Chapter 372 Carol Ed

Chapter 372 Carlo Ed

[Republic of Monta, Steelcastle City]

[There are two days left until the blacksmith guild election ceremony]

In the afternoon, two carriages painted with the white eagle coat of arms drove into the lakeside hotel one after another and stopped outside the small independent building rented by Baron Granach.

A well-dressed old man stepped out of the carriage and walked into the small building without looking back.

The head waiter recognized the old man from a distance as the partner of Navarre Firm [Carlo Eide], and came to greet him diligently. However, the foreman still failed to see Mr. Ed, and the baron's guards sent him away.

Mr. Ed came specially to pick up Winters and Anna.

Although the White Eagle family's party only started in the evening, the hospitable host was worried that the Baron, who was visiting Steel Castle for the first time, would get lost, so he specially asked Mr. Ed to guide him and also sent a carriage from the Esther family.

"Should I go too?" Anna asked uneasily.

"White Eagle especially wants to invite you, my lady." Mr. Ed explained unsmilingly: "This is a private party, and other guests will also bring their families."

Anna looked at Winters.

Winters felt inexplicably nervous, so he pretended to be calm: "Mr. Esther invited you, you can decide for yourself whether to go or not."

Anna leaned forward and took a closer look at Winters' expression as if teasingly.

Winters felt uncomfortable and turned to look out the window pretending to be nonchalant.

Satisfied, Anna resumed her dignified sitting posture, with a naughty smile on her face: "Okay, then I'll go too."

As soon as she finished speaking, Ana looked embarrassed again: "But I didn't bring any suitable clothes."

"White Eagle has thought of this." Mr. Ed tapped the floor tile with his cane: "He asked me to bring you a dress."

"But how did he know about me..." Anna asked sheepishly: "My..."

"Clothing code?" Winters interjected.

"He doesn't know." Mr. Ed explained lightly: "So he prepared a total of twenty-four sets, and you can choose as you like."

The door was opened, and two maids in black walked into the living room holding the pulley hangers. Hanging on the hangers were twenty-four sets of women's long skirts of exactly the same style, material, and color, as well as matching bustles.

Even Anna was shocked by Bai Ying's generosity, and Winters's expression became quite subtle.

Although Father Carman on the side still had a straight face, the corners of his mouth and cheeks were twitching slightly.

Winters stood up and said politely to Carlo Ed: "Please thank Mr. Esther for me."

"I am also entrusted by White Eagle." Mr. Ed's eyes revealed a trace of helplessness: "After all, you still need his help, so it's better for you to thank him in person."

Mr. Ed also stood up: "I will wait in the side hall without disturbing the lady to choose her clothes. The carriage has been prepared outside the courtyard and is ready to go at any time."

"Leave now?" Winters asked puzzledly, "It should be a few hours before it gets dark."

Mr. Ed explained: "Right now, we can only take the land route. To go to Esther's Mansion, we have to bypass most of the city, so we need to start as early as possible."

After saying that, Carlo Ed bowed slightly to salute Winters and Anna, then turned and walked out of the living room.

Kaman also planned to leave, he coughed lightly: "Then I will avoid it too."

"Priest Kaman." Wen Tesla came to Kaman and said seriously: "Please be sure to attend with me."

"Should I go too?" Kaman was puzzled: "Montaland was the stronghold of anti-religion twenty years ago, and it is even more so now. I'm afraid it wouldn't be good for me to show up in public in a place like this."

"I'm not even worried, so what are you worried about?"

Kaman came back to his senses and laughed angrily: "Why are you so revengeful?"

"What kind of revenge?" Winters looked innocent: "Tell yourself, who else can be my translator besides you?"

Kaman left angrily.

Anna signaled the maid of Esther's family to go out and avoid it, so only the "Baron and his wife" were left in the living room for the time being.

Winters jokingly asked, "Should I recuse myself, too?"

With no one else present, Anna no longer deliberately maintained a dignified and calm image.

She looked around Winters, then suddenly put her arms around Winters' neck, and said in a long voice like a coquettish voice: "So you are jealous too! Mr. M."

