Chapter 262 Salt and Iron

For safety reasons, Winters should not come into face-to-face contact with any enemies. However, Baishan County's messenger had a special status, and Winters had to make an exception - Bald Geza sent a direct squad leader of Winters, Balazs Yusas.

The last time the two met was at the senior's investiture ceremony. Time flew by and three years passed in the blink of an eye.

After a brief exchange of greetings, the senior explained his purpose: "Colonel Gesa wants his horse back."

"No." Winters replied simply.

"You probably don't know." The senior sighed helplessly: "I, the principal, also like money."

"Also?" Winters could smell a hint of regional discrimination.

"No one dislikes money, so I'm not here to ask for it for nothing." The senior said it lightly, and solemnly told Winters: "Colonel Gesa can exchange the horse for the horse you have - as long as you agree."

"Secret agreement?" Winters thought.

"In secret of course."

"What can I exchange for it?"

"What do you want?" the senior asked.

"What do you have?" Winters returned the exact words.

The two sides could not trust each other, and the conversation reached a deadlock for a while.

"Okay. We don't need to continue testing." The senior said cheerfully: "I tell you the truth, it is impossible for Baishan County to exchange military supplies such as food, weapons, and ammunition with you for horses. But we have one thing that you need very much."

Winters was noncommittal.

Seeing that Winters didn't respond, the senior didn't do any charades: "It's nothing else, it's salt. People can live without horses, but people will die if they don't eat salt. Without enough salt, you can't raise these horses."

Baishan County will continue to block the Anya River, and Tiefeng County will not receive any salt supply from normal channels. But we can provide salt to you separately. With salt, you can be used as a hard currency in Tiefeng County. "

Winters was surprised, but he didn't show it: "What else?"

"If you want anything else, we can discuss it later. If you want money, that's not impossible."

"The horse farm of the New Reclamation Corps." Winters said with a chuckle: "The Corps hasn't come to me for it yet, but Colonel Geza is very anxious."

Senior Balazs did not answer.

"Let me think about it." Winters stood up and said goodbye: "You will stay in Gevaudan for a few days first."

"Is Second Lieutenant Worthington still alive?" the senior suddenly asked.

Worthington was the White Mountain County officer who led a hundred men to chase Winters, but was captured instead.

Winters answered truthfully: "He is alive and well, don't worry."

…

Leaving Senior Balazs's place, Winters went straight to his residence - the townhouse of a single officer.

At Catherine's exclamation, Winters walked straight into Anna's bedroom.

The first sentence they met, Winters asked: "Is there no salt at home?"

"Huh?" Anna was woken up from her nap and was still in a state of confusion. After dazedly recognizing who the person beside the bed was, Anna happily stretched out her arms: "You're back!"

At this moment, Anna is as cute as a kitten that has not yet been weaned. Compared with her usual calm and reserved nature, the contrast is too strong, and anyone can be inspired to have an infinite desire to protect her.

Winters couldn't help but pick up the kitten and asked again: "Is there really no salt in the house?"

"I don't know." Anna leaned on Winters' shoulder and rubbed her eyes gently, complaining in a low voice: "You haven't said you miss me yet."

Catherine saw this scene at the door and turned away in shame.

The matter still had to be brought to the relevant person, so Winters called the cook in the officers' quarters and asked directly: "Is there any salt in the kitchen?"

"Yes, sir." The cook, a very strong woman, replied dully: "How many more cans are there?"

"Is salt still available on the market?" Winters asked, "What's the price?"

"You can still buy it, but the price keeps going up." The cook was very strong, with a round face, broad shoulders, and a thick waist, but her voice became quieter as she spoke.

Anna quietly touched Winters' boots.

With a clear understanding, Winters smiled as much as possible: "When did it start to rise? How much has it risen?"

"The price started to increase not long ago." The employer's expression suddenly changed, making the cook a little confused: "I don't know how much the increase will be... I bought several cans in advance."

Continuing to ask nothing more useful, Anna opened the jewelry box and took out a silver ring to thank the cook, who left happily.

