Iron Powder and Spellcasters

   Chapter 63 Guard Loggia

"Wow! It's a statue of a Sabine woman! How did the ancients carve the stone into a veil-like texture?" Anna, who had a funny moustache on her lips, happily roamed the mercenary loggia: "Also With this one, look at the lines of her body, it's so beautiful!"

   However, at this time, Winters was a little absent-minded. No matter what Anna said, he answered "ummm", holding the hilt of the sword and protecting her by the side of the girl disguised as a man.

The   Guardian's Loggia is a promenade next to the Parliament Square, built during the imperial period. In the past, the emperor's messengers read the edict on the roof of the corridor and received petitioners in the loggia.

  Because this loggia symbolizes the majesty of the emperor, it is not only built very high, but also contains several statues created by famous artists. On the edge of the loggia is the former residence of the Royal Guard, hence the name Guard Loggia.

After the    Sovereign War, the Republic of Veneta inherited this promenade. Although there are still some major public ceremonies - such as the oath ceremony of the magistrate is still held here. But it is usually just a place for citizens to relax and enjoy the cool air, and it is no longer an inviolable royal forbidden place.

   Elizabeth, who was afraid that the world would not be in chaos, readily became a messenger for Anna. In return for the drawings, Anna asked Winters to wait outside Mrs. Anguissola's drawing room with two horses on time at nine o'clock this morning.

   So Winters waited for Miss Anna, who was dressed in men's clothes and had a mustache.

   "I skipped class!" Anna's big eyes were full of excitement: "Take me to the guard loggia! Did you bring the horse?"

   "Bring it, but I didn't bring the lady's side saddle." Winters said apologetically, "Why don't you wait for me to find a carriage?"

   It is very unethical for a woman to sit on the saddle with your legs apart, so there are side saddles for women. But Anna happily rode on the horse: "No, I've long wanted to try what it's like to sit upright."

   In the guard corridor at this moment, Winters looked at Anna who was admiring the statue, and suddenly felt unreal, as if the fierce battle at Haidong Port the night before yesterday was just a dream.

On the street, a small worker pushing a wheelbarrow and a vendor driving a mule cart were arguing; in a carriage passing by, a lady curiously opened the curtains and watched; the well-dressed gentleman turned a blind eye to it, Slowly pass by on horseback.

   Pedestrians are busy with their livelihoods, and Anna is addicted to the art of sculpture. This is another ordinary day in Hailan City, but the soldiers have been able to smell the more and more pungent gunpowder and blood.

   When cleaning the battlefield the night before yesterday, more than 600 corpses were counted. The attackers entrenched in the shipyard tried to run to the seaside and row a boat to escape, but most of them were chased by cavalry and hacked to death from behind.

  Without the need for execution, the prisoners spit out a name: Captain Drake. Captain Taniria, a prominent member of the Planters' Federation, and a feared pirate on the Inner Seas.

   This was a long-planned sneak attack. The pirates took advantage of the high tide to land in small boats in batches and hid in the forest east of Haidong Port. Two days later, when a southerly night came, they attacked.

   A group of pirates attacked the pier with great fanfare. When the defenders of the duckbill fort went to support the pier, another group of pirates ambushed outside the fort took the opportunity to seize the fort.

   Then, two groups of pirates attacked back and forth, and together they defeated the defenders.

   Immediately afterwards, the pirates set fire to the docks and seized those warships that were moored in the port.

After the    battleship returned to its home port, most of the sailors had returned to the shore to rest. There were only a small number of crew members left behind on the warship, and it was impossible to organize effective resistance in panic.

  The brave sailors of the three warships fought off the pirates and tried to drive the warships out of the port. Two of them were sunk by the heavy artillery of the duckbill at the narrowest point of the exit of the bay, and the other was ambushed by a pirate ship hiding outside the bay after sailing out of the bay, and its whereabouts are unknown.

  The sailors of the other warship stayed in the cabin, the sailors could not drive the ship away, and the pirates did not dare to go down. The brutal pirates finally set fire to the warship.

   In the dock, two warships were towed to shore to clear the barnacles of their hulls. The pirates could not drag them back to the sea, and they simply burned them together.

