Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

If it weren't for the spare well inside Maple Fort, the garrison would have had to surrender immediately.

By the fourth day of the siege, the rebels' cannons appeared outside Maple Fort.

Seeing the 32-pounder cannons pushed out by the rebels, Major Felter's vision went black.

The last hope of the major was shattered; he realized he had only one path left: negotiate and then conditionally surrender.

However, based on Major Felter's own observations, the rebels seemed poised for a forceful assault—otherwise, there was no need to dig so many trenches; yet they also seemed prepared for a prolonged siege—the double-layered high walls were clearly to ward off external threats.

The唯一thing they lacked was the desire to negotiate.

"Why won't they negotiate with me?" Major Felter asked himself every day, unable to understand.

He looked out at the surroundings, inwardly shouting in despair: "Why won't they negotiate with me?"

Major Felter—or rather the garrison of Maple Fort—had bargaining chips for negotiation.

As the headquarters of the New Reclamation Legion, Maple Fort was not only a fortress but also the warehouse for the New Reclamation Legion, storing gold, arms, and gunpowder that supported the entire legion in battle.

Additionally, as the core defensive stronghold for the Parlatu Army in the Newly Reclaimed Land, Maple Fort had undergone several expansions and fortifications since its completion.

The renovations of 532 corrected the firing angles of each battery, the expansion of 535 built a new triangular fort outside the main bastion, and the repairs of 539 made extensive adjustments to the terrain outside Maple Fort...

As a military engineering project alone, the value of this fortress was immeasurable.

Alder Felter Major had already thought of what his first words would be when negotiating: "Want me to surrender? I'd rather ignite the powder magazine and blow Maple Fort to pieces!"

To deliver this line with absolute certainty, Major Felter had secretly practiced it in front of a mirror many times, perfecting it to the last detail.

Yet, the major waited and waited, until high walls were built outside Maple Fort, until a floating bridge was erected over the Anya River, but the rebel negotiators never came.

As the sun set, Major Felter stood alone on the bastion of Maple Fort.

"Winters Montagne!" The major growled through clenched teeth, lamenting in his heart: "Do you really want me to send Maple Fort to the heavens?"

Major Felter did not know that Winters Montagne, whom he cursed, was right within his line of sight at that moment.

From the higher ground of Maple Fort looking south, one could gaze upon the northern and western vistas of Maplestone City.

Right at the western gate of Maplestone City, where carriages gathered, Winters was conversing with a middle-aged farmer.

Because the western gate controlled by the Iron Peak County Military did not charge passage fees, many farmers took the longer route to enter the city through the western gate.

Thus, from morning till night, the flow of large wagons entering and exiting Maplestone City through the western gate never ceased.

Farmers were anxious to transport their dried grains into Maplestone City, not only because there were warehouses there protected by the city walls, but also because they needed to pay rent and taxes promptly, with no delay tolerated.

"From the south of the city to Maiqiu and Bowpoint Town," the middle-aged farmer, unsure of the young man's identity before him, still cautiously used polite language: "almost all the lands you see belong to the 'lords in the city'."

Winters passed a water bottle over, politely asking: "What are the 'lords in the city'?"

"Naturally, they are the lords living in the city," the middle-aged farmer gratefully took the water bottle and moistened his parched throat: "but they have lots of lands outside the city too."

Winters was not unfamiliar with the situation of city dwellers holding lands outside the city. For example, many farmers in the suburbs of Revodan automatically held citizenship rights for Revodan; they worked outside during the day and returned to rest in the city at night. Though they were "citizens," they were also "farmers."

"Aren't there any self-cultivating farmers around Maplestone City?" Winters asked.

"Not many." The middle-aged farmer shook his head: "All rented from the lords in the city, me included. So when we harvest grain, we have to pay rent overnight, as well as taxes."

"In such a hurry?"

"In a hurry, otherwise, we would incur much more interest."

"Oh?" Winters raised an eyebrow.

The middle-aged farmer explained the intricacies bitterly to Winters: "The official office collects the summer tax on the fourth Monday of May each year, just when we're between seasons. The taxes are fronted by the lords in the city. Once we harvest the grain, we repay the lords in the city, which adds a lot of interest, so we can't afford to delay even a day."

Winters knew that during the lean periods, farmers needed to borrow grain to get by but hadn't expected such an exploitative layer existing around Maplestone City.

He couldn't help but sigh: "Isn't this like bringing back the tax farmers?"

"Who?" The middle-aged farmer asked, puzzled.

"Nothing." Winters smiled slightly and asked, "Who are the lords in the city of Maplestone City?"

"It's not 'who'." The middle-aged farmer quickly waved: "No 'who' 'who'."

Winters adeptly understood the other's meaning: "You mean, not a single person?"

"Yeah, yeah, not a single person." The middle-aged farmer grinned, counting on his fingers: "Wool Guild, Stone Mason Guild... Southern Parish, Northern Parish, Anya Monastery... Local lords, outside lords..."

Finally, the middle-aged farmer slapped his forehead: "But the most land belongs to the official office, and I rent from them too?"

"Official office? What official office?" Winters frowned.

"What else could it be, the official office is the official office." The middle-aged farmer was also bemused: "The New Reclamation Legion."

Winters was first taken aback, then understanding dawned, and finally, he burst into laughter.

The middle-aged farmer facing him was full of confusion, as was the attendant Houdel.

By their side, carts laden with grain continued to stream steadily into Maplestone City.

"If there was a chance for you to own your plot of land," Winters asked softly, "would you accept it?"

The middle-aged farmer bowed his head, and the reply came from a soul long tormented by poverty and want: "I would give anything."

Winters solemnly extended his hand to the middle-aged farmer, shook it firmly, and then stood up with the help of his sword.

"Let's go." Winters said to Houdel.

...

...

[Vernge County]

[Artemis]

At dawn, Major Baltis Yuoroff, the stationed officer in Vernge County, was awakened by the sound of an explosion.

He tumbled out of bed and shoved open the window.

In the distance, the sea-blue banner of the Iron Peak County Military had already been raised against the morning sun upon the city wall.