The Empire had already done this, and Laing had already started to do it. His father-in-law François's Vanford Academy was also doing something similar. The aristocrats that were trained were also managed, but they were not inherited. They were only given positions.
Just as Laing, Kalad, and Fedmond were discussing the problem, the people of Aurora were also discussing the problem.
"He's the king of Brittany. Minister Li, this is a rare opportunity. If we can open up an important point in the vast ocean and show our might, it will be a great contribution." In the corner of the bar, Jing Lu respectfully poured wine for the high official of Aurora. "Minister Li, you didn't hesitate to cross the ocean to come here. This glass of wine is a toast to you!"
"Sigh, no, no. This is all because of the Emperor's good fortune. We can't take any credit. This matter must not be mentioned again!" The high official of Aurora's face was flushed. He stroked his beard and said, "As for the knight king, I don't think it's necessary. If we meet here, it will only be for business and other miscellaneous matters. Our Celestial Empire is rich in products and has everything. We don't rely on foreign goods. It's only because the tea, porcelain, and silk produced by the Celestial Empire are necessities that the distant countries don't have. Therefore, His Majesty is especially merciful and allows us to open a foreign trade in Tyrell. Now that we have the Emperor's orders, we must not act rashly."
"Yes, I'm stupid." Jing Lu obediently lowered his head and admitted his mistake.
"I'll listen to Master's teachings!" Qi Shan also lowered his head.
"This time, I came to the Sea Gate to buy star iron and other valuable goods. I brought five kilograms of good tea." Hong Fuchu smiled and said, "Minister Li, do you want to try it?"
"Good, it's good. It can actually cross the ocean without spoiling. Hong Fuchu, this time, I'll really record your merit." Minister Li lowered his head and took a sip.
"The tea is good, but it's a pity that it's produced in small quantities." Hong Fuchu said somewhat embarrassedly, "How about this, Minister Li will get three kilograms, the dwarves will get four kilograms, and Jing Lu and Qi Shan will get one kilogram each."
"How about you?"
Hong Fuchu respectfully proposed a toast. "I'm used to it. Plain water will do."
"Aiyo, look, look at what Hong Fuchu is saying. What is he talking about? Drink plain water? The purchase this time involved thousands of kilograms of meteoric iron, obsidian, lead, and various kinds of silver. With such a large scale, he actually drank plain water? Who are you pretending for? " Pavilion Elder Li stroked his beard and joked, "As for the dwarves, do they really want four catties? Can't you tell me more? "
"Uncivilized barbarians, stubborn and stubborn. You can't reason with them." Hong Fuchu smiled apologetically and said, "I've already made a promise before, and I can't change it. Aren't I doing my job with all my heart? If Grand Secretary feels that it's impossible, then we can get someone else to do it. "
"That won't do. Won't Heavenly Venerable Qing Bao and His Majesty dismiss me and investigate me?" Pavilion Elder Li hurriedly stopped him. "Then let's do it this way!"
"Yes! I'll arrange it right away. "
"Also, the matter of the Marlin Castle General Assembly is Heavenly Venerable Qing Bao's great undertaking. It has to be done with great urgency."
"Yes!" The few of them raised their mugs. "Heavenly Venerable Qing Bao!"
"Heavenly Venerable Qing Bao!"
… I'm praising Heavenly Venerable Qing Bao's section break …
Laing did not pay too much attention to the few Aurora people in the tavern, because looking at their attire made him instinctively feel helpless and unwilling to get close to them. Therefore, after lunch, he took Kalad and Fedmond to the Dwarven Engineers' Association in Sea Gate Pass.
Even so, they still waited at the door for nearly an hour before they were allowed to enter. When Laing and the others walked through the hall of the Engineers' Association under the lead of the Hammer Warrior, the few great engineers in Sea Gate Pass were all panting, and their faces were flushed. They looked a little dispirited. The chief engineer of Sea Gate Pass, Master Brook Gunnarsson, was panting hard and drinking dwarven beer in big gulps. Then he burped and said, "Uh, welcome, Knight King from far away Brittany. What do you want us to do, or do you want to do for us?"
A drunken dwarven engineer? Laing noticed that there were still leftovers on the table. At this time, the chief engineer must be in a state of tiredness and drunkenness. This made him realize that the tired and drunk dwarves were now easier to flatter and persuade. He might be able to achieve his goal more easily, but he also had to be careful not to anger the drunk and tired dwarves.
