();
The sun was shining brightly today, but the spirits of the two women sitting in the carriage were somewhat depressed.
The Ostara tribe, which once had a large population, now has only about 200 people left, continuing to head towards the territory of the Yelmalen people.
Many refugees fell into despair. Those people had hanged themselves in the forest, or fell to the ground weakly and became food for wild animals.
"Sister, is your leg feeling better?" Ella, the younger sister, asked weakly, leaning against Carlotta's shoulder.
"I feel a lot better."
"Then what's next."
At the mention of what happened next, Carlotta suddenly became alert. From the corner of her eye, she noticed that the man was napping, and she became less vigilant.
Carlotta put her mouth close to her sister's ear and whispered: "When we arrive at the port of Hjärmalen, you must listen to me."
"Well, I always listen to you."
"My dear, we may have only one chance to escape, and we must go all out when the time comes."
My sister's words were like this, and my sister was very confused. Her younger sister Ella was too young. She naively thought that someone promised to give her and her sister daily food, and also promised to take good care of her in the future. Isn't this person a kind person?
However, Ella believed in her sister more. Maybe my sister has a better strategy.
What about reality? Carlotta's thoughts about the future can be described as naive. She felt that if her identity as the granddaughter of the leader of Ostara was revealed, the leader of the Melalen people would treat her with courtesy.
Now, the Gran people's team is taking the lead, followed by Fodegen's caravan. At the end of the team were the women who were determined not to betray themselves to Fodgen even if they starved to death. They took their children and tried their best to follow the large army in order to get to the Yelmalun tribe and receive courtesy from the locals.
The time has entered June, and the warm breeze of early summer is blowing across the world. At this time, the water and grass are abundant.
No one knew about the tragedy that happened in the southern Burrow Bay, but the Hjärmalen people learned some other news. For example, some fishermen from Mälaren claimed that the Russians in the north began to establish a stronghold in the Åland Islands.
The Rus did have a new stronghold, and they had begun doing business with the nearby fishermen of Mälaren.
This situation further confirms that the legend about the Russian attack on Gotland is true.
However, those things don't seem to have much to do with the Hjelmalen people.
Life for the Hjärmalen people living by the lake continues as usual.
These people are located near the lake in the inland area. There is a wider river bed and a river with rugged rocks on the surrounding river beach. It continuously pours the fresh water of Lake Hjärmalen into the wide Lake Mälaren.
Generally speaking, the area at the mouth of rivers and lakes is very suitable for establishing a settlement.
However, the geographical conditions in that area were not satisfactory to the Yermalen people at all.
Being inland, this group of people simply does not have the strength to launch troops and plunder other places. Besides, not far to their due north is the range of activities of the powerful Melalen people. They can only live under the "protection" of the Melalen people.
The Hjelmalen people established a settlement in a small inlet on the south side of the lake where they are located. Generations of development have resulted in a large number of wheat fields along the lake appearing around the settlement.
This tribe has a population of up to 3,000 people, and they own quite a large area of land. Not only spring wheat is grown here, but onions, cabbage, and peas are also grown. Onions and cabbage, in particular, require ample moisture and a warmer climate to grow. It was early June. The onions planted by the Hjärmalen people before winter last September had finally entered the harvest season after dormant and growing for more than half a year.
Onions are cold-tolerant and have been an important vegetable crop in Western and Northern Europe since ancient times.
Although people don't have the concept of vitamins, they all know that eating onions is not only good for the body, but its sweet and spicy taste actually adds a lot of spice to the dull life.
And it is also a cheap crop in the entire "Lake Malaren Economic Circle", which even poor people can afford.
No, some traders from the Melalen tribe have already rowed large transport boats up the Stone River and entered Lake Hälmalen.
Four to five hundred merchants and rowers entered the Hjelmalen port. The merchants have generally built their own houses long ago, and the rowers either sleep on the boats or set up tents on the lakeside.
Everyone was waiting, and when the leader of Hjälmalun gave the order, the entire tribe immediately began to harvest onions.
It is also at this critical moment that the tribesmen patrol their fields to be wary of thieves.
Opposite of those onions, there are a lot of green wheat fields.
There are still more than two months to go until the spring wheat harvest. Before the wheat harvest, the Hjärmalen people can be the first to harvest large quantities of onions and cabbage.
These dishes can fill the stomach, but relying solely on these cannot make a strong man energetic.
Ordinary tribesmen do not have so many requirements. They are very grateful for the gift of the so-called Lake Goddess, who has given them the ability to eat vegetables and survive stably during the traditional summer famine.
