Steel, gunpowder, and spellcasters

Chapter 486 Rebuilding the Nation (Part Two)
The unexpected turn of events came from an unexpected person: the loyal subordinate of Lord Blood Wolf (self-proclaimed), the most trusted assistant of the lords of Iron Peak and Vaughan (as others claimed), Winters Montagne's mouthpiece in Maplestone's upper class (this was not false), and a young man from out of town who was gradually beginning to be addressed as "Your Excellency" (this was absolutely true) – Little Priskin.

The little Priest, who appeared at Winters' residence, was there to use his weekly "viewing privilege."

It's unclear when it started, but everyone around Lord Montagne began to consciously or unconsciously fawn over him.

Moreover, the less interaction they have with each other in official business, the more enthusiastically they try to instigate it.

For example, little Priskin, if Winters didn't order a ban, would come to "meet Your Excellency" three times a day, practically wanting to live right under "Your Excellency's" nose, much to Winters' annoyance.

So Winters simply ordered young Priskin to only come to see him once every two weeks unless it was an emergency.

Later, at the pleading of young Priskin, it was changed to once a week.

But Winters gave a clear definition of "urgent matter": that is, if Winters thinks that Priest's matter is not urgent enough, then it is not urgent enough.
If young Priskin showed up with an excuse that wasn't urgent enough, Winters would have Charles and Heinrich give him a good beating.

With these rules in place, little Priskin became much more well-behaved and stopped running to the Winters' house every few days like before.

The day after the Iron Peak County All-Officers Conference, young Priestkin returned to the Winters’ home and exercised his sacred and inviolable “right of audience.”

Although he came every week without fail, little Priskin didn't really have anything important to report to Winters in person.

He talked about the sales of various goods produced in Iron Peak County in Maplestone City, and then, as usual, lingered in Winters' living room, chatting about this and that, refusing to leave directly.

In the past, Winters would have personally driven the guest away.

But today is a special case. Although those who should leave are unwilling to leave, the people Winters has been waiting for have finally arrived.

“Mr. Priskin.” Anna came out of the kitchen carrying a silver tray and, with just the right amount of enthusiasm, personally set out a cup and saucer for little Priskin, pouring a drink from his cup into the saucer. “It is wonderful that he has someone as trustworthy as you to help him in Maplestone City.”

Little Priskin was flattered and hurriedly picked up the porcelain plate, but dared not drink directly from it. Instead, he kept glancing to the left.

To the left of little Priskin, on the largest chaise lounge in the living room, Winters sat with his arms crossed, his face as black as the bottom of a pot.

Winters' residence had no servants, and the only orderly and guards were Charles and Heinrich—and they had both been sent away today.

So when the "uninvited guest" came to visit, Anna took the initiative to take on the responsibility of entertaining the guest.

If Winters were the only one at home, he wouldn't even give little Priskin a sip of water, let alone precious drinks from the Far East; otherwise, the guy would definitely have stayed for at least another half hour.

Seeing that the host showed no hospitality whatsoever, and just sat there with a livid face, not uttering a word.

After Anna finished setting out the cups, Tingting returned to Winters' side, sat down close to her lover, and subtly took his arm.

"Drink up," Winters finally said. "Drink more."

He said that, but his eyes clearly conveyed: "Get out, get out, get out..."

Little Priskin couldn't leave directly; he had received guidance from a master today and was here to solve Blood Wolf's problem.

“I’ve heard,” little Priskin asked cautiously, holding the plate, “that the country bumpkins in Vaughan are blind and don’t see the merits of your Montgomery plow?”

"Oh? It's already reached Maplestone City?" Winters wasn't angry at being touched on a sore spot. He picked up his cup, drank the soup and the solids in one gulp, and grinned, "No need to make excuses for me, nobody cares."

Blood Wolf smiled, but little Priskin was even more frightened.

“He’s thinking too simply.” Anna took the cup from Winters and gently poured the liquid into a saucer. “Every household needs a plow, but it’s precisely because everyone needs it that every household has one. Just like furniture, once you have it, even if it’s outdated, you won’t easily replace it.”

The "Madam's" voice has a special charm that makes people feel like they are bathed in a spring breeze, and unconsciously calms them down.

With his "lady" by his side, young Priskin was less nervous. Unlike in the past when he was interviewed alone—his mind went blank, and he would only remember that he had something to say after he walked out the door.

“That’s right.” Little Priskin nodded gratefully, but then mustered his courage: “But it’s not just that.”

"Oh?" Anna feigned a puzzled expression at the opportune moment to keep the conversation going.

"It's not just because plows are large items that are not easily replaced. It's also because plows need to be sharpened and repaired once they are used."

Little Priskin dared not look directly at the lady's beautiful face, so he lowered his head and stared at the cup, stammering as he said:
"So, farmers... local farmers buy their plows from local blacksmiths because they need not only plows but also blacksmiths. Therefore, blacksmiths in various places treat the plow business as a monopoly. By selling plows the way you do it, you are actually competing with blacksmiths from all over the country. If an ordinary person buys your plow and needs it repaired, they will take it to the local blacksmith shop, and the blacksmith will not even bother with it."

