Iron Powder and Spellcaster

"Every respectable gentleman here knows this city better than I do. All the bulk iron trade in Steel Castle has always been a closed-door business. Based on a long-term and good relationship of trust, the buyer and seller only need a simple verbal commitment You can make an agreement.”

Anna paused for a moment, smiled, and nodded to [Iron Hand] and Old Schmid respectively: "It's the same with Piedmont and Veneta."

The forge masters were confused and shocked, as if they had been hit unexpectedly, and they all subconsciously lowered their voices and held their breath as they listened. No one knows what the little baron is up to, but he actually puts a woman in charge?

However, all the workshop owners had to admit that although the Baroness was soft-spoken and quiet, she had a calm and unhurried power, and she was so beautiful that people dare not look directly at her.

"But the Granasi family does not have such a valuable trusting relationship in Steel Castle." Anna continued: "So we hope to complete the transaction in a more open, fair and simple way."

After saying that, Anna nodded. The two guards received the order and walked into the living room each carrying a stack of scrolls.

The baron's guards all wore sabers. They had cold eyes, burly bodies, and a fierce temperament in their movements. Just being slashed by the gaze of the baron's guards sent shivers down the spines of the forge masters.

The saber guard handed out the scrolls to everyone in turn with an expressionless face, and every workshop owner who got the scroll fell silent.

Fuller was in a bad position. He got the scroll last, but before he could only look at other people's expressions and worry. After getting the scroll, Fuller couldn't wait to open it, and what he saw was a line of product names and numbers, all written in neat italics.

From gun barrels, sabers, helmets, and breastplates to buttons, wheel axes, lead ingots, and steel cakes, the goods listed in the scroll cover almost all the output of Steel Castle.

The product name is written on the left side of the scroll, and the price and quantity are written on the right side. The format is simple and clear at a glance.

At the end of the scroll, there are additional descriptions of the items listed. The person who compiled the scroll obviously put a lot of effort into formulating very specific specifications for each product.

For example, the item "saber" is described as [a cavalry sword with a blade length of 90 centimeters to one meter, a slight arc, and made of hard steel. It must be able to withstand the impact of high-speed chopping and have a certain degree of elasticity. Contains knife and scabbard].

Another example is the item "gun barrel", which is described as [length between one meter and one meter two, weight within four kilograms. Straight, smooth inside, drilled at least once. Capable of firing more than 25 grams of lead bullets. Guns and accessories not included].

Fuller quickly found the quote for the "gun barrel" in the scroll. It was slightly higher than the normal market price of gun barrels, but it was still a price that Fuller couldn't afford.

Sell ​​the muskets according to the price given by the other party, and you will pay for each one you sell.

Unless Fuller hires more people to dismantle the muskets on hand and sell only the barrels - then he may be able to save his capital except for the cost of hiring people.

But what to do with the remaining firearms? The gun of each musket is customized according to the barrel. Even if the size seems to be similar, if you use two muskets to exchange the butts, there is a high probability that neither one will fit.

Even if guns can be reused, who would buy guns at this time? It can still only be pressed in the warehouse, or split into pieces and sold as firewood.

When Fuller was secretly worried, he suddenly discovered that the list also included bullet molds, purges and other gun accessories. Although the price was not high, there was still some profit.

Just as Fuller was racking his brains to calculate whether he could use the profits from accessories to make up for the shortfall in the barrel, Iron Hand Geisberg raised the scroll and asked sternly: "What does this mean?"

"It's just what the list says." Anna said calmly: "We don't want to discuss the details of the sale with you through closed-door negotiations. That is too unfair and not transparent enough. So we candidly tell you our needs and wants. The quantity and the acceptable price. There is absolutely no concealment, and there is absolutely no conspiracy.”

Most of the workshop owners were still digesting the sudden change and fell into a strange silence. Only a few quick-thinking people can respond on the spot.

"You gave a price that the baron can accept." Iron Hand looked gloomy and asked aggressively: "Then what?"

"You can also submit a price acceptable to you at any time - in a non-disclosure form."

"What happens next?"

Anna's voice was cold and clear: "The one with the lowest price will win."

When Fuller heard this, he immediately looked at the number given in the column of gun barrels - three thousand, and his heart sank suddenly.

