Iron Powder and Spellcasters

   Chapter 267 Guild

   Twenty-nine years ago, spring.

   A weary young man walks into an unnamed settlement in the new reclaimed land.

   The young man was tall, sallow-faced and thin, wearing very old clothes made of sacks.

   He doesn't have shoes, but that's okay. The soles of his feet have been ground into thick calluses, and even stepping on sharp gravel will not hurt.

  Two pliers and a hammer were all his possessions, now slung across his shoulders in a satchel.

   Along the way, young people rely on these tools to repair things for others in exchange for food and lodging.

   Although he can twist steel and shape metal with his arms, he is not a blacksmith because he is not yet an apprentice.

   And because he did not agree to extend the apprenticeship period, he had a falling out with his master, and I am afraid he can no longer be an apprentice.

   If he is not an apprentice, he is not a certified blacksmith; if he is not a certified blacksmith, he cannot work;

   The young man's master approved of him, and the master waited for him to apologize and admit his mistakes, and to be an unpaid apprentice for another four years.

   And the young people chose to leave their hometowns, travel across the whole of Palatu, and go to the unknown new land to seek opportunities - I heard that there is no blacksmith guild there.

   To this end, the young man traveled long distances, slept in the wind, and went through untold hardships all the way, and finally arrived at the new reclaimed land.

   But unfortunately, he came a little late, and every settlement he went to had a blacksmith working.

  Young people walk and walk, the farther they go, the more remote they go. Finally, in this remote and desolate settlement, he did not find the existence of his peers.

  The young man spent the first night under the eaves with a satchel. The next day, he traded one of the tongs for a hot meal and a plank.

   Drinking the last drop of soup from the disc, he solemnly engraved on the wooden board:

  [Blacksmith_Portin Mejri_Repair, Forge and Smelt]

  …

   Twenty-seven years ago, Xia.

  Boltain and his two assistants are busy in the backyard of the blacksmith shop.

   The three of them each held a tool and worked together to dismantle a smelting furnace that was half a person high and made of mud.

   This is the third year that [Portin Mejri] has come to the new land.

  The once-unnamed settlement has a resounding name-Gevodan.

  The young blacksmith apprentice who once had only a plank, a pair of pliers and a hammer, now also has a small shop, and the inhabitants of Gervodin respectfully call him "Blacksmith Boltin".

   After breaking the furnace, Boltain carefully took out an irregularly shaped piece of sponge iron from the hearth, like a precious piece of china.

   "It's done!" Paul Vinicius - Boltain's assistant - was ecstatic, laughing and punching the air randomly: "We've done it!"

   Another assistant, the silent Peter Goncharov did not say anything, but his eyes couldn't hide the joy.

   "It's not done yet!" said Boltain, a smile already on his face.

  The three of them immediately transferred the sponge iron to the anvil, Boltain held the pliers, and the other two hammered and began to forge the sponge iron.

   With the rhythmic hammering, the loose and porous sponge iron gradually becomes compact and dense, showing the appearance of "iron" little by little.

   Busy from noon to night, the iron billet was returned to the furnace for heating several times, and the three finally forged this small piece of sponge iron into a mature iron ingot.

   "It's done." Boltain wiped the sweat from his forehead and announced to his two partners with a smile.

   Paul Vinicius was so happy that he was going crazy. He hugged his friends by the shoulders and laughed: "With iron, we can let go of our hands and feet!"

  Without iron, blacksmiths can’t use their fists; without smelting iron, the three of Boltain can only tinker and make a living by recycling a little scrap iron.

   "It's still too much charcoal." Peter Goncharov pursed his lips, and the joy has dissipated a little: "The furnace has to be replaced, it's too far from the Iron Peak Mine."

   "Hey! Why are you always spoiling the fun? Let's celebrate first!" Paul Vinicius was elated: "Let's go! Have a drink! I'll treat you!"

  The three of them didn't close the door, and walked out of the blacksmith shop with lewd jokes and shoulder to shoulder.

   went to the little widow Ellen's house across the street to buy beer, they sat comfortably under the eaves, drinking and thinking about the future.

   At the same time, three cavalrymen with green flags galloped past, rolling up a trail of smoke.

  Paul Vinicius was caught off guard and ate his mouth full of ashes. He was so angry that he cursed: "Donkey Day! What the **** do you want to add some seasoning to Lao Tzu?"

