Chapter 1125: Instigating Viking Raids
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The Melalen clan did not have the beginning of a blood-related clan. When large and small families got together, they simply used the name of the lake goddess "Melaren" as their identity, so that no one would be offended.
Because of this, when Rurik walked into the parliamentary court of the Melalen people with a gorgeous guard of honor, he saw a group of nobles dressed in furs sitting in a circle and clapping their legs, everything was as it was in the past.
They were still sitting on leather cushions, and there was no noble seat in the parliamentary court. The round table-like scene could not show the nobility of Duke Bjorn at all.
Rurik knew the rules of the north very well. He entered the parliamentary court with his saber as usual, but ordered all the armed attendants to retire. Only the big white fat white fox could reasonably participate in it as the governor.
"It's the king. It's finally here." There was a commotion in the crowd.
If Björn's legs seemed to be yellowing, he stood up and greeted him. The rest of the local aristocrats also greeted them with smiles, and they slowly opened their mouths with polite words.
"Everyone, sit down." Rurik gestured with his hand.
He turned his head slightly to look left and right, and the subtle atmosphere of the house was evident. Behold! These nobles clearly didn't take Bjorn seriously, but respected themselves.
He mourned for a second for Bjorn who had lost power, and then looked at the ball-like head of the white fox from the corner of his eyes, feeling a little dark in his heart.
He whispered again: "I thought that you would repair Meralen's parliamentary court very well, but I didn't expect it to be exactly the same as it was many years ago. Bjorn, it seems that you are saving money in this regard."
"Just following tradition. You know, we're very traditional here."
Björn borrowed a donkey to get off the slope, so he was embarrassed to slap his face and pretend to be a fat man. The current situation of his family can be called rich, and even the expenses are very good.
Rurik himself invited a deerskin cushion to spread out casually, and the white fox sat beside the king as well.
No local noble dared to sit with the king, and the king's dignity was highlighted in such a fair court.
When the king was done, the nobles smiled and exchanged glances, and no one was willing to start chatting first.
The scene was a little awkward for a while.
"Damn, you both had a good chat before, but now you're all dumb?" The upset Bjorn remained silent, but complained a few times in his heart.
The council chamber was quiet, so uncharacteristically it was as if they were holding back so much that they didn't know where to start for a while.
"You're all dumb? Venerable people!" Rurik clapped his hands three times, as if hitting a gavel to lift their spirits. "It's you!" He pointed at Bjorn again, "Dignified duke, it is you who sent a messenger to invite this king to participate in this meeting. Just talk about anything and don't hesitate."
"This…"
"What? You look embarrassed? Could it be that there is something unspeakable? You are obviously older than me, why are you not decisive enough?"
After some deliberate scolding, Bjorn remained hesitant.
Rurik's peaceful face gradually frowned: "What's going on?"
So one of the local nobles said, "Rurik, you are King Russ. Last year we finished fighting the Danes, and then our Melalens evacuated. Why? You still take your army to the south to attack the Franks. People, why don't you call us for such a good thing?"
Seeing that the bold guy started, and the other nobles saw that Rurik showed no signs of rage, a second noble shouted: "The brothers are not saying that the king is not interesting. But the brothers missed the opportunity to make a fortune."
"That's right. Some Ankras continued south, while other tribes left. They must have made a fortune, but we missed out on money and honor."
…
The nobles made clear their previous complaints and saw that their speeches became more and more fierce.
Rurik was not angry. In fact, he had the idea of pushing these guys to go to war again. Since this group of people had resentment in their hearts, they had a strong interest in continuing to make a fortune. Isn't this a pillow when you are dozing off? Isn't it a brand new friendly army that invaded Frank after a little bit of agitation?
After listening to some complaints, Rurik twisted his neck and reached for his ears: "Are you finished?"
After all, everyone shut up.
"In what happened last year, some people complained that their own losses were too great, and after Denmark robbed a lot of property, they decided to take it as soon as possible and then withdraw it. I won't say who it is. The relevant people know who is going to run away. I gave up my future glory and wealth, and I didn't stop them."
After holding back for a while, Bjorn felt that he finally got a chance to speak. He didn't spit out: "If you give me another chance, I will insist on continuing to fight."
"I thought you were dumb." Rurik rolled his eyes at him and asked again, "All the great nobles of Melalen are here, and you all gathered together to simply complain about me?"
In fact, they dare not say that because the market price of grain this year is too low, they make everyone not earn much and feel aggrieved. In principle, they can transport their own goods to New Roseburg and the north to sell food, but the only armed cargo ship is so noisy. All the families have paid for it. This is a big ship funded by crowdfunding. It has a very strong transportation capacity, but there is only one chance to transport food this autumn. A family wraps up its use rights, which means that other families can't use it.
In theory, Björn can enjoy it exclusively as a duke. If he has the idea, he will be opposed by others, and no one will be able to use this big ship. Then organize a traditional long-ship team to transport grain to the east and north. The grain transport capacity is not much, and the total value of the goods is not much. Even if there is no tariff for the time being, there will be a boat management fee.
They had no choice but to sell the surplus grain to the Governor White Fox at a low price, and everyone was not happy about this.
Bjorn still kept an eye on it, he pointed to the ceiling deliberately: "The climate is not bad this year, and the farmland is neither a good harvest nor a poor harvest. How is the situation in the east?"
"You? Are you asking about the capital city? Or more eastern farmland?"
"It's Novgorod," Bjorn asked on behalf of everyone.