Yes, famine events are rare in the Hjelmalen people's concept.
This is the case in Northern Europe. The closer the peninsula is to the south, the macroeconomic conditions of agriculture are gradually improving. The Hjärmalen people have enough food to feed themselves, and they can still make a fortune selling their agricultural products every year. Even because dealers come uninvited, they don't have to organize a fleet of ships to go to the Mälaren Market.
Just as the tribesmen were looking forward to a bumper harvest of onions, farmers guarding remote farmland saw a mighty "army" driving a large number of cattle and sheep.
Oops! This group of cattle and sheep can even chew up the roots of grass. They don’t know the pungency and sweetness of the roots. They will chew up the onions!
Suddenly the farmers were in a panic.
"No! Enemies are coming! They want to steal all our onions!"
"Brothers, take up arms and go to the fields to defend our property."
…
More than 30 farmers who were the first to run back to the settlement screamed for help on the tribe's intricate dirt roads.
As more farmers came with frightened expressions, and some farmers immediately ran out with shields and short spears after returning home, those who turned a blind eye for a while could no longer stand idly by.
Several farmers simply broke into the leader's house and reported the terrible things to the guards guarding the house.
Winterson, the leader of Yermalen, was also shocked.
"What? A group of cattle and sheep from the south? And a large group of enemies? Really enemies?"
The guard also heard what he said: "Sir, the situation is very unclear now. Whether they are friends or foes, those cattle and sheep will definitely destroy our farmland."
"Okay, organize the army first. We have to stop them from trampling on the farmland. Follow me."
With that said, leader Wenderson, a lean middle-aged man, immediately put on his leather armor, brought his sword and shield, called nearly a hundred guards under his command to enter the streets of the tribe, and declared war mobilization as the leader.
With such an order, the entire tribe fell into a high degree of tension.
Some people suspect that the cattle and sheep were brought back by the southern allies. But they showed up at this time, what happened?
Winderson gathered all the twelve hundred men in the tribe who could carry weapons. More than 400 young women, also armed with weapons, or simply shovels and hoes for digging in the earth, joined the clan's camp to replenish their numbers.
Together with the businessmen who live there, they will not think about continuing to do business this year or even next year if the Yelmalon people's crops are destroyed. In order to protect their own interests, and with a slogan of supporting traditional allies, more than 300 merchants and oarsmen joined the Allied Army to join Hjälmalun's army.
Suddenly, an army of up to 2,000 soldiers quickly assembled, rushed to the tribe's farmland, and stood densely on the ridges of the fields for a large area.
This situation made the slow-moving Granite team extremely nervous.
"Chief, are they going to war? We are allies. Could it be that these people have also defected to the Danes?"
"You are so stupid." Oak, the leader of the Gran people, knocked on the helmet of his subordinate.
The subordinate continued to admonish: "Sir, if there is such a possibility, you must be careful."
"Forget it. I think they are worried that our team will destroy their fields. The leader of Yermalen is called Wenderson. I know the character of the guy. That guy cares about his own fields the most. Inform the brothers to take good care of their own. Cows and sheep, don’t go any further.”
After giving the order, the leader of the Gran people left the main force with ten people and headed for the opposite camp.
Because the allies in the south generally raise cattle and sheep, many of the furs needed by the Yelmalun tribe also come from the south.
Leader Wenderson squinted his eyes and saw clearly the guy who was gradually approaching.
"Are they Gran? Why did they come here?"
With doubts in mind, Wenderson also issued an order, ordering the tribesmen to stay on guard. And he also took ten of his equal proud warriors and stepped forward to negotiate with them.
In this way, the leaders of the two tribes met on the field ridge.
With some polite courtesy, the Gran explained the truth about the destruction of the Ostara people.
"Danes? Could it be that our southern defense line has collapsed?! Doesn't this mean we have become the southern defense line?"
"It's absolutely true." In order to highlight the seriousness of the situation, Oak, the leader of the Gran people, deliberately claimed that there were only more than a hundred women and children left in the huge Ostara tribe. "According to the information I received, the Danes seemed to be possessed by evil gods, and they launched indiscriminate attacks. In order to avoid disaster, we escaped."
After hearing the news, Hjelmalen's Wenderson's eyelids twitched wildly, and his feet in leather boots were covered in cold sweat.
"Could it be that...the Danish pursuers...the enemy is coming?"
"They didn't come. Maybe, they thought they had won and retreated."
"The Danes really didn't come?" Wenderson continued to ask.
