Rome Must Fall

"There's no way around it. Not only can't we build a shaft furnace, we can't build a water hammer (because the carpenters have been diverted to building bridges), and even the iron ore hasn't been found... Without these things, what can we do? He can't do it either, he can only help others with work, unlike their carpenters who can do it as long as they have trees.

However, we don’t need to worry. The chief and Capito value the iron workshop very much, and they are also anxious. I believe that it won’t be long before we can happily forge iron like we did in Sarapia. "

"Happy blacksmithing in Sarapia?! I don't think so. That black-hearted guy gave us low wages, bad housing, and bad food. He also urged us to work harder every day... It's not like here, where the tribes allocate land. We will be given a house and a wife, someone will help cultivate the land, and we will be paid for blacksmithing. If we do well, we can become nobles in the future. The Nyx tribe is simply the Elysee paradise for our blacksmiths!"

"That's so right!" Everyone loudly agreed, but only one person stood in a daze.

"Sititus?"

"Sistis!"

"Um?"

"What are you thinking about? Could it be that your young wife wanted you many times last night, and you have exhausted your energy and now you have no intention of working and just want to sleep?"

"Hahaha..." Everyone burst into laughter.

Sititus ignored him.

The blacksmith continued to ask: "Sititus, am I right? The Nyx tribe is our blacksmith's Elysee paradise?"

These days, his companions often teased Sititus, and he was used to it. He was too lazy to reply and changed the subject, saying: "You are just chatting, and no holes have been dug on this side of the mound."

As he spoke, he squatted down and dug out a piece of soil under the mound, revealing a palm-sized hole connected to the firewood inside. Then he turned back and shouted: "Sefa Roys, this mound is ready!"

Cefalois, who was thin and dark-skinned, ran over, looked around the mound, nodded and said, "Well done." Then he took a handful of hay and stuffed it into the open hole at the top of the mound. In the round hole, after lighting it, lie down on the ground and look through the small hole below to see what's going on inside.

Sixtus and the other blacksmiths were craftsmen, and they quickly learned to make this kind of mound from Cephalus. However, when the wood in the mound was ignited, it was not for laymen like them to know when to seal the hole. Make an accurate judgment, because sealing the hole too early or too late will result in less carbon output.

The experienced Cefalois lay on the ground and looked inside very intently. Even if flames floated out of the hole, his eyes did not blink.

After a while, I heard him say: "That's it."

The blacksmiths immediately used the river mud in their hands to block several holes at the bottom of the mound, and finally blocked the round hole at the top. Then they carefully inspected the entire mound. Even if there was a trace of smoke, they had to use thick layers of river mud. Apply thickly.

Cefalois checked it again before passing it, then pointed to the back and said: "The mound should be open."

Everyone rushed over and knocked open the soil hardened by the fire, revealing the wood that was originally piled inside. Not only did the wood turn into pitch black, but most of it broke into pieces...

Cefalois knelt down and looked through the wood, picking up a few and knocking on them from time to time, and then said: "It's not bad, about 90% of the wood has turned into charcoal."

The blacksmiths all looked happy.

…………………………………………………………………………

On the other side, Paisianasis, Pasippidas and his son were making mud bricks with other craftsmen.

The raw material is clay dug out five or six meters underground. After removing the impurities inside, people knead and beat it repeatedly like kneading dough. The mud balls are then stuffed into brick molds made of wood and pressed tightly. , use a scraper to scrape off the excess mud, and then apply a layer of river sand to prevent it from adhering. Then you can pour the mud bricks on the flat brick field next to it and accept the sun's exposure...

Not far from the brickyard, a large wooden roof was built, and a large circular hole was dug in the ground under the roof, which was six meters deep.

Some craftsmen are tamping and leveling the bottom of the hole, while others are digging a deep tunnel next to the round hole. A square window is opened at the end of the tunnel, which is connected to the round hole. From now on, the round hole will be stuffed with wheat straw and withered grass. and passages for dry firewood and brick-burning.

Capito stood next to the round hole, watching the busy people, and asked: "How long will it take for those mud bricks to be dried before they can be put into the hole for firing?"

Crelebus was a bricklayer from Sarapia, a lowly and despised trading town. Now he is a second-class citizen in the Knicks tribe. He owns 60 acres of land and a thatched house. He has also been appointed as the person in charge of the tribe's brick kiln. Therefore, he cherishes everything he has obtained. He has been busy these days. Working tirelessly,

At this moment, he stood quietly beside his boss and replied respectfully: "It will take about two months."