"Of course it's a bumper harvest. It's warmer over there, and the soil around the lake is fertile. Haha, a lot of new wheat is being delivered to the capital, and this king has found a new inland waterway this summer, and the water flow of the new waterway will always be soothing. New options for transportation with the capital…”
It is necessary to inform the nobles of Lake Mälaren about some of the infrastructure construction in the Eastern World. Ross built the first canal to create a new waterway with the power of people. Of course, this matter must be widely publicized.
Bjorn and other nobles had to respond with awkward smiles, they did not understand how the canal and the new inland waterway had anything to do with themselves in Scandinavia.
The nobles realize that the main grain-producing area of Ross has a bumper harvest. Does it seem that the food of Lake Mälaren is no longer important?
"After all, you're just complaining that the king didn't bring you with him in last year's continued war. No matter what the situation was at the time, it's pointless for us to argue now."
Rurik asked everyone to relax, and everyone could see that their king had something important to say, so they all listened with their chests held high.
"Now there is a chance, or you have noticed all this. This king has signed an agreement with a distinguished Frankish nobleman, and the Frankish area south of the Inn River can be used as our looting area. You Don't you want to get rich? The opportunity is here."
"I know about this, our people went spontaneously. However, they didn't come back when they went." Bjorn shook his head regretfully.
Others said, "Who knows if they are dead or alive? Although the king beat them once, they are not weak."
"Indeed, who knows?" Rurik shrugged, "This is an opportunity! The Franks are in active civil war, and those great nobles must tear each other apart. We must seize this opportunity. Therefore, this king plans to continue to interfere in their affairs. During the civil war, I have sent people to build a foothold, and I have asked them to loot. As long as there are no accidents, my people will come back to report their duties in late autumn. My high priest has done divination, and those who go to the Franks are safe and sound. . . . what will you choose?"
They looked at each other, and no one dared to speak rashly.
Rurik clapped his hands to remind everyone to pay attention: "Listen! I am sending Blue Fox Gouldsson, Earl of Gothenburg. You all know him. How is he? What about his men? Do you think he will fail? I don't believe it anyway."
The big fat white fox sat here, and Bjorn hurriedly smiled: "So it's him! Although the blue fox is a businessman, he is clearly more brave than many warriors. He will achieve great success, so we..."
"That's right. I plan to use troops against Frank, but I need some new recruits. I'm very worried that as our intervention deepens, when the top nobles have a big battle, we must send heavy troops to intervene."
"Large-scale war, this is a good thing!"
"What we want is a war."
"The young people in my family need victory as a rite of passage."
…
The nobles were chattering again, and they no longer needed to hide their willingness to fight. Bjorn himself does not reject fighting. As the Duke of Melalen, he has the obligation to lead everyone to form the Melalen Army to fight, and doing so will help increase his prestige.
"Okay, it looks like you are very enthusiastic." Rurik simply pursued the victory: "This is purely voluntary, you can organize your own people to loot the Franks, loot and capture the captives according to your ability, this king will not say anything. As long as you pay attention to some basic principles, everyone who comes to the north of the Yin River is our allies, and you can loot the area to the south..."
It was no longer necessary to open a meeting place to discuss this matter with them, and Rurik took the opportunity to solemnly explain the principles of looting.
Who is the ally and who is the enemy, which areas can be robbed, which areas must not be touched, and how those who should not be robbed should be punished, he explained everything in detail.
In this way, even Rurik didn't take Bjorn seriously. He was instigating those big landowners with their clan blood relatives and family members to be small-scale pirates, attacking the Middle Frank region in the most standard Viking raiding mode.
Rurik had the idea that the so-called Eastern Kingdom had signed an alliance under the city, and King Ludwig would not dare to take the initiative to attack because his vitality was severely damaged.
In last year's war, the core military strength of the kingdom of Ross was also seriously lost. Rurik couldn't be sure that the young warriors who grew up were excellent in combat. But it is not appropriate to spend a huge amount of national money and soldiers' lives in it.
The old Rus people are all noble, and this is the basis of Rus' rule.
The best way to disrupt the Middle Kingdom is to find a group of northern nobles who want to make a fortune. These nobles are more able to organize the manpower of ships than ordinary fishermen, their organization is higher, and their will to fight is also good.
Standard Viking raids are usually two or three boats and a hundred and ten people launching sneak attacks on innocent villages.
This most standard action Ross rarely implements, because Rurik's pattern is like this, and he just likes to carry out large-scale battles. The larger the war scene and the more human resources to be mobilized, the greater the benefits that the war will capture.
The rogue-style Viking looting method is still useful. Ross will not institutionalize this tactic. All Swedish tribes, especially the Meralen tribe with superior human resources, can do it.
Including Bjorn, the nobles reached a consensus with Rurik.
As Swedish Vikings, they never felt guilty about looting, and considered it a way of life, just like fishing and hunting.
The enemy's warehouse is my warehouse! The key is who is the enemy.
Now the Baltic Sea has been integrated by Rus, Rurik is also the king of Rus and Sweden, and there is a new kingdom of Denmark in the south. In the past, sneak attacks and exploits in the vast waters became a major crime. Anyone who dared to attack, everyone could crusade against them, and even the Count of Saaremaa was ordered to patrol the waters to enforce the law.
The itchy fishermen, as the forerunners, followed Rurik's advice and entered the fringes of the Frankish world.
Those people are too weak to catch more fish in the Atlantic waters, and they don't want to risk being killed to loot.
The nobles have too many things to consider, especially to meet their ever-expanding capital expenditures, either focusing on self-production or robbery. The nobles are still more willing to rob.
When the meeting was over, the nobles who had been complaining were all refreshed and geared up.
The entire meeting Bjorn, as a duke, existed like an ordinary nobleman. He himself said something, and so did other nobles.
