Chapter 376 Whirlpool (3)

Without White Eagle's generous introduction, Winters probably wouldn't have connected Paul Wooper with the famous Mayor of Steel Castle.

Because the mayor has a face that indulges in hedonism and overindulgence: his skin is sallow, his eyes are red, and dark purple pimples spread around his nose and lips.

Paul Wooper looked like he was in his early forties, but he was probably much younger. Drinking and sex had emptied his body, causing him to age prematurely.

But having said that, it doesn't surprise Winters at all that White Eagle can form a deep personal relationship with such a person.

After Mayor Paul Wooper entered, he first walked around, accompanied by Bai Ying, to socialize with other guests.

After saying hello, Paul Wooper approached the corner where Colonel Berne, Winters and the old blacksmiths were.

Paul Wooper walked cautiously, as if he were afraid of falling at any moment. Under the solemn velvet coat, two thick legs wrapped in fashionable light-colored stockings moved reluctantly.

"Your Excellency the Mayor." Colonel Bern greeted him proactively.

"Oh, Colonel, you're here too." Paul Wooper tried his best to smile and muttered vaguely: "That's great."

Old man Schmid waited for a while before reaching out his hand and said in a lukewarm tone: "Mayor Wupper."

Paul Wooper's face was filled with a flattering smile, and he hurriedly stretched out his hand: "Why don't you call me Paul like before? Father Schmid."

Winters saw the rough, dark, scarred hand briefly shake hands with the white, plump, clean hand, and then quickly separate.

Now that Schmid has taken a stand, the other old blacksmiths have not embarrassed Mayor Wooper. Some said hello, some shook hands, and some—like the one-eyed blacksmith—said hello with a brief nod.

Paul Wooper wanted to chat a few more words, but Schmid did not give him a chance to ramble, and directly asked the question that everyone was most concerned about: "How do you plan to solve the trade ban, Mr. Mayor?"

Paul Wooper's expression became a little stiff and he hesitated: "Didn't you and I talk before?"

"We talked, but you didn't make any promises, any promises that I can believe in, Mr. Mayor!" Schmid showed no mercy.

"You know, not to interfere in the Civil War in Plato is a formal decision of the Upper House." Paul Wooper's eyes dodge: "Although Solingen is called an autonomous state and Steel Castle is called an autonomous city, we are part of Monta after all. You must obey the laws of the Republic.”

"[Indignant Monta swears]! When will those knee-less bastards from the Horn Castle be able to take control of Solingen?" the one-eyed old blacksmith yelled: "Go to parliament? A circus of federal provincials! What the heck are their laws?" Did the Lower House pass it? Did the Grand Assembly pass it?"

The one-eyed old blacksmith used a very vulgar swear word for Monta, which literally means "the slave who holds the master's egg behind his back when he walks". Winters didn't understand it at first, but based on the context, he felt that the one-eyed old blacksmith was scolding the people of Hornburg for being soft-hearted.

Another old blacksmith also said coldly: "After all, if the halberd is in someone else's hand, of course they can take whatever they want."

Paul Wooper wiped the sweat from his forehead and cast a look at Colonel Berne asking for help: "

"Everyone, the legions of the Republic are not used to deal with its own people." Colonel Berne cleared his throat: "In any case, the states have enjoyed peace for two generations, haven't they? There is no longer compulsory military service, and no more exorbitant taxes. How many times have the states enjoyed peace? Comparing the army to weapons in the hands of robbers really makes me sad."

The one-eyed old blacksmith snorted and stopped cursing.

"The ban is only a weapons ban." Seeing that the atmosphere had eased, Paul Wooper quickly added: "The export of other goods is not restricted, and business can still be done normally."

It was okay if Paul Wooper didn't speak, but when he spoke, he once again aroused the anger of several old blacksmiths.

"Does a bar of iron count as a weapon? Does a steel pancake count as a weapon? Isn't iron material also subject to the ban?" The old man with a hoarse voice slammed his wine glass on the table: "I'll put it here - don't sell palla. Don’t even think about shipping Tu people’s weapons and other goods out! Or when did the Platu people become particularly tolerant, and I don’t know?”

