In Kashin, as the mining operations were in full swing, Rostislav encountered a problem, a very, very big problem.
Recently, due to the decreasing output of silver ore and the increasing amount of lead ore, Rostislav felt that something was very wrong.
Therefore, he sent his engineers to investigate what was going on, and then came the current report.
"Are you sure? Are you really sure? This vein is actually a lead mine?"
Inside the simple wooden cabin, Rostislav questioned the engineers before him again. His tone was very serious, and even carried a hint of pleading, begging that none of this be true.
"Prince, we have confirmed... this is indeed a lead mine. The silver is merely an associated mineral and will soon be depleted."
Though somewhat unnerved by Rostislav's gaze, the leading Greek engineer still spoke the truth under pressure. What was false could not be made true, and what was true could not be made false. Even if he lied now, there would eventually be a moment when it could no longer be concealed.
In his heart, he was not surprised by any of this. He had long felt that the silver mine was not right, but for the sake of self-preservation, he had never revealed the truth.
"Damn it, damn it, impossible, this can't be happening!"
Rostislav said in disbelief. The historical records clearly stated that this was a massive silver mine, and the later Moscow-Tver War even originated from it. How could it just be an associated mineral? (Note 1)
Since arriving in Northeast Rus', it was the first time he had lost his composure and raged so fiercely. Seeing the Prince in such a state, the engineers didn't even dare to breathe loudly, fearing they might incur his wrath and become targets of his anger. They swore internally that they would never reveal that he had discovered the problem much earlier.
The Prince's rage had a reason. He had already spread the news of a huge silver mine here to his relatives, obtaining manpower from them and promising them corresponding shares. Now, was he supposed to tell his relatives that he had made a mistake?
Rostislav sank powerlessly into the chair, the blow to him was too great. He placed a hand on his forehead, his eyes tightly shut, his mind racing with a myriad of thoughts. In the room, no one else dared to move, only silently waiting for the Prince.
Finally, after a full five minutes, Rostislav finally composed himself, and his breathing stabilized. But the engineers still didn't dare to breathe loudly; everyone had witnessed the Prince's earlier loss of composure. It was the first time they had seen this usually gentle Prince so agitated, and they couldn't help but be as silent as cicadas in winter.
"How much longer can the silver mine be exploited?"
Rostislav's tone had returned to calm. Now, it was time to solve the problem; raging was pointless. He needed to know how much longer the silver mine could be exploited.
The engineers looked at each other, and finally, the leading Greek engineer answered the Prince's question.
"According to the current situation, it can last for three more months, but if more manpower is added, it's hard to say."
"Three months, good, that's enough to last for a while. You all may leave. The news must not get out. Also, send another team to search for other mines nearby."
"Yes."
The engineers answered in unison, then hastily retreated. This encounter with the Prince was truly terrifying; it was as if he was about to devour someone at any moment.
After the engineers left, Rostislav summoned his Captain of the Guard.
"Find a few sharp Bodyguard Unit members and have them keep an eye on them. The news must not get out. If necessary, make them shut up."
The impact of a leaked message was far more severe than the lives of a few engineers. Engineers could be recruited again, but if the news got out, it would be over. He could not let the truth spread now.
"I will arrange it immediately."
Gvaran also understood the importance of the matter and said quickly.
However, not long after the Bodyguard Unit left, Rostislav received news, news that made him want to explode immediately.
Teams from Poland and Hungary had arrived in Moscow.
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"Aha, is this the city my nephew built? It looks quite proper, very good."
On the balcony of Rostislav's palace, a middle-aged man looked at the orderly city below and exclaimed.
"This nephew even reserved space for future city expansion. Hmm, truly far-sighted. It seems he is determined to build this Moscow into the largest city in Northeast Rus'. What ambition."
The middle-aged man wore a pointed hat, a valuable fur coat, and shiny leather boots, looking like a steppe noble. He was indeed a steppe noble, but not from the south, but from Hungary in the west.
"Hey, boy over there, don't look so glum. Come and take a look. You've been like a silent gourd this whole journey."
The middle-aged man looked at the young man drinking mead nearby. This blond young man wore chainmail and a surcoat covered in red leaves, looking like a warrior ready for battle. He was quite handsome, but he had a sour expression, God knows what he was thinking.
The young man ignored the Hungarian visitor's words. The middle-aged man chuckled. This boy, indeed. But now, he could only talk to him, so he might as well chat.
"You resemble Kazimierz somewhat. I've mostly guessed your origins; you were likely exiled here. Kazimierz's power came from his marriage alliance with Rus', so your story could only unfold outside of Poland. Am I wrong, young Meshko?"
"Edward of the Wessex Family, don't be so talkative. Perhaps my story is as you say. But why are you here?"
A glint of coldness flashed in Meshko's eyes, clearly displeased with Edward prying into his past, and then he changed the subject.
"Why am I here... mainly because my wife and Andrew's wife both want to look after their nephew, and this opportunity can also bring silver to the kingdom, so I came. I'm also seeing if I can gain power here and settle down, which is also Andrew's wish."
Edward said with an indifferent tone. Anyway, he had nothing to do in Hungary, so he might as well go on an adventure, which could also be considered helping the King of Hungary who had taken him in.
As for his brother-in-law's thoughts, that depended on the situation. He wasn't even very concerned about his potential status as the heir to England; he didn't have such a strong desire for power.
Hearing this, Meshko did not reply, quietly closing his mouth, but his eyes still held a hint of disdain and disgust.
Edward smiled even more broadly. This young man's thoughts had been hit by him.
"However, the desolation of this land is beyond my imagination. Along the way, dozens of my subordinates' warhorses got stuck in the swamps. In a few days, we'll have to lose more horses as we advance. My nephew truly works hard."
Edward changed the subject, his tone full of praise for Rostislav. This child left his wealthy homeland to build an industry here, and he had done it quite well. For his age, it was very rare. And this time, Meshko did not show any disdainful looks.
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Note 1: On Chinese Wikipedia, there is indeed information about the Kashen Silver Mine and the Moscow-Tver War that originated from this silver mine.
However, this information only exists in Chinese; there is no such information in English or Russian. This means someone fabricated it, likely for a 'beast-fighting' or similar purpose. If I hadn't asked someone to investigate after seeing it, I would have fallen for it too.
And our protagonist fell for it, believing this false information, which led to the current awkward situation.