"Sure enough, strength is still king!"
Bjorn didn't complain when he got home. He was never a domineering character like Olegin and Karl, but just a person recommended by a group of landlords. Because his title was not conferred by Rurik, but the name of the chief was changed to a title, which was later recognized by Rurik. What if one day his family was deprived of the title? Injured honor? Worried about damage to honor?
Bjorn is not a cautious person, he knows that his strength is enough to show an advantage in the Melalen tribe, and it is not an absolute advantage.
He had no desire to fight for power, and he was more concerned with developing his huge family to make life better.
He has never been an honest person, and soon after returning home, he began to count the juveniles and adults in the family, including young women. Those tenant farmers and serfs are also counted among them, and none of the existing mercenary servants are left behind. Without him, Bjorn is counting the soldiers he can mobilize. He thinks Rurik's agitation is very interesting. Next year, he will take his cronies to the Frankish world for "armed exploration" as the Duke of Melalen.
As for the other landlords in the tribe, let them play it by themselves!
"Anyway, that armed cargo ship is mine! If you fight me again, I'll let the white fox mediate." Of course, although he married the governor white fox, it really made the other party look up to him, or it made King Ross really pay attention. It must be that he really has a troop of personal soldiers with a relatively large number of troops.
How much is too much? For example, assemble a team of 500 people who are ready to fight at any time.
Bjorn made such a plan for himself. His direct subordinates suffered a lot in the war last year, and it was indeed difficult to expand the army to 500 people. No, he also counted the young women in the family according to tradition. It is not surprising that Viking female warriors, especially when the tolerance is not enough, the proportion of female warriors is getting higher and higher.
Bjorn is so, so do other landlords.
Rurik, who returned to the Governor's Palace, was in a good mood.
Taking advantage of the opportunity to eat, he confidently shouted to the white fox incessantly. "I see, they're all inspired by success. It's great to save me another time to talk to them carefully."
"Hey, actually, they want to be crazy if they want to get rich!" Baihu laughed.
"Oh? You shut up the whole time during the meeting. What's the matter? You feel that there is no need to speak, or you have reservations."
"I actually know them very well. Your Majesty, they are actually poor. They are fierce because of poverty. They don't look like nobles. I think Your Majesty still treats them as mercenaries."
"Of course." Rurik fiddled with the warm lamb ribs, and one force cut it off: "Lothair of the Middle Kingdom, this man is our future enemy. Listen, a divided Frankish world is against We are in our favor, and I am trying to create this result. But King Lothair intends to unify the Franks, and if he does it, our good days will be over."
Baihu knew very little about this, and he flattered: "What kind of enemy is it that is worthy of the king's worries? Our army will definitely win!"
"That's it~www.novelhall.com~ But we have to change some tactics. Your three brothers are all in the south now, and they are in danger. I am worried. After all, looting is risking being killed, and I arranged for you My three younger brothers are to help me expand my business territory in the south, and the looting is just a supplement. Some desperadoes do the licking of blood, disturbing our enemies, and all the people who died in the conflict were the people of the Melalen nobles. In the end, we Ross Army won the most wealth."
"Wonderful!"
"It's not bad, it's just to satisfy those guys' thirst for looting, we and them each take what they need." Rurik shrugged and raised his glass: "This king won't stay with you for a long time, and I'm going to Uppsa soon. The Temple of Ra has completed this year's autumn sacrifice, and it's time to return to the capital. Oh, I still have news of your father here."
It was the white fox with a comfortable face, but his face suddenly turned down, "I know very well about my father. He..."
"Everything is his own choice, Gould is an old friend of mine, he is too old after all. The will is over, he has chosen his own destination. Now, you are the new Gould, you are his Eldest son, be the governor here, just like in the past. Your family and mine are in the same boat, do it well."
"Okay." The big white fat white fox filled himself with a glass of strong wine and drank it...
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The Melalen clan did not have the beginning of a blood-related clan. When large and small families got together, they simply used the name of the lake goddess "Melaren" as their identity, so that no one would be offended.
Because of this, when Rurik walked into the parliamentary court of the Melalen people with a gorgeous guard of honor, he saw a group of nobles dressed in furs sitting in a circle and clapping their legs, everything was as it was in the past.
They were still sitting on leather cushions, and there was no noble seat in the parliamentary court. The round table-like scene could not show the nobility of Duke Bjorn at all.
Rurik knew the rules of the north very well. He entered the parliamentary court with his saber as usual, but ordered all the armed attendants to retire. Only the big white fat white fox could reasonably participate in it as the governor.
"It's the king. It's finally here." There was a commotion in the crowd.
If Björn's legs seemed to be yellowing, he stood up and greeted him. The rest of the local aristocrats also greeted them with smiles, and they slowly opened their mouths with polite words.
"Everyone, sit down." Rurik gestured with his hand.
He turned his head slightly to look left and right, and the subtle atmosphere of the house was evident. Behold! These nobles clearly didn't take Bjorn seriously, but respected themselves.
He mourned for a second for Bjorn who had lost power, and then looked at the ball-like head of the white fox from the corner of his eyes, feeling a little dark in his heart.
He whispered again: "I thought that you would repair Meralen's parliamentary court very well, but I didn't expect it to be exactly the same as it was many years ago. Bjorn, it seems that you are saving money in this regard."
"Just following tradition. You know, we're very traditional here."
Björn borrowed a donkey to get off the slope, so he was embarrassed to slap his face and pretend to be a fat man. The current situation of his family can be called rich, and even the expenses are very good.
Rurik himself invited a deerskin cushion to spread out casually, and the white fox sat beside the king as well.