"The Platuan people will always use our iron tools, so it is impossible to block the Jinliu River forever. If that doesn't work, we can still take the land route..."

"Go by land? Where?" The one-eyed old blacksmith interrupted Mayor Wooper rudely: "To the east? To Varn? To the north? To the Empire? Or to the west? To do business with the barbarians in the wasteland?"

Paul Wooper's tone sounded like he was begging for mercy, and even Winters could see that he was already exhausted: "There are also moral considerations for not getting involved in the Plato civil war. Earning bloody money from the allies will destroy Steel Castle." Goodwill and damage to long-term interests.”

"Morality?" The questioning voice was as harsh as glass shards in the throat, sharper than a dagger: "The Federation prohibits us from selling weapons, so what are they doing? Our forges are as cold as ice cellars, and the chimneys of the Victory Arsenal are But they are spitting out black clouds. They are working day and night to build weapons, preparing to take advantage of the opportunity to make a fortune!"

Winters' memory was triggered by the "Victory Arsenal", and he recalled the fire that skyrocketed in the Guitucheng port area that night: Did the federal province rebuild the Victory Arsenal?

Paul Wooper had nothing to say. He glanced at the audience secretly. Except for a few old blacksmiths, the only ones around him were Colonel Bern and the colonel's adjutant - his eyes hardly stopped on Winters.

Seeing that there were no outsiders present, the dignified Mayor of Steel Castle grimaced and defended himself in a low voice: "The decree signed directly by the Upper House does not mean that it can be lifted by lifting it. I have already sent people to Bugle Castle to protest against Father Schmid...Mr. Everyone, the most important thing right now is the general election. Only if I am still the mayor of Steel Castle, can I continue to negotiate with the Great Council to safeguard the interests of Steel Castle."

"So, gentlemen." Paul Wooper looked at the old blacksmiths expectantly: "Can I get your support?"

Several old blacksmiths looked at Schmid in unison.

Elder Schmid gave an ambiguous answer with a straight face: "Every forge master will ultimately support the person they think is most suitable."

"The forge continues to burn out." The one-eyed old blacksmith continued with grief, anger and sarcasm: "Who knows whether our forge will be ours in the future?"

Paul Wooper could barely hide his disappointment. He licked his lips and comforted the old blacksmiths in a low voice: "There is always a way, and we will solve the problem for everyone..."

After speaking, Paul Wooper also felt that the atmosphere was too bad and it was useless to continue chatting. So I found an excuse and planned to escape from the small circle of old blacksmiths.

It happened that Colonel Berne also wanted to consult with Mayor Wooper about winter training, so he left with Paul Wooper.

Winters memorized the faces and information of the old blacksmiths for the last time, greeted the old men politely, and left naturally.

Colonel Bern obviously wanted to discuss business with Mayor Wooper, so Winters couldn't follow him. He originally planned to find Carman and Anna, but unexpectedly found Carlo Ed waving to him.

"Do you know Colonel Berne?" Mr. Ed asked slightly surprised.

Winters replied: "I just learned the name today."

"How is that..."

"It's a long story." Winters explained succinctly: "Colonel Berne regarded me as an envoy of the military government of Plato. Who is he?"

"Colonel Bern?"

"right."

"The top military leader of Solingen State, a war hero, has served in overseas colonies. It is said that with his qualifications and merits, he should have received the general's baton long ago, but I don't know why he is still a colonel. He commands two infantrymen of the Eighth Army The brigade is stationed on the outskirts of Steel Castle." The old partner of Navarre Trading Company added: "The relationship between Monta Army and the United Provinces is inextricably linked, so we generally do not take the initiative to approach Monta officers."

Winters thought of the colonel's undisguised hostility to the United Provinces and Veneta: "I can probably guess why Colonel Berne is not General Berne yet."

"Why?"

"He hates Venetans."

Mr. Ed looked calm: "General attitude."

"He also hates people from the United Provinces."

Mr. Ed looked sideways at the guests in the hall: "Nearly all the Monta people you can see at the moment are like this."

