Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 1680 - 1198: European Craftsmanship, the Blacksmith Shop of the Middle Ages

"Oh, Almighty Vizilopo! The quality of this iron is very good, truly excellent! ... Tsk tsk, when the smoke rises without any strange colors, I know it's really good iron!..."

"Ah? Esteemed Bishop of Cipangu, you say you want to make ironware? ... Well, that can't be rushed. The forge isn't built yet, and the iron anvil for iron forging needs to be recast, which is a time-consuming process. Of course, a stone platform can be used temporarily, although it's not very convenient... Also, honorable sir, my blacksmithing tools are still on the ship, packed in that heaviest wooden box... Could you ask the red-haired knight's retainer to return it to me? I beg of you!..."

The dawn appeared on the eastern horizon, and blue smoke rose from the open-air furnace. Goldsmith Carlo, covered in soot, had his face smeared with the black ash from the charcoal fire. To refine this batch of iron, he hadn't slept properly for a day and a night, and now he could barely keep his eyes open. But the village chief of the natives and the bishop of Cipangu had unexpectedly come to inspect the iron smelting process! This made him tense, forcing him to bow and scrape, just like serving the nobility.

"Praise Vizilopo! Look, this is the iron-smelting furnace, yes, like a beehive! The bottom layer of this beehive is filled with loose kindling. The middle-lower section has an air blower vent to push air in. Above that is a layer of charcoal about forearm-high, and another layer of small pieces of iron ore of similar height, stacked in pairs so that the iron ore is thoroughly smelted..."

"Yes, yes! This is how the bellows blow air, a push and a pull... This is the craftsmanship of Carpenter Antonio, sealed with a layer of leather and made incredibly well... Ah! The wind blows through this vent in the middle, allowing the upper and lower ore to be melted... What's that? How exactly does it burn inside the furnace? Uh, this, this question..."

"Ah Tie, answer properly! This is the Tomato Shaman personally sent by the Great Chief of the God of Death! If you don't answer well, I'll beat you into tomato juice..." 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Red-haired Cha Bo squinted and shouted at Carlo. Although Carlo didn't understand all of the words, he saw the red-haired retainer reaching for the rattan at his waist, making him shiver instantly, even his drowsiness was scared away.

For the past few months, he had been frequently whipped with this rattan, soaked in salty sea water, leaving unforgettable pain deep in his bones. Not only him, but all the captured and surrendered sailors felt their knees weaken and shivered uncontrollably at the sight of the red-haired retainers' rattan.

"Ah! Blow, blow hard! Um, the middle of the bellows furnace gets very hot... The kindling below will slowly burn away, and the molten iron in the middle will sink. Then, the iron ore at the top will come to the center, melting and smelting in turn... Like this, keep blowing until the end, when there's leftover charcoal at the furnace's bottom, slag in the middle, and sponge iron on top, with remaining iron ore at the very top..."

"Hmm, yes! A furnace of several hundred pounds of iron ore and charcoal only yields about a hundred pounds of iron. After that, it's time to hammer at the forge... Ah, yes! This is how it is, heat it up, and hammer repeatedly on the iron anvil... like... like 'ping ping pang pang ding ding dong dong'!"

Goldsmith Carlo, with a fawning smile, demonstrated by the hot beehive furnace. He was bare-chested, revealing his hairy, muscular torso as sweat streamed down, his bowed stance making him somewhat resemble a swimming bear in the wilderness.

Beside him was the most common beehive furnace found in Iberian Peninsula blacksmiths of this era. The entire furnace was just over two meters tall, with a smoke vent for filling material on top, a blower vent in the middle, and a solid furnace bottom.

This iron smelting furnace didn't seem very remarkable, seemingly smaller than the previous vertical smelting furnace constructed in Iron Bay Town, but its technical details and actual efficiency in iron smelting far surpassed the kingdom's furnaces! After all, this is the product of nearly a thousand years of traditions among European blacksmiths, a craft truly passed down from generation to generation. Many construction and operational details are ingrained in the minds of true veteran blacksmiths, not something that can be mastered in just a few years of exploration!

Of course, it's already the Renaissance era, with new iron smelting innovations emerging one after another. On the Italian Peninsula and in the German States, iron smelting blast furnaces have been built as tall as seven or eight meters, even over ten meters high. Their pig iron output is several magnitudes greater than the small furnaces used by blacksmiths! Thus, in places like Italy and the German States, especially in trade-oriented cities, many blacksmiths no longer smelt pig iron but prefer to buy ready-made iron for forging.

