This is one of the most important pastoral areas in the Europa Empire, providing the empire with millions of large livestock and tens of millions of sheep every year, as well as a large amount of furs.
The pastoral system is basically implemented here, and only the festive archery competitions and dazzling dances remain of the ancient nomadic culture.
The nomadic people here have always rebelled and invaded southward in history. When the farming civilization invented guns, they became good at singing and dancing again.
It’s getting colder on the grassland in August, which is when the cattle are fat and the horses are strong. At this time of year, the grassland is full of laughter and laughter.
But August this year was a bit bleak. During the war, this place happened to be on the route of the enemy's raid, and the Pasela grassland was ravaged. Many herdsmen's settlements passed along the way were deserted, and even the wolves looked very hasty.
.
Under such a situation, the public security was very bad, and Sean had to follow the caravan returning south through the vast grassland.
The southern part of Pasela Grassland borders the northern part of Gyeonggi Province. Here, Sean saw the prosperity of modern industrial civilization. There were textile and leather processing factories everywhere. Except for the factories near the river, which were powered by water power, the others were generally powered by steam engines.
power.
Female workers and child workers are the main labor force here. As long as the machines are not broken, the factory works in two shifts, working at least 12 hours a day, enduring a harsh environment of humidity, dirt and loud noise, just for the meager daily income.
The further south you go, the more you can see the towering boiler chimneys. This is the most important iron ore and coal producing area in the empire, which also provides the necessary conditions for industrial civilization.
Here, Sean saw the vitality and prosperity of industrial civilization.
On August 20, Sean arrived on the north bank of the Osela River, and the majestic Holy City was on the south bank of the Osela River. She stood there like a super castle, making every foreigner who came from afar fall in love with it.
Create a sense of awe,
By the ferry, a young man was shouting vigorously:
"Let's take a boat. The latest steamboat. It only costs 20 shillings!"
Behind him is a strange-looking wooden boat that still has sails and uses a paddle wheel propulsion device.
Obviously the passengers didn't buy it: "This is too expensive. I used to pay 10 shillings for taking other ferries! Besides, your boat is too noisy and unstable. I'm worried it will sink."
Given the choice between curiosity and money protection, most travelers chose the latter. Only a small number of well-off foreigners like Sean would choose the steamship that young people call it, out of sheer curiosity.
The young man was not discouraged. He asked the waiter to seat the guests and introduced himself enthusiastically:
"Welcome to the Rose Steamship. I am Captain Andrew Johnson. You will have a wonderful journey on the beautiful Osela River. Now please sit tight and don't move around. The ship is about to sail."
In addition to a waiter who was responsible for collecting money and guarding the passengers to prevent them from wandering around, it seemed that the captain also had to control the steamer himself. After waiting for nearly half an hour, the furnace was heated, and after a puff of thick black smoke, he successfully started the steam engine.
But why can’t the boat move?
Captain Johnson was sweating profusely, and the passengers gradually became impatient, especially when they saw the ordinary clippers around them, one after another passing by in the wind and waves, and the playful whistles from the crew and passengers came from the other side.
Voice.
"Refund the ticket, refund the money!" the passengers shouted loudly, and they were even more worried that this unreliable steamboat would really sink when it reached the center of the river.
When all the other passengers left, Sean insisted on staying on the boat.
"Thank you!" Andrew stretched out a dark face from under the console of the operation room, "Sir, you'll be ready soon!"
"I hope you can hurry up, because my horse has already reached the other side before me. If I arrive later, the captain of the ferry will probably charge me a storage fee. The horse has accompanied me for two thousand kilometers.
, I don’t want it to be too lonely.” Sean said with a smile.
Bang, bang.
Thank God, the steamboat finally started moving, even though Sean was the only passenger.
It’s no wonder that the local residents don’t want to take this steamboat. Not to mention the speed of the boat, the fare is expensive, the noise of the steam engine is too loud, and the propulsion system of the paddle wheel makes the boat very uncomfortable while traveling.
balance.
Although the steamer was slow and the Osela River was wide, half an hour was enough for the steamer to reach the other shore. However, the violent impact when it docked made Sean stumble unprepared.
"Sir, I'm really sorry. It was an operational error, a mistake." Johnson apologized profusely. "I guarantee that next time you come to take a ride, it will be a good, fast and stable ship."
