There is a bit of reified-zeitgeist going on, yeah, but... hm. Goodparley sort of points out that it's awfully convenient. "Wel wel wel here I been stressing myself and straining and wearying and worrying this long time and all that time this here knowing ben right unner my nose. 1 Littl 1 who wudve thot it." And earlier when Granser sings the song that starts the whole discussion that leads to them pulling out the yellerboy, he's "Looking at me sydling wylst he sung it like he wantit me to take noatis." So I think both sides are a little bit more savvy about what's going on than their overt discussion suggests.

I guess the deal is, the Mincery is pretty primitive as governments go, and there's no way it can be carrying out a long-term Secret Research Project without leaking secrets like a sieve. And Granser's supposed sacrosanct charcoal-burner secret lore takes about five minutes to extract. And Granser can hardly be unaware of the implications of Goodparley's downfall, yet he takes them in with over-the-top overtures of friendship. So I get the impression that there's been secret-trading going on between charcoal-burners and Mincery already, and a lot of this sequence is a puppet-show.