Winters' mood sank. He held his forehead and frowned unconsciously: "I still have to go to the street to see for myself."

"What's wrong?" Anna took Winters' hand.

Winters told Anna about Baishan County and salt.

"There is no salt? I...I don't know." Anna was also surprised. She said seriously: "You really should go to the streets and ask the salt buyers and sellers face to face."

"I'll go right away." Winters grabbed his coat and sword.

"Salt is a big business, I don't understand it." When sending Winters out, Anna hesitantly reminded her lover: "But if everyone is afraid of rising prices and running out of supplies and is rushing to buy salt, how much salt is there in the store? They will all be sold out.”

"I know the seriousness. Don't worry, there will be a solution." Winters gently shook his lover's hand and walked out.

…

Later that day, Winters met with Mason, Andre, and Moritz in the garrison's conference room.

Bard is settling the refugees outside, and Don Juan has not returned from hunting. There are currently only four of them left in the [Resolution Meeting].

Winters informed his companions of Hakusan County's proposal.

"Threaten us?" Andrei was furious: "It would be better if he didn't sell! Gather the army during the winter break and fight across the Anya River! I want to see what the bald man is capable of!"

"Robbing is also a way, just record it first." Winters said with a smile: "Actually, compared to exchanging salt for horses, the fact that Baishan County is willing to 'exchange' is the most interesting thing.

It seems that the New Reclamation Corps itself is not monolithic. It is probably because of General Adams's passive attitude that the counties were a little alienated from him. "

Moritz glanced at Winters casually, only to find that Winters was also looking at him.

Winters spread his hands and explained helplessly to the old chief: "There is really no other way but to rob...like the Hurd tribe did."

"I'm just a little curious." Moritz chuckled: "Ignore me, just talk about business."

Before the meeting, Winters first found the old Priskin and summoned the Gevaudan salt merchants through the old Priskin to investigate. He already had a general understanding of the salt matter:

It is true that Tiefeng County does not produce salt, so salt must be bought from the neighboring Baishan County. Although the two counties are only separated by the Anya River, their natural endowments are very different.

Tiefeng County only has what farmers call "salty land". The soil quality of salty land is not good, so it is impossible to grow crops or boil salt. Its greatest use is that you can bring your livestock there to "lick the land" during slack periods.

Baishan County is home to high-quality salt wells, and the well salt produced in Binshui Town supplies the entire newly cultivated land province. Salt is called white gold, and White Mountain is the mountain of white gold.

After a brief explanation, Winters concluded: "The White Mountain County side is indeed threatening us nakedly."

"Not only that." Senior Mason, who had been silent all the time, suddenly spoke up: "The newly cultivated land is a province under military control, and the salt is also under military control. Salt merchants must first pay taxes to Maple Stone City, and then they can go to Bittern Town to buy salt. In fact, it is a disguised form of slapping people on the head. Tax."

"Can't you buy salt from outside?" Andre asked anxiously.

"The Legion does not allow outside salt to enter the newly cultivated land." Mason sighed longly: "There were many private salt dealers in the working ranch I used to manage. Those who received the lightest sentence would lose an arm - salt is not only salt, it is also a Legion Money bag.”

"Then we have to beat him even more!" Andre slapped the table and stared at Winters: "Do it! If you don't stop doing it, we will take down Baishan County as well!"

Mason sighed again: "No."

"Why not?" Andre glared at the senior again.

"There is no food." Mason also opened his book and said with a gloomy face: "Most of Gevaudin's warehouses are given to Bard to resettle the refugees. The remaining reserves in the granary - according to my calculations - are not enough to last until Harvest next summer.”

Andre was stunned.

Mason asked Andre: "Do you know what 'green and yellow' means?"

Andre shook his head.

"It's okay." Mason patted his junior on the shoulder: "You'll know in a few months."

"Didn't you say that maintaining the 'minimum food supply' can last until next year when food comes out?" Winters was also a little surprised: "Why is it not enough?"

Senior Mason replied slowly: "It was barely enough before, but adding more than 1,300 mouths is not enough."

