The weather is getting colder, the vitality is stagnant, and the grass and trees are withering.

Not only ordinary people are gradually reluctant to go out; Red Rose and Blue Rose, who are covered with bruises, also call it quits and return to their lairs to lick their wounds and accumulate strength for the coming year.

The devastated Plato finally got a brief respite. People mended clothes, prepared for winter storage, and enjoyed the hard-won peace and tranquility.

On the southwest border of Plato, the remote and barren Tiefeng County is a bustling scene.

The messenger cavalry carrying green flags is heading to various villages and towns to deliver the first issue of the "Communication Bulletin".

The first Tiefeng County Consultative Conference is also under intense preparation.

The refugee farms and military camps are still racing against time to prepare the land and sow seeds. Winter is about to begin, and the days are getting shorter and shorter, so everyone is working harder and harder.

If the farm animals are too tired to carry the plow, then people take turns pulling the plow; if there is not enough power during the day, then light a bonfire at night to continue.

The human mentality is always strange. Opportunities become slimmer and slimmer, and people are even more reluctant to give up. If we just talk about motivation, the days when autumn plowing begins are far inferior to the last few days.

The refugees and the land-granting soldiers were working like crazy, while the old yeoman farmers had arrived at the most pleasant time of the year.

Farmers usually sow their winter wheat, barley and rye in late September or early October, and they are now growing well.

Wheat seedlings are sprouting out of the ground in groups, and the farmland is green, like a newly built lawn, adding a rare touch of vitality to the autumn and winter seasons.

In fact, the homesteaders' wheat fields are in great danger.

The problem is not that the growth is not good, but that it is growing too well. This year is a warm winter, and some wheat fields that were sown early have begun to joint.

In a few days, when the temperature really drops, all the wheat seedlings that have begun to joint early will be frozen to death.

Old Falmer - the "agricultural consultant" Winters hired back from Wolf Town - is worried about this.

Countermeasures?

Winters didn't have it, but he knew where it was.

He had already sent messengers as soon as possible to summon major grain growers from nearby villages and towns to Jevaudan to discuss countermeasures.

"Sir, what if no one can think of a good idea?" Old Falmer was still worried.

"It's okay, old gentleman." Winters already had many debts to worry about, and he joked: "On the day of famine, I still have Andrea Cellini."

…

October 30, 559 in the imperial calendar, the second day after Winters returned to Gévaudan, was an ordinary yet special day.

Ordinary, because the sun rises as usual today and will set as usual.

Extraordinary - perhaps worthy of grand commemoration, because today, Winters will officially start smelting iron.

After the hard work of Senior Mason, the potter brothers and the masons from Gevaudan, the blast furnace has been completed.

The smelting furnace was located on a flat platform on Tiefeng Mountain, far away from human settlements and close to the mines, making it easy to obtain ore.

According to Carlos's requirements, the furnace body was built with double-layer refractory bricks and was more than four meters high. From a distance, it looked like a giant long-necked vase placed on the mountainside.

If Carlos hadn't insisted on lighting the fire until Winters came back, Senior Mason would have already moved on to the next step.

"I've done all the bragging for you, don't worry and go for it." About to get serious, Winters laughed and slapped the little blacksmith on the back: "What are you afraid of? Keep your head up and your chest high!"

Carlos' upper teeth hit his lower teeth. He swallowed hard and nodded desperately.

Everyone could see that the little blacksmith was extremely nervous.

Carlos fasted for three days in advance. He even took a shower this morning and put on a new set of clothes. Moreover, he did not allow anyone to say the words "extinguished" or "failure", and he would get angry with anyone who said so.

To be honest, Winters didn't have high hopes for the young blacksmith's abilities.

If the little blacksmith brother Balian said "it can be done", Winters would not hesitate to put down all the chips;

But Carlos Sawyer... just seeing him hit it off with a smart guy like Vashica, Winters had an ominous intuition.

But he really hoped that the little blacksmith could prove his intuition wrong with practical actions.

Opening a furnace to smelt iron is a real event. When the blacksmiths in Forge Township heard the news, they all wanted to come and broaden their horizons.

Not only the blacksmith, but also the prominent citizens of Gevaudan and even the little lion wanted to find out.

Winters didn't agree and pushed them all back.

Especially the keen and intelligent little lion who was both friend and foe. Although Winters felt a little guilty, he still insisted on asking Senior Juan to take the little lion hunting.

On the one hand, he didn't want to reveal technical secrets; on the other hand, Winters didn't want to be embarrassed.

Therefore, the "lighting ceremony" was very deserted, with only a few participants.

Senior Mason came excitedly, and Andre was pulled over by the senior.

Moritz is away, and the supply of water of life has recently been cut off. The lieutenant colonel is listless and prone to anxiety all day long. Moreover, he does not like to appear in public.

