Banished Prince Charming

Chapter 76 - Fodder Smells Too Good!

"We could chop the trees down, sir, to make space for the building. My mates are good at cutting down trees and we can pass it to the mill to make planks." the young engineer proposed and it seems a very good idea at the moment.

"Besides, it only takes two men to drag these logs to the mill. One to pull the other would place branches underneath so that it would roll almost effortlessly across the ground."

"That almost gave me an idea. This is going to be a small project. Gather some engineers around, if you please." as soon as the young engineers heard it, he gathered some of his mates to meet me and have an impromptu meeting for things to come.

"Look at the wagon now. It's front and back wheels are almost fixed, meaning if someone wants to park these wagon properly or traversed if met with a dead-end or something, it would be quite a frustrating task right? Why don't you design a small wagon, that could be traversed easily instead of going back and forth to 'park' in the right manner?"

"Design a small one that could fit 6-foot long lumber with two to two and a half foot wide base. Front wheels able to traversed easily by using something that could make it turn slightly to the left and right. Preferably about 10 to 15 degrees."

"A fixed pulling handle would be used as a guide, much like the yoke of the horses. Pull it slightly to the sides would move the front wheels to the left and right. Do you get what I mean? Like a rudder of a ship to steer it to move left and right."

The idea made them realise that the wheels would be able to last longer as it won't be sliding on the ground and require less maintenance. Besides, it would prevent a wagon from overturning if a horse happens to make a sharp left or right turn.

By making the front wheels ability to slightly move left and right, a horse could be made to turn sharply during standstill and this would make the wagon move towards where the horse is facing. Wonderful idea...! A suggestion that would spark the enthusiasm of these engineers.

In short, it covers less ground to face the wagon about rather than making the horse and wagon move a fairly large arc to move it around.

"Alright, discuss with the ministers for the design of this small wagons, the removal of trees and relocation of the stables."

"The stables would be a large one with a 2 or more additional spares for new horses. It should be well covered and also a place for them to roam about if not harnessed to the paddocks."

"The paddocks would have a 2 horses width inside each individual one and also a place for them to lie down. By the way, do these draught horses ever need to lie down to sleep like us?"

"Hahaha. These horses would be sleeping down on their bellies if they are in their paddock and in familiar surroundings and animals." replied an engineer who is quite knowledgeable with these prey animals.

"Of course, they would be most comfortable to lie down on the ground, sir. Other than that, since these horses have a straight back, they would normally lock their legs and goes into sleep as well."

"Out in the pastures, a few horses would lie on the ground to sleep while one or two would be sleeping while standing, more like Horse-watchmen. They would support their necks on each other to be able to stand up immediate at the first signs of danger."

After getting this new piece of information, I let the engineers draft a blueprint for the stables as well as the size of the paddocks accordingly to their best of knowledge. Most importantly the horses would be comfortable, including the new handheld wagon implementations.

"Guess I better dig out my savings before they build the new house or else I would not be able to save them from being forever buried underground then." I thought to myself as I went around the corners of the house to dig up 4 pouches that were literally caked with earth and mud.

"Oh my golly, Mars...! You are making a mess in the house with your mud trodden feet and those yucky things in your hands. What are those? Are those bones of boar's trotters that Sir Blackie had buried before? Oh, my golly... It is so icky...!"

Heather was literally screaming when she saw mud footprints the moment I entered the house and was carrying those pouches in my hand and was dropping bits of soil as I walked around it. I placed the pouches in the corner and gestured her to assist me to lift the study table inside and closed the doorway.

"Look... I want you to count every single silver and copper as well as the cold coins that I had stashed on the very first day this house is built. Plus these as well..." I jingle her my personal pouch that I carried in case I wanted to make purchases for any incoming merchants or whatsoever.

"OK... But you are making a mess in the floor...!" Heather looked in horror as I walked about casually. "Once you had counted them, compile all the gold coins in a single pouch. The silvers remain as it is in the wooden c.h.e.s.t while the coppers would be in another pouch. There are a few large pouches in my leather knapsack over there. I leave my trust in you to do this task, Heidi."

"Alright Mars, can I wash these pouches and dry them to be reused later on?" Heather asked as she shook the soil onto the floor since there's harm adding a bit more fur since I had covered the floor with it initially!

"No problem to it, Heidi. This is the future of GraceHaven, I need to go and ask about the flags and other matters. We would be moving to our temporary housing together at residential lots with the rest of the citizens soon."

She flashed her smile at me and knew that I had sacrificed tremendously for the sake of the citizens of GraceHaven.

=*=

Meanwhile at the loom.

"Good morn, Innes. How is the crest on the flag coming round? I like this spacious tailor and look combo. Oh hello Chadwell, you've decided to work on it also despite moments of silence?"