“I see.” Anna smiled as if she had just realized something. She turned to look at Winters—who shifted his shoulder uncomfortably—then looked at little Priskin and asked sincerely, “Since you understand the reason, you must also know the solution?”

Young Priskin was no longer reporting to Blood Wolf, but conversing with his wife, so he spoke more and more naturally and fluently: "That depends on whether you want to make money or promote your plow."

"How exactly does one promote the Montessori plow?" Winters finally showed some interest. He leaned on his knees, tilting towards little Priskin: "And how exactly does one make money?"

“Making money is simple.” Little Priskin instinctively backed away, but encouraged by his wife’s gaze, he mustered his courage and continued, “Just pack up the plows and send them to the plantations around the world, and order them to buy them. The plantations have money and a need to replace their farm tools, so they won’t be particularly resistant. The plantations are self-sufficient, and most have their own blacksmiths, so they won’t compete with the blacksmiths in the countryside for business.”

“Most importantly, Your Excellency,” Little Priskin licked his lips, “a large plantation is worth half a village. It’s sold to each family at a time, directly to them. It’s much more convenient than selling to small farmers. It’s faster and easier to make money.”

Winters remained noncommittal: "What if we want to promote the Monte Carlo plow?"

"Then you can't think about making money from small farmers. Just put the plows on consignment at the blacksmith shops in various villages and towns, without taking any deposit from them—anyway, you don't have to worry about anyone daring to default on your debts. Many blacksmiths haven't made plows for a long time, they just buy ready-made steel plows. If you consign the Montgomery plows to them, they can make a profit without spending any capital, and the blacksmiths will be very happy to do so."

“Your method can win over blacksmiths from all over the country.” Winters wasn’t going to let young Priskin off the hook so easily, and asked pointedly, “But even if we don’t accept mortgages or consignments, what if the farmers don’t want to exchange their plows or don’t have the money to buy new ones?”

Young Priskin replied with great enthusiasm, "Then we have to be ruthless and not even take the principal. We can depreciate and replace old plows with new ones. Or, to be more direct, we can lend money to the poor to buy plows, allowing them to repay in kind. If they can't pay it off in one year, then two or three years will do..."

In the heat of the moment, young Priskin got a little carried away and blurted out his true thoughts: "Anyway, your plows are just sitting in the warehouse taking up space and getting moldy, aren't they?!"

As soon as he finished speaking, young Priskin regretted it and wished he could slap himself twice on the spot.

To his surprise, Blood Wolf didn't fly into a rage, or even get angry; instead, he nodded slightly. Then, "Madam" covered her mouth and laughed, and Blood Wolf chuckled bitterly in response.

"If you trust me," young Priskin said, relieved, and volunteered, "you can leave this to me. I guarantee I'll do a great job."

Winters raised an eyebrow and glanced at little Priskin with some surprise.

Because little Priskin spent most of his time causing trouble for Winters, and even when he occasionally helped, his contributions were mixed.

This was the first time Winters had offered such a proactive way of sharing burdens, which made him hesitant to agree.

Winters looked at Anna questioningly.

Anna considered for a moment, looked back at Winters, and asked with a smile, "Since the goods are to be consigned for sale, why only consign plows? The workshops in Gevordan are already capable of producing many things. For them, having nowhere to sell their goods has become a problem."

“Gervodan does produce quite a bit of ironware.” This time it was Winters’ turn who didn’t understand: “But do you consign it all?”

Little Priskin was also puzzled. "You don't have to consign everything. You can consign items that nobody wants, but you don't have to consign items that everyone's scrambling to buy," Anna patiently explained. "The key isn't what you're selling, but the channel."

Anna thought for a moment and gave an analogy: "It's like a canal. Large ships can travel on it, and small ships can travel on it. It can carry wool or grain. My mother always said that what's valuable is never the ship or the cargo on it, but the 'canal' that carries them."

Little Priskin suddenly understood. He stood up abruptly and stammered, gesturing wildly, to explain to Lord Blood Wolf: "I understand! Madam means... Madam means... to turn all the blacksmith shops in Iron Peak County... no, in the newly reclaimed lands, into our branches!"

Winters said "Oh," and fell into deep thought.

“In that case, it’s not appropriate for one person to handle it,” Anna continued in a melodious voice. “Perhaps a franchised trading company should be established in the name of the Iron Peak County Government or the New Reclamation Area Government to handle this matter. Industries such as the Forging Township Smelting Plant and the Rewodan Ironware Factory could also be included in this franchised trading company. In this way, the transactions between the factories and the Iron Peak County Government will no longer be just left-hand to right-hand transactions, resulting in unclear accounts and ambiguous profits and losses.”

After saying that, Anna looked at Winters and asked softly, "What do you think, darling?"

“I…” Winters smiled wryly, “I…I’ll listen to you.”

“In that case,” Anna said softly, “it can also solve the problem that has been bothering you for so long.”

With a tacit understanding, Winters instantly grasped Anna's meaning.

From Wolftown to Maplestone, Winters lost much, but also built much. He not only built an army and a regime, but also many industries that are continuously generating wealth.