Three thousand is not a small amount. If it is given to a workshop, keeping it can make the owner of the forge a lot of money. But under the current situation, three thousand muskets may not be enough to feed the several large workshops headed by them. Even if the blacksmith guild advances together and retreats together, it will only leave him with a few crumbs at most.

Anna remained calm and looked at the expressions of everyone in the living room with an almost indifferent attitude.

Since the workshop owners of Steel Castle have made it clear that they will join forces to raise prices, the best counterattack is to completely lift the curtain. No more operating in the dark, no more trying to please both sides, but putting everything in the public eye and doing it openly. Of course, three thousand is a very conservative number, accurately based on the inventory of major workshops.

Anna is very aware of her weaknesses: she is a woman; she is an outsider, with no foundation or prestige in Steel Castle; she is not old enough and is just a little girl in the eyes of most workshop owners;

The forge masters of Steel Castle had countless reasons to despise her and look down on her. Even beauty - an advantage in a general sense - would make her weak in negotiations.

Sometimes, pretending to be weak is a great strategy, but not in this situation. Being underestimated by the forge masters of Steel Castle will only be detrimental to the subsequent pressure and slow down the progress of negotiations, and what Winters needs most is time.

So everything Anna does today is carefully thought out: her makeup, her clothes, the tone of her voice, the way she appears, and the "particularly vicious Dussac escort."

She deliberately creates an image that is difficult to approach and cannot be looked at directly, in order to invisibly put pressure on the forge masters who are older and more powerful than her.

It may sound like a myth, but people always start to understand strangers from the outside.

Anna also prepared another weapon, another more sophisticated weapon - mystery.

After taking note of the faces of several anxious-looking workshop owners, Anna nodded slightly and saluted, and then walked out of the living room without blinking under the escort of two guards. He didn't look at the forge masters again, nor said another word.

All the workshop owners looked at each other and watched the Baroness leave. It was not until the door to the inner room slowly closed that they remembered that there were still many things they had not yet asked.

Father Kaman was surrounded by workshop owners almost instantly:

"The lowest bidder gets it? What do you mean?"

"What is a non-public form?"

"How do we quote? And write a list in the same format?"

"Gentlemen, everything you need to know has been written in the scroll." Kaman sent the guests off politely but firmly: "Please come back, everyone."

In this way, Fuller, along with other workshop owners, were invited out of the single-family brick building rented by Baron Granach.

When he walked out of the room, Fuller heard the last words of the priest: "His Excellency the Baron asked me to tell you, 'This is the best choice among the bad choices.'"

Before leaving at the lakeside hotel, Ironhand Geisberg wanted to say a few inspiring words, but over and over he still "keep his breath", "As long as he doesn't let go, he, a little baron, can't do anything to us", "Don't give it to outsiders." Take advantage of your opportunity" and other clichés.

The crowd's response was mediocre, and Iron Hand didn't waste any more time, and hurriedly got into the carriage and left.

For some reason, the words relayed by the priest were deeply imprinted in Fuller's heart, and they continued to echo on the way home.

…

When Anna faced off against the Forge Lords for the first time and successfully impressed them, Winters, Balian, and Charles were walking through the streets and alleys of Steel Castle's old city.

The so-called streets in the old city are actually narrow open spaces between two rows of houses. It is very narrow and can only accommodate two or three horses running abreast. And there is a lack of planning, just like the veins that naturally grow on the leaves.

The old town of Gangbao is no different from the former Guitu City, with traces of barbaric growth everywhere.

Workshops of all sizes are crowded on both sides of the Rose River, using the power of the river to drive the bellows and forging hammers. The poor who worked in the workshops built shacks nearby, forming the original slums around the workshops.

As the wealth of Steel Castle accumulates, the slums also spread and grow. Simple wooden houses gradually replaced shacks. They invaded the streets without restraint and asked for space from the blue sky. They continued to get taller, eventually shaping the old town of Steel Castle into what it is today.

The long wind was too conspicuous, so Winters rode an old horse with gray spots. Balian and Charles also picked up humble horses.

Balian led the way, and Charles followed behind. The three of them rode on the road paved with slag, and from time to time they had to lower their heads to avoid the icicles hanging from the eaves.

Winters pulled his felt hat down a little to cover the bruises from last night - the priest was not lying when he said Winters had a sudden headache.

