This time, it only took the blacksmith's shop three to five days to send over the refurbished parts. Although there wasn't much difference in appearance, as long as they received appropriate heat treatment, they would definitely be much more durable than before. Parts without heat treatment were essentially defective!
William specially assigned the smartest young man in the village to be in charge of maintaining the steam engine, and Norfy also gave him the special title of "driver," which meant managing the steam engine.
The young man named Rayse was quite proud and dedicated to this job. Every day, he followed the "operating instructions" listed by Young Master Norfy to oil, maintain, and clean the steam engine until it was spotless. Because he was one of the only four people in the village who could operate the steam engine, the other three being Lord Rodney, Young Master Norfy, and Steward William, but they rarely did it themselves.
Lord Rodney and Steward William thought this contraption was too advanced and were afraid of damaging it, while Norfy usually only provided theoretical guidance and rarely operated it unless it was for major modifications.
The steam engine replaced cows and horses and became the most important labor force in Scott Village, elevating its status within the village.
But now, Norfy's attention was focused on something more important - steelmaking.
Steel was the foundation of all machinery and the cornerstone of industrialization. Without suitable steel, all the knowledge he possessed would be useless. However, the problem he faced was quite practical - a lack of money.
The Scott family was just a relatively unknown lesser nobility. Perhaps in the eyes of many city gentlemen, they couldn't even be considered nobles. Throughout the year, they could only exchange a mere three to fifty gold coins by selling grain, but they also had to distribute them among the villagers on their estate. Moreover, the Lord's household shouldered the costs of farming equipment and livestock, so less than half of the money ended up in the Baron's pocket.
This amount of money was enough to live a comfortable and worry-free life in Kulun Town, after all, there was no need to worry about food and clothing. But when it came to building a steel-smelting furnace and purchasing iron ore, it became a bit tight for cash.
Furthermore, his father was quite conservative. The steam engine, in essence, didn't cost much money, just a pile of cast iron and a wooden frame. He had managed to save up enough pocket money for half a year to make it. Plus, there were visible benefits. However, asking his father to put out the entire year's harvest to invest in an iron-smelting furnace and a steel-smelting furnace would probably be quite difficult.
With these thoughts in mind, Norfy put down his pencil, leaned back in his chair, and looked up at the sky. He had to find a way to make some money first! However, making money required selling goods, and this small place of Kulun Town could only sell to the neighboring Deli family. They were slightly wealthier than the Scott family, but not by much.
So, Norfy could only consider the nearby city, Raderesin. It was one of the most important cities in the northern Lance Empire, with a population of over four hundred thousand... However, in Norfy's eyes, this forty thousand wasn't much at all. In the Heavenly Empire, it would only be a county town.
But considering the entire vast territory of The Lance Kingdom had a population of only two hundred million, Raderesin, which was in a remote location, was already quite good. Moreover, it was the most important trading hub for fur in The Lance Kingdom. Large numbers of mercenaries hunted various beasts in the vast northern coniferous forests and then brought them to Raderesin to trade with southern fur merchants.
After that, through a long waterway, they rushed to the northern port of Vannhanna before the Kurz River froze, and from there, they took a sea ship across the tumultuous Seno Strait, then traveled a short distance by land, finally reaching their destination, the royal capital Vanecole.
It could be said that the journey was extremely perilous. A piece of fur purchased from a mercenary would go through countless twists and turns before finally arriving at the fur workshop outside the capital Vanecole. Additionally, the price would have increased by more than four times.
A piece of high-quality fox fur peeled off in late autumn in Raderesin may only be worth ten silver coins. It would then sit in a warehouse for half a year, waiting for spring when the Kurz River thawed, then set off and arrive at the destination in August to be processed into luxurious fur coats for the nobles to wear during winter. By this time, the price would have risen to almost eighty silver coins. A good fur coat could cost as little as seven or eight gold coins, or as much as over twenty gold coins, which was roughly equivalent to the Scott family's annual income.
Land transportation was not impossible, but it was not safe along the way. Magical beasts and bandits were potential threats. The cost of feed, accommodations, tolls, and various expenses were too high. Moreover, it would take over two months of traveling, so these fur merchants generally chose to transport their goods by water while they traveled by land, creating a time lag.In April every spring, Laderexin closely monitored his goods being transported to the capital city to prevent any tampering. Then in June, he would contact buyers in the capital city and arrange for the shipment. After that, he would instruct his assistants to prepare for the harvest in August. He would return to Laderexin during this time, and the months of August to October were the season for collecting skins, as fur became more valuable in the deep autumn. After arranging the warehouses, it would already be early winter. Some chose to return to the warm south to enjoy themselves, while others simply stayed in Laderexin for the winter, as the cycle started again with the shipment in spring. They were constantly on the go throughout the year, which was quite laborious.
But Norfy always felt that this was a profitable business, as they dealt with tens of thousands of fur skins every year, which were reportedly in high demand in the south. Moreover, fur traders were all quite wealthy, so it was not difficult to make money from them. However, the key issue was, what were they most urgently in need of? Only by understanding customers' needs, identifying their pain points, and tailoring products accordingly, could one have the most competitive and profitable products.
It was currently spring, the time when fur shipments began. In previous years, there would be many vessels passing through the section of the Koltz River near Kulun Town, heavily loaded with goods. Many children would run along the embankment alongside the ships. Thinking of this, Norfy pressed the copper bell on the table, and shortly after, William walked in. He respectfully bowed and asked softly, "Young master, do you have any orders?"
"Let's go to Laderexin! I remember my father had some good friends from the southern army who are now fur merchants in the capital. Are they about to arrange the shipping soon?" Norfy asked.
William smiled and replied, "Are you referring to Mr. Hilton and Mr. Niemann? A few days ago, the master received a letter from them. They will be here in about four or five days, and after participating in the spring hunt together, they will proceed to Laderexin to arrange the shipment. Are you also interested in the fur business, young master?"
After listening, Norfy pondered for a moment. "Hmm~ I am interested, yes, quite interested. But not in fur business, more in other things. Hmm~ Can you speak to my father and ask if after Uncle Hilton and Uncle Niemann arrive, they can talk to me about the fur business?"
William bowed again. "Of course, I will go and speak with the master. I believe Mr. Hilton and Mr. Niemann will also be interested in the young master's ideas!"
