Iron Powder and Spellcaster

The middle-aged man waiting for Winters in this small room was the husband of Winters' mother's biological sister, a contemporaneous student of the military academy who was born and died alongside Winters' father, and Winters' closest relative—Antonio Serbetti.

"I just said how can the customs know everything!" Winters cheered in his mind. He originally thought that he was going to go through a severe punishment, but now he found out that it was just a "prison visit" and he couldn't help but be overjoyed.

The head guard who brought Winters here bowed respectfully and left the small room.

The heavy wooden door screamed and was shut, and now only the uncle and nephew were left in this small house.

Antonio happily strode over and hugged Winters tightly, stroking his hair and sighing sincerely: "You brat, look at you! You have really grown into a man now! You are just as good as you were when you were young. Your father was carved out of the same mold. I even thought it was a god who took me back twenty years ago and let me see your father walking in from the door."

Uncle Winters' voice was deep and mellow, with six parts joy and four parts sadness.

On the one hand, Winters was affected by his uncle's emotions and became sentimental, but on the other hand, he had goosebumps all over his body because of this sudden act of intimacy.

Six years of living in a closed boys' boarding school had a profound impact on his character. During the same period, men who were not family members would not express their emotions in such an intimate way - men did not exchange emotions at all.

Therefore, Winters, who left the ivory tower of the military academy, was very uncomfortable with this kind of intimate body language. In Antonio's eyes, Winters was still the kid who pestered him to learn swordsmanship, but now Winters felt more It's embarrassing and at a loss.

"Is Kesha okay? Is my sister okay? Are the general and junior general okay?" Winters quickly tried to use words to get rid of his uncle's "pincer attack" with his arms.

"Everyone is fine. I miss you all." Antonio loosened his arms, wiped his eyes with his palms, and sniffed again, as if he hadn't gotten over the sad mood yet: "Let's sit down and talk. .”

Antonio took Winters by the arm and led him back to the table.

As soon as Winters' butt touched the chair, he couldn't wait to ask in a low voice: "Does the military know that we have been locked up by the customs?"

Seeing Winters' cautious look, Antonio couldn't help laughing and laughed: "Of course I know. Not to mention the 'Royal Palace', the sound of the dock will be heard by the whole Hailan City in less than two hours. Now, the rumors outside are simply overwhelming. There are rumors in the city that the army smuggling was intercepted by customs, so there was a big fight. Some people say that hundreds of people were killed, and everyone said they had noses and eyes. "

The Royal Palace is the name of the War Department of Veneta. It was ridiculed by the citizens because it was too luxurious and looked like a palace. Over time, palaces and royal palaces became synonymous with the Ministry of War among soldiers.

"Uncle, are you sent by the War Department to take us out?" Winters was overjoyed, thinking that everyone would be able to leave this hellish place soon.

Antonio smiled and shook his head slightly: "No, I'm just visiting as a relative now."

"Why?" Winters' smile faltered, and he was shocked: "Since the Army Department already knows that we are being imprisoned, why doesn't it send someone to get us out?"

"Huh, of course it's because these idiots from the customs have done a big stupid thing." Antonio snorted coldly, with a hint of contempt and contempt in his smile: "These customs idiots have mud in their heads. First of all, I imprisoned you all without any reason. Now that I can't move forward or retreat, but I can't let go of my dignity, I actually want the joint meeting to send a letter to 'apply' to take you back from the customs. Do you think the 'Throne' will agree?"

Since the Department of the Army is jokingly called a "palace", the small conference room where the Joint Conference of Senior Commanders, the highest authority of the Army, meets is naturally the most powerful room in the palace - the "Throne Room", so the Joint Conference of Senior Commanders of the Army It is also jokingly called the "throne".

"This is so shameless!" Winters was shocked and angry after learning about the customs decision-makers' plan. His eyes widened, his nose twitched violently, and he stood up suddenly, knocking the chair away.

Winters said angrily: "Why did they do this? We were just involved."

