Imperial Crown

"Hey——!"

On the castle wall, Weisdong threw a stone far away, and it landed in the yard with a bang.

A private soldier was frightened and distracted, and Eric who came over immediately whipped him three times: "What are you looking at? You are in the queue now, and the training ground is the battlefield! In the future, when you go to the battlefield, will you still look around like this? Hold your guns tight!"

After saying that, Eric raised his head, looked at Weisdong with a gloomy look, and continued to train the team.

After he turned around, Weisdong made a big grimace, and then laughed out loud.

Wesdong has been very happy recently.

Not only because he escaped the boring lessons of the private tutor, but most importantly, he can see all kinds of jokes.

Raven's training process can be said to be his source of happiness. He never gets tired of watching it, and there are new tricks every day.

For example, on the second day of training, early in the morning, those private soldiers stood in the yard, with their chests and heads held high, and it really looked like that.

As a result, the true colors were exposed at the beginning of the drill. With the slogan "Look to the right", the twelve heads in a class could turn in eight different directions!

Raven was also whimsical. He actually asked these serfs to put their left leather shoes on their right hands and start marching in place. He also invented a slogan: "Cowhide on the right, human skin on the left!"

What surprised Weisdong even more was that those human-shaped animals could actually shout out such a slogan without any aesthetic sense.

The thing he was most proud of was that when they shouted the slogan, he would say "Cowhide on the left, human skin on the right".

The effect was very good. Just shouting it could make these people mess up for most of the day.

But he only shouted it that once.

Because Raven's fist was also very effective, his left eye was swollen for three days.

Unexpectedly, in just these three days, those guys who were originally like animals really distinguished between left and right.

And just for this simple achievement, Raven was willing to buy a sheep for them to eat, and Raven roasted it himself!

The aroma was so tempting that it made Visdon lose his appetite for the bacon in his hand. But the damned Raven didn't give him meat, but only two bones.

This was an insult to him!

Although the bones were really fragrant...

After distinguishing the left and the right, according to Raven, these soldiers were to be trained in "queues".

To be specific, these people were to be arranged in columns in squads, and then start walking while maintaining the formation.

This time, before they made any mistakes, Raven found a way. He got three five- or six-meter-long sticks from somewhere and asked these people to hold the sticks in their hands together, and keep the amplitude of the sticks consistent when walking.

There was no need for Visdon to mess up this part. These people were having a lot of fun when they held the sticks and moved.

As soon as Eric shouted "go", two of the three sticks flew out directly, almost hitting Raven; another one didn't fly up to the sky, but directly stuck into the ground, and scratched the fingers of two private soldiers.

It took two days just to be able to walk with the pole, and then there were all kinds of troubles.

Some people only focused on the movements of their hands and forgot to move their legs, and ended up being dragged on the ground; some people swung their hands together and hit the crotch of the person behind them and then started fighting; some were too nervous and jumped up while walking...

There were so many tricks, only people could not think of it, but they could do it.

Sometimes Weisdong even forgot to eat, and his whole spirit was immersed in it - it was much more fun than watching a circus.

This fun lasted until two days ago, which was the eighth day of the training, because the next was the very boring "military posture" session.

Under the leadership of Eric, these people wore full leather armor, held long spears in their hands, and stood there straight. Anyone who stood not straight or had a crooked long spear in his hand would be whipped immediately.

And at this time, Raven also went into the kitchen. I don’t know what he was busy with. Anyway, no one except the chef could see him.

This was also the most boring time for Weisdong, but he soon found a new way to play.

Since Raven was not around, no one could control him at all, so he would yell around these soldiers, deliberately distracting them, and then be beaten by Eric until they cried for their parents!

Seeing them being beaten so aggrieved and unable to cry, Weisdong was really happy.

It was so enjoyable!

They deserved it, who asked them to be private soldiers for Raven, the guy who stole my title, so they should suffer!

Who are you going to bully today?

Weisdong raised a sly smile at the corner of his mouth, grabbed a prepared stone in his hand, and looked down at the target.

This stone was carefully selected by him. It was the size of a cantaloupe and round in shape. It must be able to be thrown far away, and it would never be just a loud noise to scare people like the previous times.

That big guy? Too stupid, boring; that white-haired guy? Too ugly, no sense of accomplishment... Got it!

His eyes were fixed on a handsome young man with light golden curly hair.

It was him!

He was a lowly person but he looked better than me, and he was appointed as the "squad leader" who commanded twelve people. This was intolerable!

