MTL - Iron Powder and Spellcasters-Chapter 403 Echoes of the Mountains (4)

   Chapter 403 The mountains echo (4)

  On the outskirts of Steel Castle, near the village of Zug where the legion was stationed, a huge convoy was preparing for the departure.

   The sky was already bright, but it still looked grey. At a quarter past eight, the church watchman rang the morning bell on time.

   Hearing the bell, the busy people all stopped their work and bowed their heads in silent prayer.

   Moments later, the bells ceased, and the sculptural people resumed their movement, continuing to oil the axles, refuel the horses, and inspect the cargo and luggage.

  Everything has a beginning and an end, and Winters is about to leave Steelcastle. But before he left, he still had some affairs to wrap up, and some friends to say goodbye.

   Such as Covillian, the foreman of the Lakeside Inn.

   "He's Koch, your contact person." Winters raised his chin and motioned for Covillian to look at the sturdy man who had just entered the tent: "It's your business from now on, let's get to know him formally."

  Covillian turned to face Koch, acting a little bewildered because he didn't know what to salute. In the end, the old foreman bowed his head deeply, but the sturdy man stretched out his right hand.

   Kevilian couldn't help being taken aback for a moment, but he quickly regained his senses and cooperated to catch the other party's kindness. Just like that, the two shook hands.

   Winters nodded slightly, Koch touched the heel of his boots, raised his arms in a salute, and walked out of the tent neatly.

   "His behavior is like writing his identity on his face." Winters sighed and turned his head to look at Covillian: "But he is already the least awkward person in my subordinate who speaks the Monta dialect."

"Monta has a lot of veterans, so Mr. Koch's behavior is not obtrusive." Covillian tactfully flattered: "Besides, loyalty is the most important quality, and Mr. Koch obviously does not lack it at all. "

Winters raised the corners of his mouth and continued to say: "I will establish a stronghold in Lucerne. As I said before, you only need to send letters to Lucerne on a regular basis according to my requirements. I We will also abide by the agreement to ensure the safety of Mr. Roger."

  Covillian listened respectfully.

Winters' attitude is frank and natural: "This matter is simple and simple. It is nothing more than sending a letter. It is difficult and extremely difficult. There are three autonomous cantons and hundreds of kilometers between Steel Castle and Lucerne. Timely, stable and secret - want to do It's not easy to get to any point. All I can provide is the maximum amount of funding. But it's all up to you and Koch's wisdom and judgment to establish and maintain a line of communication."

Having said this, Winters paused for a moment and sighed again: "Honestly, Mr. Covillian, I don't have a few men who can really stand alone. Even if there were, I wouldn't leave them in Monta—because That's a shameful waste. Koch is the best helper I can give you, I trust him completely, but my messenger can't help him much. In the Land of the Mountains, the man I count on... actually has been It's all you."

   Kevilian did not dare to be slighted in the slightest, bowed slightly, and assured with a sincere expression: "Your Excellency, I will never betray your trust! You can completely trust my loyalty."

The helpless smile appeared on Winters' mouth again: "You don't need to act like this to please me, Mr. Covillian. I took your nephew's life as collateral, which is tantamount to kidnapping and blackmailing. What loyalty can a blackmailer have towards a kidnapper?"

Covilian lowered his head lower: "Roger's things are his own, he deserves to be punished. You can spare his life is an act of kindness that I should not expect, I will never forget your greatness Kindness and kindness."

   "I'll copy this sentence from you." Winters stood up against the small table, clapping and laughing: "Maybe I can use it someday."

   In the face of the baron who did not act according to the script at all, Covillian could only narrow his shoulders, lower his stance, and act as submissive as possible.

"You may think I'm playing tricks, but I have neither that ability nor that kind of thinking. I've seen people - the more you respect them, the more they despise you; the more you look down on them, they The more majestic you feel. In my opinion, you don't belong to that category. You belong to someone who has both self-respect and enough intelligence, so I choose to communicate with you honestly."

  Winters took his cane from the table and stood face to face in front of the old foreman:

"I don't like blackmail and kidnapping, but what has happened can't be changed. Your nephew sees too much, knows too much, but doesn't understand the value of silence. The risk of letting him go is too high, so I can only take him Walk.

   But trust me, I chose this approach, not because there is no other more hassle-free, once-and-for-all solution, but because I see some precious qualities in him.

   If there were ten righteous men in Sodom, it should not be destroyed. Your nephew also has the courage to sacrifice himself for others, so it would be a pity to kill him just to keep the secret. So I chose to bring him under my control, and he would leave his homeland, but I would also provide him with a way to be educated and ascended—a good outcome within a bad outcome.

