Iron Power And Sorcerer

Iron Power And Sorcerer Chapter 374

2021-12-10

Chapter 374 White Eagle Mansion
When the sun sinks into the mountains, but the sky is not yet darkened , Winters and Anna arrive at [Bolso da Este]'s mansion.

Seeing the white eagle coat of arms painted on the carriage, the guards opened the door and let them go.

In the North City of Steel Castle, the most valuable thing is land. After entering the gate of Esther's mansion, you have to pass through a garden to reach the main building.

"Is this a mansion?" Winters glanced at the low, well-tended coniferous bushes on both sides of the corridor, and raised his eyebrows lightly: "It's not a palace?"

Mr. Ed was surprised It is not surprising to explain: "The Flora people control the business of Steel Castle in Veneta, and the White Eagle family dominates the Flora. But after all, they are not Steel Castle people and are not eligible to be elected to the executive committee, so they use this method. It's not hard to understand the status... Considering the appreciation of the land over the past two decades, the sale is actually profitable."

"What about the sea blue?" Winters asked.

"In the iron trade, the Navarre Trading Company and other sea blue people are small players, not worth mentioning." The wrinkles at the corners of Mr. Ed's eyes deepened: "Besides, only Florentines will be obsessed with the pomp of upstarts."

As soon as this remark came out, Anna also covered her lips and chuckled - it seems that no matter when and where, regional discrimination jokes always make listeners understand The magic of a smile.

It's no wonder that some allies commented so meanly: Whenever the Hailan people meet and chat, they always take one third time to insult the Flora people, and then take one third time to insult the Baihuacheng people , and then take out one third time to insult the other allied city-states one by one, and the last little time left will be used to talk about serious business.

However, Winters, who has been studying in Union Province for many years, took a while to understand the joke.

The carriage stopped outside the foyer, Mr. Ed nodded and got off first.

Only the "Barons" were left in the car. Anna, who was sitting beside Winters, was suddenly hesitant, and showed a rare trace of panic.

Winters took Anna's hand, squeezed it, and said nothing.

If a human lives in the open field for too long, when he returns to the city, he will have inexplicable fear and discomfort.

It was a feeling of being disconnected from the world, or the shock of "stepping from one world to another".

Winters knows this, and every time he returns to a "civilized society", he has to adapt silently for a long time.

Anna looked towards Winters, the two didn't need to speak, they just met eyes, and what Winters wanted to say had already been confided to Anna.

Anna smiled nodded, so Winters shook Anna's hand lightly again and stepped out of the carriage.

Anna, who remained in the carriage, took a deep breath, then smiled decently, and stepped off the carriage with the hand handed over by Winters.

The exterior of the main building of the Esther Mansion is decorated with stone pillars, arches and reliefs, which is solemn and solemn. It is completely different from the Monta style of "narrow windows and thick walls". The wealthy manor on the outskirts of the city is no different.

It was as if a god had used his might to move a building from Veneta forcibly to Steelcastle.

Looking at the brightly lit Esther mansion, Winters had the illusion of being in a sea blue.

However, Veneta houses are popular with high doors and promenades to ventilate and dissipate heat, while Monta people's houses use thick walls and narrow windows to keep warm from the cold.

Carman, alone in the second carriage, appears behind Winters. Seeing Winters standing still, Kaman frowned and asked, "What's wrong with [old language]?"

"[old language] is okay." Winters shook his head and extended the hand to Anna.

Anna grabbed Winters, the two smiled at each other, and walked into the front door.

As soon as he entered the building, Winters realized that his thoughts were completely superfluous: the inside is not only not cold, but comfortable and warm, completely different from the outside.

Winters instinctively surveyed the terrain and found that the Esther mansion, while sticking to the Veneta style on the outside, had undergone extensive changes on the inside to suit the climate of the Land of the Mountains.

For example, where the naked eye of doors, windows and walls can be seen, no air leakage can be found. Where there may be gaps, felt strips are carefully sealed, and even the door frame and the edge of the gate are nailed with thick wool.

The large windows facing the garden are spliced with one-foot-square transparent glass, making the ballroom more spacious and transparent visually, similar to the window structure of the Navarre Manor.

But the difference with Navarre Manor is that Winters only found out after entering the door - Este Manor has built a two-story outer wall ingeniously.

The exterior walls of the two floors are exactly the same, with glass windows, which not only ensure daylight, but also keep out the cold and heat. Between the walls is a corridor that can accommodate three people in parallel, covered with dark red carpets.

Winters gave a self-deprecating laugh.

Ana asked with her eyes.

