Time is money, and Carol Eide knows this best.

Although he did not agree with Winters's idea of ​​cooperating with the federal people, Carlo Aide still arranged a meeting with the "enemy" for Winters immediately.

The day after the reception at the House of Este, and the third day after Winters arrived at Steel Castle, Baron Granach visited several large pro-Provincial workshop owners non-stop to express his willingness to purchase.

"Sir, please see, this is my forge." A fair and fat middle-aged man walked in front of Winters and opened the workshop door diligently: "It has been passed down to my hands for the third generation."

Father Carmen translated for Winters in a low voice. After hearing this, Winters nodded slightly and followed the fat white man into the workshop.

The fat white man’s name is [Ernst Fuller], he is forty-two years old and a formal member of the Steel Castle Blacksmiths Guild.

He was the eleventh workshop owner Winters visited today, and the last person on the list provided to Winters by Carlo Ed.

Fuller inherited a small firearms workshop, including two forges. Compared with the six "forge masters" Winters met before, Fuller's wealth was much less.

Perhaps because of this, Fuller's attitude was more positive and urgent. He enthusiastically introduced all aspects of the workshop to the Baron:

"Sir, please see, this is the forging platform, where iron plates are bent to make gun barrels. It has stopped now. When it is busy, oh, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!

"That's the annealing furnace over there. Since my grandfather, my workshop has not used outside hardeners. Although it occupies a quota for a forge, it still leaves a lot of money every year..."

"There's another thing ahead... Oops! Be careful of hitting your head! Sorry, sorry, this damn beam was in the way decades ago... I'll saw it off tonight!"

Winters held his forehead and stopped. In front of him was a typical blacksmith workshop: a furnace, a hydraulic forging hammer, a bellows, anvils and various tools.

He had visited similar workshops ten times today, and the novelty had long since worn off.

Fuller left the Baron and others in the workshop, hurried into the warehouse, and soon came back with a black wooden box.

Fuller solemnly opened the wooden box. The wooden box contained a beautiful spring-loaded short gun. The wood used for the gun stock had beautiful natural texture, and the gun body was engraved with complex and exaggerated patterns.

"The best gun." Fuller said with a smile: "Of course it must be matched with the most heroic knight."

Winters picked up the short gun. The center of gravity was roughly in front of his hand, and it felt good to hold. Looking at the muzzle, it was indeed rifled.

"[Old Slang] A masterpiece from your workshop?" Winters asked.

After hearing what Kaman said, Fuller nodded vigorously and replied proudly: "Of course!"

Winters gently stroked the intaglio carvings on the gun body and looked back at the workroom. There was nothing special about the furnishings, just hammers, chisels, saws, rulers and other common tools.

It was hard for Winters to imagine that such an exquisite weapon could come from such a simple and low-rise workshop.

But it was indeed born in the small workshop of the Fuller family, but its father was not Fuller, but a highly skilled and unknown gunsmith.

"The people of Steel Castle may think that the forge represents wealth." Winters couldn't help but think: "But the blacksmith wielding the hammer and chisel is the real source of wealth in this city."

Winters smiled and said a few old words, and Carman translated them dutifully: "The Baron asked where the craftsman who made this gun is? He hopes to thank him in person."

"Well, he should be at home..." Seeing the sullen look on the baron's face, Fuller immediately changed his words: "I'll send someone to find him now."

Winters had a sullen face, and only nodded with satisfaction after listening to Carman's explanation.

Kaman continued to act as a bridge of communication: "The Baron said that as far as he knows, the business scope of the Steel Castle blacksmiths is very narrow, and they only do one business. The Baron wants to know, is your workshop engaged in manufacturing rifled firearms?"

"Your Excellency, you have such a good eye!" Fuller complimented loudly without shyness. He boasted vigorously: "Fuller's workshop is the leading gunsmith in Steel Castle. His Majesty the Emperor's uncle, the Duke of Lothair, once came to my house because of his reputation.

Order a shotgun. If you go to the Duke of Lothair's warehouse now, you might be able to find a shotgun with Fuller's surname engraved on it..."

After rambling a lot, Fuller finally said what Winters wanted to hear: "Please rest assured, sir, I can provide you with as many matchlocks as you want to order."

Winters calmly put the musket back into the wooden box.

Rifled spring guns are expensive and are mostly the playthings of the rich. Especially according to Fuller, their main customers are imperial nobles, so they can't sell many guns a year.

How dare the owner of such a workshop, which mainly sells precious shotguns, pat his chest and say, "We can provide as many muskets as you need"?

Either Fuller was lying, or the fat white man was more anxious than he let on.

Winters guessed right, Fuller did have a large backlog of muskets on hand. Some of them were made by Fuller's own workshop in the autumn and winter, and some were purchased from other workshops.

Once upon a time, Fuller considered himself a business genius, but he could not put it to use because the family property was too small. He wanted to seize the business opportunities arising from the Plato Civil War and buy several forges.