   Peter Goncharov stared at the back of the cavalry without saying a word for a long time.

  The officer headed by the three cavalry went straight into the town hall, rang the bell to gather the residents, and read the announcement to the crowd:

"According to the resolution passed by the Great Council of Palatine... The newly reclaimed province is officially under military control... According to the Told Agreement, all forest, river, land, and mineral property rights in the newly reclaimed province belong to the military government... The old pioneering policy is immediately invalid..."

  The three blacksmiths came a little late. Paul Vinicius was short and could not see anything from behind the crowd. He asked his friends anxiously: "Eh? What are you talking about? I can't hear you clearly!"

   "What does he do?" Boltain folded his arms: "No matter how happy the birds are, we have to earn bread by our craftsmanship."

   Peter Goncharov was silent. "It's going to change," he thought.

   At the same time, the castles thousands of miles away.

  The six negotiators from the Republic of Monta looked serious and entered the first conference room of the Grand Council Hall calmly. Six negotiators from Palato and representatives from the United Provinces, Veneta, and Vine were waiting.

   Delegates in the first room are discussing a major event that will change the fate of many:

  Unify the commercial laws, currencies and weights and measures of the republics, abolish customs, transit taxes and excise taxes, realize the free circulation of goods within the alliance, and achieve the ultimate goal - the establishment of the [Grand Senas Customs Union].

  …

   Twenty-one years ago, autumn.

  In the tavern of the widow Ellen, Boltain, Paul Vinicius and Peter Goncharov were drinking suffocating wine.

   "Mejri, you have a solution!" Paul Vinicius broke the silence and clapped the table, "We all listen to you."

   Boltain shook his head.

  Peter Goncharov silently sipped his beer.

   This is the ninth year of Portin Mejri’s arrival at the new land.

  The little widow Allen has become the widow Allen, and one or two white hairs have come out of Boltain's temples.

  Six years ago, Boltain moved the forge to a new location at the foot of the Iron Peak, on the banks of the St. George River, and business has been booming ever since.

  Paul Vinicius and Peter Goncharov are no longer Boltain's assistants, they have their own forge, assistants and apprentices, but the three friends still do business together.

  The three of Boltain specialize in iron smelting, and the iron materials they smelt are sold directly to other blacksmiths, so as not to trouble themselves.

  In the beginning, blacksmiths from nearby villages and towns traveled a long way to buy iron materials. Later, some blacksmiths simply moved the forge next to the workshop of the three Boltains in order to save shipping costs.

   Around the Boltain workshop, the crowd gradually became denser. Because of the large number of forging furnaces, nearby farmers call this blacksmith village "Forge Township".

   Boltain liked the name, but he didn't know how long it would last.

He finished his glass of wine and said with a sullen face: "The iron ingots from Forge Township can no longer be sold in Linjun, and the iron forged last month is still in the warehouse today. Squeeze us out, keep going, we'll just die."

   "What else is there to say?" Paul Vinicius said impatiently: "It's all to blame for the **** treaty!"

   Because the republics refused to give in to each other, the attempt to form the "Greater Senas Customs Union" ultimately failed. But the stillborn customs union plan leaves some legacy.

   For example: at the strong suggestion of General Antoine Laurent, the republics agreed to unify weights and measures at the official level - of course, a unified currency would not work.

  And: The republics agreed in principle to reduce tariffs, and agreed to use the "bilateral treaty" as a substitute for the "Great Customs Union" at this stage.

   After Palatu and Monta signed a customs treaty a year ago, the bars and ironware of the Steel Castle poured into Palatu like a dyke.

   For the Paratus, it was a good thing that they could buy cheaper iron. But for the blacksmiths like Boltain, the situation couldn't get any worse.

   The good days have only passed for six years, is this the end?

   "If I have a way." Boltin gritted his teeth and asked the two partners in a deep voice, "Would you like to support me?"

  Peter Goncharov blinked, but did not speak.

  Paul Vinicius answered impatiently: "Just say it!"

   "The guild! We're going to start our own Tiefeng County blacksmith guild!"

  …

   At this moment, winter.

   "Your Excellency, please allow me to give up." Facing the Montagne tribune who visited late at night, the old blacksmith Boltain sat up with force: "Do you know what the core of the guild is?"

   Winters half-smiles: "Monopoly."