Winters suddenly realized that he was a prisoner, a prisoner from Wargne County.

…

The underlying logic of agriculture is simple—you will reap what you sow.

Although there is no statistical data to support it, Winters dares to conclude that the large number of hired workers and tenant farmers who fled have caused the total grain output of the newly cultivated land to plummet.

The current situation can still be maintained, firstly, because the farmers generally still hold on to the land; secondly, because the manor mainly grows cash crops; thirdly, because the grain reserves from the previous quarter have not been used up.

Continue walking along this road, and the Great Famine is waiting not far ahead. Famine will further intensify the unrest, and by then the yeoman farmers will have to flee, and what will follow will be an even greater famine...so dark that no light can be seen.

Based on the simple idea of ​​"finding a way for everyone to survive", Winters wants to help the refugees return to agricultural production.

However, the mad cow has escaped from the cage and is running rampant and trampling the earth. How can it be so easy to lock it back?

By leaving the refugees alone, Winters only had to feed more than 1,500 soldiers and military dependents. Gévaudan's warehouse was more than enough, but he decided to do something big.

So from the moment he decided to take on more responsibilities, the new government's finances were rushing towards the end of bankruptcy.

Winters had to tighten his belt and get by.

The whole army, regardless of rank, will allocate food according to the quota per head. Quotas are limited, and people with even the smallest appetites can only eat six cents full. As for the refugee camps, per capita food there is even less.

Everyone is in a state of semi-starvation. The refugees and soldiers not only have to cultivate the land and sow seeds, but also find ways to get food: digging wild vegetables, picking wild fruits, fishing, hunting...

Therefore, when Don Juan went hunting, he was not seen for several days. Winters never went home for meals, and always stayed at the garrison to join his subordinates.

The only good news is that Winters is completely numb. In the past, when he opened his eyes and saw more than 30 people eating and drinking, he was worried every day; now, when he opened his eyes and saw more than 20,000 people eating, drinking and having diarrhea, he felt nothing at all.

According to Senior Mason's estimation, by reducing the consumption rate, the existing warehouses should be able to last until next summer's harvest. By the time the summer grain is harvested, the situation will be greatly improved.

Only when the new government actually collects grain taxes can this small, poor but tenacious regime be on the right track.

But plans never change quickly. Senior Juan had a great victory, and he was having a great time, but he unknowingly made more than a thousand small holes under the grain depot.

The prisoners were human beings too, and they were all grown men who could eat and drink.

Food is not enough.

…

The atmosphere in the conference room immediately became dull, and even Moritz's brows unconsciously showed sadness.

"Why are you keeping a straight face?" Winters laughed heartily: "We are pushing back against the tsunami. It is normal to have difficulties, but it is abnormal not to have difficulties. It is precisely because of the difficulties that the benefits are huge! Wait until next year With the grain harvest, the current difficulties will be solved.”

Winters grinned hard: "Don't frown. We have a sullen face and frown all day long. What do the soldiers think? They will only worry more. So smile, don't worry."

Mason sighed helplessly and smiled.

But Andre couldn't laugh or cry: "Just stop laughing, your smile is scarier than frowning."

"That's what I say, but the problem of food shortage must be solved, and there is also the matter of salt." Mason said sternly: "Otherwise, we will have to beg when we are really in trouble."

"How to solve it? Then what the hell do you need to say?" Andre grinned and said, "Grab it!"

Moritz coughed violently and beat his chest hard.

"Don't take what I say seriously! I've thought about it carefully!" Andre was extremely aggrieved: "As long as you are willing to grab it, any problem can be solved. And how fast can you grab it? After all your hard work, Saving... In the end, there are only more than 200 horses. What about robbing? You can grab thousands of horses in one go! Isn't it easier and more satisfying than digging the soil to cultivate the land? "

"That's right, you're right!" Winters was already very skilled at smoothing the horse's hair and smoothing it out: "I'll write it down right now - a backup plan."

Andre sat down angrily.