   The sailors on the remaining four warships were killed by the pirates. With the strong south wind, the pirates drove the four warships away from Haidong Port.

   Within two hours, of the ten warships of the Veneta Navy in Haidong Harbor, four were taken away and six were burned.

  The last complete warship in the harbor was actually the Imperial warship "Virtue" that Winters was in charge of welcoming that day. There were dozens of loyal heirs left behind on the Virtue, and the pirates who wanted to take the warship broke their teeth.

   At the same time, the captain of the Virtue calmly judged the situation and did not leave the bay blindly. Because the artillery fort has changed hands, most of the artillery positions of the port artillery fort must be facing the entrance and exit of the bay, but there are not many artillery positions facing their own port. The captain of the Virtue decided that, rather than plunge into the open sea where the enemy's situation is unknown, it is better to deal with the cannon in the bay.

   In fact, by the time the officers’ cavalry from Dongdaying arrived at Haidong Port, most of the pirates had already fled. Grabbing a real warship is a huge lucrative deal, and any pirate who boarded a naval warship has only one thought: get the ship away.

  The pirates who finally settled in the shipyard were all abandoned sons who did not get on the ship. They still looted and set fire in the port, but when they turned around, they found that the ships were all driven away. Most of them were trapped in the shipyard, and a few remained in the fort.

Hence the scene that Winters saw: a lone warship in the bay was firing at the duckbill fort; a warship was burning on the edge of the dock, sailors and enemies in the shipyard fierce battle.

  Antonio said to Winters that "war is a means, not an end."

   But now, there is no second option other than war.

   The entire Seablue City has now learned of the attack on the naval port. Soon, the entire Veneta, and even the entire Confederate States, will know the news.

   In just one night, the Veneta Navy lost half of its warships. This was an undeclared sneak attack. Whether or not the Federation instructed Captain Drake, the Veneta regime had already determined that the Taniria Federation had attacked Haidong Port.

After the    War of Sovereignty, Veneta reconvened for the first time the General Assembly of Citizens. The messengers galloped down the road to deliver news, and the representatives of citizens of various cities were gathering in Hailan City.

   The consul will speak at the general assembly of citizens, but everyone already knows what he has to say.

   "War!"

  The prices of iron, copper, sulfur, and nitrate have skyrocketed, and every minute is a new price;

  The navy is conscripting all the armed merchant ships it can find, recruiting sailors at exorbitant daily wages, and conscripting all the prisoners it can find.

  The Army Reserve received a call-up order, and officers who had been placed in various idle positions were assigned to new positions in the army.

The    Third Corps was quickly replenished from the usual half-staff to the full staff; a reserve regiment had already set up an officer skeleton, just waiting for the reserve soldiers to be replenished in place.

The    main battle faction originally wanted to use the dock assassination case to put pressure on the ruling committee, but now there is no need for this. The dock assassination case and the functions of the guards at the management headquarters were handed over to the Hailan City Security Headquarters together, and the military police department of the Army Headquarters was removed.

Lieutenant Colonel    Field, Major Moritz, Warrant Lieutenant Winters, and many other officers who had been idle, were reassigned to new positions. Lieutenant Colonel Field and Major Moritz went to the Reserve Corps to lead the troops, while Winters was asked by Antonio to apprentice to the Third Corps.

  Venetta's war machine is already in operation, and all officers are just parts of this machine. No one can control their own destiny, at least not a small warrant officer.

   As the vortex began to turn, Winters found himself being dragged away by the current. He spent so much energy investigating the pier assassination that it was useless to say it was useless. Perhaps for the bigwigs, it's just a round of political games.

   He suddenly began to envy Andre's carefree personality: "Don't think so much, let us do what we do", maybe Andre is more suitable to be a soldier than himself.

   "What are you thinking about?" Anna shook her hand in front of Winters' face, interrupting Winters' thoughts: "Did you hear what I said?"

   "Of course." Warrant Officer Montagne came back to his senses and changed the subject calmly: "You found me, so you asked me to accompany you to the guard's loggia? Haven't you been to the guard's loggia?"

