Dagancha carefully explained: "My forging hammer is better, and we specialize in making steel plowshares. We also have a workshop that specializes in making wheels and frames."

"What about small items like axes and sickles?"

"Those are all made individually by each family."

After visiting the seven workshops, Winters did not stay any longer.

This was his first meeting with the workshop owners in Forge Township, and both sides had a good impression of each other.

It was almost time, and the old blacksmith Boltan was a little tired and planned to return to Gevaudan. Winters took Andre and Senior Mason to visit the nearby Juntun Village.

The three parties said goodbye.

As soon as Winters and the others left Forge Township on horseback, Andre's face immediately darkened.

"These bastards are all smiling." Andre gritted his teeth: "I don't think they know how powerful they are."

Senior Mason also sighed.

"This is normal." Winters understood the mentality of the workshop owner. He rarely felt a little lonely: "We are the 'conquerors' now, and no one will be loyal to us immediately. What's more, they sincerely believe that we will not Been around for a long time.

If the great Goncharov plopped down on his knees and swore, he was either crazy, or there was a knife at his neck. "

"Then put him on the fucking rack!" Andre laughed loudly: "Let's turn around and go back. I'll keep the grandson kneeling down in tears. He will say whatever you want to hear."

"It's okay, but it's boring." Winters nudged his horse's ribs lightly and called to the accompanying riders: "Let's go! Go to Juntun Village!"

In Forge Township, the workshop owners who had just sent away the uninvited guests also gathered together.

"I used to think that the rebel leader must be thirty or forty years old." A workshop owner is still surprised: "He is actually a young boy? Is he twenty years old? Has his hair grown?"

"Watch your mouth." Dagancha said coldly: "You have to call the tribune."

"Hey! What kind of tribune? Just like his mother playing house." The workshop owner retorted jokingly: "Why don't I make a sign and engrave it on the name Duke Gévaudin? Then I will also be the Duke Gévaudin?"

A few people laughed wildly, but Dagancha looked serious, neither speaking nor laughing.

Another workshop owner couldn't help but sigh: "To be honest, when the rebels are wiped out, our good days will come to an end!"

As soon as this statement came out, other workshop owners felt the same way.

Since the "rebels" invaded Jevaudan, the business in Forge Township has been booming day by day.

Workshops no longer have to worry about sales. The "rebels" want as much iron as they can produce.

What's even more rare is that the rebels' transactions are fair, and the money will be paid on the spot and will never be in arrears.

Every time the workshop owners think that these good times may not last long, they sigh.

"Don't think so much, and don't say such things." Dagancha said in a deep voice: "Be careful that when the Maple Stone City counter-rebellion army comes, you will all be hanged as rebels!"

The atmosphere turned cold again, and the workshop owners chatted for a few words and dispersed.

Mr. Vinicius Jr. remained nearby and took no part in the conversation.

The workshop owners in Forge Township are all members of the "Great Goncharovs", and since Vinicius's father was a child, his family has always been at odds with the Goncharovs.

Seeing the others leaving, little Vinicius followed him out of the town hall. After taking a few steps, he was stopped by Dagancha from behind.

"Blessed!" Dagancha greeted proactively: "Mr. Vinicius!"

Little Vinicius smiled reluctantly: "Blessed."

"What do you think about it?" Dagancha asked politely: "It's the matter I discussed with you before."

Little Vinicius seemed to be pricked hard by a needle, and anger spurted out from his eyes: "Don't even think about it! As long as I'm alive, don't even think about buying my forge!"

"Why bother? Doesn't your family still owe a large sum of money? If you don't sell the forge, how are you going to pay off the debt? Even if you sell the forge, you can still work as a hired worker in my house. With your skills, I guarantee that you will make no less money than you do now." Dagancha persuaded him with kind words.

"Goncharov! You and your son have hugged each other enough! Why are you staring at my forge?" Little Vinicius was furious: "I tell you, you are so greedy that sooner or later you will spit it out!"

"I don't want to buy your forge either. I have three brothers, but my family only has one forge. I have to buy some property for my brother, right?" Dagancha smiled, squinting his eyes, and there was already a hint of three points in his tone. Threat: "If you don't sell it, I can still buy it. But by then, the price won't be the same as it is now."

"Fuck you!" little Vinicius spat on the ground and stormed off.

Dagancha smiled contemptuously, shook his head helplessly, and walked away.

The town hall became deserted again, and one could only vaguely hear the sound of forging coming from the distance: "Dong, dong, dong..."

…

After arriving in Juntun Village, Winters felt much more comfortable than when he was in Forge Township. He even felt like he was going home.

As soon as we entered the village, someone immediately took the horses to feed them. Upon learning of the visit of the "tribunes", the men, women, and children in the village left their farm work and came to say hello.

The women particularly liked Captain Montagne, who was handsome compared to the rough guy of course. They twisted their waists and squeezed hard in front of Winters with a square plate in hand, vying to offer salt and bread.

