At the end of the Tang Dynasty, it was a feudal town, but in Western Europe

Chapter 275 An Luo Mountain and Concubine Fa

The faint floral fragrance has a blue-pink breath, and a few butterflies reflect the colorful sunlight and circle around Fastrada.

Although Fastelada's hair is brown, under the sunlight, it has a somewhat golden texture, fluttering in the wind.

Sitting on a bench outside the tavern, Fastelada sipped the wine lightly. Two servants held wine jugs and poured wine into her copper cup. A new house was being built directly opposite her.

Several workers stood on the scaffold, hanging bricks with ropes, moving them up and down. They stepped on the edge of the central column of the house and carefully covered the brick house with tiles.

Since the brick kiln workshop in Hamburg is nearby, the price of building materials in this area, such as bricks, cement and tiles, is not high, even for some wealthy free citizens, and Feng Sen also exempted property taxes, which caused some wealthy Many free citizens began to buy houses in the city one after another, attracting a large number of people from the surrounding areas.

Not only wealthy free citizens, but also some businessmen and even Jews have also started to buy land and houses in Hamburg for the sake of purchasing assets. Today, the population of Hamburg has exceeded the 1 mark.

A town with a population of [-] can be regarded as a middle county even in the Central Plains. Most of the population of [-] has been out of agricultural production. This has led to the fact that the grain produced by several nearby villages and towns is not even enough, and they have to buy grain from the upper reaches of the Elbe River.

Coupled with the merchants who came to buy and sell food in Hamburg, the floating population made Hamburg feel a bit crowded.

Fastrada pointed to the house in front of him and asked, "Whose house is this?"

Lizheng Old Hans' voice was trembling with nervousness on the side: "This is a house bought by Leip Thousand Households. It is designed to be used as a hotel in the future, and it belongs to the collective assets of the flagmen. Except for keeping a part of the income every year to maintain operations, the rest will be distributed to the flagmen of Leip Thousand Households."

Fastelada glanced at the two-storey house that was taking shape: "They raised their own money?"

Old Hans replied, "Almost."

"The Duke of Saxony is doing well." Stepping on the hard brick floor, Fastelada actually felt a little envious. You know, the place where she lives, although it is also called a city, has only about 2000 people.

That city is completely an enlarged version of the manor. Inside the city, there are weeds and wasteland everywhere. All kinds of livestock, cattle and sheep walk around on the ground. The ground is mixed with mud and dung. It is only good to be in your own mansion. a little.

So, since marrying Charlie, Fastelada has been living in Paderborn's palace, which is cleaner and cooler.

Fastrada is not a person who likes to travel around. Traveling in the Middle Ages is a dangerous and extravagant behavior. Except for those lowly businessmen, who would travel around?

But when she came to Hamburg on this trip, she came with a mission.

The first purpose is to complete the task of the Lord...Charlie, Charlie hinted in the letter, to entrust her with the stability of his children and the surrounding area, that is, to ask her to help monitor and suppress those high-ranking dukes.

After all, if it is the earl, he can still be compelled by the power of the inspectors and royal envoys, but for the dukes, the royal envoys and inspectors are nothing.

The second task is to declare her position as queen, to let everyone know that she is a queen, and the power of being a queen is unlimited, just like a monarch.

Although Feng Sen is Charlie's adopted son and godson, nothing can be trusted on the throne, and sometimes Fastelada can even feel that Charlie doesn't completely trust her.

The so-called lonely family is nothing more than this.

The first stop was in Hamburg because Feng Sen was the object of the Queen's wooing and wooing. Her last birth was a daughter, which made her very disappointed. But if she could give birth to a son, these high-ranking dukes would be happy. Support will be very important.

Feng Sen is a foreign minister, very young, and he must also need the support of the court, but in this alliance, Fastelada must ensure that she is in the top position, so she must first suppress, then appease, and hold this new star in the Frankish land in her hands.

"May you live forever and be young forever. Your Royal Highness, I salute you. I am the Duke of Saxony, Anthony Forrest von Losan." A thick and slightly hoarse voice came from the side, and Fasterada turned his head to look.

But two lovely flower girls came up. With innocent smiles, they presented flowers and amber necklaces to Fastrada: "Welcome, welcome, sister, you are so beautiful!"

Behind the two flower girls, a young man in a linen robe was walking slowly.

It was a tall and strong young man, even as tall as Charlie, with brows set hard, eyes shining like stars, and a short sensitive beard around his mouth, but he still had a handsome face.

Looking at Feng Sen's face and feeling the hardness of the amber in his hand, Fastrada's ears felt a little hot for no reason, and his words subconsciously softened a bit: "Okay, you are Charlie's godson, you know that I have become a queen, but you don't want to, eh, you don't want to come to see me, but you want me to come to see you?