"Hey, Brook, don't be like this. Knight King came from afar and led the army to help us suppress the green-skinned creatures along the coast of Blackwater Bay. Why are you so serious?" A dwarven engineer, Polly Ironboot, said in a friendly manner, "Come, come here, Knight King from Brittany. Sit down and let us have a drink first. There's nothing else here, but beer and bread are enough. Come, come here."
Polly Ironboot was the president of a local dwarven chamber of commerce in Sea Gate Pass. This chamber of commerce specialized in ocean trade. After Laing arrived at Sea Gate Pass, he benefited from the series of actions that Laing took, so his attitude towards Laing was also the best.
"Yes, there's enough beer. Since you're here, let's follow the dwarven rules and drink first!" The chief engineer, Brook Gunnarsson, nodded fiercely. "Otherwise, if this spreads out, people will think that we're neglecting the noble Knight King. Don't you agree? "
"Come! Fill it up. " The chief engineer, Brook, said to Laing and the others, "You three, master and apprentices to the three of us, master and apprentices! Come, drink to your heart's content first! Drink until you're full! "
"Okay, let's do it." Laing nodded. Seeing that the king had agreed, Kalad and Fedmond had to sit down.
An hour later.
The drinking contest between the three Grail Knights and the dwarven engineers finally came to an end. Kalad and Fedmond were already dizzy, Laing was also red, and the dwarven engineers were almost done. Brook hiccuped, "So, our noble Knight King is here to make an order? You want to order an ironclad warship from us? "
"Can I?" Laing put one hand on the table and kept hiccuping.
The dwarven engineers whispered to each other, discussed for a while, and finally made a decision. Brook shook his head and said, "No, at least not now."
"You've helped Sea Gate Pass clear the green bandits in Blackwater Bay, and at the same time, you're going on an expedition to Eight Peaks Mountain. Whether you succeed or not, I have to praise you for doing a good job." Brook scratched his red hair, and his eyes were blurred. "But we still can't trust you completely. What I mean is, you haven't done a good job yet …"
"As for the ironclad warship, we still don't trust you enough. It's best if this expedition succeeds, but what if it doesn't? Who are we going to ask for the payment then? " Another dwarf engineer, Garlock Silverbeard, also said hesitantly, "Also, we lack the necessary materials now. Those Aurora people ordered a large amount of stariron and other raw materials from us at a high price. We don't have enough raw materials now, so we can't do it. Let's wait until you come back from the expedition to Eight Peaks Mountain. If you can win and give Skarnik and his Darkmoon tribe a taste of their own medicine, then we'll talk about it after you've finished with Bellegar and his damn mess."
"I think I should have known about this earlier, instead of you telling me after an hour of drinking." Laing closed his eyes, and his voice was slightly unhappy. "Is this how the dwarves treat their guests?"
"You're the one who asked us to order an ironclad warship. We've already made a big concession by letting you in!" A dwarf engineer immediately stood up and shouted angrily, "Who do you think you are? Humans? If it weren't for our selfless gift, would you still be alive? We've done so much for you. Why don't you know how to be grateful? "
"That's enough, Goodson!" The chief engineer, Brook, shook his head. Goodson was only 300 years old, which was considered young among the great engineers. Brook was a little regretful. He felt that it was an unwise decision to let this junior in ten years ago. He signaled Goodson to calm down, then stood up. "Perhaps this is indeed our negligence, but dwarves always tell our friends the truth. Our current steel inventory is not even as much as the rat poop in the warehouse. We can't replenish such a huge shortfall in a short time. Let's wait for a while, and let's take a breather. You can go on the expedition to Eight Peaks Mountain first, and then we'll talk about the ironclad warship when you're back.
Is that okay? "" Well, it seems that we've come for nothing. I'm sorry to disturb you. "Laing sighed. He had spent a whole day in vain." How long do you want to rest? Ten years? Twenty years? Fifty years? A hundred years? "
What answered him was a silent groan and the sound of breathing from nostrils. The entire hall of the engineer's guild was filled with the smell of alcohol, rust, and gunpowder. The stubborn dwarves would never compromise.
"Very well, it seems that we've reached a consensus." Laing finally decided to leave. He signaled Kalad and Fedmond to follow him. The two Grail knights only felt that their throats were bitter and dizzy. The smell of the dwarven beer was too strong, and it was bitter and strong. Fedmond, who was slightly weaker than Laing and Kalad, swallowed hard so that he would not vomit.
"Wait a minute, Knight King." Brook, the chief engineer, thought for a moment and decided to persuade Ryan to stay. "Listen to my suggestion."
"?" Laing turned around.