From the vast farms scattered throughout Tiefeng County, to the blast furnaces in the forge village that burn day and night, to the bustling ironworks in the new town of Rewodan, and even the wool trade with the Chihe tribe...

Everything Winters built was so closely tied to him that it became impossible to distinguish what belonged to the public and what belonged to Winters Montagne.

For example, in the ironworks of the new town of Gevordan, apart from Winters himself, probably no one—especially the Steel Fortress immigrants who are sweating profusely in the ironworks—would question that the workshop belongs to Winters Montagne's private property.

Some people around Winters even firmly believed that what belonged to the Blood Wolves belonged to the public, and what belonged to the public belonged to the Blood Wolves.

They instinctively resisted distinguishing between "Winters's things" and "public property," and resolutely resisted any attempt to separate them.

Some leaders may like this situation, or even deliberately facilitate it, seeing it as a perfect opportunity to profit or even forge an even bigger deal.

However, Winters viewed it as a hidden danger and a chronic problem, and expressed his concerns to Anna more than once.

So when Winters heard Anna's words, he immediately realized his lover's subtext: there was no better time than now to solve this long-standing problem that had been bothering him.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, so let’s start with the plow and the nail.” Winters made up his mind, stood up, and put his hand on little Priskin’s shoulder: “Let me see that you’re not just good at causing trouble, so that I can entrust you with greater responsibilities.”

Little Priskin was overjoyed and so excited he didn't know where to put his hands: "So, does that mean I can have a week's worth of...?"

“Once,” Winters replied calmly.

Little Priskin immediately wilted.

“But if you have anything urgent, you can come to see me anytime.” Wintesla took Anna’s hand, indicating to young Priskin, “If you encounter any difficulties, you can also ask the lady for help.”

Hearing this, Anna was clearly more surprised than little Priskin.

But little Priskin was very quick-witted and immediately replied, "I understand."

After he finished speaking, he bowed deeply and respectfully to Anna Navarre.

Anna hesitated for a moment, then smiled with relief. After exchanging glances with Winters, she nodded to little Priskin in return: "Then I'll have to trouble you from now on, Mr. Priskin."

Little Priskin stopped lingering, picked up his hat, and prepared to leave.

But even after saying goodbye and stepping out the door, little Priskin realized he had forgotten something when he saw the carriage parked far away outside the street guard post.

In fact, the very thing he had almost forgotten was his real purpose for coming today.

So little Priskin turned around and went straight back, bumping right into Lord Blood Wolf, who was clearing away the cups and plates.

Winters awkwardly put down the silver tray, coughed lightly, and asked, "Did you forget something?"

“Not a thing, a person.” Little Priskin wished he could gouge out his own eyes as he stammered, “A person.”

Winters frowned: "You brought in outsiders?"

“No, no, no!” Little Priskin shook his head like a windmill. “I know the rules, Your Excellency. I left him outside the guards.”

Winters felt relieved. To be honest, if he were still living alone, he wouldn't be afraid of anything. But now that Anna had come to Maplestone, he had to be extremely careful.

Anna touched Winters' hand, indicating to her lover that he didn't need to be so sensitive. Then she picked up the silver tray, leaving the living room to the two of them.

"Who is it?" Winters sat down with an air of authority.

“I don’t know him either,” Little Priskin answered honestly. “This man was sent by several city councilors from Maplestone City. They said it took them a lot of effort to find him. They said this man might be able to help you ‘solve’ Maple Leaf Castle.”

“I just had a meeting yesterday,” Winters sneered. “And they’ve already sent him over today? Looks like they’re very well-informed.”

Little Priskin lowered his head, not daring to speak.

Winters propped himself up on his back and asked, "Tell me, what's the 'solution'?"

“That man won’t tell me, saying he’ll only tell you in your presence,” Little Priskin said cautiously. “He’s outside right now, with Roger the White-Haired watching him. If you don’t want to see him, should I send him away?”

“Go to the apartment next door and invite Father Kaman over.” Winters smiled. “Since the councilors of Maplestone City have given me such a gift, how could I refuse?”

Upon receiving the order, young Priskin went to the neighboring house, found Father Kaman praying, and then dashed to the carriage parked on the street.

Roger, a steel fortress man with pale hair and a thin build, was sitting in a car with another young man.

"You're out so early today?" Roger was quite surprised.

“You’re in luck, Roger.” Little Priskin ignored the stranger and urged Roger breathlessly, “Come with me quickly, while the lady is home, let’s go see the gentleman.”

After catching his breath, little Priskin couldn't help but smile and added, "But the most important thing is to see the lady."

……

A moment later, the stranger finally spoke in front of the Blood Wolf.

"Your Excellency, my name is Mercer Jack, and I am Master Figney's apprentice." The unfamiliar young man introduced himself neither humbly nor arrogantly, then suddenly his eyes reddened, and he bowed deeply: "I am willing to help you take back Maple Leaf Castle, but I beg you to spare my mentor."

[For a long time, the way tea was drunk in some places outside of China was to brew tea in a cup, then pour the tea into a small saucer, let it cool, and then drink it...]
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(End of this chapter)