Winters was wrapped in the pile of women, unable to move.

According to the etiquette of welcoming guests, he must taste the salted bread. However, as soon as he stretched out his hand, someone touched the back of his hand.

The hot woman's hand made Winters' body suddenly tense up. Immediately afterwards, another hand touched his thigh from behind, and it touched his thigh more and more.

If it hadn't been in public, he would have been eaten on the spot.

The pure Mr. Montagne had never experienced this kind of thing before, and he almost went into a spell-casting state due to stress.

It was Captain Tamas who rushed into the crowd and rescued Winters.

Winters burst into tears: "What are you doing?"

"I can't stand it." Tamas grabbed a piece of bread and said, "Quickly retreat! Centurion!"

Getting rid of the overly enthusiastic greeters, Winters and Andre followed Tamas to the farmland outside the First Village - Senior Mason unfortunately fell behind.

Because no one is good at naming, the military villages were simply and crudely named [First Village], [Second Village] in sequence...

Tamas ran away in a hurry, and soon came back with two cloth bags. Water kept dripping from the bags, leaving two wet marks on the field ridge.

"Yoghurt dregs!" Tamas held the bag high and shouted happily from a distance: "I brought you yoghurt dregs."

So the three of them sat on the ridge of the field, eating yogurt residue from their pockets and chatting.

The wheat seedlings in the farmland in front of me show an interesting gradient.

To the west is the wheat field that was first sown, where the wheat seedlings have grown two feet high from the soil and are lush and green.

From west to east, as the sowing time gets later and later, the height of the wheat seedlings also decreases.

All the way to the east, where the seeds had just been sown, the fields took on a lifeless black color.

"How about fall plowing?" Winters asked.

"All the ground that can be plowed has been turned out." Tamas swallowed the milk residue hard and said with a respectful attitude, "I don't know how much it will grow. Some fields are sown too late, and I'm afraid they won't survive the winter."

Winters chewed the milk residue: "Just do your best. I won't give you a specific land this year. I just want you to cultivate as many varieties as possible."

Sugar is very expensive, so farmers don’t put much sugar in milk residue, which is so sour that people shiver.

"Is there anything strange in Forge Township?" Winters asked seemingly casually.

"No." Tamas replied seriously: "Those workshop owners are quite honest so far, and I didn't notice them dumping weapons into the Eight North Towns."

"Is there anyone suspicious recently?"

"No, don't worry, we're all watching."

…

Why were the refugees placed as far away from the enemy as possible, but the army was placed in Forge Township?

Winters has many layers to consider:

First of all, Forge Township is located south of the St. George River, relying on the river as a natural barrier to block many prying eyes;

Secondly, Forge Township is very close to Jevaudan, so if there is an emergency, troops can be quickly assembled;

Third, there are only two natural villages in Forge Township, and the other farmland is owned by manors, making it easy to redeem;

The last is Winters' most obscure idea - to use military garrison to suppress and monitor the Forge Township.

As the "important town" of ironware manufacturing in the county, Forge Township cannot but be firmly held in its hands.

Twelve military villages now surround Forge Township and Tiefeng Mine, forming a "human" barrier.

Whether it is smuggling iron or spying in disguise, it must first be hidden from the eyes of military relatives.

…

After finishing the two bags of yogurt residue quickly, Winters stood up and stretched his waist. A "click-click" sound came from all the joints in his body.

"Okay." Seeing that it was already getting late, Winters yawned and said to the first company commander: "I'll stay here tonight. I'll go to other villages to have a look tomorrow."

"Okay!" Tamas was extremely happy: "I will arrange accommodation right away. What do you want to eat tonight?"

"It depends on what you have."

Later that day, Winters met a disheveled senior Mason.

Later, Carlos delivered bad news and good news.

Bad news, Carlos's blast furnace failed as expected.

Good news, Carlos successfully made iron.

[Thanks to book friends for their collection, reading, subscription, recommendation votes, monthly votes, rewards and comments]

[Sorry for being late today]

[This chapter involves the important organizational form of "guild", which will be expanded upon later]

[The following introduction is pasted from Baidu Encyclopedia]

[Guild: Guild organization in the cities of European feudal society. A feudal group established by craftsmen or merchants in the same industry to protect the interests of the industry. The guild has strict and detailed regulations to ensure equal rights and obligations of members internally and to maintain a monopoly externally. Generally speaking, guilds mainly refer to handicraft guilds.

Guilds in Western Europe emerged during the urban commune uprisings in the 12th and 13th centuries. In the 13th century, there were about 100 guilds in Paris, and by the mid-14th century, the number increased to about 350. At that time, guilds in Western Europe were most common and developed in some medium-sized cities with a population of more than 10,000. However, guilds were not common in small cities with a population of only 10,000 or 2,000, and in large port cities with developed foreign trade. ]