No local noble dared to sit with the king, and the king's dignity was highlighted in such a fair court.
When the king was done, the nobles smiled and exchanged glances, and no one was willing to start chatting first.
The scene was a little awkward for a while.
"Damn, you both had a good chat before, but now you're all dumb?" The upset Bjorn remained silent, but complained a few times in his heart.
The council chamber was quiet, so uncharacteristically it was as if they were holding back so much that they didn't know where to start for a while.
"You're all dumb? Venerable people!" Rurik clapped his hands three times, as if hitting a gavel to lift their spirits. "It's you!" He pointed at Bjorn again, "Dignified duke, it is you who sent a messenger to invite this king to participate in this meeting. Just talk about anything and don't hesitate."
"This…"
"What? You look embarrassed? Could it be that there is something unspeakable? You are obviously older than me, why are you not decisive enough?"
After some deliberate scolding, Bjorn remained hesitant.
Rurik's peaceful face gradually frowned: "What's going on?"
So one of the local nobles said, "Rurik, you are King Russ. Last year we finished fighting the Danes, and then our Melalens evacuated. Why? You still take your army to the south to attack the Franks. People, why don't you call us for such a good thing?"
Seeing that the bold guy started, and the other nobles saw that Rurik showed no signs of rage, a second noble shouted: "The brothers are not saying that the king is not interesting. But the brothers missed the opportunity to make a fortune."
"That's right. Some Ankras continued south, while other tribes left. They must have made a fortune, but we missed out on money and honor."
…
The nobles made clear their previous complaints and saw that their speeches became more and more fierce.
Rurik was not angry. In fact, he had the idea of pushing these guys to go to war again. Since this group of people had resentment in their hearts, they had a strong interest in continuing to make a fortune. Isn't this a pillow when you are dozing off? Isn't it a brand new friendly army that invaded Frank after a little bit of agitation?
After listening to some complaints, Rurik twisted his neck and reached for his ears: "Are you finished?"
After all, everyone shut up.
"In what happened last year, some people complained that their own losses were too great, and after Denmark robbed a lot of property, they decided to take it as soon as possible and then withdraw it. I won't say who it is. The relevant people know who is going to run away. I gave up my future glory and wealth, and I didn't stop them."
After holding back for a while, Bjorn felt that he finally got a chance to speak. He didn't spit out: "If you give me another chance, I will insist on continuing to fight."
"I thought you were dumb." Rurik rolled his eyes at him and asked again, "All the great nobles of Melalen are here, and you all gathered together to simply complain about me?"
In fact, they dare not say that because the market price of grain this year is too low, they make everyone not earn much and feel aggrieved. In principle, they can transport their own goods to New Roseburg and the north to sell food, but the only armed cargo ship is so noisy. All the families have paid for it. This is a big ship funded by crowdfunding. It has a very strong transportation capacity, but there is only one chance to transport food this autumn. A family wraps up its use rights, which means that other families can't use it.
In theory, Björn can enjoy it exclusively as a duke. If he has the idea, he will be opposed by others, and no one will be able to use this big ship. Then organize a traditional long-ship team to transport grain to the east and north. The grain transport capacity is not much, and the total value of the goods is not much. Even if there is no tariff for the time being, there will be a boat management fee.
They had no choice but to sell the surplus grain to the Governor White Fox at a low price, and everyone was not happy about this.
Bjorn still kept an eye on it, he pointed to the ceiling deliberately: "The climate is not bad this year, and the farmland is neither a good harvest nor a poor harvest. How is the situation in the east?"
"You? Are you asking about the capital city? Or more eastern farmland?"
"It's Novgorod," Bjorn asked on behalf of everyone.
"Of course it's a bumper harvest. It's warmer over there, and the soil around the lake is fertile. Haha, a lot of new wheat is being delivered to the capital, and this king has found a new inland waterway this summer, and the water flow of the new waterway will always be soothing. New options for transportation with the capital…”
It is necessary to inform the nobles of Lake Mälaren about some of the infrastructure construction in the Eastern World. Ross built the first canal to create a new waterway with the power of people. Of course, this matter must be widely publicized.
Bjorn and other nobles had to respond with awkward smiles, they did not understand how the canal and the new inland waterway had anything to do with themselves in Scandinavia.
The nobles realize that the main grain-producing area of Ross has a bumper harvest. Does it seem that the food of Lake Mälaren is no longer important?
"After all, you're just complaining that the king didn't bring you with him in last year's continued war. No matter what the situation was at the time, it's pointless for us to argue now."
Rurik asked everyone to relax, and everyone could see that their king had something important to say, so they all listened with their chests held high.
"Now there is a chance, or you have noticed all this. This king has signed an agreement with a distinguished Frankish nobleman, and the Frankish area south of the Inn River can be used as our looting area. You Don't you want to get rich? The opportunity is here."
"I know about this, our people went spontaneously. However, they didn't come back when they went." Bjorn shook his head regretfully.
Others said, "Who knows if they are dead or alive? Although the king beat them once, they are not weak."
"Indeed, who knows?" Rurik shrugged, "This is an opportunity! The Franks are in active civil war, and those great nobles must tear each other apart. We must seize this opportunity. Therefore, this king plans to continue to interfere in their affairs. During the civil war, I have sent people to build a foothold, and I have asked them to loot. As long as there are no accidents, my people will come back to report their duties in late autumn. My high priest has done divination, and those who go to the Franks are safe and sound. . . . what will you choose?"
They looked at each other, and no one dared to speak rashly.