I am obviously a queen, where is the respect I should have received?The distant frontier is nothing more than that, and they don't even know anything about the nearby territory. "

Who are you?Shouldn't I report to Charlie about me being a duke?What kind of hook are you?

"It's really because I didn't think carefully." Feng Sen immediately said seriously, "From this month, I will send you the monthly official report of Saxony. After you return to Paderborn, I will Visit you personally with the apology, Your Majesty the Queen."

Licking her lips, Fastrada unconsciously showed a smile on her face. After all, she was only 20 years old this year, and she couldn't hide too much thought: "It doesn't have to be so formal, I just want to see your loyalty. You and Charlie are called father and son, and he even called him Carolingian. We are also family."

"Then please allow me a small request." Seeing Fastelada's relaxed attitude, Feng Sen immediately hit the snake with the stick, bowed and said, "According to the rules, I should have called you stepmother, but that's too real. It seems that you are too old, you are still very young, so can I presumptuously call you Sister Fastelada?"

Fastrada was taken aback for a moment, apparently not thinking of Feng Sen's words, but then her face darkened instantly, her brows stood upright, and she immediately shouted: "Bold, I am the queen, how dare you use such a title?"

"Forgive my nonsense, you are so young and beautiful, I can't bear to call such a beautiful and young woman an old-fashioned stepmother." The compliments flowed out of Feng Sen's mouth, and he was a little surprised when he learned these things.

Could it be that the most attractive feature before the latest one is at work?After all, in addition to attractiveness, temperament and speech are also very important.

"Then, then call me aunt." Fastelada really didn't like the old-fashioned address, after thinking for a while, he pretended to be careless and said.

"Okay, Aunt Fastrada." Feng Sen smiled immediately, "To express my apologies, I have prepared a welcome ceremony and a simple afternoon tea for you in my mansion in advance, I hope You can do me a favor, please."

Nodding, Fasterrada just wanted to speak, but, but she didn't know which sentence stabbed her, one second she was still smiling, and the next second her face sank inexplicably, then she snorted coldly, turned her head and walked over Feng Sen walked towards the mansion.

Helplessly, he winked at Wei Xunzhi who was behind him, and Feng Sen led the horse and followed her with a smile.

"What a loser." Seeing Fastrada leaving, Zhang Shicheng said dissatisfiedly, "Let such a woman train me!"

Han Shizhong laughed lightly: "Worry, it's a wimp, but a man can bend and stretch, so Concubine Yang Gui is younger than An Lushan, and he still calls her mother?"

"It's hard to compare." Wei Xunzhi said with a frown on the side, "but the queen is moody, this trip is obviously looking for trouble, it doesn't look like a fool, we have to be careful recently, don't let her get caught."

276 The alliance between Concubine Fa and An Luoshan

In the bedroom of the side room, several servants held hot towels and wiped Feng Sen's broad back. He had just finished exercising in the morning and was sweating profusely.

A small official stared at the document in his hand and reported carefully: "In the past few days, Queen Fastrada went to the dam of Chen Gongyan, the village outside the city, the Tianfu Tower, the port, and is still in business. I went around the workshop and the factories outside the city.

Everyone had cleaned up in advance, and even the pine tar workshop simply stopped working. The queen didn't say anything, but she seemed to have some complaints about the Heavenly Father Tower. "

"Oh? Really?" Feng Sen picked up the clothes from the servant, put them on, and asked casually, "What exactly did she say?"

"I didn't hear clearly, but someone with sharp eyes said that she was not satisfied with this pagoda, oh no, Tianfu Pagoda, and even a little disdainful."

"Understood." Feng Sen waved his hand. After saluting with a book, the petty official left the bedroom, and No.2 petty official also came up, "How is Goslar?"

"I'm handsome, Goslar managed to find ore veins after getting the new batch of craftsmen who knew how to prospect ore. There are two in total. One is the surface mine, but it was basically mined in Roman times, but there is also a shallow mine, which has already been explored."

"That's right! But don't say anything for now, understand?" Feng Sen said to the little official, "You continue to go to the Salzgitter Ridge to explore the iron ore, as before, don't let others find out what you are here for ,Understand?"

"clear."

After seeing off the little official who came from Goslar, Feng Sen's backlog of depression these days has been reduced a bit. The queen has lived here for more than ten days, and can randomly increase his blood pressure every day.

Sometimes Feng Sen really doesn't understand her brain circuit. After a day of probing, he basically understands Fasterada's purpose, but the method is really not good.

Being unforgiving with your mouth will only make the person being wooed feel insulted, but not doing anything with your hands will only make the person who should have been beaten think you are weak.

This kind of knife-mouthed bean curd heart, if you change your heart to a duke who has no ghosts or a bad temper, it is estimated that he would have quarreled with Fasterada by this time, and even quarreled in front of Charlie.