Such an intimate and bold move was something that the sea-blue Ms. Navarre would never be able to do. To a certain extent, the journey to the wilderness greatly expanded Anna's painting themes and also allowed Anna to imbibe a bit of the wild beauty of the wilderness.

Winters couldn't resist for a moment, and his cheeks and ears suddenly became red and hot. I wanted to say some witty words to resolve the embarrassment, but I couldn't think of anything to say.

He gritted his teeth and simply said nothing, hugged Ana and kissed her. It startled Anna, and she suddenly became at a loss.

"It's not so much jealousy...it should be more of an apology..." Winters hugged Anna and said guiltily: "I...owe you so much..."

"Don't say that." Anna patted Winters on the back, as if coaxing a child: "These days are the freest and happiest times I have lived. If it weren't for you, I might never have left Victoria in my life. Netta, let alone have so many precious memories. So don’t apologize in a heavy tone again.”

"good."

"But you have to remember." Anna pressed against Winters' ear and exhaled like a blue breath: "You will be jealous, and I will be jealous too. I will always keep the sword you gave me with me..."

"……good."

…

…

Steel Castle began as a small village at the mouth of the Rose River. Most of the land that now belongs to Steel Castle City used to be the property of [Elin Abbey].

The discovery of iron ore made the once small village gradually prosper. External populations continue to move in, local residents multiply from generation to generation, villages develop into small towns, and small towns develop into cities.

There are no large plains in Monta Territory, only small pieces of cultivated land divided by mountains. As the population increases, the steel castle becomes more and more crowded.

The land on both sides of the river mouth became insufficient for use, so the settlement naturally expanded outward, eventually occupying the flat land along the shores of Rose Lake.

Today's so-called "Steel Castle City" is actually a ring-shaped human settlement surrounding Rose Lake.

Among them, various handicraft workshops require the use of water power, so they are still concentrated along the Rose River, the original land of Steel Castle.

Therefore, the urban area along the Rose River is often called the "Blacksmith District" or "Old Town".

The old city is not only the handicraft center of Gangbao, but also the administrative and religious center of Gangbao.

Most citizens and poor people without civil rights live in the maze-like streets and alleys of the old city.

From a distance, the three tall stone buildings of [Municipal Palace], [Diocesan Guild] and [Elin Cathedral] are surrounded by rows of low wooden houses. They stand out like a flock of chickens and are extremely eye-catching.

The hydraulic mill was noisy, and maintaining the forge produced a lot of smoke. The steel castle is surrounded by mountains, and the smoke is difficult to dissipate. At its worst, the entire Rose Lake will be shrouded in thick smoke.

Therefore, wealthy upper-class citizens of Steel Castle built residences on the north shore of Rose Lake.

Although the space on the North Shore is small and land is at a premium, the scenery is beautiful and it is upwind.

Not only can you avoid annoying noise, but you don't have to be bothered by the thick fog spewing from the factory chimney.

As for those who want to improve their living conditions but don’t have enough money to buy land and build houses on the North Bank, most will move to new urban areas on the South Bank.

The hotel where Winters stayed is located on the south shore of Rose Lake.

But whether they are South Bank residents or North Bank residents, their industries and workplaces are still in the old city.

Therefore, the most commonly used means of transportation in Steel Castle is actually a boat. After Rose Lake freezes in winter, you can also walk directly on the lake.

However, it is now approaching the end of winter, and the ice is too thin, making it too dangerous to walk on the lake.

Therefore, if Winters wanted to go to Esther's mansion, he could only take the land route, which would take him most of the way around the lake.

That's why Carlo Eide says "start early."

…

…

[Steel Castle, Old Town]

The carriage painted with the white eagle coat of arms rumbled through the streets, and the men who gathered around the fire to keep warm got out of the way. When the carriage drove away, they numbly walked back to the fire.

"I originally thought that the famous Steel Castle would be a city full of wealth." Winters lowered the carriage curtain and said to Mr. Ed: "However, what I saw was a lower and filthy slum than Gevaudan. and poor people who live harder than the poor in Gevaudan.”

Mr. Ed replied: "What you said is not contradictory. Steel Castle is indeed a city full of wealth, and the people at the bottom of this city do live worse than serfs. There is not much arable land in the Monta Republic, so even if you want to be a serf, you have to be a serf." No. That’s why there are so many Monta laborers at Hailan Terminal, and that’s why the emperor recruited troops in Monta.”