But now, he just wants to get rid of the muskets in the warehouse as soon as possible.

Because those muskets not only occupied all of his movable assets, but also a considerable part of them were purchased with loans and credit...

Winters smiled, and Carman already knew what he was going to say without even opening his mouth.

"Mr. Fuller." Carman coughed and said somewhat unbearably: "The Baron doesn't buy muskets."

"Ah?" Fuller was shocked: "Then what do you want to buy?"

"Your Excellency the Baron only buys barrels."

…

It was not until evening that Winters, Kaman and the two accompanying guards returned to the hotel.

After getting off the carriage, Winters went back and forth around the carriage he was riding in to check, only to take off his clothes and get under the carriage to take a look.

"What's wrong?" Kaman asked strangely: "Is there someone hiding under the car?"

"Nothing." There was doubt in Winters' brow: "By the way, do you feel that this carriage is much bumpier than the one we rode in yesterday?"

Kaman briefly recalled: "It's a bit."

"Where's the only one?" Winters shook the car hard.

"Yesterday I rode the carriage sent by Mr. Esther." Carman didn't take it seriously: "Today I rode the carriage that Mr. Ed borrowed from you. Of course there is a difference."

Winters asked seriously: "What's the difference?"

Kaman was very uncomfortable with Winters' sudden serious tone. He subconsciously replied: "How did I know?"

"I thought you were a really knowledgeable person." Winters was quite disappointed.

While the two were talking, Anna walked into the courtyard and urged: "Gentlemen, if you continue to argue, the dinner will be cold."

Winters and Carman looked at each other and asked cautiously: "Will the nanny sent by Mr. Ed cook today?"

"Are you dissatisfied with anything?" Anna pretended to be angry.

"No." Winters sighed: "Of course, it would be better if her sense of taste is normal."

A deep and mellow voice came from behind Anna: "I am preparing dinner today, sir."

Balian, wearing an apron, walked out of the room and bowed to salute. Charles appeared shortly after and ran towards Winters excitedly.

Winters was first surprised and then delighted. He hugged Charles and asked Balian: "How did things go?"

"Following your order." Balian replied calmly: "We have bought all the books and gold measuring instruments available on the market."

…

[Dining room]

Bellion minced the beef into puree, squeezed it into balls, cooked it with shredded radish and a few spices, and made an extremely delicious beef meatball soup.

Except for the two unlucky guys who were drawn to stand guard, Winters, Anna, and the rest of the entourage gathered in the restaurant. There was no distinction between superior and inferior, and there was no difference in status. Everyone gathered around the long table to share the hot broth.

"Did things go well today?" Anna asked Winters while passing the bread basket to others. Dussac was all flattered when he received the bread basket.

Winters was looking through a thick folio book intently: "It's okay."

Anna made a threatening nasal sound.

Everyone at the table stopped what they were doing for an instant, and even the air in the restaurant became a bit cold.

"I don't know how to describe it briefly..." Winters raised his head and said with a smile: "Anyway, they all rejected me."

Winters didn't close a single deal today.

No steel castle workshop owner could accept Winters' insulting offer, but no one refused it on the spot. Everyone said they needed more time to consider it.

"Then tell me carefully." Anna drawled slightly.

Winters looked around the dining table, facing the curious or confused expressions of his subordinates, and suddenly realized that this might be a good opportunity.

All the subordinates Winters brings with him are "reserve officers" who he has high hopes for taking on more responsibilities in the future. They are also the people he trusts the most. Let the reserve officers hear more and see more.

, knowing more about it is not a bad thing no matter what you think.

"Then let me tell you." Winters put the folio aside, picked up the soup bowl, and glanced at the subordinates at the dining table: "You should also listen."

So Winters described in an in-depth and simple way the difficulties faced by Steel Castle, the struggle between the United Provinces and Veneta for Steel Castle, as well as the "opportunities in crisis" and "difficulties faced in taking advantage of opportunities".

He thought he had spoken very carefully, but several reserve officers still seemed confused and confused.

Koch, a Blackwater farmer who had followed Winters since the first founding of the army, asked hesitantly: "You mean, there is no place to sell their goods, and you want to buy them but they won't agree?"

"That's pretty much it."

"Why?" Koch was even more puzzled: "What are they thinking?"

Winters can probably guess a thing or two about what the workshop owners are thinking: Paul Wooper has sent special personnel to the House of Commons at Hornburg to launch a protest against the embargo decree. I am afraid that the workshop owners still have a glimmer of hope.

Awaiting word on the plea.

Winters expressed his conjecture, paused for a moment, and pondered: "I think... regarding the embargo law game, Steel Castle has a very small chance of winning."

"Why?" Kaman interrupted and asked: "I think the people of Steel Castle are very confident."

"The people of Steel Castle think they are right." Winters took a piece of bread and broke it into pieces: "But the Horn Castle has guns.
To be continued...