"Don't be anxious, don't be anxious." Antonio pulled Winters and asked him to sit down. His tone was relaxed and cheerful: "Haha, your bad temper is exactly the same as your father's... Hey, people always love each other when they get older. Recall what happened when you were young. Sit down and listen to me tell you slowly."

Winters knew that it was inappropriate for him to yell at his uncle in his blood. He smiled apologetically at his uncle and warned himself for the first time to be restrained and calm in the future. He picked up the chair and sat down again. .

"Anyway, things are like this now. The customs did something stupid, but they don't want to lose face. They want us to wipe his butt and ask the throne to speak first." Antonio calmly spread his hands and said disdainfully: "What a wishful thinking. Why should the Army lose face just to clean up the customs? You are caught in the middle now. But it's not a big problem. The customs don't dare to do anything to you. They still have to provide for you now."

"There is no provision for us." Winters smiled bitterly: "They put us all in the cell, but the environment is relatively clean, but there is a seriously injured person who I think it is best to take him out and take care of him."

"Severely wounded? Is he a trainee officer?"

"No, it's Major Moritz."

"Moritz van Nassau?" Antonio raised his eyebrows with a puzzled expression. Apparently the name Moritz aroused his interest.

"I don't know the Major's full name." Winters shook his head, after just a few days of contact. He only knew that the major's name was Moritz, and he did not know the other parts of the major's full name.

"Hmm." Antonio rubbed his chin and said in a hesitant tone: "I have only heard of this person in the Army Ministry named Moritz. He was the third runner-up in the swordsmanship event at the Army Games last year. It is said that he is also a spell caster. It's him ?"

Hearing his uncle's description, Winters nodded: "A master of swordsmanship or a spell caster, then we should be talking about the same person."

"A master of swordsmanship or a spell caster, I'm afraid a full hundred-man team is not enough to kill him. How many enemies have you encountered? Can such a person be seriously injured?" Winters' words surprised Antonio, who had been in the military for many years.

"The major's main cause was drowning. In addition, his eardrums were shattered by his own spells and he was temporarily deaf." Winters explained the cause of the major's injuries as concisely as possible: "In addition..."

"Wait a moment." Antonio stopped Winters, took out a small notebook from his arms, and found ink and a quill from the cupboard in the corner of the room.

After getting ready to record, Antonio said to his nephew sternly: "Leighton, this reckless man, only sent back a few words. The news received by the palace is confusing and contradictory. There are rumors flying everywhere. Please tell me carefully from beginning to end about this afternoon." What happened on the dock."

Winters started talking when the ship docked, and carefully told his uncle the details of the four passengers, the assassins, and the explosion. To avoid disturbing the main point, he only mentioned the experience of encountering pirates in one sentence, and he did not have any ears to prevent the partition wall. Mentioning the fact that one of the four passengers was a spellcaster, after all, this is the territory of the customs. Who knows if they have arranged pipes in the dark to eavesdrop?

Antonio listened seriously to Winters' account of his experience. When he heard that his nephew was almost killed, his pupils involuntarily shrank suddenly, but he remained silent, only nodding from time to time, and writing down some key points on paper from time to time.

"That's it." Winters finished talking about the assassination and explosion on the dock without finishing. He actually wanted to tell his uncle about the gang war at sea and the fire in Guitu City. He had many doubts and hoped to seek help from his uncle. Wisdom helps, but now is clearly not the time.

Antonio pondered over what Winters had just said in his mind and came to a conclusion.

He rubbed his temples and said, "Then this matter has nothing to do with our army! Our trainee officers were just acting bravely, so they were involved."

"Yes!" Winters also slapped the table, but he also thought of the spellcaster among the passengers who could use deflection, and secretly said in his heart: It may have something to do with the army, but it definitely has nothing to do with us trainee officers. It doesn't matter.

"What are the people at the customs thinking? Instead of arresting the assassin, they will lock you all up." Antonio put the small notebook away: "Don't worry, since this matter has nothing to do with us, don't even think about returning it to the customs. Put the shit basin on the Army's head."

Winters nodded vigorously, encouraged by his uncle's attitude.

