Lorist felt that the difference between this wall and the one he had taken was like the difference between heaven and earth. The one he had taken was no more than four meters tall, and was made up of piles of rubble. The wall in front of him was seven meters tall, and it was double layered. The inner wall was at least ten meters tall. Even the surface of the wall was smeared with green clay, making it smooth and flat.
Lorist discovered that the ten-meter-tall wall was actually a row of houses built on top of it. It was just that the roofs of the houses had been modified to resemble the sawtooth pattern of the wall, and they were connected to the wall. Some of the houses were used for military equipment, while others were the guards' quarters. There was even a broken ballista in front of one of the houses, which was probably the one Josk had shot down.
Josk had been waiting on the wall for a long time, and he hurried over when he saw Lorist.
Laurist said unhappily, "You're lucky this time. The mercenaries you met were all cowardly mercenaries. If the ones guarding the wall were regular guards, you wouldn't have been able to take over the wall without injuring a single person."
Josk laughed, "My lord is right …"
"Also, don't pretend you didn't hear anything in the future, or I won't have any face …" Lorist continued to complain.
Josk chuckled.
"Right, did you find anything important?" Lorist finally remembered why he had come here.
Josk pointed ahead, "It's in that house. You'll know when you see it, my lord."
Josk was pointing at the five houses in the middle of the wall that were two meters taller than the ones beside them. There were a few guards standing outside the houses, looking after a few captives.
The house in the middle was the largest, around six meters long and three meters wide, just like the houses on the wall. Upon entering, Glorist saw a large row of gears made of wood and copper, as well as a large wheel, that filled the opposite wall.
"Is this the mechanism for putting down the iron fence?" Lorist asked.
Usually, larger cities or wealthy lords would install a thick and sturdy iron fence in the passageway of the city gate. It would be raised during normal times and lowered during times of war when the enemy attacked and destroyed the gate, forming a new defensive barrier.
Josk nodded.
"Damn, is that Viscount Gaimus showing off his wealth? Spending so much money to build such a luxurious defensive wall in this godforsaken place? If he wants to seal off the Norton Family's access to the outside world, then that's too much. What is he trying to do? "
"Turn around, sir. The answer is to your right," Josk said.
Loriste turned around. To his right was a small suite with maps of various sizes hanging on the walls. In the middle was a large table with a large sand table and a few castle models on it.
The large sand table could be seen at a glance. It was a mountain city with a mountain on one side and a river on the other. It was surrounded by farmland, and not far from the mountain city was a mine. Beside the mine was a large number of workshops. At the end of the mountain ridge where the mountain city was located was a heavily guarded military camp castle.
"This sand table is not bad. Which mountain city is this?" Laurist asked.
Josk shook his head. "Sir, I don't know. I didn't show you the sand table, but the model of the castle next to it. I think they're building a castle here. "
Next to the large sand table was a castle model that had yet to be completed. However, the two walls, one long and one short, quickly made Loriste understand that he was standing on the long wall in front of the model.
"Heh, this Viscount Gaimus really put in a lot of money …" Laurist stomped his feet. "Look, the ground and the outside of the walls are all covered with green clay. If he really wanted to build a castle like this, just the green clay alone would cost at least tens of thousands of gold fords. Right, where did Big Beard go? "
Green clay was the building material of choice for palaces and castles in Galinthia. Its effect was similar to the cement from Laurist's previous world. The composition was also very similar — lime. After the clay was burned to ash, fine sand was added to it. The difference was that cement was cheap, while green clay was expensive. Cement was mixed with water, while green clay was mixed with a type of glue.
Laurist's attendant, Redi, came from the Romon Empire. There was a famous mountainous area there, and it was a forbidden area of the Romon Empire. Anyone who trespassed would be killed, as this mountainous area was a famous producer of rubber vines. It was said that rubber vines were not originally a plant of Galinthia. Thousands of years ago, they were transplanted here by Wizards from another plane. These rubber vines liked to be dark and wet. They were as thick as large wine barrels, and when one cut their surface, a light green juice would flow out.
This light green juice looked like clear water, but once it was heated, it would become very sticky and become extremely hard after solidifying. People used this rubber vine juice to add ten times the amount of clear water. After heating it, they mixed it with lime and clay yarn to form green clay. This was the best binding material for buildings in Galinthia, and it was also the most expensive material. A barrel of 50 kilograms of rubber vine juice would cost one gold ford. In the Romon Empire, the sales of rubber vine juice could bring in hundreds of thousands to millions of gold fords.
