Iron Power And Sorcerer

Iron Power And Sorcerer Chapter 361

2021-11-09

Chapter 361 Another Hunt (Part 1)
[Empire, Castile, Imperial Family Palace, Hunting Ground]
When the Great Hunt of the Chihe Department came to an end, on the other side of the shaded mountain range—the Castile Peninsula beyond a thousand li, another round of hunting was reaching its climax.

Compared to the spectacular scene where the white lion roared and 30,000 hunters swept the wasteland on the Chihe side, the hunting on the empire side seemed a bit petty, with less than 1,000 servants and servants being used.

However, the reason for this perception is simply because of "contrast".

For the Castilian nobles, even the annual Ascension Mass is less important than the Great Hunt.

Twenty years ago, on the eve of the imperial civil war, the situation was turbulent and the lords of all parties holding heavy troops were silent.

It was the first nobleman from the Castile Peninsula to publicly stand under the banner of [Henry Lieyang], and then charged into battle in the subsequent war of succession to the throne, making great achievements.

In recognition of the loyalty and bravery of the Castilian nobles, the Imperial Family holds a grand hunting event every winter on the Castile peninsula after the crown has been settled.

Even the emperor himself would come to the hunting grounds to watch the ceremony, and for twenty years he had never missed an appointment or had anyone else do it for him.

So every year in the late winter, the large and small nobles of Castile, like migrating fish, put on their most gorgeous hunting clothes and rush to the Imperial Family Palace from all over the peninsula.

Even the landless knights and civilians who are not qualified to participate in the hunting still squeeze their heads and want to enter the hunting grounds and see the emperor's true face.

You must know that the Castilians are known for their bravery and sturdiness on the one hand, but they also have a notorious reputation for being unruly, savage and irritable.

The Castile peninsula is located far from the center of the empire.

In a corner, the Castels naturally lacked reverence for the authority of the emperor.

Therefore, during the reign of Mad King Richard alone, there were no less than seven rebellions in the Castile Peninsula.

After making extraordinary achievements in the War of Succession, the Castilian nobles became more arrogant and more difficult to restrain.

It is all thanks to the emperor's brilliant skill that the Castile faction is neither too large nor out of balance.

In the twenty years since the new emperor ascended the throne, there has not been a single rebellion in the Castile peninsula.

Therefore, the big hunting is not only a good opportunity for the young generation Castilian nobles to show their talents and win the favor of the emperor, but also an important occasion for the Imperial Family to maintain the loyalty of the Castilian nobles and show their favor and friendship.

Especially at this time.

When?
When the Northern Sea route opened.

Before the conquest of the northern kingdoms, transport ships from the empire's far west colonies could only dock at the Castile Peninsula, and then transport gold, silver, slave, tobacco, sugar and other goods to all parts of the empire by land .

As trade on the Western routes grew, shipbuilding also flourished on the Castres Peninsula.

The continuous import of wealth brought unprecedented prosperity to the Castile peninsula, and the Castel nobles gradually lived a life of luxury.

They built luxurious palaces one after another, bought the most expensive Freyman warhorses, decorated the dining table with Veneta's exquisite gold and silver utensils, and used only the most beautiful mountain twill for their clothing.

And supporting all these expenses is the western route.

Now, the Lion of the North has been subdued by Emperor Your Majesty.

The northern route fell into the hands of the emperor, and the two oceans were connected.

Never have to pay exorbitant transit taxes or be intercepted by Northam pirates while passing through the narrow sea.

Wealth from the Far West colonies, too, can no longer be transported by terribly depleted land, but can be reached by boat directly to the shores of the Eastern Sea—closer to the heart of the empire.

The rise of trade routes can bring prosperity, and the disappearance of trade routes will lead to decline.

Some long-sighted Castilian nobles were already disturbed, and they could not help but think that although the emperor gave the Castilians all kinds of honors, he rarely accepted the Castilians into power center.

The Castilian nobles participated in this winter hunt in a gloomy mood, and at this moment they needed to see the emperor's goodwill statement even more urgently.

Some people just don't believe in this evil.

In a tent in the hunting camp, Prince Monta [Richard] was trying to persuade another blonde man.

The blonde man ignores the prince and wears protective gear without saying a word.