There was prosperity and noise on the South Bank Pier.
Sean noticed the huge ships coming up the river from the east, filling the docks, waiting for dock workers to unload their cargo.
More river boats were passing through, people were yelling and cursing, and more vendors were selling small goods to the crew.
"That's a large ship from the Xia Kingdom. The Holy City hasn't seen it for a long time," Johnson said.
"Is it because of the trade dispute?" Sean asked. The soft faces of those Xia people made him feel like crying.
"Yes, Xia's gold is precious and silver is cheap, but our gold is cheap and silver is precious, and the Xia people's shipping is far more developed than ours, which allows their merchants to take advantage. For this reason, we once fought a naval war that lasted for ten years.
The trade is reduced to zero." Johnson said, "If I can build a large-scale steam ship in the future, I will definitely let the people of Xia have a taste of trade inequality."
Sean smiled: "Then I wish you success."
"Thank you. Sir, do you need me to introduce the hotel?" Johnson said, "If you don't mind, I suggest you stay at the Golden Oak Hotel. It provides free hot water and clean and comfortable rooms. It also provides guests with laundry services for a fee.
low."
"Does this hotel have something to do with you?" Sean asked curiously.
"This is an old hotel run by our Johnson family for generations. Sixty-five years ago, His Majesty the great founding emperor stayed at my hotel when he first came to the Holy City. Soon after, he announced his accession to the throne." Johnson replied proudly.
"I have to find my horse first." Sean said.
Later, Sean learned that the founding emperor's stay was just because of the brutal street fighting in the Holy City, which razed most of the Holy City to the ground.
"It just so happens that I'm going back, and I'll accompany you." Johnson said, "I'm afraid it's your first time coming to the Holy City. I can introduce you to the culture and history of the Holy City for free along the way."
"Okay." Sean shrugged nonchalantly.
Soon, Sean was riding a horse and Johnson was walking, and they went to the city together.
Compared with the outside of the city, the city appears to be more orderly. Horse-drawn carriages all drive on the right, and there are uniformed people at busy intersections maintaining traffic order.
Those with tall spires are churches, those with gardens and iron fences are the private residences of the rich, and those with wide glass windows are department stores.
There are many small public parks in the city, and many well-dressed citizens are walking in the parks. There are uniformed cleaners cleaning up fallen leaves.
Sean traveled more than 2,000 kilometers from northern Xinjiang and visited many cities along the way. Only the Holy City can be considered a clean city, at least there is no human and animal excrement everywhere on the streets.
Business is prosperous and the people are wealthy, but vagrants and beggars are still indispensable.
Sean noticed that there is a public carriage system in the city and the fares are reasonable.
In the center of the city, the terrain is higher, and a majestic white castle stands among the greenery, overlooking the whole city. It is the Temple Castle, the private palace of the emperor.
It can be traced back to 1,200 years ago. Although it has been expanded by different dynasties many times, it has also been baptized by wars and basically maintains the layout of the Fourth Empire in its heyday 300 years ago.
The founding emperor of this dynasty, Carlos Solon, known as Carlos I, led his army into the Holy City. He thought the outer walls of the Temple and Castle were ugly and ordered them to be painted white, so it was also called the White House.
Andrew Johnson is not like a science guy. He is very talkative and a good tour guide. He is a medical student at the University of the Holy City, but he is most interested in making inventions, such as the unreliable steamship outside the city.
.
He didn't like running a hotel, and it was impossible for a son to inherit his father's business. So his father didn't expect him. In his eyes, the youngest son Andrew would ruin the family business. Fortunately, his father had several sons.
"My father sent me to college in the hope that I would enter politics. Although I majored in medicine, because if I couldn't enter politics, I could still become a doctor. But I'm not interested in studying medicine. I just like machines.
But tinkering with machines is very expensive, so I grind the best microscope slides and prepare specimens for biology professors, make astronomical telescopes for astronomy professors, and repair water pumps for businessmen."
Walking to a large-looking building, Andrew Johnson stopped:
"By the way, sir, what's your full name?"
"Sean Connery!"
"Welcome to the Golden Oak Hotel, Mr. Connery. Well, your name sounds familiar!"