   So do you. I never saw you as a subordinate, prisoner or slave, I saw you as an equal collaborator. I purchase a service from you and pay you a reasonable fee. There is no doubt that this is a strong buy and strong sell, and I apologize to you. "

   Having said that, Winters took a half step back and saluted seriously.

  Covillian hurriedly saluted, and he quietly studied the baron's expression, trying to find something he was more familiar with, but with little success.

After    took some time to digest the baron's words, Covillian replied cautiously: "I can't repay your tolerance and kindness. Please rest assured, Your Excellency, I will do my best to collect all the information you need."

"No, that's exactly what I don't need you to do." Winters reiterated solemnly: "I don't need you to actively collect any sensitive information, as I said before, I only need you to collect public, everyday Information—prices of wheat and flour, wages of the common man, notices from the city government, good and bad weather.

   And no matter what the situation, your safety must be your priority. I don't want to go to war with the Republic of Monta, I just want to keep a pair of eyes and a pair of ears in Solingen to watch everything that happens in the country of the mountains on my behalf, that's all. "

  The old foreman fell silent, and after a while, he raised his head, his face was no longer compliment and obedience, but anxiety and doubt: "Can I ask a question? Your Excellency."

"Please say."

"why me?"

   Winters answered rightly: "Of course because you are the best fit."

"If it's just a pair of eyes and a pair of ears, Mr. Carlo Ed is more suitable than me. He can see more and hear more than me." Warley's relationship: "Why me?"

"Because you are not him, you are the most suitable person." Winters leaned on a cane and explained calmly: "Carlo Ed is a partner of the Navarre firm first, and then a Veneta person. My friend in the end. Whether he means it or not, he must provide information that has gone through a sieve. I hope to have a pair of Monta eyes to watch instead of me, the eyes must be sharp enough, sophisticated enough, and not enough Contaminate the stakes. After weighing it back and forth, I think you're the best fit."

  Covillian fell silent again. After a while, he asked bitterly, "So I was tied to your chariot and never had a chance to leave again?"

   Winters replied earnestly: "I've considered this. Why don't we agree on a time, how about five years?"

  Covillian could not easily believe: "Five years? I played for you for five years, and then you let Roger go?"

"If in five years, Mr. Roger is still willing to return to Monta, then he is free to act." Winters nodded, and he hid a word - if five years later, Koch still has only one informant , that's no one else's fault.

Covilian took a deep breath in pain, and then exhaled heavily. He pressed his chest and bent deeply: "Please don't forget the promise you made today. Because that's the only thing Roger and I have. "

   Winters held out his hand.

  …

  Covillian was the first guest to be invited into the tent, but not the last to leave through the tent's side door.

   The second guest who met Winters in the tent was a tall, thin, middle-aged man in low-key clothes and a clean shaved beard.

   The middle-aged man took off his hat and held it in his hand, saluting meticulously but indifferently.

   Winters leaned on his cane and nodded slightly.

"[Old language] Your Excellency Montagne." The middle-aged man was the first to speak: "[Old language] I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to you on behalf of the owner of Flora, for your assistance and testimony, you will always be our friend. "

   "I just testified truthfully," Winters replied in Common.

   "[Old language] The white eagle will repay the favor."

   Winters smiled cooperatively: "You just need to keep your promise."

  The middle-aged man saluted again, put on his hat, and turned away with the arrogance that is typical of white eagles.

   After the middle-aged man went out, Ciel opened the curtain and walked into the tent, pouting his lips: "What white eagle, he walks like a goose. Traitor, what are you arrogant?"

  Winters sat down on his knees, rubbed his sore left leg, and said with a smile: "If they were really proud, they wouldn't break their promises, wouldn't it be a good thing?"

  Ciel stopped talking.

   Thanks to Winters' rescue in time, Bolso da Este has survived unharmed to this day - although Winters' original purpose that night was not to save lives.

   As for how Bolso got rid of Monta's aftermath? Then it depends on the wrist of the Esther family.

At least after consulting with the Este family's envoys, Winters provided the following testimony: There is no evidence that Mr. Bolso da Este was directly involved in the operation of the Imperial spy that night; Mr. Esther knew of the plans of the Imperial spy in advance; however, there is evidence that he was one of the targets of the Imperial Assassins that night.

   "Who else is out there?" Winters asked Charles.

"Mayor Paul Wupper sent someone, and several rich men also sent servants to give gifts. I gave them all to Miss Navarre." Charles thought for a while, and said seriously: "Mr. Fuller And Mr. Schmidt came in person, and they said they wanted to thank you in person. Want me to invite them in?"

   "No need." Winters waved his hand: "Just go out and say hello later."

  Ciel nodded obediently.