It was because he disliked Simon that Weston deliberately targeted the people in his class, resulting in the training results not meeting expectations. Just last night, he was punished and was not allowed to eat dinner. He stood in the yard with a gun until midnight. My sister came to visit and went back crying.

As a result, instead of looking down on him, the people in his class were even more convinced by him. What's the truth? ?

Today, I will give you a beautiful one that will make your face bloom!

Thinking of this, Vesdon spread his legs slightly and threw the stone in his hand with all his strength!

Eric turned around when he heard the noise and wanted to stop it but it was too late: "Simon, squat down!"

Simon was about to move, but he hesitated and didn't move away. The stone hit him on the head with a bang, and blood flowed down the gaps in the leather helmet, dyeing his face red, and then his whole body fell softly. Down.

Eric rushed forward, hugged the person in his arms, and asked nervously: "How are you doing? Can you talk? Is something okay!?"

"No...it's okay...sir!" Simon's lips trembled and he said weakly: "It's just...a little...dizzy..."

"You clearly heard it just now, why didn't you run away!?" Eric asked.

Simon coughed lightly: "Because, if you avoid it... you will hurt my comrade..."

Hearing this, Eric's eyes were filled with anger. He raised his head and looked at the city wall: "Veston! Get down here!"

Vesdon was startled, and then he scratched his neck and shouted: "I am a member of the Griffith family, you have no right to deal with me!"

Then he muttered in a low voice: "Just a pariah...what's the big deal..."

Eric's lips trembled: "Everyone stand where they are and have a rest. Goyle, go and invite Priest Lux over; Link, go and invite Master Vesdon to me. Don't let me go until I come back." He leaves!"

With that said, Eric picked up Simon and returned to the castle, placing him in a guest room. As soon as he took off the leather helmet on Simon's head, along with the gurgling blood, there was a bloody wound the size of a walnut. Just reveal it.

"Huh..." Eric breathed a sigh of relief and began to simply bandage Simon's wound.

Simon is his favorite among this group of private soldiers. He has good understanding and intelligence, and is simple and loyal. He can carry out any order well, and he attaches great importance to the friendship of comrades. On the battlefield, you can completely Give him the back.

Fortunately, the wound was not fatal, otherwise it would be a shame.

After briefly bandaging, Eric walked through the hall and came to the kitchen. The moment his hand touched the door, he hesitated.

Does this matter really bother Lord Raven?

After all, Vesdon is his brother in name. Will he deal with this matter impartially?

After a brief hesitation, he pushed the door open and was almost smoked back.

What does this smell like? ?

The fishy smell of cows and pigs, the pungent sour smell, and an indescribable smell that was like dirt in the belly button made Eric's tears flow all over his face.

Chef Poirot came up and closed the door, and then handed a piece of linen soaked in water to Eric's hand. The latter took it and quickly covered his nose. Only then did the latter feel alive again, making a roaring sound. Asked: "Where is Lord Raven?"

Poirot pointed to the stove: "No, it's right there."

There was indeed a man squatting in front of the stove. He was wearing a chef's robe that was yellowed by smoke, and his face was covered with a thick layer of gauze. He was slowly stirring in an oak basin with a large wooden spoon.

Eric rubbed his eyes: "Is this Master Raven?"

"It's absolutely true." Poirot said with a hint of dissatisfaction: "If someone else was messing around like this in the kitchen, I would have kicked him out a long time ago!"

Finally finding an outlet to vent, Poirot began to complain endlessly: "Sir Eric, Lord Raven, he is really too much!"

"The good lard and butter, I saved little by little and used them to make delicious food, but they were all wasted by him!"

He pointed to the things piled in the corner: "Thirty kilograms of lard and fifty kilograms of butter have turned into these rags!"

Looking along his fingers, Eric was immediately shocked.

What the hell are these! ?

Tuos were piled in the corner, one piece gray, one piece black, one piece yellow, the surface was wrinkled, and there were continuous cracking lines in some places, it looked like a big puddle of... shit!

Lord Raven's stomach is so good! ?

"He said this is the kind of thing called... oh yes, it's used by rich people in the city, called soap! Although I don't go to Meng En City very often, I often go to Goldshire. I know him!"

Poirot walked over, reached out and grabbed a piece, put it in his hand and said it in front of Eric: "Other people's soaps are all transparent and clean after washing, but do you smell it, what does it smell like!?"

When he said this, Eric also felt that this thing was indeed somewhat similar to soap. He removed the gauze covering his mouth and took a sip. His eyes suddenly froze, and then he moved the gauze away with lightning speed. go back.

In this short moment, he seemed to have stuck his nose into a pile of cow dung, and there were at least six cows running happily in his mind.