Winters turned her head slightly and whispered to Anna: "[Old saying] Isn't it interesting to question the mason's ability to make a living with a little cleverness?"

Anna asked in a coherent voice: "[Old saying] slang] this house?"

Winters nods.

In fact, the real brilliant design of the Esther House, Winters has not yet discovered.

In a location that Winters couldn't see, inside the heavy stone walls, the master mason who built the house laid circulation pipes using the technique of culverts.

As long as the fire in the water tower is burning, the hot water can flow through the building like blood, driving the chill out of the halls and bedrooms.

It is because of those heat-emitting walls that the Esther House maintains the comfortable temperature of a summer evening in the cold wind whistling.

"But the windows are too big, too many, and they're not good for defense," Winters thought. "The bushes in the garden also serve as cover for attackers. If I were to guard this place, the first thing I would do would be to dig out those Eye-catching tree. The stone house itself is strong enough, uh . What are you thinking again?" Kaman asked lukewarmly, and he said with particular force: "[Old phrase] Lord Baron."

"[Old phrase] I also thought of some happy things. ' Winters replied with a smile.

At the sound of the attendant's announcement, Winters took Anna through the second door and entered the hall.

It should be that the guests have not yet arrived, and the hall decorated with brocades and sculptures is slightly empty.

A black-haired man in his early thirties got up from the soft couch, got out of the chattering circle by the fireplace, and moved towards Winters and Anna.

The black hair man wears an embroidered jacket and tight-fitting stockings, his upper lip and chin are neatly shaved, and his hair is meticulously combed. He's not fat, but he can't be called strong, and he's a little sluggish when he walks - probably because of his overdose.

His face showed a pampered "paleness" that is characteristic of skin that has not been exposed to the sun or shaved by the cold wind.

Although his temperament is slightly weak and slender, the black-haired man has a calm and confident smile on his face.

If there is no accident, he should be the owner of this mansion - the owned "White Eagle".

The black-haired man walked right up to Winters and Anna, watching Anna unabashedly.

It is unquestionably offensive to "look at" a "married" woman for extended periods of time, especially when her "husband" is standing next to her.

Yet the black-haired man looked up and down Anna recklessly, as if Winters didn't exist at all.

It took a moment for the black-haired man to withdraw his aggressive gaze, but he still kept his eyes on Anna.

He first greeted Anna with a languid Flora accent: "[Old language] noble lady, even Flora on the coast of the Inner Sea and the steel castle beyond a thousand li , your bravery, wisdom, and beauty... I've heard of it too."

Winters didn't react, and Karman, who was accompanying him, was frowned.

The greeting of the other party seems to be just a polite word, but to those who know the inside story, "brave", "wisdom" and "beauty" all have hidden meaning and innuendo.

Kaman stared at Winters' back with concern, holding the holy emblem in secret, his fingertips trembling slightly.

Anna was calm, smiled and asked: "[Old language] So my wisdom and beauty can only be ranked after courage? Mr. Esther?"

White Eagle startled, Immediately showed a real smile.

"[Old saying] no no no, venerable lady, your wisdom is far superior to your courage." Bai Ying took Anna's hand with his characteristic intimacy and dashing gesture, bowed his head and kissed lightly: "[Old saying] Your beauty is even better than your wisdom."

"[Old saying] Thank you." Anna lifted her skirt and returned the greeting sweetly.

At this time, other guests were present, Bai Ying politely greeted Winters a few words, and set off to greet the new guests.

Kaman's long exhales one breath saying, Winters looked back at Kaman strangely.

"[Old language] Let's go." Anna pulled Winters' arm lightly, with a lively smile on the corner of her mouth: "[Old language] Let's go and admire the collection of the 'Flora People'."

Speaking, Anna led Winters to the edge of the hall and inspected the paintings hanging by White Eagle one by one.

……

I don’t know why, it seems that the cleaner the wall is, the more it needs to be decorated. It seems that human beings feel uncomfortable when they see the bare wall.

In the choice of decorations, imperial aristocrats prefer weapons, armor and spills of war, while Veneta and United Provinces mostly use paintings.

Paintings can be further subdivided. Most converts to Protestantism prefer still life paintings, where flowers, apples and even bread baskets can be placed in the frame; or they record the moments of life: the maid pouring milk, the housewife returning from the market...

Photo In contrast, Veneta, who is predominantly Catholic, prefers religious themes, recreating stories from scriptures with brushes; and historical themes, such as the return of St. Mark's remains.

The reasons for the different preferences for paintings are closely related to the social atmosphere.