Winters sighed.

"What are they doing?" Anna couldn't bear to look at the ragged people on both sides of the road: "Why are they standing on the roadside?"

"What are you doing?" Mr. Ed glanced out the window and replied lightly: "Waiting for work."

Winters was puzzled: "Waiting for work?"

"If someone hires them, they can do manual labor in the workshop to earn bread; if no one hires them, they can only wait on the roadside." Mr. Ed narrowed his eyes slightly and asked Winters: "Your Excellency, Did you hear that?"

"What did you hear?"

"The sound of a forging hammer."

Winters searched carefully and did not hear any metal knocking sounds, so he answered truthfully: "I didn't hear anything."

"Yes, it's strange that you can't hear anything!" Mr. Ed opened the curtains and pointed at the rows of wooden houses in the old city: "This is the blacksmith district, and the sound of forging hammers should be continuous day and night. But now you listen, what? Can't even hear it."

Winters immediately understood what Mr. Ed meant and asked: "All the workshops in Steel Castle have stopped working?"

"Most of the forges have shut down." Mr. Ed said calmly: "That's why these hired workers come to the streets, hoping that a workshop owner will hire them away; they are not apprentices, let alone blacksmiths, just some Coolies. For one day when the workshop is running, they have enough bread for the whole family; for one day when the forge is out, they will go hungry for a day."

Carlo Ed's condescending tone made Winters a little uncomfortable. He frowned and asked, "Isn't there a law for poor relief in Steel Castle?"

"Relief to the poor? The church will probably distribute some gruel." Mr. Ed asked naturally: "Those people don't have civil rights, why should the Parliament help them?"

Winters frowned even more tightly: "Aren't you afraid of trouble in the Steel Castle Government Hall?"

"The situation is not that serious yet." Mr. Ed replied calmly: "If it comes to that point, the Steel Castle Council should provide some relief. In any case, it is a matter for the people of Steel Castle, so you don't have to worry too much."

Winters said nothing more and turned his attention to another thing revealed by Mr. Ed: "The workshop of Steel Castle has stopped working?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Why do you think?"

Winters' mind was running fast: "...Trade ban."

"Yes." Carlo Ed nodded approvingly.

However, the more Winters thought about it, the more doubtful he became: "The ban only prohibits the export of weapons to Plato. Why does it make the furnace of Steel Castle go out and the forging hammer become silent? Could it be that without selling weapons, Steel Castle cannot operate?"

Mr. Ed looked at Anna with a smile.

Anna held Winters' hand and explained softly: "It's not what you think. Merchants are not cogs. They will not produce as much as they sell. If wool production decreases, woolen merchants will hoard wool; if neighboring countries are at war, blacksmiths will meeting……"

Winters gave the answer: "Step up to build weapons."

"That's it." Mr. Ed said with a hint of mockery: "From the day the news of [The Bloody Night in the Kings' Castle] reached Steel Castle, the owners of the steel castle's large and small forges were working day and night to make weapons and armor. . They are gearing up to make a big profit, and every warehouse has accumulated a large amount of ready goods.

As soon as the embargo was promulgated, the hoarding of goods instantly turned into a backlog - a backlog that could crush them to death. Not only that, Gangbao ironware is mainly sold in the south and north directions. The route to the south was embargoed. Not only was the war fortune impossible, but even normal rail exports had to be stopped, so... they were in a hurry. "

Winters listened carefully, thought about it, and asked humbly: "Do you suggest that I should not be too eager when negotiating the price, but be more forceful and try to lower the price as much as possible?"

"I just talked about some well-known current affairs in Steel Castle. I didn't suggest anything." Mr. Ed's eyelids were drooped, and his eyes were like a dark pool: "Your Excellency Granasi, you must remember that no matter I Or Bai Ying, they are all third parties that have nothing to do with you."

["I'll take a nap first and then write when I wake up" is the most shameful self-deception in the world!! (slapping the table)] [Thank you book friends for your collection, reading, subscription, recommendation votes, monthly votes, rewards and comments ,thank you all]