Eric was filled with doubts.

Two days ago, Raven said he had found a way to make a fortune, and then got into the kitchen. Could this be it?

Although soap is easy to use, its sales are very average. A palm-sized piece costs fifty copper coins, which is unaffordable for ordinary families.

Even if Raven finds a way to make soap and solves the problem of the stench, Eagle Town currently does not have enough manpower.

If it is a small workshop-style production, the income will probably be very limited. A profit of more than ten gold coins a year is about the same, and it is not worth investing so much time.

Eric was about to step forward to persuade him when he saw Raven glance at him and said, "If no one dies, wait until I finish it."

Raven has always known Eric's calmness, but what he has to do now is too important to allow any distraction.

The piles of things in the corner are indeed soap, but this is not Raven's ultimate goal.

At this time, he was stirring a basin of lime water. The main component of quicklime is calcium oxide, which reacts with water to produce calcium hydroxide.

Raven seemed to have returned to the chemistry experiment class in his previous life, pouring quicklime into the basin in small amounts and multiple times. He would pause for a while after each addition, and wait until the temperature in the basin dropped a little before continuing.

The reaction between quicklime and water would release a lot of heat, and he didn't want to blow up the pot at this time.

With the accumulation of the previous two days, Raven was already familiar with this step. Next, under Poirot's hateful eyes, he picked up a can of baking soda and poured it in little by little, stirring as he poured.

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate.

Until half of the basin of liquid turned into a turbid texture like mud, he slowly stopped and carefully took out an open glass flask from under the table.

Due to the needs of magic and alchemy experiments, glass already exists in this world, but most of it is not of high purity and has a lot of impurities. Most of the windows of Eagle Castle use this inferior product.

The high-purity glass used to make the flask is very valuable. Although it only has a capacity of one liter, the price is as high as two gold coins. Together with the funnel, the separator, and fifty filter papers, the total price is as high as five gold coins, and it is not available yet.

Raven started working two days ago just to wait for it.

"Calcium hydroxide, mixed with sodium bicarbonate, heated to produce sodium hydroxide..." Raven muttered words that only he could understand, but his movements were very methodical.

First, put a cast iron pot on the stove and pour half of the water into it; then put a deep ceramic plate in it, add a certain amount of water, and then put the flask in it, and add the mixed liquid in the wooden basin into the flask until it is about two-thirds of the way.

The stoves of this era cannot control the heat so conveniently, and Raven is not a master of chemistry. This is to prevent the flask from exploding directly due to excessive heat.

Two gold coins, don't dare to let it break!

Staring at the reaction in the flask, Raven shouted, "Poirot, go watch the pot over there, don't burn the lard again!"

"I'm a chef, how can I not even cook the lard well!" Poirot complained in a low voice, but still walked to the stove next to him and continued to cook the lard.

The liquid in the flask gradually boiled, and small and dense bubbles appeared. Some white debris could be seen falling from the liquid to the bottom of the flask - that was the calcium carbonate generated by the reaction of calcium hydroxide and sodium carbonate.

Raven stared closely until there was no new calcium carbonate staring at him, and quickly brought out the ceramic plate and put it on the table, turning back and asking, "How is the lard?"

"It's done, sir." Poirot said in a silly voice.

"Then take it out first, don't overcook it." Raven ordered, and took out the funnel and a conical flask, put filter paper on the funnel, and carefully poured the liquid on the upper layer of the open flask into it with a wooden spoon.

After filtering, a bottle of turbid liquid slowly turned into half a bottle of extremely clear solution, which looked no different from water.

"Sir, what are you doing?" Eric was a little confused, and walked up and stretched out his hand to touch it.

"Don't move!" Raven's voice suddenly became sharp: "You are not allowed to touch anything here without my permission!"

The main component of the liquid in the open flask is sodium hydroxide, which is commonly known as caustic soda.

Its corrosiveness is not inferior to sulfuric acid at all!

"Poirot, bring the lard over." Raven ordered.

Eric was very curious at this time, and took the lard from Poirot and put it on the table.

Raven gently pushed the person away, holding the conical flask in one hand and the wooden spoon in the other, pouring the sodium bicarbonate in little by little, and began to stir after pouring a little.

"Oh--" Eric exclaimed, because right in front of him, a magical scene appeared.

As the liquid in the flask fell into the hot oil bit by bit, tiny brown-yellow particles condensed from it. At first, they looked like dust, but as more liquid was poured in, the yellow particles became more and more numerous and dense, and finally turned into pieces of goose feathers that sank to the bottom of the bucket.

"Sir, is this the legendary alchemy?"

……