   Winters glanced at the Nulen clock on the table, got up and walked to the hanger. Charles hurried forward to help Winters change into his riding gear.

   "Let's take a carriage." Charles said a little unhappily: "Why do you have to ride a horse?"

   Winters snorted softly: "How about riding a carriage? Have you sent the war horses to Colonel Bern and Lieutenant Colonel Thomas?"

   "Send it, I handed them the reins myself."

   Winters coughed a few times: "Has Changfeng brought it back?"

"I got it back." After all, Xia Er was still a child, and he was both happy and angry, and he was still depressed just now, when he talked about Chang Feng, he immediately became energetic: "In my opinion, if we hadn't taken the initiative to ask for it, that lieutenant colonel would definitely be It's a shame. Humph, mountain people."

   "Okay." Winters said in a rare stern tone: "Don't talk like that."

  Charten stopped, but still pouted.

  …

   Today is a special situation. Colonel Bern and Lieutenant Colonel Thomas did not send anyone to the scene, but anyone with a discerning eye can see that this convoy is inextricably linked to the garrison.

   Because Winters' "transportation convoy" took the pass signed by Colonel Bern, nominally going to the border trade city of Lucerne to buy food.

  After the fire, Solingen lacked everything, especially food. Victims who have nothing to consume consume thousands of pounds of bread every day. The visible food crisis has led farmers and merchants to dare not sell their food.

  Solingen has already asked Linzhou for assistance, but only with internal food, I am afraid that Solingen's demand will also drive up the price of flour in the neighboring Free State.

  The insightful people of the Monta Republic have turned their attention to the mountains.

But if you rely on external purchases, the flour in Vahn and North Monta will not quench the thirst. Instead, Palatu is the closest to Solingen. The sparsely populated Palatu is not only rich in wool and cured meat, but also wheat, An important source of rye.

   There was a subtle difference between the interests of the province and the interests of Monta. Lieutenant Colonel Thomas used this to help Winters open up the internal joints of Monta's army, ensuring that the checkpoints along the way turned one eye and one eye closed.

   In exchange, Winters promised that the "Third Republic" of Palatu would sell Lucerne enough food for at least three months to meet the needs of the steel fortress - although he did not obtain permission from the military government of Palatu at all.

   Of course, Winters sent a messenger to General Arpad immediately afterwards. However, the weights at both ends of the scale became "arms" and "grain plus transit rights".

   By accident, Winters Montagne took over the first brokerage business in his life, and it was a two-sided business. If the imprisoned Bai Ying knew, he would applaud with tears.

  …

   Taking off the clothes of the imperial nobles and putting on the attire of a Platoon rider, Winters suddenly smiled.

   "What are you laughing at?" Charles asked inexplicably.

"Don't you feel a strange sense of familiarity when you see the Palato-style boots?" Winters was a little nostalgic and sighed, and he put on the boots with difficulty: "When we were in Veneta, we didn't wear them. boots."

  Compared to Veneta-style boots, Palato boots have a higher straight barrel and a harder leather material, making them more troublesome to wear, but they can be fastened to the foot without a leather cord. In order to keep out the cold, Plato's winter boots also have suede inside.

   "I only learned to ride in Plato." Ciel whispered, "I didn't wear boots in Veneta."

   Winters sat silently for a while, helping Ciel adjust his belt: "Do you want to go home? Ciel."

   "I want to." Ciel scratched his hair in distress: "I don't want to either."

   Winters rubbed Ciel's head.

  The sound of footsteps came from outside the tent, and then the door curtain was lifted: "Tribunal, Senator Servette is here."

   "It's finally here." Winters helped Ciel stand up: "Please come in."

  John Servette was still wearing that black suit—of course, it was more likely that he had many of his identical black suits, buttoned up to the collar, except for a little dust on his knees and the hem of his jacket when he rode.

   Seeing that the "Baron" had already changed into a full set of travel gear, Servete's unhappy eyes showed a little surprise: "Are you leaving today?"

   "You may not see me again later." Winters smiled cheerfully: "Are you here to inform us of the voting results of the Blacksmiths' Guild?"

   "Yes." Servetus replied solemnly, clearing his throat.

   "Wait." Winters stopped the other party's speech.

  Servette frowned and asked with his eyes.

   Winters looked at Ciel: "Go and ask Madam Navarre."

   [The latest update is not good, sorry Or2]

   [But it will be better in the future, life and work can finally get back on track! I will not wish everyone a happy Lantern Festival in advance, because before the Lantern Festival, I must finish writing "The Mountains Echoes", ╰(‵□′)╯]

   [Thank you for your collection, reading, subscription, recommendation ticket, monthly ticket, reward and comment, thank you all]

   (end of this chapter)