Rurik clapped his hands to remind everyone to pay attention: "Listen! I am sending Blue Fox Gouldsson, Earl of Gothenburg. You all know him. How is he? What about his men? Do you think he will fail? I don't believe it anyway."
The big fat white fox sat here, and Bjorn hurriedly smiled: "So it's him! Although the blue fox is a businessman, he is clearly more brave than many warriors. He will achieve great success, so we..."
"That's right. I plan to use troops against Frank, but I need some new recruits. I'm very worried that as our intervention deepens, when the top nobles have a big battle, we must send heavy troops to intervene."
"Large-scale war, this is a good thing!"
"What we want is a war."
"The young people in my family need victory as a rite of passage."
…
The nobles were chattering again, and they no longer needed to hide their willingness to fight. Bjorn himself does not reject fighting. As the Duke of Melalen, he has the obligation to lead everyone to form the Melalen Army to fight, and doing so will help increase his prestige.
"Okay, it looks like you are very enthusiastic." Rurik simply pursued the victory: "This is purely voluntary, you can organize your own people to loot the Franks, loot and capture the captives according to your ability, this king will not say anything. As long as you pay attention to some basic principles, everyone who comes to the north of the Yin River is our allies, and you can loot the area to the south..."
It was no longer necessary to open a meeting place to discuss this matter with them, and Rurik took the opportunity to solemnly explain the principles of looting.
Who is the ally and who is the enemy, which areas can be robbed, which areas must not be touched, and how those who should not be robbed should be punished, he explained everything in detail.
In this way, even Rurik didn't take Bjorn seriously. He was instigating those big landowners with their clan blood relatives and family members to be small-scale pirates, attacking the Middle Frank region in the most standard Viking raiding mode.
Rurik had the idea that the so-called Eastern Kingdom had signed an alliance under the city, and King Ludwig would not dare to take the initiative to attack because his vitality was severely damaged.
In last year's war, the core military strength of the kingdom of Ross was also seriously lost. Rurik couldn't be sure that the young warriors who grew up were excellent in combat. But it is not appropriate to spend a huge amount of national money and soldiers' lives in it.
The old Rus people are all noble, and this is the basis of Rus' rule.
The best way to disrupt the Middle Kingdom is to find a group of northern nobles who want to make a fortune. These nobles are more able to organize the manpower of ships than ordinary fishermen, their organization is higher, and their will to fight is also good.
Standard Viking raids are usually two or three boats and a hundred and ten people launching sneak attacks on innocent villages.
This most standard action Ross rarely implements, because Rurik's pattern is like this, and he just likes to carry out large-scale battles. The larger the war scene and the more human resources to be mobilized, the greater the benefits that the war will capture.
The rogue-style Viking looting method is still useful. Ross will not institutionalize this tactic. All Swedish tribes, especially the Meralen tribe with superior human resources, can do it.
Including Bjorn, the nobles reached a consensus with Rurik.
As Swedish Vikings, they never felt guilty about looting, and considered it a way of life, just like fishing and hunting.
The enemy's warehouse is my warehouse! The key is who is the enemy.
Now the Baltic Sea has been integrated by Rus, Rurik is also the king of Rus and Sweden, and there is a new kingdom of Denmark in the south. In the past, sneak attacks and exploits in the vast waters became a major crime. Anyone who dared to attack, everyone could crusade against them, and even the Count of Saaremaa was ordered to patrol the waters to enforce the law.
The itchy fishermen, as the forerunners, followed Rurik's advice and entered the fringes of the Frankish world.
Those people are too weak to catch more fish in the Atlantic waters, and they don't want to risk being killed to loot.
The nobles have too many things to consider, especially to meet their ever-expanding capital expenditures, either focusing on self-production or robbery. The nobles are still more willing to rob.
When the meeting was over, the nobles who had been complaining were all refreshed and geared up.
The entire meeting Bjorn, as a duke, existed like an ordinary nobleman. He himself said something, and so did other nobles.
"Sure enough, strength is still king!"
Bjorn didn't complain when he got home. He was never a domineering character like Olegin and Karl, but just a person recommended by a group of landlords. Because his title was not conferred by Rurik, but the name of the chief was changed to a title, which was later recognized by Rurik. What if one day his family was deprived of the title? Injured honor? Worried about damage to honor?
Bjorn is not a cautious person, he knows that his strength is enough to show an advantage in the Melalen tribe, and it is not an absolute advantage.
He had no desire to fight for power, and he was more concerned with developing his huge family to make life better.
He has never been an honest person, and soon after returning home, he began to count the juveniles and adults in the family, including young women. Those tenant farmers and serfs are also counted among them, and none of the existing mercenary servants are left behind. Without him, Bjorn is counting the soldiers he can mobilize. He thinks Rurik's agitation is very interesting. Next year, he will take his cronies to the Frankish world for "armed exploration" as the Duke of Melalen.
As for the other landlords in the tribe, let them play it by themselves!
"Anyway, that armed cargo ship is mine! If you fight me again, I'll let the white fox mediate." Of course, although he married the governor white fox, it really made the other party look up to him, or it made King Ross really pay attention. It must be that he really has a troop of personal soldiers with a relatively large number of troops.
How much is too much? For example, assemble a team of 500 people who are ready to fight at any time.
Bjorn made such a plan for himself. His direct subordinates suffered a lot in the war last year, and it was indeed difficult to expand the army to 500 people. No, he also counted the young women in the family according to tradition. It is not surprising that Viking female warriors, especially when the tolerance is not enough, the proportion of female warriors is getting higher and higher.
Bjorn is so, so do other landlords.
Rurik, who returned to the Governor's Palace, was in a good mood.