Mason fiddled with his quill and muttered: "There are two ways to go about food, increase revenue or reduce expenditure. It is impossible to reduce expenditure. If we continue to restrict expenditure, everyone will starve to death."

"It can still save money." Winters made up his mind and made a cruel decision: "When the autumn plowing is over, we will cull all the prisoners in Wargne County. All the prisoners who are too old, too young, and too weak will be released, and the new ones will be released." Let the Land Reclamation Corps suffer a headache."

"Put them back?" Andrei stared: "I think it's better to kill them all! They know our inside story! If you let them back now, next year they will come back with weapons to attack us!"

"There are advantages and disadvantages. Kill them all, and the enemies who come next year will be even more desperate. It's better to give each of them some travel expenses and let them go."

"You still want to pay travel expenses?" Andre laughed.

"Letting the prisoners go back is not necessarily a good thing for the prisoners. Wargne County is still short of food, and the old, weak, sick and disabled may starve to death even if they go back." Winters sighed: "I suggest we vote by a show of hands. "

Andre was a little impatient: "Vote? Why bother? If you say you want to let it go, will I still object? Then let it go."

But Winters insisted on a show of hands.

The final result: Mysterious Man B abstained from voting, and Winters, Andre and Mason all agreed. This matter is settled.

"As for open source." Winters thought hard and said, "Every military village and farm is doing things like hunting and fishing. Winter is coming, and there is nothing to collect. After all, we still have to buy food. "

"Where to buy it?" Mason asked doubtfully.

"Buy it from the farmers. First buy it in Tiefeng County, and then go to Warne County." Winters tapped the table: "Samkin did a good job."

Winters described in detail how Samkin organized prisoner labor and used the shoes and baskets produced to go to various villages in exchange for food.

Do the farmers in Tiefeng County have any food?

have!

The autumn harvest has just passed, how could there be no food?

The more severe the blows were in the old garrison, the more the farmers hid. All the farmers who had not hidden themselves had left their homes and fled, and naturally the remaining farmers were those who had food in their hands.

Winters did not want to force a conquest, nor did he want to force it. Over the past year, the "hide-and-seek" between the collection teams and farmers has pushed collection costs to unprecedented heights.

This autumn, many homesteaders no longer even cultivate their original land, but instead go to unregistered ditches to cultivate land - they have been driven into fear. Even if Winters issued a public statement stating that he would not forcefully requisition food, farmers would not believe it.

It cannot be forced, so it can only be exchanged. Farmers' needs are exchanged for many things, and they are willing to exchange them.

"Salt and iron," Winters said heavily. "Farmers can't produce these two things, so they want them most."

"Salt?" Andre stared: "You want to give the horse back?"

"Of course not!" Winters laughed loudly: "If it falls into my pocket, how can I give it back to him? He's dreaming! To trade horses for salt is to drink poisonous wine to quench my thirst. He thinks I'm desperate, so I still have to cut it out. There is no one way!”

"What should we do?"

"Without salt, the focus has to be on the iron."

"Tiefeng Mine?"

"That's right!" Winters looked at Senior Mason with blazing eyes: "Senior, sooner rather than later, we will start smelting iron tomorrow. Regardless of whether it is possible or not, let's strike the first hammer first!"

"No problem, I'll go get ready." Mason had been listening quietly to the conversation between the two juniors, but he couldn't help but remind him: "But about the salt issue, have you figured out how to solve it? Tiefeng County doesn't produce salt after all. ."

Winters spoke surprisingly and said easily: "Actually, I'm not really worried about the salt issue. I already solved it before I came to you."

Mason, Andre and Moritz all looked at Winters with stunned expressions.

"I had a chat with the little lion." Winters said, "Andre, seniors, do you still remember the rock salt licked by the cattle and sheep on the west bank of the Styx?"

During the war last year, as soon as the Palatine expeditionary force crossed the River Styx, the Palatine shepherds rushed their herds to the west bank of the River Styx because there was rock salt on the west bank.

Winters played with the knife and said calmly: "When I talked to the Gévaudan salt merchants, they told me that in addition to buying military salt from White Mountain County, there used to be a way to smuggle rock salt from Heard Heath.