In Galinthia, the poor would buy a piece of earth dragon's hide and use it as a binding material to build a house. Although it was sturdy, the house would have a faint muddy smell and attract mosquitoes. Lime water and insect repellent were needed at intervals. The second method was to use a type of black glutinous rice. After cooking it into porridge, it would be mixed with lime and clay yarn. It was also a very good binding material for buildings. However, buildings built with this binding material would easily mold during the rainy season, and would need to be cleaned frequently.
The best binding material for buildings was green clay. After solidifying, it would be as hard as a rock. It also had a fragrance that could repel insects and ants. Laurist had lived in Morent City for a long time. That place was a huge consumer of rubber vine juice, so he was naturally familiar with green clay. He was now in awe of Viscount Gaimes's generosity in using green clay to build a castle in the Northern Lands.
"My Lord, Ovechiss has brought half of his guards out to capture people," Josk said.
"Capture people?"
"Yes, the slave labourers who built this city wall. The mercenary leader who surrendered said that there was a shortage of materials to make green clay, so the manager in charge of building the castle sent nearly a thousand slave labourers to gather lime, dig clay and sand. Ovechiss brought his men to capture these slave labourers, "Josk explained.
Only then did Laurist remember that he did not see the labourers on his way here. They had all gone out to gather construction materials.
"The captives outside are mercenaries? Call the leader in and ask him something, "Laurist said.
The mercenary leader who surrendered was quickly brought before Laurist.
Laurist wanted to ask about the Norton Family.
The mercenary leader thought for a moment before replying, "My Lord, I have only been employed by Viscount Gaimes for less than two months. However, I heard that about half a year ago, Viscount Gaimes sent his troops to occupy the mines and then attacked the Norton Family's manor and castle. Dozens of people died, and the standoff lasted for more than half a month without any results. After that, the viscount began to build the city wall here. When I was hired, the wall had just been completed. In these two months, I have not seen anyone from the Norton Family, and the patrols I sent out didn't encounter any scouts from the Norton Family. However, when I was transporting supplies to the mines, I heard from the mercenaries guarding there that they saw people from the Norton Family a few months ago, after the viscount withdrew his troops. They left after discovering that the mines had been occupied, and there was no news of the Norton Family after that. "
"Then do you know what happened to the people in charge of the Norton Family's copper mines?" Laurist asked.
The mercenary leader shook his head. "I am not too sure about that, but I think the viscount threw them into the mines to mine. Last month, more than a thousand pounds of copper ingots were shipped over, and they are stored in the warehouse here."
At this moment, there was a commotion outside, and a guard came in to report that Big Beard Overkiss had returned with the slave workers.
Laurist and Josk climbed up to the roof of the city wall to take a look. In the distance, there was a long snake-like group of laborers heading towards the city gate. Big Beard Overkiss was at the very front of the group, riding tall horses and showing off their military prowess.
It took more than half a day to settle down nearly a thousand slave workers. This was also because the laborers had been slaves for a long time and were more obedient, and their original camp when the city wall was built was still there.
Laurist gathered Josk, Thurdkamp, Pat, Redi, and Overkiss to discuss what to do next.
Thurdkamp and Pat shouted when they came over and saw the large sand table. This was the family's territory, and it was the terrain of the Morgen Hills.
"Sir, look, that cave is our copper mine, and here …" Thurdkamp pointed at the military castle at the bottom corner of the sand table. "This castle is where we are now. But there is no mountain city here, and there is no farmland here either. This should be a forest, and there is no river here either … "
Laurist's interest was piqued when he heard Thurdkamp's words. He ordered Big Beard Overkiss to bring the master architect and the manager of the castle that he had captured.
The so-called master architect was a middle-aged man in his forties. He admitted that the castle model was his work, but he refused to answer Laurist's questions about the details of the castle. He even angrily reprimanded Laurist for his despicable act of ambushing and occupying the construction site of his castle. He demanded that Laurist apologize and leave immediately, or else he would bear all the consequences.
Laurist and the others looked at each other, wondering if the master architect was sick in the head. In the end, Laurist was amused by the middle-aged man's endless accusations. "You came to my courtyard to build a house for yourselves, and as the owner, it's my fault for stopping you? Someone, tie him to the flagpole outside and give him fifty lashes. Wake him up. "
Next was the manager. Thurdkamp and Pat recognized the old man with a goatee. He was Viscount Gammus's butler, Boris. They had met a few times during the copper mine dispute, but they did not expect him to be appointed as the manager of the castle now.
Boris, who had a goatee, was a coward. As the master architect outside screamed miserably after being whipped, he stood there, trembling, and answered every question he was asked. Very quickly, he confessed everything about the sand table, the reason why Viscount Gaimes built a castle here, and the viscount's family background.