"Two months!" Capito frowned and said dissatisfied: "It's too long!"

Crelebus said quickly: "I will think of ways to shorten the time and try to control it to...thirty...er, no, about forty days."

"Forty days... is still a bit long."

"It can't be any shorter. If it is any shorter, the mud bricks will not be dried enough and will easily deform and break when burned. Our batch of bricks are going to be used to build kilns, so they must be of good quality..." Crelebus euphemistically said persuaded.

Capito sighed: "It seems we didn't catch up with the good time. If we dry the bricks in the summer and the weather is hot, the time can be shortened."

"That's not the case." Clerebus quickly explained: "If the temperature is too high in summer, the mud bricks will dry out and crack. I heard that it is often windy and rainy in the summer here, which will cause harm to the bricks. On the contrary, the temperature is not bad this season, and I heard there is less wind and less rain, so it is a good time to dry bricks.”

"Oh, then we are lucky." Capito's face relaxed slightly, and he pointed to the pit and asked: "How many bricks can be produced at one time by firing in this pit? How long does it take to bake?"

"About half a month." Clerebus had already considered this issue: "Because we are making thick mud bricks, this kiln can produce about 3...3,000 bricks."

"Is 3,000 yuan enough?"

"...enough to build two kilns." Clerebus calculated with his fingers: "One is for the pottery workshop and the other is for the iron workshop. They are in a hurry now."

Capito sneered: "It takes you two months to make bricks and bake them. You only burn 3,000 bricks at a time, six times a year, and the total is less than 20,000 bricks. There are so many places in the tribe that need bricks. You actually said enough! It’s not enough! You need to build more brick kilns and recruit more people to make bricks and bake them every day to meet the needs of the entire tribe!”

"Huh?" Clerebus was stunned.

"Ah what! Just do as I say. If you have any difficulties, come to me directly. I will ask the leader to help you solve it. But you must promise me that you will produce at least 100,000 bricks a year. Can you do it? Can't do it? Come on, I'll replace you with someone else!" Capito asked loudly without any doubt.

"Yes...I can!" Clerebus replied nervously and excitedly. When he was working tirelessly for others in Sarapia, facing the wind and sun every day, he never thought that one day he would be in charge of an annual output of 100,000 yuan. A brick kiln with tens of thousands of bricks and dozens of workers.

…………………………………………………………………………

In Segestika's main camp, Pulikas walked into the tribal meeting hall. Every time he saw the empty main seat, it made him feel heartbroken.

He quickly moved his eyes to the seat next to the main seat, and made eye contact with Kabudez sitting there, and his expression immediately became serious.

Kabdus stood up on his own initiative and said kindly: "Pulikas, you are here. Come and sit here and drink a glass of water first."

Pulikas did not do as he said, but sat down opposite him and said sarcastically: "Congratulations, Kabdus, you are now the big leader!"

Kabdus's face changed, and he said loudly and sternly: "Don't talk nonsense, there is always only one big leader in Segestica, and that is my heroic nephew - Andres!"

"Oh - you really think so?" Pulikas looked at him sideways, with an expression of disbelief.

"Pulikas, do you think I am willing to temporarily replace Andres to manage the entire tribe?! It's not like you don't know the situation in the tribe now. The family members of the tribe who have lost their husbands and children gather at the door of the main house every day. Crying and fussing;

The tribal leaders and nobles who had escaped from the mercenaries were in trouble because their territorial inheritance rights were taken away by their relatives, and they even asked Andres to take responsibility for this;

We fought two wars with mercenaries before and levied a large amount of supplies from the ethnic groups. Now some ethnic groups have come here crying, saying that their lives are difficult now, and hope to be given some compensation;

Also, since our defeat, the Skordisqi bandits have emerged again and are causing trouble in the north. The tribal leaders from the north have come here one after another crying, hoping that we can send reinforcements immediately to eliminate this group of thieves... …”

Kabudez expressed his bitterness: "It is not easy to solve any trouble here, not to mention so many things piled up together. I am busy dealing with these things every day now, and I can't even spare time for my favorite fishing." , you think I want to be this bullshit acting chief! It’s not like those old guys are crying and begging, saying things like ‘If I don’t do it right, the Segostika tribe will be over…’”

The more Kabdus spoke, the angrier he became, pointing at Pulikas: "And you! Why did you abstain from the election at the last tribal meeting instead of opposing it? If you object, at least a few people must be led by you. , so I can find a reason to refuse. But it would be better for you to abstain, which means I have to stay here every day to deal with these troublesome things! But since you have acquiesced, don’t say such sour words in the future - "