"He hates it so openly."

"I see." Mr. Ed stroked his hands and said, "Then I won't be surprised that the colonel can't become a general."

Winters wanted to laugh but couldn't. He sighed: "You invited me here to introduce me to the seller?"

"No, it's not an introduction." Carlo Aide explained calmly: "Bai Ying said that he will send the seller to you. He hopes that you can make a business, but the specific terms still need to be discussed with the seller in person. discuss."

"Send it to me? How do you send it to me?"

Mr. Ed summoned a servant of the Esther family, gave the latter a few brief instructions, turned to Winters and said, "Please follow him, Your Excellency."

"Myself?"

A smile appeared on Carlo Aide's rugged face: "It is not convenient for Madam to show up on such an occasion."

"Please help me call Father Carman over."

…

The servants of the Esther family led Winters and Carman out of the hall, through a corridor that exuded a delicate fragrance, and to the small living room on the north side of the mansion.

The servant asked Winters and Carman to wait in the small living room, and then walked backwards out of the door.

"[Old Speech] Flora people always amaze me with how wasteful they are." Winters sniffed the fragrance in the air: "[Old Speech] The corridors are also incense-scented? Are the spices free of charge?"

Ventilation is poor in winter, and the smell in crowded places is inevitably turbid. To solve this problem, incense burners were placed throughout the halls of Mansion d'Este, which continuously released a special light fragrance into the air.

What surprised Winters was that White Eagle actually used incense in corridors, small living rooms and other places where there were no people around.

"[Old Speech] Aren't you very happy chatting with others?" Kaman asked angrily: "[Old Speech] Why did you ask me to come here?"

"[Old saying] In fact, I didn't say a word just now." Winters said seriously: "[Old saying] The most important thing in a drama is the ending, so I am still a baron now, and you are still my personal priest. "

Kaman didn't answer at all.

"[Old idiom] So..." Winters kicked Kaman: "[Old idiom] Get up quickly and stand behind me. How can it make sense for you to sit when I sit down?"

Kaman was furious, but finally took a position behind Winters.

"[Old saying] Don't be angry, it's just a disguise." Winters picked up the apple on the small table and handed it to Kaman: "[Old saying] Here, this is for you."

Kaman took the apple and threw it at Winters with his backhand.

"[Old saying] If you don't want to eat it, don't eat it. Why waste it?" Winters caught the apple deftly and put it back on the small table.

The waiting time was always long. Winters leaned on the bench and asked Carman casually: "[Old Speak] Father, can I ask you a question?"

"[Old saying] No." Kaman refused.

"[Old Speech] Is there really a magic that can detect lies?"

"[Old slang] You guess."

"[Old Speech] I guess not." Winters analyzed seriously: "[Old Speech] Your Catholic Church is the lackey of the Oathbreakers. If the Catholic Church had the magic to discern lies, then there would be no rebellion and rebellion in the empire. It’s a conspiracy.”

"[Old Slang] You're right, there aren't any."

Winters stood up suddenly: "[Old Slang] So what did you use on the mountain that day..."

Kaman sneered: "[Old Slang] I lied to you."

Winters clutched his chest and was speechless for a while.

"How about [old saying]?" Kaman continued to rub salt into the wound: "[Old saying] It doesn't feel good to be cheated, right?"

Winters sat down on the armchair and said quietly: "[Old saying] I can't tell the truth from the lies now."

After a moment of silence, Carman asked half curiously and half puzzled: "[Old Slang] Winters Montagne, you have never thought about what you would do if we really took action that day?"

"[Old Speech] What else can I do?" Winters answered honestly: "[Old Speech] I can only hope that you won't have fatal magic. In that case, at most I will be beaten by you. Or...I'll beat you up."

Kaman chuckled with a very disdainful attitude.

Winters blinked and deliberately said in a relaxed tone: "[Old Speech] Looking back now, the scene of that day is still vivid in my mind. I can see Father Carman's gaffe, even if I get a beating, it's worth it." ”

Kaman's smile froze at the corner of his mouth.