The caravan carried goods to the wilderness for trade and came back carrying salt. Later, the Palatine army ruthlessly blocked the Hed tribes, and this road was cut off. "

Thanks to the efforts of old Mayor Priskin, otherwise the salt merchant would never have told Winters these secret things.

"Smiling and talking really helps." Winters concluded, trying his best to smile: "You must smile more."

"Rock salt?" Andre was stunned: "Cattle and sheep can lick it. Can people eat it?"

"The Hurds eat rock salt, the little lion said." Winters said matter-of-factly: "If the Hurds can eat it, we can eat it. Salt bricks are still a kind of 'currency' in the Hurd tribes."

Andre breathed a long sigh of relief, he could do anything without handing over the horse.

"Akagawa gave us rock salt for free?" Mason narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Of course not." Winters sighed and smiled helplessly: "We'll exchange it for iron."

Mason's expression became serious, and he asked in a low voice: "Doesn't that mean we are equipping the lion with iron teeth? The Hurd people are not of the same mind as us. The Hurd people have occupied Iron Peak Mountain for decades, how could they not know about the Iron Peak Mine? But has Little Lion ever mentioned it to you?"

"I understand, senior. There are two glasses of poisonous wine in front of you. If you drink one, you will die immediately, and if you drink the other, you will die slowly." Winters shook his head slightly: "You still have to drink the chronic one to have a chance to live. "

Mason couldn't help but sigh heavily: "Yes, only by living can you have a chance."

"Actually, the old blacksmith Mr. Boltan has a good idea." Winters said a little embarrassedly: "He said that the iron material in Tiefeng Mine is not good and brittle, so it is difficult to forge weapons, but it is just right to make iron pots. . There is no need to sell steel to the Hurds, just sell pots."

"Can Chihebu agree?" Mason laughed dumbly.

"We need to talk about business." Winters spread his hands and said with a smile: "Their rock salt won't be sold to us, and no one else will buy it. We don't have steel, so where can we get the steel for the Akahawa Department? That's it. , Do you want love? If the business fails, then the worst we can do is go to Baishan County to rob it."

"You should just go grab it!" Andre suddenly became interested.

"Did you tell the little lion?" Mason asked Winters, "about the pot."

"I haven't said anything yet, but I said that I would trade him with iron. He was quite happy anyway." Winters sighed: "In the end, it's better to smelt iron. If there is no iron, we really have to change our name to Tiefeng. Ministry, paint your face again and go to Baishan County to find a bald guy to beat the grass in the valley."

Mason also sighed: "Yes, in the final analysis, we still need to have a pillar industry."

"It's okay, don't worry." Winters smiled: "Isn't it much better now than when we only had five or six towns? There is nothing to worry about."

Once the salt and iron matters were settled, the meeting should have been adjourned directly, but Winters refused to let Andre and Moritz leave and insisted on continuing the meeting.

"Didn't you hate meetings before?" Andre couldn't help but ask Winters.

"Keep on insisting." Winters said in a solemn tone: "I think... the salt matter has exposed two problems, which must be solved."

"What's the problem?" Andre said, "The problem is that there is no salt?"

"The first question." Winters said word by word: "Tiefeng County is currently unable to survive independently without being separated from the outside world. Many things must be purchased from the outside. The New Reclamation Corps is already blocking us, but The time is still short and it has not yet shown its power.”

Mason sat up suddenly, his expression becoming serious. He originally thought that Winters wanted to chat, but he didn't expect that he would talk about this. Andre also stopped clamoring to leave. Even Moritz opened his eyes and listened curiously.

"As long as Tiefeng County can produce all kinds of materials that it needs, we must find ways to produce them ourselves. If we can't produce them ourselves, we must trade, smuggle, or rob them."

"A living person can't suffocate to death." Andre smacked his lips and said, "This is the only thing that can happen."