"That's right." The old blacksmith Boltain sat on the reclining chair Winters made for him, speaking calmly and slowly: "The core of the guild is internal democracy and external monopoly. Then you know why I was twenty years ago. Do you want to pull the blacksmiths of Tiefeng County to set up a guild?"

   "I guess." Winters chuckled: "You want to monopolize the source of iron materials in Iron Peak County, and keep the bars of Steel Castle out."

   "Yes." The old blacksmith Boltain didn't deny it either: "It's despicable, isn't it?"

   "No, it's normal." Winters smiled and shook his head: "This is what the guild does. If it doesn't, it would be strange. I'm more curious why you failed?"

   The old blacksmith Boltain was silent.

   "The fortress is easiest to break through from the inside." Winters rubbed the handle of the knife: "It should be a traitor."

   "One of my business partners chose to stand on the other side." The old blacksmith Bortain forced a smile: "The guild, internal democracy. I didn't find out until the vote."

   "Mr. Goncharov?"

"Yes."

   Winters smiled.

Lying on his chair, the old blacksmith Boltain said, looking at the ceiling: "The problem you are facing now is nothing more than a quick solution and a slow solution. I don't need to say more about the quick solution. But I can assure you, No blacksmith in Forge Town dares to openly oppose you. But the guild is the foundation of the city, and if the blacksmith's guild is moved, all other guilds will be in danger."

   "If I wanted to come quickly, I wouldn't come to ask you for advice. If there is any way, please tell me bluntly." Winters smiled. If the old blacksmith planned to use him to take revenge on the blacksmith's guild, he would not mind being a knife.

   "Let me ask you one more question." The old blacksmith Boltain deviated from the subject: "Do you know why Peter Goncharov was against me twenty years ago?"

   "I don't know." Winters cooperated with the old blacksmith.

The old blacksmith Poltain sighed: "Because he thinks that our iron can't beat the steel bar iron, in the final analysis there is one reason - their iron is indeed better and cheaper. Monopoly cannot make up the gap between quality and price. Relying on monopoly to delay failure, In the end, the defeat will only be worse, it is better to admit defeat honestly.”

"Actually, the iron smelting business has been squeezed out. I'm not angry. If it's a big deal, I'll just go back and strike iron." The old blacksmith said with emotion: "What really makes me unacceptable is the betrayal of a friend. But you know it's more uncomfortable than the betrayal of a friend. What is it? Old Goncharov's betrayal was right.

   The more I think about it, the more I identify with old Goncharov. Steelcastle won because their bars were really good. If you want to rely on the blacksmith guild to squeeze the steel bar iron away, you have to pay a large tribute to buy the new reclaimed land army. In the end, the blacksmiths will only make less money and the iron will be more expensive. The money has flowed into the pockets of the New Reclamation Corps, it is better to simply surrender. "

   Winters was a little surprised, and he listened quietly, because the old blacksmith was obviously not finished.

"But this decade, I've had another idea. Old Goncharov is right, but not right! What if our iron could be cheap and good? If we could one day be like steel castles To produce steel? If you surrender, there is no hope at all."

The old blacksmith Boltain summed up heavily: "This is what I have been thinking for ten years. Monopoly is not impossible, the premise is a monopoly with the goal of defeating the steel castle dignifiedly! Find a more labor-saving mining method, a better furnace, and a cheaper price. The fuel... Learn how to do what Steelcastle does! Finally, defeat Steelcastle!"

   The old blacksmith Boltain became more and more excited as he spoke, and at the end he was a little breathless.

  Winters thought for a while and asked, "You are thinking about how to use coal to smelt iron?"

"Yes, but it failed." The old blacksmith slumped on the reclining chair and smiled bleakly: "If you want to wrestle with the steel castle, the blacksmith's guild is not qualified. The monopoly of the forge has already satisfied the blacksmiths. The existence of the blacksmith's guild is not for More production, but for less production. That's what makes them different from Steel Castle.

   The Blacksmiths Guild has no will or ability to improve, but Steel Castle is getting stronger every day. Sooner or later, the blacksmith guild in Iron Peak County will be completely crushed by Steel Castle. So I didn't hold out any hope a long time ago. "

   He stared at Winters, his eyes bright: "And now, what I don't know is - do you have a stronger will and ability to wrestle with the steel castle than the blacksmith guild?"

   "Why didn't I?" Winters laughed back.

   "You really don't," said Boltain the old blacksmith firmly: "You didn't even realize you didn't."