Sighing, Feng Sen walked towards his study, but he couldn't help but think of the situation in Goslar. The Ramersberg Mine in Goslar is indeed a comprehensive mine with a lot of reserves. Because of the wealth it produces, it even became the capital of the Holy Roman Empire in later generations.

But at present, due to mining technology, the Ramersberg mine is still a virgin mine that has not been deeply excavated. The investment in its development is not inferior to the salt mine area and Chengongyan that Feng Sen mined in Kalkberg.

The money in hand now is not insufficient, but in the future he will need to expand the operations of the West Britain Company, pay high wages to dental soldiers, and mine the important Salzgitter iron ore. Everything is very important and requires a lot of money.

Therefore, the mining of the Ramersberg mine can be put on hold for a while.

Just as Feng Sen came to his study with his head down, he saw several servants of Fastrada standing outside the door, while Li Baojing stood aside with slightly red eyes.

Feng Sen's eyelids twitched, and then he strode over to Li Baojing's side. Her clothes were a little messy, and she seemed to have been dragged by others before, and the dust on the clothes and the red marks on her wrists also confirmed this.

Taking out a handkerchief and handing it to Li Baojing, Feng Sen said with a smile: "You go, go back and freshen up, I'll give you half a day off."

Li Baojing picked up the handkerchief, nodded, and was about to leave. When she passed Feng Sen, she suddenly heard an inaudible soft voice: "Whoever moves a hand, write it down."

Li Baojing paused, and nodded with a movement that was difficult for others to detect, while Feng Sen put on a smile all over his face and walked into the study.

"I'm sorry, Auntie." Feng Sen strode away to his study, "I practice martial arts, writing and knight skills every morning. If I knew you were coming here, I would have come to receive you in advance."

Fastelada closed a document casually: "The messenger I sent to Eupolite to inquire has returned, and there was indeed a rebellion at that time, and the king's heir was cut off, so it was really a last resort for you to send troops.

As for the reports and reasons you wrote, I have also read them. I appreciate your attitude of defending righteousness, but this is not a reason for you to attack Frankish allies without permission. Frank needs to make an attitude and guarantee for our allies.

So, hereby, by the authority bestowed upon me by the Father, and by the commission bestowed upon me by the great and honorable King Charles of the Franks, I pass sentence on your deeds—five days of penitence in church, and a fine of six thousand solidars! "

The couple really dared to ask for it, so they did.

It's not that Feng Sen can't afford this amount of gold coins, but it's still the previous problem. Having surplus now doesn't mean that there will be surplus in the future. In the future, farmland, iron mines, and wages for soldiers and craftsmen will not cost money.

And this amount is a bit huge. The ransom for killing a dignitary is only 1800 Solidars. Now this killing is just a small chief of the ally next door, and the fine is nearly three times more.

However, Feng Sen didn't panic. He knew that since Fasterada was trying to form an alliance with him, she would not make things difficult for him if she also extended an olive branch.

Putting on a frowning posture, Feng Sen replied: "I am willing to accept such a punishment, but the fine is too high. I really can't get it out for six thousand gold coins."

Fastelada pretended to be casual and said casually: "It doesn't matter, you can pay in kind first, I think your loom is pretty good."

The atmosphere in the room turned cold in an instant, and the smiles on the faces of the small officials who had been apologetic gradually faded away. Although Feng Sen was smiling, he didn't reply, and the originally smooth conversation fell silent in an instant.

At this time, even the relatives and friends accompanying Fastelada felt that something was wrong, and a servant even coughed slightly.

Sitting on a solid wooden chair, Fastrada was unmoved: "How about it? How about my proposal?"

"Hahahahahaha." Feng Sen laughed loudly, "You are joking, this is His Royal Highness Charlie's property, in other words, it is also yours, how can I give you your property as an apology?"

Hearing the stress on the word Charlie in Feng Sen's words, Fasterada raised his eyebrows, and his face gradually turned gloomy.

"How about this, Aunt Fastelada, how about I pledge the shares of the West Britain Company? I have made an oath before the heavenly father that these technologies must first be spread to the hands of the seventeen merchants, and I cannot break the contract.

But, if you will, I can keep a woolen workshop in Flanders, and in Europa, where the best quality wool is now produced, is where Austrasia and Friesland meet.

I will grant looms to those merchants of the West Britain Company, and let them open woolen workshops in Flanders. The people I send can help build and manage them, and impart technology. The workshop will be completely under your control. "

"Yo, is that so?" Fastelada said with a bit of yin and yang, "Can these things be mortgaged for fines? Why are they all for your own benefit?"

Feng Sen replied solemnly: "Auntie, it's like this, don't you think I don't have money? If you don't have money, go to earn money. You have the best wool supply in the whole of Frank, but you waste the supply in the hands of poor farmers.