"Second question." Winters gently flicked the blade: "Our military government doesn't know what the people need. The price of salt is rising, but I didn't notice it until the enemy reminded me. This shows that our eyes and ears are It's blocked. It has to be opened, otherwise even if the salt problem is solved, other problems will arise."

"How do you open it?" Mason asked.

"I have a rough idea - gather the merchants of Gevaudan and farmers from various towns to listen to their needs. In the past, when the lords were particularly dissolute and unscrupulous, the people would petition and hold a grievance meeting. We can also Yes." Winters said with a smile: "But it doesn't sound good to complain, so let's call it a consultation meeting. How about that?"

"Isn't that the County Council?"

"No, the county council has power. But I don't want to decentralize power now. Let's vote."

Again, one vote abstained and three votes passed.

"Not only do we have to listen to what the people say." Winters rubbed his chin: "We also have to tell the people what we want to say. Andre, do you remember the newspaper in Antler Town?"

"Isn't the racecourse what it looks like in the newspaper?" Andre replied.

"I want to run a Dibao in Jevaudan... It doesn't have to be called a Dibao. It is a regular notice posted in every village and town. There is a group of information dealers in Hailan who specialize in selling handwritten [Hailan tabloid]. Just let them do it."

Winters laughed happily: "Not only must we win, but we must also let more people know about our victory. We must let them know that we are fighting for their interests."

Andre waved his hands in panic: "It's up to you. Just don't let me write. It's up to you."

"Senior." Winters held Mason's hand: "I know that you are the most reliable person."

Mason calmly pulled out his hand: "I don't know how to write or write..."

"Lieutenant Colonel?"

Moritz had fallen asleep.

"All of you?" Winters slammed the table and was so angry: "I'm going to find Bud!"

"Bard has enough things to do, and he is so far away, so he can't care about Gevaudan." Mason patted Winters on the shoulder: "You'd better do it yourself."

…

The Little Lions quickly got Winters' offer.

"Little lion, does your brother want an iron pot?" Winters excitedly took the little lion's hand: "For more money, I'll get an iron stove for you too!"

…

White Mountain County senior Balazs Yusas also received a quick reply from Winters.

Winters hugged a saddle and told the senior in grief: "You are right, it is really difficult to raise horses without salt. So I reluctantly ordered the horses to be killed. You can take this saddle back and give it to me." Light...oh no, just give it to Colonel Gesa as a souvenir."

…

One day later, the bald man who was waiting anxiously on the east bank of the Anya River finally saw the returning messenger.

"How is my horse?" Colonel Gesa asked Balazs impatiently: "Does he agree?"

Balazs took out a saddle, dumbfounded: "That little guy talked nonsense, but he just didn't agree."

"We agreed to negotiate with him in exchange, but he didn't agree." Gesa was furious: "Does he want to force me to rob him?"

"That's not the case." Balazs smacked his lips: "The little guy asked you if there is anything else you would like to exchange for, tobacco, beet, sesame oil. The stock is limited, and large quantities will be given."

Balatz finally added: "Secret agreement."

[Thanks to book friends for their collection, reading, subscription, recommendation votes, monthly votes, rewards and comments]

[This chapter is a bit lengthy, sorry. Mainly figuring out Winters' next move. As a habitual offender of flashbacks, I subconsciously wanted to flashback again. But with the one-update-a-day model, it might be better to straighten things out first]

[Winters is actually imitating the story of Octavian and Caesar]

[BC59, Caesar ordered the daily publication of the proceedings of the Senate and the Assembly of Citizens, written with a sharp pen on a white board coated with plaster outside the Roman Assembly Hall, as an official bulletin. The name at that time was ALBUM, which later became known as "Daily Chronicle"]

[As the "mouthpiece" of government agencies, the content of "Daily Journal" is mostly important government affairs and has a strong political nature. In BC6, Octavian restored the Daily Annals, and its content evolved into imperial political affairs, war news, proceedings, civil and criminal cases, religious activities, etc. In addition to the bulletin published in Rome, copies were also sent to political dignitaries and garrison commanders in various places. It was published continuously for more than 300 years until the Roman Empire moved its capital to Constantinople in 330 AD]