nownovels Chapter 1156 - 1089: Candlelit Dinner
Chapter 1156 - 1089: Candlelit Dinner
Second floor of the mountain villa, dining room.The fluorite lamp on the ceiling was dim. Through the window, you could see the lush Central Park and the sparkling lights of the ry Court Barracks in the distance.
In the dim dining room, only the silver candelabra in the center of the table held three burning white candles.
The flickering flames cast the shadows of Horn and Catherine on the wall, one tall and one short.
Catherine gently moved the silver fork over the pan-seared foie gras on her plate, the smell of melting butter wafting into her nose.
Yet, she couldn't bring herself to eat this mouthful of foie gras for ages.
She glanced at Horn on the opposite side, the young Pope absent-mindedly cutting his steak with his knife and fork.
The dining knife screeched against the porcelain plate, making a fine, ear-piercing sound.
"Holy Father." Catherine put down her knife, her eyes arching as her voice dripped like honey, "It seems you're not fond of steak, but prefer minced meat, huh?"
Horn suddenly snapped back to attention, his knife and fork clinking together.
He looked at the mess of beef on his plate and chuckled dryly, "I was a bit distracted."
"More than a bit," Catherine said sarcastically, "You've been out of it for nearly half an hour since we sat down. Eating with me while thinking of which sister?
Worried about Jeanne? Or is it some novice nun from a monastery writing you love letters again?"
"Don't slander me," Horn quickly waved his hand, looking serious, "I'm thinking about serious matters."
"Serious matters?" Catherine raised an eyebrow, sipping her wine, "I barely made it back this time... If it's about worrying about Jeanne, don't bother.
Though Sk Wolf Castle didn't completely succeed, defeating Kennard is already a major victory."
"It's not Jeanne." Horn sighed and put down his knife and fork, "It's about the ships."
"Ships? What ships?"
Horn rubbed his forehead: "The expansion of the crown furnace capacity to thirty requires transporting eight thousand tons of iron ore each month, and counting auxiliary ores like dragon bone fragments, it's nearly ten thousand tons.
The channel of the Ibe River is wide enough, but we don't have enough ships, and they can't carry such heavy loads."
Catherine put down her wine glass, her expression turning serious: "Can't Falan help?"
"It's difficult." Horn shook his head, "Falan's shipyards are overwhelmed. They're updating their navy and building merchant ships for the southern colonies, their output is maxed.
Even if we place an order now, it would take at least three years for the ships to be built and arrive at the Holy Alliance."
"What about building them ourselves?"
"Even harder." Horn smiled bitterly, "Did you forget? We used up all the good wood in stock to build those few warships.
The oak and pine needed for shipbuilding need to be seasoned for over ten years. The newly cut trees wouldn't be usable for at least another decade."
Catherine's fingertips traced the pattern on the tablecloth as she pondered, "Then expanding the crown furnace capacity is pointless. Without transporting the iron ore, won't it be idled?"
"Heavens! Horn grabbed his hair in frustration, "I've calculated over and over, but can't see a way around it.
Without ships, iron ore can't be brought in. Without iron ore, the crown furnace can't operate, and without it, the steel supply for the lightning forge will lag..."
"What about buying ready-made ships?" Catherine suddenly suggested, "Doesn't Falan have old ships? Buy a few temporarily, and replace them when our ships are ready."
"Already tried that." Horn's tone was helpless, "The Falan are willing to sell, but the prices they ask are exorbitant.
They want thirty percent more for a five-year-old ship than the price of a new one, it's daylight robbery."
The candlelight reflected off Horn's furrowed brow, and Catherine picked up the wine bottle, adding a little to his glass: "There's always a way."
Horn raised his glass and drank it all in one go: "Forget it, let's not talk about it. It's my fault, getting distracted today; you barely made it back..."
He stopped speaking, seeing Catherine's eyes suddenly light up as if she remembered something.
"Oh!" Catherine clapped her hands, "What about Captain Denel, who went to the southern frontier? Isn't he going with the Vampire trading fleet to the Royal Court this time?"
Horn was taken aback: "Denel? What about him?"
"Ship materials!" Catherine smiled, "The Royal Court has plenty of good ship materials. Their port is always stocked with seasoned wood, both Falan and Leia regularly import from them."
Her eyes brightened as she leaned slightly forward: "Write a letter to Denel, telling him to watch out for shipbuilding materials at the Royal Court, and buy them immediately if suitable.
Have them transported to Pearl Harbor, then onwards by the Musk River, won't that solve the wood problem?"
Horn was smiling while shaking his head helplessly: "I thought of that long ago. Denel has already set sail. How can I send him a letter on the vast ocean?"
"Oh, you." Catherine pointed at his forehead, annoyed, "Is your brain not working suddenly? Can't you send the letter to the Xilan Islands?"
Denel has to bypass the continental cape to go from Pearl Harbor to the Royal Court, taking a long time. He probably hasn't reached the Xilan Islands yet.
As long as he stops by the Xilan Islands for supplies, he'll naturally get the letter left there.
"That's it!" Horn suddenly slapped his forehead, causing the candle flame to flicker, "Catherine, you are a genius!"
Excited, he stood up, walked around the dining table to Catherine's side, and bent down to kiss her.
"Wait." Turning her face, Catherine pressed his face with her hand, took a napkin from the table, and gently wiped the oil off his lips.
Horn laughed as she wiped, waiting for her to put down the napkin.
Catherine already pouted, closing her eyes.
Seeing Catherine's lips covered in bean paste colored lipstick, he couldn't help but lean down to kiss her.
"Mmm."
The candle flame gently flickered behind the two, mixing their shadows into one on the wall.
Dinner ended, Catherine left with a lingering gaze of longing.
Horn immediately summoned a Secretariat clerk and personally wrote a letter to Denel.
The letter detailed the types and sizes of shipbuilding materials needed, insisting on purchasing them at all costs.
He also specifically instructed that if Denel encountered skilled shipbuilding artisans at the Royal Court, he should find a way to bring them back, either by hiring or recruiting.
After writing, he had the clerk make a copy.
One was rushed to the main harbor of the Xilan Islands via Falan's road stables (or post stations), and the other was given to the Holy Alliance's embassy in Falan, asking them to keep an eye on Denel's fleet.
Half a month later, the Holy Alliance's mail arrived at the Xilan Islands on a fast ship.
The main port of the Xilan Islands' main island, Huo Nui Island, is a natural deep-water harbor that attracts supply-seeking merchant fleets.
Looking around, the masts were densely packed like a forest at sea.
The Huo Nui Island post office was built on a hillside next to the port, its red brick and white-roofed building stood out in the sunshine.
When the Holy Alliance's mail was delivered, the person in charge of the post office glanced at the address and casually placed it in the mail compartment.
Three days later in the morning, the Vampire Pirate fleet, bearing merchant ship flags, slowly sailed into the port.
On the lead ship, Denel stood at the bow, gazing at the unfamiliar port, rubbing his face that was hurting from the sea wind.
"Captain, are we staying here for two days?" The first mate came forward, handing him half a coconut.
"Yes, top up on fresh water and food, and let the men go ashore to rest." Denel drank some coconut water, "Oh, check if we have any mail, especially from the ry Court Barracks."
The first mate acknowledged and soon returned with several letters, one sealed with the sun gear emblem of the Holy Alliance.
"Captain, a letter from the ry Court Barracks."