Taking advantage of the opportunity to eat, he confidently shouted to the white fox incessantly. "I see, they're all inspired by success. It's great to save me another time to talk to them carefully."
"Hey, actually, they want to be crazy if they want to get rich!" Baihu laughed.
"Oh? You shut up the whole time during the meeting. What's the matter? You feel that there is no need to speak, or you have reservations."
"I actually know them very well. Your Majesty, they are actually poor. They are fierce because of poverty. They don't look like nobles. I think Your Majesty still treats them as mercenaries."
"Of course." Rurik fiddled with the warm lamb ribs, and one force cut it off: "Lothair of the Middle Kingdom, this man is our future enemy. Listen, a divided Frankish world is against We are in our favor, and I am trying to create this result. But King Lothair intends to unify the Franks, and if he does it, our good days will be over."
Baihu knew very little about this, and he flattered: "What kind of enemy is it that is worthy of the king's worries? Our army will definitely win!"
"That's it~www.novelhall.com~ But we have to change some tactics. Your three brothers are all in the south now, and they are in danger. I am worried. After all, looting is risking being killed, and I arranged for you My three younger brothers are to help me expand my business territory in the south, and the looting is just a supplement. Some desperadoes do the licking of blood, disturbing our enemies, and all the people who died in the conflict were the people of the Melalen nobles. In the end, we Ross Army won the most wealth."
"Wonderful!"
"It's not bad, it's just to satisfy those guys' thirst for looting, we and them each take what they need." Rurik shrugged and raised his glass: "This king won't stay with you for a long time, and I'm going to Uppsa soon. The Temple of Ra has completed this year's autumn sacrifice, and it's time to return to the capital. Oh, I still have news of your father here."
It was the white fox with a comfortable face, but his face suddenly turned down, "I know very well about my father. He..."
"Everything is his own choice, Gould is an old friend of mine, he is too old after all. The will is over, he has chosen his own destination. Now, you are the new Gould, you are his Eldest son, be the governor here, just like in the past. Your family and mine are in the same boat, do it well."
"Okay." The big white fat white fox filled himself with a glass of strong wine and drank it...
The Melalen clan did not have the beginning of a blood-related clan. When large and small families got together, they simply used the name of the lake goddess "Melaren" as their identity, so that no one would be offended.Because of this, when Rurik walked into the parliamentary court of the Melalen people with a gorgeous guard of honor, he saw a group of nobles dressed in furs sitting in a circle and clapping their legs, everything was as it was in the past.They were still sitting on leather cushions, and there was no noble seat in the parliamentary court. The round table-like scene could not show the nobility of Duke Bjorn at all.Rurik knew the rules of the north very well. He entered the parliamentary court with his saber as usual, but ordered all the armed attendants to retire. Only the big white fat white fox could reasonably participate in it as the governor."It's the king. It's finally here." There was a commotion in the crowd.If Bjrn's legs seemed to be yellowing, he stood up and greeted him. The rest of the local aristocrats also greeted them with smiles, and they slowly opened their mouths with polite words."Everyone, sit down." Rurik gestured with his hand.He turned his head slightly to look left and right, and the subtle atmosphere of the house was evident. Behold! These nobles clearly didn't take Bjorn seriously, but respected themselves.He mourned for a second for Bjorn who had lost power, and then looked at the ball-like head of the white fox from the corner of his eyes, feeling a little dark in his heart.He whispered again: "I thought that you would repair Meralen's parliamentary court very well, but I didn't expect it to be exactly the same as it was many years ago. Bjorn, it seems that you are saving money in this regard.""Just following tradition. You know, we're very traditional here."Bjrn borrowed a donkey to get off the slope, so he was embarrassed to slap his face and pretend to be a fat man. The current situation of his family can be called rich, and even the expenses are very good.Rurik himself invited a deerskin cushion to spread out casually, and the white fox sat beside the king as well.No local noble dared to sit with the king, and the king's dignity was highlighted in such a fair court.When the king was done, the nobles smiled and exchanged glances, and no one was willing to start chatting first.The scene was a little awkward for a while."Damn, you both had a good chat before, but now you're all dumb?" The upset Bjorn remained silent, but complained a few times in his heart.The council chamber was quiet, so uncharacteristically it was as if they were holding back so much that they didn't know where to start for a while."You're all dumb? Venerable people!" Rurik clapped his hands three times, as if hitting a gavel to lift their spirits. "It's you!" He pointed at Bjorn again, "Dignified duke, it is you who sent a messenger to invite this king to participate in this meeting. Just talk about anything and don't hesitate.""This""What? You look embarrassed? Could it be that there is something unspeakable? You are obviously older than me, why are you not decisive enough?"After some deliberate scolding, Bjorn remained hesitant.Rurik's peaceful face gradually frowned: "What's going on?"So one of the local nobles said, "Rurik, you are King Russ. Last year we finished fighting the Danes, and then our Melalens evacuated. Why? You still take your army to the south to attack the Franks. People, why don't you call us for such a good thing?"Seeing that the bold guy started, and the other nobles saw that Rurik showed no signs of rage, a second noble shouted: "The brothers are not saying that the king is not interesting. But the brothers missed the opportunity to make a fortune.""That's right. Some Ankras continued south, while other tribes left. They must have made a fortune, but we missed out on money and honor."The nobles made clear their previous complaints and saw that their speeches became more and more fierce.Rurik was not angry. In fact, he had the idea of pushing these guys to go to war again. Since this group of people had resentment in their hearts, they had a strong interest in continuing to make a fortune. Isn't this a pillow when you are dozing off? Isn't it a brand new friendly army that invaded Frank after a little bit of agitation?After listening to some complaints, Rurik twisted his neck and reached for his