The Veneta disliked still lifes with a dull subject matter and uninteresting content; the same would never have been possible for the Interprovinians to display the topless, scantily clad ancient Goddess on the wall.

Just as the Veneta people hate the Conservative and stubbornness of the Union province, and the Union province despise the Veneta people for their extravagance and lasciviousness.

Of course, neither still lifes nor religious paintings are really mainstream subjects.

The paintings that really dominate, now hanging on the walls of the hall of Esther's mansion, staring straight at Winters and Anna, they are - portraits.

......

When she saw the ninth — and possibly the tenth — portrait of the "White Eagle", Anna commented: "[ Old language] Hmm... very 'Florian' style.

In the context of the sea blue inhabitants, [Flora] and [Head Chief] are similar, both with a vulgarity , low-class, and upstart.

The fact that Hailan and Flora people dislike each other has a long history, and the most direct reason is of course the trade disputes in the city-state era. But if you look closely , even dating back to several of the ancient Era wars.

However, a veteran victim of territorial discrimination, Winters has no particular hostility toward the Flora. Provincials usually put all the Veneta in one basket, all the same as debauched as debauched and extravagant.

Winters decided to be fair: "[Old saying] several portraits That's it. "

"[Old saying] not just a few portraits, my lord. Anna corrected with a smile: "[Old language] From the point of view of technique, it's hard to tell that the first few colored paintings are human, at least two hundred years old... Probably from the hands of a slave painter. "

"[Old language] So? "

"[Old language] For two hundred years, except for the accumulation of dust, there is almost no fading paint, what would it be? ”

A sudden unease came to Winters. Ms. Navarre would not ask off-the-shelf questions, and if she did, it would be proof that Winters knew the answer...or should have remembered.

Winters searched and found the answer in the corner of memory: "[Old language] Lapis Lazuli. "

"[Old saying] Yes, isn't it enough Flores to have a clumsy painter paint with precious Lapis Lazuli?" "Anna smiled and praised: "[Old language] I only told you once, and you still remember it. "

Winters coughs softly: "[Old phrase] twice." Once at Seablue, when I was buying paintings for you after the celebration parade; another at Mitchell Manor, Wolf Town. "

Anna didn't speak any more, just pulled Winters' arms tighter.

Kaman behind the two had a dark face and asked gruffly: "[Old language] Can I go get something to drink? Lord Baron? "

"[Old idiom] Can cultivators drink too?" " Winters asked deliberately.

"[Old phrase] Sure. "Kaman was expressionless: "[Old language] But I just want to drink ice water now. "

After finishing speaking, Kaman bowed and saluted, striding to the other end of the hall.

After Kaman left, Anna pulled Winters to look at a few more paintings, feeling a little bored : "[Old sayings] are all portraits of 'Da Est', don't look at them. "

Winters glanced around the hall, jokingly said: "[Old language] So many portraits, could it be that the white eagle brought all the white eagles here?" "

"[Old saying] Because paint is expensive. "Anna said as it should be by rights: "[Old saying] painters do not paint for themselves, but for employers, and naturally there are many portraits. There may be dozens of sketches behind a complete coloring work, and those sketches without paint are the works that really belong to the artist himself. ”

Remembering the unpainted line art in Anna’s portfolio, Winters woke up from a dream. He wanted to say something in remorse, but finally swallowed his apology.

"[Old saying] I can also paint a portrait of you. "Anna whispered lightly said: "[Old language] Free. "

Winters, who was still annoyed just now, was suddenly recalled by some terrifying memories, and he shook his head vigorously: "[Old language] no no no, no, I'll talk about it when I have time, I'll talk about it later..."

"[Old language] Humph. Anna's tone was full of disappointment, she reminded in a long voice: "[Old language] In the future, we will have time. "

"[Old saying] That's right, why the rush?" "Winters agreed immediately.

Anna squeezed Winters' arm, suddenly sighed, and said with a smile, "[Old language] Alright! I should hand you over! "

"[Old language] hand over? " Winters puzzled: "What does [old phrase] mean? "

"[Old saying] You have a circle of gentlemen, I have circle of ladies, it's time to hand you over to someone else." "

Winters understood what Anna meant, but he wanted to stay with Anna a little longer: "[Old phrase] I just want to be with you." "

Anna's cheeks rose red: "[Old language] In this case, if I keep pestering you, I will be called jealous, and you will be regarded as guilt." So go talk to other gentlemen, go chase other ladies. "

Next to Winters' ear, Anna added kindly, "[Old language] Try it if you dare." "

"[Old language] Don't know why. "This time it was Winters' turn to blush: "[Old phrase] You make me feel so cute the way you are now, and I'm even trying to make you angry by deliberately courting other ladies." "

Anna was anxious and angry, and blurted out in her native language: "I'm leaving!" "

Anna turned and walked away from Winters as well. She walked past the men who had stepped out of the way to the sofa beside the silver samovar, and soon became part of the conversation of the ladies.