  The Guards Loggia is a landmark building in Seablue City. Winters often came here to play with his friends since he was a child, or agreed to meet here. He didn't understand why he was just taking a stroll around the square, so why bother?

   "How can a lady come to such a place? These statues are...all of...that..." Anna blushed, and the more she spoke, the more she whispered, and she couldn't hear what she was saying in the last few words.

  Winters looked at the marble and bronze sculptures around him. The primary sexual characteristics of the male statues were displayed naked in the public: "Naked?"

  Anna gave a soft "um".

   "You know it's naked and you still come to see it?"

   Anna, who was still shy a second ago, kicked Winters hard in the calf.

   Warrant Officer Montagne swiftly avoided: "Why are you so savage?"

  Anna said angrily, "I'm here now as a man."

   "You really don't think you're wearing this so that others won't recognize you as a woman?" Winters asked rhetorically.

   "Anyway, don't treat me as a woman now."

  Winters bowed gently: "Mr. Navarre, please stay here and enjoy it slowly. I have something to do, so take a step first."

   "Don't go." Anna hurriedly grabbed Winters' sleeve: "How can you take a girl... it's not safe here anyway... I'll draw you a picture and you'll be my bodyguard, do you want to default on your debt?"

   "This is the Parliament Square." Winters was amused: "This is probably the most secure place in the entire Veneta, what's so unsafe?"

  Anna let go of her hand, sat on the stone platform at the base of the statue, and whispered, "You won't understand, you are a man, you are safe wherever you are."

   said, Anna buried her head in her arms, not knowing what she was thinking.

   Winters sighed, turned and left.

   After a few minutes, he came back with two large glasses.

  Anna looked up and found herself alone in the guard's verandah, she was about to go crazy. Seeing Winters coming back, he angrily kicked Warrant Officer Montagne's calf again: "Are you really gone? Where have you been?"

   "Aren't you a man now? I'll invite you to drink a man's drink." Winters sat on the stone platform at the base of the statue, and handed the cup in his hand to Anna.

  Anna was stunned for a moment, then sat on the edge of the stone platform and took a sip: "Sweet?"

"Sweet beer has no hops, so it can't be kept for a long time. It's all boiled and sold." Winters also took a big sip himself: "When I was young, I always came to the veranda to drink sweet beer with my friends. I never thought that six years later, that beer girl is still selling this stuff."

   said, Winters took another sip and smacked his lips: "It just seems to taste a little different, and it is always better to drink in memory."

   "Then are you still here with your friends to drink sweet beer?" Anna asked Winters while holding the mug in both hands, taking a sip.

  Winters thought about Ben Wei, who was hiding on the farm in the suburbs, and shook his head: "There is no chance now, my friend is... busy now."

  The breeze was breezy, and the two of them sat silently on the promenade drinking sweet wine.

  Anna suddenly imitated Winters' carefree sitting posture, her legs no longer folded carefully, but stretched out comfortably. The upper body leaned back, leaning on the base of the statue, and stretched comfortably.

   Winters stretched out the glass to Anna, who was stunned for a moment, then smiled and touched the glass with Winters.

   She looked in the direction of the Parliament Square and said softly, "Thank you, this may be the only chance in my life to come to the Guard Loggia to see these sculptures with my own eyes."

   "You give me the drawing, and I'll help you, a fair deal." Anna's sudden attitude made Winters very uncomfortable, and he raised his glass and took a sip of wine to cover up his embarrassment.

"Actually, I envy you." Anna whispered: "Because I'm a woman, I can't go to the anatomy, the model, or the **** statue. No matter how well I paint, I can only put it in my bedroom, no The art dealer accepts paintings by women artists. Even Mrs. Anguissola can only paint portraits of other people. I have only seen these sculptures in paintings before. Although they are in Parliament Square, I have passed by several times by car, but I've never gotten out of the car and walked here."

   "Actually, as it is now, you can come whenever you want."

   "That's because I was accompanied by guards, so I dared to come here." Anna said angrily: "Mr. Montagne, you still don't understand! For a lady, there is no safe place other than home."

   "Who told you that?" Winters couldn't help but want to laugh again.