But if you can support me to open a woolen workshop in Flanders, I can earn money to pay the fine, and you can also gain income and respect. This is a win-win thing. "

"Hmph, I, I..." Fastelada didn't know why he was a little impatient, and even his face was slightly red, "How can I participate in the affairs of merchants, it's not honorable..."

Seeing her muttering and speechless, Feng Sen had a flash of inspiration, and immediately said: "You didn't participate in the affairs of merchants, I did, but in order to show you respect and The cost of renting the land pays you these.

Your Highness Fastrada, you are my aunt, and you should know that, for various reasons, I am obliged to stay in Saxony, away from the court of King Charles.

I know that many of my vassals are hostile and ridiculed because of the fact that I awarded honors to businessmen, and even spoke bad words in front of Charlie. I know that Charlie is a wise king who can distinguish right from wrong, but he can’t stand up to the people below, yes I make small means.Before Charlie can react, hurt me.

I do this, in fact, to ask you to help me, I need you to inform me when someone tries to slander me, let me prepare in advance, and give me a chance to defend myself.I think you are such a person. "

"I don't have that much power." Fastelada's nervous expression eased a lot, "I only have one daughter, no son, and no power in the court..."

"You will definitely give birth to a prince for King Charlie. As long as our friendship lasts, I will support him and protect him." Feng Sen said awe-inspiringly.

Chapter 277 Shipbuilding in Hamburg

Fasterrada has been in Hamburg for more than a week. After receiving Feng Sen's promise, she finally left with satisfaction. Her next destination is Thuringia.

However, Feng Sen heard about an episode. On the queen's way to Thuringia, she passed by the Sorbs' territory and was robbed by a group of Sorbs.

Although the queen herself was not injured, several servants around her died, and even the hand of her younger brother who was traveling with her was cut off.

But this has nothing to do with Feng Sen, absolutely nothing to do with it.

As for the suffocated queen, it is unknown what will happen when she arrives at Hadrad. Feng Sen still has other things to do.

After sending off the queen and comforting Li Baojing, according to the schedule, Feng Sen will go to inspect his important industry, which is the shipbuilding industry. In Western Europe where roads are completely damaged, sea and river transportation are important transportation methods for merchants.

Before Feng Sen recruited many Norse shipwrights from Scandinavia, he had to admit that in this era, the Norse shipbuilding techniques, especially in sailing and sea-going ships, were absolutely ahead of the Western Europeans .

After spreading out the plates of industry, commerce and salt mines, Feng Sen's centralized industry and commerce gathered a large amount of precious metal currency for him. Therefore, at the end of last year, four docks stood up on the Alster River and lined up neatly by the river.

The dark green thatch seems to have been painted with a pen, and in front of the rushing river, on the Ulster Bridge built by Chen Chongyi, the wheels of the carriage rolled over the stones on the bridge deck, making a creaking sound.

Not far from the dock, there is also a large warehouse, in which there are shade-dried oak logs. Originally, these shipbuilding logs have to be dried in the shade for more than ten years, at least two and a half to three years.

But Feng Sen urgently needs a boat now, so it was dried in the shade and dried in the sun, and it was put into use in about a year. Although this shortened the age of the boat, it couldn't be controlled so much.

When these old ships are scrapped, the new good ships should have been launched after drying in the shade.

Stepping on the wild flowers and grass, Feng Sen walked slowly to the river, looked at the Knar merchant ship moored by the bank, and fell into deep thought.

So far, these four dockyards have produced four knar ships. They are all made in the same way as the dragon head warships, using overlapping clinker techniques. This is a very popular Nordic merchant ship in the future. But it is still not famous.

The so-called knar is an Old Norse word meaning long sea voyage.

During the period of Viking expansion, this kind of knall ship was the designated merchant ship of Viking pirates. It was most common in the Baltic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, but by the end of the Norman Conquest, they could even be seen in the Mediterranean Sea.

Knall ships often trade across the North Atlantic Ocean. The Vikings carried livestock such as sheep and horses, and transported goods and supplies to the Nordic settlements in Iceland, Greenland, and Vinland. Maybe when the Vikings arrived in the Americas, it was Went on a knall boat.

Led by several shipwrights, Feng Sen came to a dock. In the dock, several shipwrights were lying on the ground, using pine tar and a kind of gray mortar to fill and connect the gaps between the ship's planks.

Beside the ship, there is also a row of low stone tables, which are the special work area for carpenters. A dozen carpenters are holding planes, saws and ink fountains to make wood into usable planks.

Passing through the carpenter's work area, I came to the center of the dock, supported by seven or eight shelves, and a group of shipwrights held various tools, knocking on the hull or applying pine tar.

The knar boat in front of him has not yet been launched into the water, but it has already taken shape. Feng Sen reached out and tapped on the solid wood side of the boat, and the hull made a dull thumping sound.