The person who can treat the prince like this, and the person who can treat the prince like this, is probably the only one in the empire - Harlan Count, Golden Fleece Knight, the youngest general in the empire, and the prince's childhood Playmate - Siegfried of Harlan.

Prince Richard's persuasion was fruitless, he looked towards another chestnut-haired man angrily and anxiously: "You are his adjutant! Why don't you speak? Fanan!"

"Because it's useless." The chestnut-haired man replied calmly: "Your Highness."

There is probably no one in the world who knows Siegfried better than Fanan, not even Siegfried himself.

So Farnan did not dissuade him from beginning to end, but silently helped Siegfrid wear the greaves.

Siegfried is tall and straight, handsome, and even more heroic when he wears a slim-fitting hunting suit. In contrast, Farnan's appearance is not outstanding, but he is capable and calm, which makes people feel at ease.

Prince Richard's tone became stern: "What is useless? Isn't he the one who listens to you the most?"

"Fannan is right, Your Highness." Seeger Ferd finally said, "Please don't embarrass him."

Seeing Siegfried speak, Prince Richard put away his anger and persuaded as peacefully as possible: "It's just a show, you What can you do against those Castiles? You don't need to prove anything anymore. Winning or losing is meaningless, losing is only shame, do you want to fight this kind of battle?"

Siegpher De stretched out his arms so that Farnan could wrap his wrists, palms, and knuckles with strips of cloth.

"As you said, Your Highness." Siegfried gritted his teeth slightly: "It's just a show."

......

[time Set it back to a quarter of an hour ago]
"Count Harlan?" Duke Tarlac, who held the beast ear, walked past Siegfried triumphantly, and asked casually, "Aren't you going to play? "

The Castilian princes have always looked down on the "new nobles", not to mention Siegfried's humble background, just the son of a poor Knight.

Siegfried ignored Duke Tarlac as if he had not heard of it. He was holding a wine glass, but his eyes drifted to the viewing platform where the Imperial Family was.

Duke Tarlac was about to have a seizure when the chestnut-haired adjutant beside Siegfried took the first step and replied without being arrogant: "Your Excellency, the winter hunting is a stage for Castile athletes to show their style. , how can count compete with the kings of Castile for the protagonist?"

Siegfried was a red man who was hot enough to scald one's hands by the emperor, and Duke Tarlac didn't want to really conflict, so he put The anger spread to Li Fa adjutant.

Duke Tarlac squinted at the chestnut-haired adjutant and asked, "You are Fanan? What they call the 'Shadow of Harlan Count'?"

"Or to put it another way... Duke Tarlac changed the subject and his tone became sarcastic: "Count Harlan's favorite boy?"

Before Fanan could speak, Siegfried turned around and glanced at Duke Tarlac .

If Siegfried's face is like a marble statue carefully carved by a famous teacher, then the three deep lines between his eyebrows at this moment are the scars left by the craftsman's mistake.

The newly promoted Harlan count said coldly: "Your Majesty doesn't allow me to play."

"Really?" Duke Tarlac smiled when he saw the golden retriever being provoked. The victorious gesture left: "What a pity."

Siegfried pursed his lips tightly, and unconsciously put his left hand on the hilt of the sword.

Suddenly, another hand was placed on Siegfried's bracer - it was Farnan, he looked at Siegfried, and looked the head.

It should have ended here, but...

"No wonder." Duke Tarlac, who had gone far, said aloud to himself: "The Hunt in Castile. It's so savage, how could Your Majesty let his male pet take risks?"

...

[time back to the present]
[hunting ground, viewing platform]
Castle Imperial Family Winter hunting has four activities: falconry, falcon hunting, dog hunting and round hunting, among which dog hunting and falcon hunting are horse-riding pursuit, and falconry hunting is on foot.

After the other hunting activities are over, it is the turn of the main event of winter hunting - hunting.

The hunting game of the imperial nobles is similar to the hunting of the Hurds. First, the wild beasts scattered in the forest are gathered together by the servants and servants, and then the hunting ground is surrounded by wooden fences and curtains.

Compared with the hunting grounds in the Chihe part that are nearly ten kilometers in length and width, the hunting grounds for winter hunting in Castile are less than 100 meters in diameter.