I'm the only one left -- Winters quickly realized that.

In all fairness, Bolso da Este, although he had a magnificent mansion, was not a competent host, especially when compared to Madame Navarre. when.

Mrs. Navarre makes every guest feel welcome, every chatter is in the right circle, and everyone doesn't feel left out.

Borso couldn't do it, or he was too lazy to do it.

So he didn't introduce "Granache Baron" to anyone else, and he didn't bother to put Mr. Baron in the right place. Taking the initiative to get up and greet him and say a few polite words is already his greatest respect.

Not counting internal banquets during the military academy, Winters' public social appearances can be counted on one's fingers. Guests who are new to the social scene encounter irresponsible hosts, and the results can be imagined.

And so, Winters found himself hanging out.

Carol Ed was talking with some other old men; Anna was among the ladies of Steelcastle, barely discernible from Veneta; even Carman was at the end of the hall Chatting with people at the long table.

Winters judged the situation, and he would either go to Kaman for a drink, or casually blend into a small circle of chatting, or stay where he was and continue to admire the majesty of the White Eagles.

While he was still thinking about the less painful way, a servant of the Ester family walked up to him and said politely: "Your Excellency, please follow me. Sir wants to see you."

"[Old phrase] Who wants to see me?" Winters asked.

The servant blinked in confusion and said again, "Please follow me, Your Excellency. A gentleman wants to see you."

Winters laughed and took out a gold coin: "[old phrase] answer my question, it's yours."

The servant looked at the gold coin, then at the Winters, and repeated the third time as clearly as possible: "Your Excellency, please follow me. A gentleman wants to see you."

Winters thought for a moment, knocked the gold coin in the palm of his hand, nodded.

The servant led the way, Winters followed guardedly, and the two left the hall one after the other.

At the end of the corridor between the two exterior walls, Winters finally saw the true face of the inviter—a tall, thin middle-aged man with tired eyes.

On the windowsill in front of the middle-aged man is a wine bottle, a wine glass and a bucket of ice cubes.

There is also a wine glass in the hands of the middle-aged man, which has run out of pale-gold liquid.

The middle-aged man filled himself with half a glass of wine and filled the empty glass with half of it, signaling Winters to take it away.

Winters has no action.

The middle-aged man smiled, took a sip from the glass in his hand, and handed it to Winters.

Even so, Winters just took the wine glass with his left hand - the gold coin was still knocked on the palm of his right hand.

The middle-aged man picked up the unused wine glass, sipped it, looked towards the garden outside the window, and asked casually, "Which period are you from?"

"[Old] What?"

"Don't play stupid." The middle-aged man glanced at Winters, took off a ring and placed it on the windowsill, with a mocking smile: "Which issue of Army Academy? ?"

[Should it be a big chapter? ]
[About painting, before the popularity of cheap paints, painting was an expensive job. Different from the image of today's artists, the artists of the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the early bourgeois revolution were more like "craftsmen"]
[Because whether painting or sculpture, the client placed the order first, and then the artist would start. For example, Michelangelo was invited to paint the ceiling of the Vatican, and he was invited to create a statue of Lamentation of Christ]
[Few painters - usually those of rich families - were free to create, most of them were Doing a title essay. Because no one pays for free creation. Rembrandt's "Night Watch" was originally a propositional composition for portraiture, but it was improvised and painted by Rembrandt as "Patrol". Today we regard it as a masterpiece, but at that time Rembrandt's employers were furious, which directly led to Rembrandt's reputation dropped a thousand zhang in one fall, and finally spent his later years in poverty]
[So that era Only famous artists left so many portraits, because portrait painting is a very common business, many painters earn bread by painting portraits, and the daily tasks of court painters are also painting portraits]
Painter, what should I do? ]
[One, no coloring (most painters will leave a lot of uncolored sketches or essays)]
[Second, use cheap paints, blue is expensive, so you don’t need blue; purple is expensive, then Just don't use purple. Indigo can still be used (but organic pigments will gradually fade due to oxidation)]
[Thank you for your collection, reading, subscription, recommendation tickets, monthly tickets, rewards and comments, thank you everyone]


(end of this chapter)