   "Where to start?" Winters wondered.

   The old blacksmith asked coldly, "Who is mining for you?"

   "For the time being, they are hired peasants, but captives should be used later...that is, slaves."

   "Do you need money for ore?"

"don't want."

   "Where's the charcoal?"

   "Neither."

   "The iron from outside can't get in." The old blacksmith squinted and asked, "Is there anyone else in Tiefeng County who can smelt iron?"

"there is none left…"

   "You don't need money for the raw materials, the labor you use is slaves, and you monopolize the iron materials in Iron Peak County." The old blacksmith Boltain said coldly: "I really don't know why you want to change the status quo!"

"It's very simple." Winters laughed. "Because I'm not going to stay in Iron Peak all my life. I'm going to fight! I'm going to arm the army! The more the better!"

  …

When    Winters returned to his residence, it was already dark.

   He hardly rested all day and night. He spent the morning at the smelting furnace, and went to the town of Forge and Juntun in the afternoon. At night, he was woken up not long after falling asleep, and then he went back to Gervodin to visit the old Mr. Portin.

   At this moment, he just wanted to sleep for a while.

  An unexpected person is waiting for him outside the door - a little lion.

   "Didn't you go hunting with Senior Juan?" Winters was dazed: "It's very early to come back."

  The little lion grinned: "If something happens, I'll be back first."

   "What's the matter?" Winters yawned. "Let's talk about everything tomorrow—no, it's already today."

   The little lion's smile became more and more playful: "I don't care. But if I tell you tomorrow, I'm afraid you may regret it - someone is waiting for you."

  Winters became sober in an instant as if he had touched a soldering iron. He was so nervous that he was on the verge of suffocating: "It can't be that one... is it coming?"

   "Which one?" The little lion smiled and asked rhetorically.

"you…"

   "Stop talking nonsense." The little lion couldn't help laughing, opened the door and entered the house: "Come here, I'm waiting for you."

   Winters had a stuffy chest, a splitting headache, and a strong desire to escape.

   After standing for a while, he gritted his teeth, bit his head, and walked into the residence uneasily.

   A man was sitting in the parlour waiting for him.

   Winters was like a pardon, he seemed to be drained of all his strength in an instant, and his body softened uncontrollably.

   But the next moment, his mind and body suddenly tensed again.

   Although the man in the parlour had changed—thin, haggard, and missing a left arm, Winters would never have mistaken that face.

   is Colonel Bode.

   The others didn't even have time to speak, and Winters had already rushed to Colonel Broad.

   He grabbed the Colonel's empty sleeves and looked back sharply at the little lion.

"It's okay, Winters." Colonel Bird said with a smile, his voice a little hoarse, but still as easy and easy-going as before: "If they hadn't helped me amputate my arm, I probably wouldn't be able to sit here. ."

   "Why are you staring at me?" The little lion stared back at Winters: "Mr. Bird is right."

   Winters had mixed feelings, he hugged Colonel Bode, even if he held it back, tears still welled up in his eyes.

   Colonel Bird patted Winters on the back with his only right hand: "Hey, why are you crying, it's okay..."

   Colonel Bird said so, and two lines of tears ran down his cheeks.

   Colonel Bode is the "gift" of the White Lion.

  The white lion also sent another gift, which is a sentence.

   "The fire roaster is coming," said the little lion.

   [Thanks to book lovers for their collection, reading, subscription, recommendation tickets, monthly tickets, rewards and comments, thank you all]

   [The recent plot is really loose, I apologize here, and try to improve it later]

   [Thank you for your valuable comments, thank you all]

   [Want to talk about the blacksmith Boltin, one of his important attributes is "old man", and his time is short. Mr. Qian Zhongshu said: When an old man falls in love, the old house is on fire, and there is no way to save it. The same is true in other aspects, because "I'm about to die", so the obsession is getting stronger]

   [Another problem between Boltain and Winters is that Boltain also doesn't know what exactly Winters' purpose is. He didn't know where Winters was going - to be the local emperor in Iron Peak? Get some money and go? He's a figure in and out of Winters' faction]

   [I can also mention a little, because I have given up hope early, so Boltain's previous wish was to write a book...]

   [The ramble explained a lot, I hope everyone will forgive me. I like this character quite a bit, but I won't get too much ink in the back. Because the later plot wants to write a little more compact...]

   (end of this chapter)