"I understand your sincerity and your determination. What you've done has benefited Sea Gate Pass, and the dwarves of Sea Gate Pass will not let you go back empty-handed." The chief engineer thought for a while and continued, "How about this? Sea Gate Pass will send Thunder Squadron to assist you in this battle."
"Thunder Squadron?" Laing asked in confusion.
"Thunder Squadron will fly four Dwarf Gyroscope Bombers, the latest achievement of dwarven aviation technology. They fly with two propellers and an airship horizontal tail. You can say that they combine the characteristics of both gyroplanes and airships. In terms of firepower, they are equipped with eleven Nemesis Bombs and a revolver mounted on the nose of the machine. " Brook nodded. "This is our sincerity, but you have to find a way to pay for Thunder Squadron's salary and ammunition."
Dwarf Gyrowing Bombers?! Laing's eyes lit up. He nodded. "Okay, we accept."
"Well, in that case, you can leave now." Brook gestured for Laing and the others to leave. "You've brought us a new topic. We must now continue our discussion."
"I see. You must have a lot of things to do. Then I'll leave you alone." Laing nodded. He, Kalad, and Fedmond left the Engineer's Hall. Before the door was closed, a new argument and louder voices came from the Engineer's Hall.
After about two weeks of rest and replenishment, the Sea God's Fleet once again transported about fifty thousand civilians and reinforcements from Brittany. After receiving enough support, the expedition began the next step of their strategy, which was to attack the armory on the east side of Sea Gate Pass.
Empire Calendar, January 2512, Old World, Badlands, Barren Plains, West of Sea Gate Pass.
The expedition led by Bellegar Ironhammer was slowly marching along the hills and ancient roads of the Barren Plains. As a master of using and commanding dwarven rangers, Bellegar had already sent a large number of them to scout the area. He himself was leading the Angran clan's army, which included Blackheart Reppu's army, Leopold's Leopard Regiment hired by Laing, Kislöw Örengrád's Sea Soul Guards, and more than a thousand mounted archers led by General Ivan.
The chill of winter blew along with the wind of the Barren Plains. The temperature in the Badlands would not drop below zero, but it was still enough to make Bellegar feel a little chilly. Under the warm winter sun, the sky returned to its usual clear blue color, which allowed the dwarven air force to have a panoramic view of the surrounding area.
Bellegar Ironhammer greedily breathed in the dry air of the Badlands. After so many years, Bellegar had finally returned. He had come to take back everything he deserved from the Green Dwarfs and the Ratmen. This made the real king of the Eight Peaks Mountain feel indescribably happy. Although every dwarf's heart was filled with deep mines and hard rock walls, it felt good to be able to stand in the Badlands in winter and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air.
"My king, for the time being, there shouldn't be too many Green Dwarfs nearby. Perhaps they were scared away by us?" Harhav Golddigger, an engineer of the Angran clan, said to Bellegar with a long-barreled rune gun in his hand. "At least in this terrain, the Green Dwarfs can't ambush us."
"No, it's just that the Green Dwarfs won't ambush us in this place." Bellegar nodded. The king of the Angran clan said in a rough voice, "I know where they will ambush us. The armory is a special place."
"That's right, King Bellegar. I've been in the borderland prince's territory for many years, so I know best. The armory is basically the boundary between the Badlands and the borderland prince's territory. At the same time, it's also the boundary of rainfall. In the armory, the annual rainfall can barely guarantee that something can be grown. Once you go south of the armory, the climate immediately becomes dry, and it's basically impossible to grow food." Blackheart Reppu walked beside Bellegar and said respectfully, "That's why the humans have only conquered this place several times."
"But the humans still can't defend this place." Bellegar snorted with some disdain. "I know what's going on. The armory is located on the east side of the Sea Gate Pass, and it's not close to the mountain peak of the Sea Gate Pass. Therefore, every time the Green Dwarfs attack, it has to be the first to face them. It's certain that the humans can't defend it. In the end, you still need the dwarfs to act as a shield for you."
"Uh, yes, that's true." Blackheart Reppu was embarrassed, but the mercenary leader was very thick-skinned. He didn't mind at all. "You're right, King Bellegar."
After a few days of marching, Bellegar and his army gradually approached the armory. The city was built between two slender hills. In order to get close to the armory, they had to follow a small path formed by a low-lying basin.
Bellegar didn't let the army stop marching. Instead, he ordered the army to continue moving forward until the rangers and dwarven helicopters sent an alert.
"Enemy spotted!"
"Enemy spotted ahead!"
"Large number of goblins on the left hill!"
"Large number of goblins on the right hill!"
"We're surrounded!"
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