"I'm telling you, don't worry, you should eat and drink when you should. Let's see how long the customs can keep you under house arrest?" Antonio taught Winters the fighting strategy with great enthusiasm: "You are not prisoners, what do you need? Just reach out and ask for it, the customs dare to break through this place without giving it, they are just a few guards, can't you deal with them?"

Winters originally wanted to remind his uncle that walls have ears, but he suddenly thought that his uncle might be taking this opportunity to put pressure on the customs, so he sang a double act with his uncle and answered "yes" repeatedly.

However, he thought of Major Moritz and couldn't help but feel a little worried. He lowered his head and asked softly: "What about Major Moritz? It's best for him to rest in a good place."

After hearing this, Antonio thought for a while and replied slowly: "Moritz can't go out yet. It's impossible for the throne to ask for someone. I will ask the customs people to hire a doctor to diagnose and treat Moritz."

He added with a smile: "Don't worry, now the customs has to pray for the health of Major Moritz and pray that he will not die in the customs cell. If there is anything wrong with Moritz, the General Administration of Customs will be able to see it." What does the Army’s artillery look like?”

Winters nodded solemnly again. Regardless of whether there were people from the customs listening, Antonio's threat was not false.

The major power agencies of the Seablue Republic are very independent.

To be precise, it is not the major real power departments under the government, but the major real power departments that form the government of the Seablue Republic.

Therefore, it is not uncommon for major power agencies to come together to fight because of irreconcilable conflicts.

Although no side has used thermal weapons so far, it is not unimaginable that the Army is forced to push up the cannon and let the brother units feel the "breeze of grapeshot."

As for the United Provinces next door, the situation there is even worse. So much so that the Venetian philosopher Conté once commented eccentrically: "The Federal Provincial Army is not the army of the Federal Provincial Republic. The Federal Provincial Republic is the country of the Federal Provincial Army."

As the first regime in this continent to overthrow the emperor and nobles after the Republic of Gomro, all the participating countries are trying to cross the river by feeling their way through the construction of the political system in the post-imperial era. So far, no party has been able to give a good answer to the simple but troublesome question "What if there is no emperor?"

"By the way, there's this." Antonio took out a small basket covered with white cloth from under the table and pushed it in front of Winters with a smile: "Guess what it is?"

Winters leaned over and sniffed it vigorously, and said happily: "Actually, I smelled the fragrance when I entered the house, but I never had time to ask."

He opened the white cloth, and there was a layer of small pies neatly stacked inside. There was another white cloth under the pie. Judging from the thickness, it was estimated that there were three layers in the basket.

This kind of pie has a special shape. It is rolled from the inside out into a fat cylindrical shape. It is more like a burrito than a pie.

The noodles are made of fine white noodles, and the meat filling is beef filling seasoned with spices. You need to roll the white dough thin, spread the beef filling evenly, roll it into long strips, steam it in a pot, and then cut it into small pieces.

The proportion of white flour and water, the strength of the dough, the proportion of fermentation, and the seasoning of the meat filling. If one step is not passed well, the final product will have a lot of taste.

This "snack" recipe comes from Winters' mother's family, and is now Winters' aunt's unique craft. Winters dares to pat her chest and say that the entire Veneta is just one family and there is no other branch.

Food is the deepest bond with hometown, and a person's taste is deeply related to his growth experience.

Winters didn't care about hygiene and put the whole piece into his mouth. The salty, plump and juicy meat filling and the dough with the right degree of fermentation... The familiar taste made him finally feel like going home. To be honest, one piece of pie was finished before he could taste it enough.

"Yesterday I heard that your boat has arrived at the anchorage outside the harbor. Kesha started preparing it for you in the kitchen early this morning." Antonio lovingly watched his nephew eat and drink: "I never thought of something like this. First of all... I heard that I am coming to see you, and you can ask me to bring you whatever you want. Hey, this has really become a prison visit."

Winters ate a few and thought of Bud, Andre and the others at the same time, so he put the pie back in his hand.

Seeing his nephew stop, Antonio was very confused: "What? Is it spoiled?"