ears: "Are you finished?"After all, everyone shut up."In what happened last year, some people complained that their own losses were too great, and after Denmark robbed a lot of property, they decided to take it as soon as possible and then withdraw it. I won't say who it is. The relevant people know who is going to run away. I gave up my future glory and wealth, and I didn't stop them."After holding back for a while, Bjorn felt that he finally got a chance to speak. He didn't spit out: "If you give me another chance, I will insist on continuing to fight.""I thought you were dumb." Rurik rolled his eyes at him and asked again, "All the great nobles of Melalen are here, and you all gathered together to simply complain about me?"In fact, they dare not say that because the market price of grain this year is too low, they make everyone not earn much and feel aggrieved. In principle, they can transport their own goods to New Roseburg and the north to sell food, but the only armed cargo ship is so noisy. All the families have paid for it. This is a big ship funded by crowdfunding. It has a very strong transportation capacity, but there is only one chance to transport food this autumn. A family wraps up its use rights, which means that other families can't use it.In theory, Bjrn can enjoy it exclusively as a duke. If he has the idea, he will be opposed by others, and no one will be able to use this big ship. Then organize a traditional long-ship team to transport grain to the east and north. The grain transport capacity is not much, and the total value of the goods is not much. Even if there is no tariff for the time being, there will be a boat management fee.They had no choice but to sell the surplus grain to the Governor White Fox at a low price, and everyone was not happy about this.Bjorn still kept an eye on it, he pointed to the ceiling deliberately: "The climate is not bad this year, and the farmland is neither a good harvest nor a poor harvest. How is the situation in the east?""You? Are you asking about the capital city? Or more eastern farmland?""It's Novgorod," Bjorn asked on behalf of everyone."Of course it's a bumper harvest. It's warmer over there, and the soil around the lake is fertile. Haha, a lot of new wheat is being delivered to the capital, and this king has found a new inland waterway this summer, and the water flow of the new waterway will always be soothing. New options for transportation with the capitalIt is necessary to inform the nobles of Lake Mlaren about some of the infrastructure construction in the Eastern World. Ross built the first canal to create a new waterway with the power of people. Of course, this matter must be widely publicized.Bjorn and other nobles had to respond with awkward smiles, they did not understand how the canal and the new inland waterway had anything to do with themselves in Scandinavia.The nobles realize that the main grain-producing area of Ross has a bumper harvest. Does it seem that the food of Lake Mlaren is no longer important?"After all, you're just complaining that the king didn't bring you with him in last year's continued war. No matter what the situation was at the time, it's pointless for us to argue now."Rurik asked everyone to relax, and everyone could see that their king had something important to say, so they all listened with their chests held high."Now there is a chance, or you have noticed all this. This king has signed an agreement with a distinguished Frankish nobleman, and the Frankish area south of the Inn River can be used as our looting area. You Don't you want to get rich? The opportunity is here.""I know about this, our people went spontaneously. However, they didn't come back when they went." Bjorn shook his head regretfully.Others said, "Who knows if they are dead or alive? Although the king beat them once, they are not weak.""Indeed, who knows?" Rurik shrugged, "This is an opportunity! The Franks are in active civil war, and those great nobles must tear each other apart. We must seize this opportunity. Therefore, this king plans to continue to interfere in their affairs. During the civil war, I have sent people to build a foothold, and I have asked them to loot. As long as there are no accidents, my people will come back to report their duties in late autumn. My high priest has done divination, and those who go to the Franks are safe and sound. . . . what will you choose?"They looked at each other, and no one dared to speak rashly.Rurik clapped his hands to remind everyone to pay attention: "Listen! I am sending Blue Fox Gouldsson, Earl of Gothenburg. You all know him. How is he? What about his men? Do you think he will fail? I don't believe it anyway."The big fat white fox sat here, and Bjorn hurriedly smiled: "So it's him! Although the blue fox is a businessman, he is clearly more brave than many warriors. He will achieve great success, so we...""That's right. I plan to use troops against Frank, but I need some new recruits. I'm very worried that as our intervention deepens, when the top nobles have a big battle, we must send heavy troops to intervene.""Large-scale war, this is a good thing!""What we want is a war.""The young people in my family need victory as a rite of passage."The nobles were chattering again, and they no longer needed to hide their willingness to fight. Bjorn himself does not reject fighting. As the Duke of Melalen, he has the obligation to lead everyone to form the Melalen Army to fight, and doing so will help increase his prestige."Okay, it looks like you are very enthusiastic." Rurik simply pursued the victory: "This is purely voluntary, you can organize your own people to loot the Franks, loot and capture the captives according to your ability, this king will not say anything. As long as you pay attention to some basic principles, everyone who comes to the north of the Yin River is our allies, and you can loot the area to the south..."It was no longer necessary to open a meeting place to discuss this matter with them, and Rurik took the opportunity to solemnly explain the principles of looting.Who is the ally and who is the enemy, which areas can be robbed, which areas must not be touched, and how those who should not be robbed should be punished, he explained everything in detail.In this way, even Rurik didn't take Bjorn seriously. He was instigating those big landowners with their clan blood relatives and family members to be small-scale pirates, attacking the Middle Frank region in the most standard Viking raiding mode.Rurik had the idea that the so-called Eastern Kingdom had signed an alliance under the city, and King Ludwig would not dare to take the initiative to attack because his vitality was severely damaged.In last year's war, the core military strength of the kingdom of Ross was also seriously lost. Rurik couldn't be sure that the young warriors who grew up were excellent in combat. But it is