   "My mom! And other respectable ladies!"

   Winters felt that Anna was a paradox, with an unrestrained side, but at the same time constantly restraining herself.

   He drank the remaining liqueur in the glass and took Anna's glass again. Anna froze in place, dumbfounded as the man in front of him drank the sweet beer in his glass in one go.

   Then, Winters went to return the cup first, then led the horse, and led Anna to turn a few corners in the alley beside the Parliament Square, and came to a small open space.

  Anna was led by Winters to the grass between the houses.

   "Okay, here it is, this is where we used to play swords." Winters put a stake in the ground with satisfaction and tied the two horses.

   "Why did you bring me here?" Anna asked vigilantly, crossing her arms over her chest.

   Winters waved his hand: "Don't worry, I'm not interested in men."

  Anna was angry and ashamed, and pretended to kick Winters again.

   Winters took off the scabbard, drew out his saber, and handed it to Anna, holding the scabbard in his hand.

   This is a typical ceremonial straight sword, short, light and narrow, but it is also a real open-edged weapon.

   But Anna didn't reach out to take it.

Winters said seriously: "Miss Anna, I agree with you. There is a natural physical gap between men and women. Although there are thin men and strong women, if most men in this world want to harm you, you There is no good way. But I can teach you a little swordsmanship for self-protection in a crisis, and I hope it won't come in handy one day."

After   , he put the sword of honor into Anna's hand.

"I have only one thing to teach you - bravery." Winters pointed to his chest, throat and eyes: "A lot of times it is not about skill, but about courage. As long as you dare to stab hard at these parts. , stab deep enough, you will be seriously injured if you don't die. Come, try to stab me."

   said, Winters stood in front of Anna with the scabbard in his right hand.

   "What are you thinking? Do it!" Winters took out Instructor Gnar's tone: "I asked you to stab me."

  Anna was about to cry: "I...after I go home...is it okay to practice with a dummy?"

   "Will the dummy fight back? Will the dummy bleed?" Winters scolded: "Didn't you draw Aphrodite in the shape of the **** of war? It's your turn to be timid?"

   "You...you know?"

   "I'm not [a **** that should never be spoken in front of a lady]!" Winters snapped: "Thorn!"

  Anna closed her eyes and stabbed it out.

  …

  …

  In Mrs. Anguissola's studio, Elizabeth looked at Anna with red eyes and asked in surprise, "What's the matter? My brother is not a bad person, there must be some misunderstanding..."

  Anna shook her head, thinking about what Winters said when she brought her back.

  …

   "What's the matter with your tears..."

  Anna sat on the horse, just wiped her tears and said nothing.

   "Isn't it just because I threw my sword into the air? It's a common thing to practice swordsmanship."

  Anna still didn't speak.

   Winters said cautiously: "After today, will the accounts of those few drawings be cleared?"

   "I gave you ten paintings. Can you be my guard for a long time?"

   "Well, then what else do you want me to do, let's talk about it together." Winters said helplessly: "Actually, I still recommend that you convert it into silver coins, and I can pay you directly."

   Hearing this, Anna asked angrily: "You just don't want to see me again? I don't want to see you again!"

"No, it's not like that, Miss Anna." Winters smiled sadly: "I'm going to war, if I don't come back, you won't be able to get back this debt... You see, although men are safer than women , but sometimes men have to go to the most dangerous places too, don't they?"

   is actually a mercenary loggia, but in order to comply with the setting, plus a reasonable avoidance, so the guard loggia in Hailan City is. I'll add pictures when I have time. It's too late to finish writing these two days. I feel like people will get cold if it goes on like this. I will go to bed before twelve o'clock tomorrow anyway.

   Thanks for the time:

   Thanks to the book friends who voted for the recommendation before, thank you. Thanks to the book friends for the recommendation tickets that I don’t know what they are called, thanks to the book friends writersblock for the recommendation tickets, thanks to the book friends Yan Yunsan for the recommendation tickets, thanks to the book friends 20181013204343295 for the recommendation tickets, and thanks to the book friends for the recommendation tickets. Thank you all, thank you.

   (end of this chapter)