It was still very cold and there were almost no people on the road.

Behind the windows on both sides of the street, curious eyes looked at the three riders from time to time.

A thin, mixed-haired puppy stood at the entrance of the alley and barked at Winters. When Winters approached, the puppy disappeared under the wooden wall.

After passing through the chest-stomaching shanty towns and approaching the riverbank, the streets open up. Because the workshop is right on the river bank, the narrowest part of the road along the bank can accommodate two freight carriages running parallel to each other.

The mule workers, as the workshop owner said, gathered on the road along the river bank, warming themselves around a weak fire.

Frowning eyebrows, sunken eyes, high cheekbones, looking at Winters expectantly after hearing the sound of horse hooves, and then looking down at the fire blankly after realizing that Winters was not planning to hire anyone - almost all of them This is true for everyone.

Ciel caught up, stood side by side with Winters, and asked in a low voice unbearably: "Why are they waiting outside in such a cold weather? No one will hire them, right?"

"Hope." Winters' eyes were complicated: "Because of hope."

Charles muttered in confusion: "Hope, those workshop owners are determined to bite the price and won't let go, is it also because of hope?"

Winters said nothing.

The three of them continued riding and soon arrived outside a workshop.

After Balian stepped forward to confirm, he came back and reported to Winters: "Sir, this is the 'Neufel Workshop' that Mr. Carlo Aide said."

"Let's go." Winters took out his cane and dismounted: "Go over and take a look."

Like the weather, business at Neufeld's workshop was quiet. There was no one in the yard, and there was no answer at the door.

Winters simply drew out his sword and lifted the door bolt.

The three of them walked into the courtyard of the workshop, and a sleepy-eyed young man with brown hair emerged from the closed workshop.

Seeing Winters holding a staff and sword, the brown-haired young man's sleepiness disappeared instantly: "Who are you? What are you doing?"

Winters put away his staff and sword, habitually checked the surrounding environment, and asked: "What, you are not doing business now?"

"Business? Oh! Do you guys want to buy horse gear?" The brown-haired young man hurriedly removed the door panel of the workshop and talked enthusiastically: "Saddles? Stirrups? I have everything at home. Or do you want to repair it?"

"I want to see a carriage, a passenger one." Winters said concisely.

A big deal has come! The brown-haired young man thought to himself, becoming even more enthusiastic in an instant. He quickly removed the door panel and shouted loudly into the room: "Klaus! Go and wake up the old man!"

In the workshop, another half-grown man with brown hair was slowly polishing a wheel spoke. When he heard his name being called, the young man raised his head in confusion: "What's wrong?"

"Hurry up and call the old man!" the brown-haired young man urged: "A guest is coming."

The young man responded lazily and walked towards the inner room.

Winters probably figured out that the brown-haired young man and the half-grown-up boy, who had similar looks, were brothers. The old man in the young man's mouth should be their father.

"There are only three people in your workshop?" Winters asked.

The brown-haired young man scratched his head: "Everyone else is resting at home."

"How long have you been resting?"

"Hey, it's been a while."

Just as he was talking, a lean little old man came out. Seeing the three Winters, he hurriedly wiped his hands and came to greet them: "Gentlemen, what can I do for you?"

Completely different from the two young men, the little old man's hair was very light, so light that it was almost pure white.

Winters laughed dumbly, feeling that he was taking things for granted. He coughed slightly: "I want to see the style of the carriage in your workshop."

"Carriage? Please wait a moment, wait a moment." The little old man's eyes lit up and he hurried back to the inner room. He came back not long after holding a heavy album: "Please choose whatever you want. As long as you choose, I can make it here." .”

The little old man opened the big book enthusiastically, and at the same time tried his best to signal the two brown-haired boys to move the chairs with his eyes.

Winters was not interested in the decoration of the carriage. He asked directly: "Does your workshop have a ready-made passenger carriage?"

"It's a carriage." The little old man was first surprised and then overjoyed, rubbing his hands and said, "Usually they have to be made to order. I do have a carriage here ordered by Mr. Solis. If you are in a hurry and want it, I can ask you. Mr. Solis transfers it to you, but you have to..."

Winters nodded politely: "Please take me to see it."