Antonio knew what his nephew was capable of. When Winters went to Piedmont six years ago, he could eat two kilograms of these small pies in one sitting. Even the basket was not enough to fill him up.

"No, I want to keep it and give it to my friends to try." Winters carefully covered the white cloth back and tucked the corners of the cloth.

Antonio carefully looked at his nephew's eyebrows, eyes, bridge of nose and chin, and smiled: "You are so mature now. I still remember that when you were young, you and your sister had a fight over grabbing pies..."

Winters' cheeks turned red as his dark history was revealed, and he quickly stopped his uncle from digging up more old accounts: "Stop talking, I was wrong at that time, and I reflect deeply on it."

Antonio laughed, reliving the dark history of children is obviously a great pleasure for middle-aged people. But he suddenly stopped smiling and looked Winters directly in the eyes.

Winters sensed the change in the atmosphere and listened intently.

Antonio asked his nephew seriously and seriously: "Do you want to leave here now?"

Upon hearing Antonio's words, Winters' first reaction was confusion. Then he realized that his uncle was not joking. If he wanted to get out, Antonio must have a way to get out of this prison now.

Winters asked himself: Do I want to leave that cell?

The answer is, of course, that no matter how good the prison environment is, it is still a prison cell. It is low, damp, and crowded. The ground is full of pits and mortar, and there is not even a place to lie down comfortably.

There was no way to pass the time in the cell. I could only sit in the cell, and every second in it felt like a century.

However, if he wanted to leave that cell, he would never leave alone. What does it look like to run away alone when you are in prison at the same time? If you want to leave, you must leave with everyone.

After thinking about this, Winters shook his head: "When everyone left, I also went out."

Antonio looked into Winters's eyes and suddenly laughed: "Okay! [Enrique Montagne]'s son should have this kind of bearing!"

Antonio rang the bell on the table hard, and Damien leaned back on his chair.

Not long after, a middle-aged man wearing a silk customs official uniform opened the door and walked in. The customs bureaucrat, with a bright smile on his face, stood beside Antonio. He rubbed his hands and asked humbly: "General Serbetti, have you finished talking to your nephew?"

Antonio also smiled and said: "We're done talking. I really have something to ask of you."

"Easy to say, easy to say." The customs official nodded hastily.

"This matter is really unspeakable." The smile on Major General Antonio Servedia's face could melt the ice now: "My wife is such a precious nephew, and she loves her so much. I heard that this child I endured hardship in the customs prison and made trouble at home..."

"Don't worry, the dignified commander of the army corps personally guarantees it, so I will give you this face no matter what. I will explain it to the director and the general director, and you can take your nephew away now." The customs official hurriedly obeyed. The pole climbs up.

"That's really great..." Major General Antonio's expression suddenly changed, and his conversation changed sharply: "But when I got here, I found that the environment in the customs prison is very helpful for young people to hone their minds, Warrant Officer Winters !”

"arrive!"

"I order you to stay in the customs prison! Without an order from the War Department, even if the customs asks you to leave, you are not allowed to leave!"

"yes!"

The customs official who originally thought he had solved a difficult problem for the leader was now stunned, but Major General Antonio did not let him go.

He grabbed the collar of the customs uniform, dragged the customs official in front of him, and said fiercely: "Please listen to me about what I want to ask you to do! Go back and tell that old man Hurd that the Army will 'rob' people." Go back, but you will never take people back. If you don’t give us an explanation for this matter, I will lead my troops to dismantle your General Administration of Customs!"

In fact, I think the type of food that best reflects the impact of growing up experience on personal dietary preferences is fermented food. It is difficult for adults to get used to unfamiliar fermented foods that they have not eaten as children, because many fermented foods basically taste rotten, such as the famous pickled puffin.

Thanks to "Social Justice Pharaoh" for the recommendation vote.

I used to vote for myself every day, but I always felt it was a bit shameful to vote for myself. Recommendation votes should be praise from readers rather than bragging from the author, so I’d better ask for your votes from readers. If you have a recommendation vote, please vote for me and bow and thank you.