Because there is no overlook like Qingqiu, craftsmen will build temporary viewing platforms around the hunting grounds.

The higher the viewing platform, the more distinguished the audience.

The members of the Imperial Family and the princes and nobles have independent viewing platforms. The middle and small nobles who are not qualified to sit are either standing or riding horses, and their status is obvious at a glance.

The largest grandstand belongs to the women of each family, which is a special treat for the ladies.

At this moment, on the highest viewing platform, a young girl is complaining in a low voice: "It's so boring, father, do they have to torture those poor wild boars?"

"Pay attention to your speech." The speaker's voice is soft and beautiful, it should be a lady: "Elizabeth."

The girl curl one's lip: "The father didn't say anything."

p>

The girl's attitude made the lady who disciplined her even more dissatisfied: "Where did you learn this behavior? Your father spoiled you so much that you were about to become a wild girl."

The girl blinked her eyes, took on a helpless cub-like expression, and looked towards the man on the throne: "father..."

The man on the throne showed a smile: "You are the one who angered your mother, don't ask me to help you."

"father!"

"You are always like this, always like this." The voice is soft In addition to being angry, the lady on the throne was also a little sad: "I always want to use your father..."

"Okay." The man on the throne looked towards the lady on the right hand.

The soft and mature female voice came to an abrupt end.

The girl secretly raised her eyebrows like a victory.

This unusual conversation takes place among the most esteemed families in the Empire.

The girl who coquettishes her father is the emperor's eldest daughter and most beloved daughter, Elizabeth Princess. The lady who taught Elizabeth Princess a lesson was Queen Diana.

The man sitting between the Princess and the Queen needless to say, his entire title needs to be written in six hundred and forty-six characters.

So, normally, he would use a simpler title:

Inheritance of the Lord, the Empire, Tannaria, Castile, and Northum are all subject to their territories The sole legitimate monarch, the protector of the Catholic Church, the Supreme Emperor, Henry III.

The emperor at this moment looks strange in the eyes of people who are not familiar with the emperor, because he has lost his majesty and divinity.

And the valet who actually walked at the court would not be surprised, because only by the side of Elizabeth Princess, the emperor will become a mortal.

So you see, when everyone else is sitting quietly and can't breathe, Elizabeth Princess can move her seat next to the emperor's throne, lie on the emperor's lap and complain about the hunt. uninteresting.

The new round of performances has just ended, and young Castilian nobles on horses are rounding the hunting grounds, receiving cheers and blowing kisses.

The Emperor nodded, the Imperial Family flag on the viewing platform was waved three times in appreciation of the gladiators.

After receiving the approval, the young nobleman dismounted next to the corpse of the prey. He pulled out his dagger, cut off the ears and tail of the prey, walked under the viewing platform, and bowed to the emperor.

Elizabeth Princess murmured: "What's so good about a fight between a group of men and a group of wild boars..."

"On the contrary, Her Highness the Princess." Lothair The Duke smiled and walked up to the auditorium: "The most interesting part of the hunting in Castile is the gladiatorial fight between humans and beasts."

......

Why did Duke Tarlac say Cass Tyr hunting "savage"?
The reason is very simple, the highlight of winter hunting in Castile has never been "hunting", but a one-on-one fight between humans and beasts.

When the fire of civilization is only a little bit, fighting beasts is a skill that human beings have to master. In the frescoes of ancient civilizations, a large number of people can be seen fighting with wild beast.

With the development of civilization, human beings gradually got rid of the stage of devour raw meat and fowl and caveman drilling wood. While fighting the wild beast is no longer necessary for survival, humans have retained it as a way to demonstrate prowess.

So in the early history of various civilizations, there are also common records of ceremony fights between people and wild beasts.

A thousand years back, gladiators and wild beasts were a bloody recreation of the citizens of the Ancient Empire.

Three hundred years back, hunting wild beasts was one of the duties of the feudal nobles, and even native lions were killed to extinction.

But to this day, in the continent where the Empire is located, the only place where "fighting beasts" is still regarded as a recreational activity, a way of proving bravery, is the Castile Peninsula.

The disappearance of the custom of fighting beasts, on the one hand, is because the wild beast is becoming less and less, and on the other hand, it is because of the protracted criticism of the Catholic Church.