Apart from the four military tribunes, only Boltan and Chauchat, the blacksmith's son-in-law, were present.

…

Returning to Gevaudan, Winters immediately visited Mr. Boltan at his door and asked the latter to be his consultant - informally, without a title and not registered, which was exactly what the old blacksmith wanted.

Also invited to become a consultant was Boltan's old enemy, tobacconist and mayor Sr. Priskin.

Coupled with the old farmer Mr. Falmer invited from Wolf Town, Winters has a small advisory group... Of course, the only designated chief advisor is of course "Mrs. Montagne".

…

The old blacksmith once made a wish to see the black smoke of the furnace from the window. Winters went a step further and directly invited the old man to participate in the lighting ceremony.

The old blacksmith readily agreed. He first took a carriage and then a stretcher, and after a lot of effort, he arrived at the foot of Iron Peak Mountain - this was the first time the old man had left Gevaudan in eight years.

By the way, there's Kaman.

The young priest was holding a golden bowl in one hand and a small broom in the other, reluctantly spreading holy water to the blast furnace.

The Platuan people have a morbid love for "blessing ceremonies". People can be blessed, weapons can be blessed, farm tools can be blessed... Anyway, there is no harm in splashing some holy water.

So Winters gave Kaman a lot of rationale and forced him to bring Kaman to consecrate the blast furnace.

Kaman casually showered twice, poured the remaining holy water in the bowl onto the wall of the furnace, and returned to Winters: "Okay, it's done."

"Aren't you going to recite a few verses?" Winters blinked.

"Chanting scriptures? Can I carve a holy symbol for you?" Kaman was at a loss for words now: "Tell me which scriptures and gospels are used to light the fire."

"Okay, that's it." Winters didn't force it: "If this thing can be done, the people of Tiefeng County will benefit greatly. Thank you, Mr. Carman."

Kaman pursed his lips and stared at Winters for a long time. Then he turned angrily and returned to the furnace. He held his hands against the furnace wall and laid hands on him while muttering something.

Carlos has already prepared the preparatory work. The charcoal is arranged neatly in the shape of a funnel in the furnace cavity, just waiting for Winters to light it.

Winters was not prepared to "say a few words". When Kaman's blessing ceremony was over, he slowly closed his eyes and entered the spell-casting state.

When he opened his eyes again, the torch in his hand burst into flames.

Under the gaze of everyone, Winters solemnly lit the flame of hope.

Two cows chewed half-digested fodder leisurely and slowly pulled the bellows.

As a steady stream of air blows into the furnace cavity, the charcoal gradually burns to a blazing red color, and you can feel the scorching heat wave even from a few meters away.

Seeing that the heat was up, Carlos filled the blast furnace with primary iron ore and limestone from above.

The raw ore mined from the old mines is screened, roasted, crushed and cleaned to obtain [primary iron ore] - as Carlos calls it.

Then what?

Then there is no more.

During the long and boring wait, only dark red slag and a small amount of golden iron slurry fell into the bottom of the furnace. No matter how devoutly Carlos prayed, no molten iron came out.

Carlos was going crazy with anxiety, Senior Mason was also quite disappointed, and Andre was already impatient.

Winters didn't feel much at all - he didn't expect to succeed on the first try.

"You kid had to wait for me to come back before turning on the furnace." Winters joked to the little blacksmith, "Are you afraid that Captain Mason will beat you up if I'm not around?"

Carlos was about to cry to Winters on the spot.

"Your Excellency, just leave Mr. Sawyer here. In the early years when we used block furnaces to make furnaces, it took a whole day to start the furnace. It was not so fast." The old blacksmith Boltan was very calm.

He suggested to Winters: "You don't have to wait here. How about I accompany you to Forge Township and introduce you to some of my old friends?"

Winters felt that the old man was right. Whether it succeeds or fails, the results will be known tomorrow, so there is no point in waiting.

"Then I'll help you." Winters smiled and nodded.

Senior Mason came here with high hopes, but when he heard that the results would not be available until tomorrow, his disappointment was palpable.

"Then I'll go back first." Senior Mason said farewell listlessly: "The racecourse is organizing manpower to cut the grass. I'll go over and take a look."

"I'll go too." Andre also wanted to leave.

When he heard the word "racecourse," Winters hurriedly grabbed his senior and said, "Please accompany me to Forge Township. Things at the racecourse are not urgent today."

As he said that, Winters gave Andre a silent look.

Andre understood and immediately changed his mind: "That's right! That's right! Go to Forge Township and look for it. There might be someone there who knows how to forge cannons!"

The reason why they don't let Senior Mason leave is because they haven't dared to mention the matter of [Race Course Officer] to their senior yet, so now is a good opportunity.
To be continued...