"Good morn too, sir. Ah... I seemed to hit a snag here by making the 4' by 2' flag. The black area here couldn't be a square unless I made a 5' by 4' flag for the main flagpole in the windmill area. A 4' by 2' would be just right as a war flag, sir." Innes explained as she made an example to compare the size of the black patch where the two-headed eagle would be.

"Alright, I would go by your idea then. 1 large flag, followed by these 2 war flag that would adorn the main gate where the merchants would be coming from. So far I noticed no merchants would be coming in from the left and right sides instead near the livestock enclosures as well as the initial farmlands."

"Thank you, sir, you may find out more from the engineers since they are well versed in these lands," Innes replied as she continued to work on the design of the two-headed eagles with its wing spread wide.

"Sir, I hope you won't mind me working in the loom despite its observing a moment of silence. I would like to finish my work before I cut off the ends here to indicate that I have completed a 10' by 10' sunshade screen that you had ordered to make. In other words... "

"Never put off things that can be completed today for tomorrow...Am I right to conclude that, Chadwell?" I observed her work's commitment and decided to voice my opinions on it.

"That's right, sir. I don't like things to be hanging for tomorrow if I can complete it. By the way, sir, thank you..."

"Eh? Why are you thanking me for? Don't worry... It is part of building the community. You should know that all the sales proceeds from all the things the citizens make will go back into the sheds, that would be filled with grains and flour, kegs of ale and also other stuff."

"You may not be holding on to any coins but all of you definitely would have a lot of food to go round," I explained as I was afraid that these simple-minded citizens might be thinking I am taking advantage of them.

To them, work equals to coins and they might think I am hoarding the coins to myself. That's the reason the token system would be implemented and have to be launched soonest possible. If they have coins, how are they going about to spend them? Buy back the products that I had purchased? Sigh...

"I am thanking you because of my little baby girl and also my only boy. He says you are his hero. The first day he steps here he said you are a good man and I believed him. My eldest daughter, even though she is 7, but her mentality is a little bit slow due to the nutrients she lacked when she is still unborn."

"Oh... I am sure he has his reasons for saying so. Well then, finish your work and then move out to help the rest. Innes, you too alright? It won't be right if the two of you are working and the rest are busy preparing the midday sympathy meal. I will leave you too then, thank you for your efforts."

"Alright, sir..." they both choruses in unison as I stepped out from the tailor and loom store and went to the bakery right across the courtyard. I can see steam coming out from the rear vents and a terrific aroma of bread that was specially made some for the horses and some for the pigs.

These two bread were slightly identical and the only thing missing was the internal organs of the boar that was chopped and minced with the remaining ingredient and those are for the pigs.

The horses would have more grains added to it and were sweetened with either fruits or cane sugar. I laughed when I asked for half a loaf and were told these were for the horses and pigs. "But they smelled so delicious... If I am a pig or a horse, I insist on having half a loaf from you... Hahaha." I made light of the embarrassing situation and all the bakers were laughing along too.

"So this bakery sure needs a lot of hands, innit? 5 bakers, altogether it seems that your daughters do come under your strict supervision then, Jennings?"

"Yes sir, this bakery has me, my two girls, Kensington and Innes' daughter. The five of us would be able to handle these and since I am guiding them on how to make the perfect dough, the bread would be almost flaky and no oily feeling as well."

"2 pounds of flour, half a pint of hot water, a bit of salt and a ladle of animal fat with some gluten. Mix gradually and once it becomes uniform, let it sit for a while using a damp cloth and you could start making at least 8 loaves of bread or bread with fillings."

"Very interesting... So it's less oily and when used with fillings, it crispy on the outside and soft, mushy and delicious on the insides. This is the bread that we are making for both the two livestock. These 2 ovens are made for the pigs and these 2 are for the horses once they are ready, Crystal would put them in the handcart and sent it over." Jennings explained as I nodded my head and thanked her for the information.

Author's Note:

Just a bit of sharing. For those who loved making turnovers, either baked or deep fried, filled with ingredients such as black pepper mushroomed corn beef, spicy sardines or plain curried seasoned potatoes with shallots and such, this is the perfect recipe for the turnovers.

1kg of plain flour

300 ml of hot water

2 tablespoon cooking oil

A pinch of salt for taste

Slowly mix the ingredients together don't have to knead until smooth but would be enough to go through a machine or made into small balls when you squeeze in your hand as you force it on top of your hand.

Use a rolling pin and shape using a cutter. Insert fillings and fold the sides. Ready for deep frying in 280 degrees hot oil till golden brown or air fry or bake for 15-20 minutes each at 220 degrees on each side.

Simply a treat for your family and loved ones. Happy trying...