"[Old Speech] I wonder if you still remember the details of that day." Winters cleared his throat: "[Old Speech] I remember it very clearly."

Kaman suddenly stopped talking.

"[Old saying] I don't know who it is. He clenches his fists tightly and his eyes are as big as bells. He looks like a crazy bull."

Kaman fell into complete silence.

"[Old phrase] I thought we were friends." Winters imitated Carman's tone seriously: "[Old phrase] Is this how you treat your friends?"

Kaman struggled to speak out the words: "That's enough [old saying], stop saying it..."

How can it be? Pursuing victory is the tactician's choice.

Winters asked curiously: "[Old saying] How did you say these words at that time? 'You are really not ashamed to say these words, as expected of you'."

Kaman's voice became weaker and weaker: "[Old Slang] I beg you, please stop talking..."

"[Old saying] If this were in a novel, if you said such strange lines, you would be nailed to the pillar of shame for the rest of your life."

"[Old phrase] Stop talking!" Kaman exploded without warning and grabbed Winters by the throat: "[Old phrase] Stop talking! Stop talking!"

The priest's arm was unexpectedly strong, and Winters was immediately out of breath. He struggled desperately and asked for a truce: "Okay! I won't say anything anymore!"

It was already too late. Kaman let go of his hand and searched aimlessly in the small living room.

Winters asked alertly: "What are you going to do?"

"There is no other way." Kaman muttered: "You must use memory erasure."

Winters was shocked: "There is this kind of magic?"

Kaman finally found his target. He grabbed the bench guard and used his knees and arms at the same time. With a "click" sound, the carved solid wood handguard was torn apart by Kaman.

Kaman picked up the newly acquired warhammer and turned to look at Winters fiercely: "It's not magic."

Winters realized something was wrong: "Wait a moment..."

"It's okay." Kaman slowly approached Winters: "It doesn't hurt at all."

Winters also grabbed the armrest of the bench beside him, imitating Kaman's method of exerting force up and down.

The armrest didn't move at all.

Just when Winters was about to use the disintegration technique to blast open the armrest, heavy footsteps stopped the imminent duel.

Kaman was stunned for a moment, then quickly walked to the side of the bench and stood there expressionlessly - the war stick was hidden behind his back.

Winters calmed his breathing and resumed his relaxed sitting posture.

The door opened, and a burly figure appeared at the door. The old blacksmith Schmid walked into the small living room a little cautiously.

Seeing the young man sitting on the bench, old man Schmid was puzzled: "You...are...you..."

Winters was also surprised at first, but he reacted quickly, stood up neatly, walked quickly to meet the old blacksmith, held the old blacksmith's rough hand, and said with a smile: "Yes, Mr. Schmid, it's me."

[late, sorry]

[Note 1: In the trade ban faced by Steel Castle, weapons and raw materials that can be made into weapons are not allowed to be sold to Plato. That’s why the old blacksmiths say, “We can’t sell weapons, nor can we sell steel pancakes or iron bars, so what else can we sell?” ]

[Note 2: The trading form of iron: In general concept, apart from finished products, the most important trading form of iron should be iron ingots (various metal ingots in WOW). However, iron ingots are actually the main form of trading only in the era of "block smelting furnaces", because the products of block smelting furnaces are "blocks" and can be easily forged into "ingots"]

[However, the "ingot" form is not conducive to processing into commonly used utensils, so in the blast furnace era, after humans can obtain liquid iron, the main form of iron trade is bar iron (bar-shaped iron is more convenient for secondary processing), or iron Plate (after having plate rolling machine)]

[According to Volume 2 of the History of Technology, there was another form of trading of "steel" in ancient times - steel cakes. Steel cakes can be directly folded and forged into swords, which are easier to process than bars, granular materials, or jade steel fragments]

[The Romans once imported steel cakes from the East to make weapons. Each steel cake is 5 inches in diameter, 0.5 inches thick, and weighs 2 pounds. They call it "Chinese iron" - it's actually made in Hyderabad, India]

[There is also iron bean steel - granular steel, the price is comparable to precious metals]

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