The carriage customized by Mr. Solis was parked in the inner workshop, and the little old man kept praising how good the materials were, how exquisite the details were, and how light the body was.

Winters looked around the carriage, and got under the carriage under the shocked eyes of the little old man and the two brown-haired boys.

After a while, he came out again with shocked eyes.

Winters dusted himself off and asked, "Is this your best carriage?"

The little old man was stunned for a while: "That's right."

Winters leaned on his cane and carefully recalled what he saw:

There is basically no difference between the best carriages in the Neufeld workshop and the carriages lent to Winters by Mr. Ed; the carriages and the frame are connected by belts - that is, the carriages are suspended from the carriages with a number of one-inch wide belts. frame to reduce vibrations while driving.

Winters was not surprised by belt-suspended carriages; he even used them to transport cannons. It's just that the belt is not very durable and can be easily torn if the bumps are large.

A cheaper option is chain suspension, which is, of course, far less comfortable than a belt.

"Is there a better carriage?" Winters asked.

The little old man didn't know what to say to the weirdo in front of him: "How can it be better?"

Winters looked at the old man: "White Eagle's carriage."

"How do you know..." The little old man was startled, and quickly changed his mind: "Mr. Esther's carriage was indeed sent to me for repair, but I only repair it, and Mr. Esther does not buy it from me."

"Is there a White Eagle carriage parked here now?"

The little old man replied hesitantly: "Yes."

"Take me to see it."

The little old man looked extremely reluctant. Winters nodded, and Ciel directly handed the little old man a bag of silver coins.

The little old man suddenly became enthusiastic again, leading Winters and others to another carport.

A carriage painted with a white eagle coat of arms was parked in the shed.

Winters looked around the carriage and saw nothing special. The appearance of White Eagle's carriage is basically the same as the previous carriage: four wheels, frame, and body.

Winters stood in front of the car and made up his mind: "Take it apart."

"Ah?" The little old man was shocked.

"Give him more money." Winters looked at Ciel.

So Baiying's carriage was dismantled on the spot. The carriage was separated from the frame and the four wheels were removed.

During the disassembly process, the little old man also breathed a sigh of relief. The weirdo in front of him did not intend to destroy the most expensive carriage. Instead, he was more interested in the frame hidden under the carriage - that is to say, it can be put back together after disassembly. Get the money easily.

When the carriage was lifted off the frame, Winters saw the clue:

Baiying's carriage did not use belt suspension. The carriage of his carriage was connected to the frame through two sets of arch bridge-like steel bars.

"What is this?" Winters immediately stepped forward and asked.

The little old man glanced at it and replied nonchalantly: "I don't know... maybe it's some new thing?"

Winters tried to step on it with his feet, but the steel bars barely moved at all - how could a structure that could bear the weight of the carriage be bent?

So Winters threw away his cane and stood up.

Ciel hurriedly ran to Winters: "Be careful!"

"It's okay." Winters maintained his balance precariously.

When bearing Winters' weight, the steel bar deformed significantly. When Winters jumped down, the steel bar immediately returned to its original form like a sword bar.

"This is..." Winters raised his eyebrows and reached out to inspect the steel bars: "Steel Castle's new gadget?"

The little old man licked his lips and showed a troubled expression: "Probably not. I have never heard of anyone using this kind of thing to build a car."

Balian, who had been silent all this time, walked to the carriage. After carefully inspecting it, his expression was a little subtle: "This is a reed."

Of course Winters has seen reeds, they are in spring guns, but he has never seen one of this size: "Is there such a big reed?"

"Yes." Balian said confidently: "Spring steel piece."

"Where did it come from?"

Balian's Adam's apple twitched, and after a moment of silence, he whispered: "Empire."

[Someone mentioned suspension and bearings in the previous chapter. In fact, bearings and suspensions are also designs that existed a long time ago, such as belt suspension, chain suspension and copper bearings. It has been explained in detail in the words of the previous author, so I will not repeat it here]

[However, it is not yet certain whether the belt suspension is a continuation of Roman technology or a secondary invention in the Middle Ages]

[Because although a belt-suspended carriage was unearthed in Pompeii, there is no physical object handed down in the Middle Ages, and the existing paintings are also suspended by chains, so it is still unclear what the technical route is.]

[In this story, let’s assume that ancient technology is better preserved QAQ]

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