Theologians of the Catholic Church have always loathed and criticized the practice of fighting animals for fun without regard to the safety of human life.

In the end, only the remote and ignorant Castile Peninsula still retains this "barbaric" and "quaint" custom.

According to the tradition of winter hunting in Castile, weak prey - such as deer, deer, fox, rabbit, fowl, etc. was arrested and killed.

And wild animals—such as wolves, boars, bears—are carefully reserved for use on the last day of the hunt.

The last day of the hunt will be held at the hunting grounds, and all the nobles will come, even the emperor will be there in person.

The beasts will be put into the hunting ring one by one, one stronger and more ferocious than the other.

The Castilian nobles who participated in the last day of the hunt will also take turns entering the hunting ring to fight one-on-one with the beasts.

Fighting beasts is an extremely dangerous challenge, with injuries and deaths not uncommon, but the Castilian nobles never tire of it.

Barbaric? That's savage!
This is the idea of the Castilians deep in one's heart, the more the Catholic Church criticizes the barbarism of "Beast Fighting", the more the Castilians regard it as a symbol of unique and unmatched.

……

[hunting ground, viewing platform]
Seeing that the emperor was in a good mood, Duke Lothair told Princess a story: "Your Highness, you must know, two Ten years ago in the limestone arena, Your Majesty played in person, killing a giant wolf, a bull and a brown bear in a row."

"Huh? Why don't I know?" Elizabeth suddenly became excited. , she took the father's arm: "father, really?"

The emperor smiled and looked the head.

"Of course it's true." Duke Lothair also said with a smile, "and under the watchful eyes of tens of thousands of Castiles. The look of shock and the deafening cheers of the Castilians at that time - I remember it clearly to this day. "

Elizabeth begged the Duke of Lothair: "Tell me more carefully, please!" "

The Duke of Lothair and the Emperor looked at each other and smiled.

Twenty years have passed, and the young prince is now the Emperor of Supreme. The Duke of Lothair is also old— — Still as handsome as ever.

“Let Your Majesty tell you. "The Duke of Lotaire smiled: "Her Highness the Princess. ”

Elizabeth looked towards father , just about to use her skills of housekeeping, when the rhythmic trumpet sounded in the hunting ground - the new Knight entered.

Elizabeth Princess Seeing the father frowned slightly.

Duke Lotaire also immediately noticed the change in the emperor's mood, he looked towards the Knight in the middle of the hunting ground, and also frowned: "Count Harlan? "

Meanwhile, in the middle of the hunting ground.

Siegfried held the reins in his left hand, his lance in his right hand, and controlled the horse with his knees, his eyes fixed on the direction of the stables.

Another horn sounded - it was the turn of the beast to enter.

The barn gates were raised and an incomparable gigantic boar charged towards Siegfried.

[A story about a nobleman and a wild boar that had to be told]
[On June 26, 1515, during a Wang Family celebration at the Château de Chambord, a famous hunting resort in the Loire Valley, King Françoise King Wah I asked for a wild boar that was caught alive nearby, and he would come off the stage in person and perform a good show of wrestling with the wild boar with his bare hands for the lady and other audience present. His idea made his mother and queen turned pale In fright, they knelt on the ground and begged bitterly. The king couldn't resist, so he had to give up this plan and let people put up wooden dummies for everyone to enjoy the wild boar attacking the dummy for fun.

Unexpectedly, the boar's jumping ability was amazing, After turning over the dummy, he jumped over the fence, rushed to the auditorium, rushed to the king, the queen and his mother. This seems to be in Francois's arms. Five or six attendants tried to rush over, but they were all drunk by the king. In front of everyone, he drew out his sword, and at the right moment, he pierced the wild boar that was charging towards him. Dead on the ground (quoted from @Holy Roman Emperor)]
[The case of François I is a successful sample, and there are cases of overturning]
[As for the king himself to fight with wild beast, far There are Roman emperors, and the nearest Spanish kings are Charles V/Carlos I]
[Carlos I grew up in the lowlands, and for the Spaniards he was the "foreign king". So, Carlos I personally fought in the celebrations一头公牛，以此赢得了许多西班牙人的心]
[谢谢大家的阅读、投票！]