Gammus was born into a merchant family. His father was the chairman of the largest construction company in the Crisen Empire. During the civil war, his father took refuge with the second prince, donated money and goods, and became one of the second prince's money bags. After the Iberian Kingdom was established, Gammus' father negotiated with the second prince, and at the price of two hundred thousand gold fords, Gammus became a nobleman and obtained a territory in the north.
With the territory, the Gammus family invested a lot of development funds, and built a manor, castle, and immigrant town in the Red River Valley. As the chairman of the largest construction company in the former empire, Gammus' father had sharp eyes. He thought that the north would be in a long period of turmoil because of Duke Lucens' ambition and the new noblemen's enfeoffment. Although the Gammus family had a territory in the north, the manor and castle in the Red River Valley had no defense, and could easily fall under attack. So the Gammus family sent out a large number of surveyors to conduct a large-scale survey of the territory and the surrounding area. In the end, they found that the Morgen Hills, which was adjacent to Gammus' territory, was the best place to build a castle, and establish the Gammus family's century-old foundation. In order to take over the Morgen Hills, the Gammus family spent money to bribe the officials in charge of enfeoffment, and put the Norton family's copper mine into Gammus' territory. Using this to provoke a dispute with the Norton family, they wanted to take advantage of the Norton family's troubles to take over the Morgen Hills, and build a castle.
Boris with a goatee said that although the castle model was not completed, all the design drafts and renderings were ready, and they were placed under the table. After the castle was completed, it could accommodate ten thousand people. The Gammus family would move here, and it would be their base. As long as there were three thousand guards, even if the enemy was ten times their number, they would not be able to take the castle.
As for the mountain city on the model, it was a town that the Gammus family planned to build after the castle was completed. It could accommodate fifty to sixty thousand people, and it would mainly be developed with copper mines, lumber yards, quarries, and other resources. In the future, after the forest next to the town was cut down, the land would be leveled, and it would be connected to the wilderness for cultivation. It was estimated that there would be hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland. At that time, farms would be built, and irrigation facilities would be built. Even if the north was only plowed once a year, it would still be enough to ensure a food supply.
In order to realize this grand development plan, the Gammus family planned to invest three hundred thousand gold coins, and spend five years to build a foundation for the family that would last for a hundred years. However, they did not expect that less than four months after the plan started, Loriste would come.
"Do you know how the Gammus family plans to deal with the Norton family?" Loriste asked.
Boris said, "Master and Young Master have discussed before. They do not plan to destroy the Norton family, because with the Norton family at the front, they can be used to attract the attention of the Mountain Barbarians. The family can then proceed with the development in peace. If necessary, Master is also prepared to give the Norton family some support, so that the Norton family can resist the invasion of the Mountain Barbarians. Master also said that he admires the Norton family's military strength, and that in the future, the Norton family might become Gammus' vassal. "
"Then why did they send troops to attack the Norton family's manor and castle half a year ago?"
"That's because Young Master heard that the head of the Norton family, Baron Norton, had passed away half a year ago, so he sent someone to discuss with the Norton family if they could sell the Morgen Hills to the Gammus family. This way, they could end the conflict between the two families. However, the messenger that Young Master sent was insulted by the Norton family. They tore up Young Master's letter and said that they would not sell an inch of the Norton family's territory. They told Young Master not to have any ideas and chased the messenger back. So Young Master sent troops to attack the Norton family's castle in anger, but they did not manage to take it down. So Young Master decided to immediately carry out the plan, and at the same time, trap the Norton family in the north. When they can't take it anymore, they will naturally beg Young Master for mercy, "Boris replied.
"Right, what's with that master architect?" Loriste thought of that crazy middle-aged man.
"Sir, Master Xiloba is the most famous master architect in the Iberian Kingdom! Two years ago, he presided over the construction of the Rose Palace for the second prince, and it won unanimous praise. He was praised as a genius architect who built miracles, and was highly regarded by the second prince. This time, Master spent a lot of money to invite Master Xiloba here to design the castle and town for Young Master. Now that the design draft has been completed, he will leave here and return to the imperial city after making the model. Uh, this Master Xiloba is quite arrogant. In the imperial city, he doesn't even care about those dukes and marquises who walk in the palace. Your Excellency treating him like this, and even whipping him, will cause a great disturbance. "Boris said very tactfully.
"Haha …" Loriste laughed. That master architect really was crazy. He didn't care about those dukes and marquises who walked in the palace, because they were all honorary nobles and had no strength. Acting so arrogantly and rudely in front of him, a noble of the territory, was simply asking for trouble.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