However, as a conservative technological haven like the Iberian Peninsula, where the Alhambra Decree has been issued, persecuting Jewish heresy and Moore heretics, burning witches and Devil's believers, is the most important task for devout Castilians! As for these unimportant new technological reforms, they are always a step behind. Well, maybe not just a step behind...

"It's just the most common iron smelting furnace, found everywhere in the peninsula's blacksmiths, not like the newly emerging blast furnaces in Italy's commercial city-states... Why do these Cipangu Natives, even their highest-ranking native bishop, act as if they've never seen one before?..."

Goldsmith Carlo was gesticulating with effort, smiling obsequiously, introducing the details of the furnace to the esteemed native bishop. Yet, in his heart, he secretly cursed, until he met the gaze of the Red-haired Cha Bo, shivering suddenly.

"Oh, Almighty! These Xipangu natives may have primitive and backward iron smelting technology, but wielding bronze weapons, they are still fiercely barbaric fighters! These dyed-haired knightly retainers are savage and brutal in battle, fighting to cut off heads... and often forcing people to drink blood wine, engraving evil runes on foreheads... is this really Xipangu? Where in the East is this, darn it?!"

Thinking of this, Carlo's forehead ached faintly once more, and his stomach began to twitch. The bird pattern of the Chief Divine was deeply engraved on his forehead, leaving a dark red, congealed scar. And that night, when everyone was forced to convert by blood oath, the evil red-haired retainer directly killed an injured sailor, mixing the warm blood with wine, forcing it upon them! Ugh... even more, the native priest's apprentice cut off their hair, with some even severing fingers and throwing them into a burning fire... then chanting terrifying spells, casting a devil's curse on their souls!...

"Ah! Truly wicked devil natives! I must have been blinded by dog dung and fooled by that idiot Columbus to be spirited onto the oceanic galleon, arriving at such a devilish place!..."

Carlo cursed in his heart, yet dared not show a hint of disrespect on his face. At this moment, his heart was full of regret, though if given another chance to choose again!... Alas, he feared he would still board the oceanic galleon.

After all, the Holy War on the Peninsula had ended, and blacksmith work significantly decreased. Though he had some savings and wished to open a blacksmith shop in a decent large city, he couldn't obtain the guild's permission. Only by joining the Queen's exploration fleet and returning with accomplishments, would he have the chance to squeeze into the city and gain a footing...

"Oh, fate bestowed by the Almighty!... Ah? Reverend Bishop, praise Vizilopo!... Ahem, you inquired about these? These are iron smelting tools, not for iron forging... See here, the bellows for air, the water trough for holding water, the shovel for scooping iron ore, the tongs for gripping slag, the rake for raking iron, the poker for stoking the fire... As for this bucket? It needs to be filled with cold water for extinguishing and quenching!..."

"Oh, Vizilopo of the Almighty! All these iron smelting tools, I spent the last month or two forging each one. Though a bit rough, they can suffice for now... Oh, oh! Carpenter Antonio indeed helped a lot! He's standing over there, the one wearing a wooden plaque, that's him..."

"Praise be to you! Distinguished Xipangu Bishop! Praise Vizilopo!..."

Carpenter Antonio bowed, repeatedly saluting the "Bishop Sir," his old face smiling like a blooming flower. He wore a wooden plaque, which bore a very abstract, simple drawing of wood, clearly the work of the Dog Descendant Warriors. Carlo similarly had a wooden plaque, just depicting a strangely shaped hammer, representing his identity as a blacksmith.

Beside him, Sailor Chief Qia Chu's plaque showed a sword and a cable, distinctly marking him as a warrior able to fight and a sailor capable of handling sails. Sailor Chief Bartolome, who was tossed into the sea and captured by the Fish Bay Tribe, bore similar symbols, with an added pipe, indicating he could operate the matchlock gun.

As for hiding on the other side, clearly distancing himself from Bartolome, was Columbus's brother-in-law, Guard Chief Alana, who was captured falling into the Great Water Bay. His plaque depicted a pipe and a strange blob of "honey," though what it signifies is uncertain.

Beside Alana were two more people, one being Gonzalo, captured by the Fish Bay Tribe, an arrow through his knee, his plaque showed both a cable and a pipe. As for the last one, captured by the You Shui Tribe, the small Chabo who sent glass beads had a plaque with a cable and a turkey.

"Ah, praise the Almighty of Vizilopo! My chest!..."

Soon, two Kingdom's Warriors arrived from the northern port carrying a heavy wooden chest. Seeing this chest, Goldsmith Carlo was instantly moved to tears. Inside were his forging tools, handed down by his forefathers, the very tools that fed him! Not to mention, secretly tucked in a shoeshine box within was a small pouch containing nearly a hundred grams of gold sand!