not appropriate to spend a huge amount of national money and soldiers' lives in it.The old Rus people are all noble, and this is the basis of Rus' rule.The best way to disrupt the Middle Kingdom is to find a group of northern nobles who want to make a fortune. These nobles are more able to organize the manpower of ships than ordinary fishermen, their organization is higher, and their will to fight is also good.Standard Viking raids are usually two or three boats and a hundred and ten people launching sneak attacks on innocent villages.This most standard action Ross rarely implements, because Rurik's pattern is like this, and he just likes to carry out large-scale battles. The larger the war scene and the more human resources to be mobilized, the greater the benefits that the war will capture.The rogue-style Viking looting method is still useful. Ross will not institutionalize this tactic. All Swedish tribes, especially the Meralen tribe with superior human resources, can do it.Including Bjorn, the nobles reached a consensus with Rurik.As Swedish Vikings, they never felt guilty about looting, and considered it a way of life, just like fishing and hunting.The enemy's warehouse is my warehouse! The key is who is the enemy.Now the Baltic Sea has been integrated by Rus, Rurik is also the king of Rus and Sweden, and there is a new kingdom of Denmark in the south. In the past, sneak attacks and exploits in the vast waters became a major crime. Anyone who dared to attack, everyone could crusade against them, and even the Count of Saaremaa was ordered to patrol the waters to enforce the law.The itchy fishermen, as the forerunners, followed Rurik's advice and entered the fringes of the Frankish world.Those people are too weak to catch more fish in the Atlantic waters, and they don't want to risk being killed to loot.The nobles have too many things to consider, especially to meet their ever-expanding capital expenditures, either focusing on self-production or robbery. The nobles are still more willing to rob.When the meeting was over, the nobles who had been complaining were all refreshed and geared up.The entire meeting Bjorn, as a duke, existed like an ordinary nobleman. He himself said something, and so did other nobles."Sure enough, strength is still king!"Bjorn didn't complain when he got home. He was never a domineering character like Olegin and Karl, but just a person recommended by a group of landlords. Because his title was not conferred by Rurik, but the name of the chief was changed to a title, which was later recognized by Rurik. What if one day his family was deprived of the title? Injured honor? Worried about damage to honor?Bjorn is not a cautious person, he knows that his strength is enough to show an advantage in the Melalen tribe, and it is not an absolute advantage.He had no desire to fight for power, and he was more concerned with developing his huge family to make life better.He has never been an honest person, and soon after returning home, he began to count the juveniles and adults in the family, including young women. Those tenant farmers and serfs are also counted among them, and none of the existing mercenary servants are left behind. Without him, Bjorn is counting the soldiers he can mobilize. He thinks Rurik's agitation is very interesting. Next year, he will take his cronies to the Frankish world for "armed exploration" as the Duke of Melalen.As for the other landlords in the tribe, let them play it by themselves!"Anyway, that armed cargo ship is mine! If you fight me again, I'll let the white fox mediate." Of course, although he married the governor white fox, it really made the other party look up to him, or it made King Ross really pay attention. It must be that he really has a troop of personal soldiers with a relatively large number of troops.How much is too much? For example, assemble a team of 500 people who are ready to fight at any time.Bjorn made such a plan for himself. His direct subordinates suffered a lot in the war last year, and it was indeed difficult to expand the army to 500 people. No, he also counted the young women in the family according to tradition. It is not surprising that Viking female warriors, especially when the tolerance is not enough, the proportion of female warriors is getting higher and higher.Bjorn is so, so do other landlords.Rurik, who returned to the Governor's Palace, was in a good mood.Taking advantage of the opportunity to eat, he confidently shouted to the white fox incessantly. "I see, they're all inspired by success. It's great to save me another time to talk to them carefully.""Hey, actually, they want to be crazy if they want to get rich!" Baihu laughed."Oh? You shut up the whole time during the meeting. What's the matter? You feel that there is no need to speak, or you have reservations.""I actually know them very well. Your Majesty, they are actually poor. They are fierce because of poverty. They don't look like nobles. I think Your Majesty still treats them as mercenaries.""Of course." Rurik fiddled with the warm lamb ribs, and one force cut it off: "Lothair of the Middle Kingdom, this man is our future enemy. Listen, a divided Frankish world is against We are in our favor, and I am trying to create this result. But King Lothair intends to unify the Franks, and if he does it, our good days will be over."Baihu knew very little about this, and he flattered: "What kind of enemy is it that is worthy of the king's worries? Our army will definitely win!""That's it~www.novelhall.com~ But we have to change some tactics. Your three brothers are all in the south now, and they are in danger. I am worried. After all, looting is risking being killed, and I arranged for you My three younger brothers are to help me expand my business territory in the south, and the looting is just a supplement. Some desperadoes do the licking of blood, disturbing our enemies, and all the people who died in the conflict were the people of the Melalen nobles. In the end, we Ross Army won the most wealth.""Wonderful!""It's not bad, it's just to satisfy those guys' thirst for looting, we and them each take what they need." Rurik shrugged and raised his glass: "This king won't stay with you for a long time, and I'm going to Uppsa soon. The Temple of Ra has completed this year's autumn sacrifice, and it's time to return to the capital. Oh, I still have news of your father here."It was the white fox with a comfortable face, but his face suddenly turned down, "I know very well about my father. He...""Everything is his own choice, Gould is an old friend of mine, he is too old after all. The will is over, he has chosen his own destination. Now, you are the new Gould, you are his Eldest son, be the governor here, just like in the past. Your family and mine are in the same boat, do it well.""Okay." The big white fat white fox filled himself with a glass of strong wine and drank it...