"It is absolutely true. My friend, all our tribes in the south have lost their homes. All tribes are fleeing. In order to escape death, I came with my tribe. I hope that my tribe can settle near your lake, We will be neighbors from now on.”
"This..." Speaking of a very real question, Wenderson realized that he couldn't give a straightforward answer to this matter.
Be neighbors? This is a good thing based on the current situation, but with the arrival of the Gran people who are good at raising cattle and sheep, if the cattle and sheep are not controlled well, they will definitely become monsters that destroy farmland.
Considering the mentality of the tribesmen, Wenderson estimated that it would be impossible for the Gran people to actually live together.
After all, the visitors were all old friends, and Wenderson did not make things difficult for these people anymore.
His only request is that the cattle and sheep must be restrained. Once the onions are destroyed by cattle and sheep, the Gran people must use the cattle and sheep in their hands to pay off the debt.
In order to avoid unnecessary trouble, Wenderson temporarily pointed out a temporary resting place for the Gran people.
"Your large army will first go to the northeast of our tribe, which is an undeveloped wasteland. You guys have a rest for now. My friend, please allow me to invite you to my home. Maybe we should discuss the future."
The Gran people, who were suffering from the fatigue of traveling and traveling, really needed a rest, and the leader Oak agreed to his friend's kindness.
The war alert was lifted and life seemed to be returning quickly.
The large army of Granites moved in a new direction, but as a businessman, Fodegen saw a large number of buildings not far away and realized that he must have arrived at the initial destination.
"Carlotta, Ella, we have arrived at Hjärmalen. My dear, just wait a little longer so that we can all rest."
The two girls observed everything around them attentively. Carlotta held her sister's hand tightly, her eyes trying to observe the details of everything in order to find an opportunity to escape.
"What's wrong? Are you two asleep?" As he said this, Fordgen turned his head and noticed that the eyes of the two children seemed to be looking at something else.
"Is this your first time coming to Hjärmalen? Haha, don't worry. We will spend one night here and leave for Mälaren tomorrow. Haha, be patient a little longer. When we get to my island, I will give it to you. Arrange the most comfortable room." Fodegen kept talking about his promise, his words full of pride.
What Carlotta understood was that she and her sister had a chance to escape, tonight!
Now Fodegen has no time to care about the affairs of the Gran people. What he needs to consider most is how to bring back the nearly 100 Ostara refugees under his control. The cost of food for so many people was not a small amount, and he did not want to waste time in Hjälmalen at all.
More than a month ago, when Vodgen left Mälaren for the south, he took the sea route, but he also traveled by land many times.
He knew the geography of Hjärmalen, and as a merchant, he placed the caravan in a small piece of troubled wasteland near the local settlement.
While it was still dark, the businessman took a few of his proud subordinates and rushed to the dock to look for the boaters. In the end, he could only reach a business agreement with his business colleagues.
Because only their fellow merchants brought large transport ships, and the local fishermen of Hjermalen, their small boats simply couldn’t do it!
We are both businessmen, and all we care about is credibility.
Colleagues all learned of the fall of Ostara, and they never imagined that they were all from Melalen and knew something about Vodgen.
They were envious of this guy who survived the catastrophe and actually got a hundred slaves. What else could they do but be envious?
Even though Fordegen tried his best to defend himself, his colleagues, while joking and teasing, also came up with their conditions.
It turns out that these merchants were just waiting to transport onions! Soon the Hjelmalen people's onions will be harvested, and whoever's fleet is at the port will be able to purchase the best batch. At this critical juncture, Vodgen must give a good reward before the fleet can take this group of people to Melalen.
Are you forced to stay here?
impossible!
Fordegen estimated that if they left with a large number of onions, they would only come back when the cabbages were harvested again. If you can't reach a deal with them right away, you'll be in trouble!
He had no choice but to pay a deposit of two pounds of silver coins to a caravan, and he would have to pay another two pounds after the event was completed.
For the caravan, this is pure extortion. To transport all the people and belongings of Vordegen to Mälaren, the fleet basically just goes down the river, and it may take a whole day to transport them all to Vordegen's territory. Why not earn four pounds of silver coins?
For this caravan, which specialized in selling agricultural products, they were ruthlessly extorting money from Fo Degen. The income of four pounds of silver coins had almost caught up with their gross profit from trafficking throughout the year. Even if he is the owner of the fleet, his annual net income is only about one hundred silver coins. The routine is to stock up onions to sell in the winter and wheat to sell in the summer famine, so as to make money by putting them on the market when supply and demand are out of balance.
But most of the fleets are run by small-scale businessmen. If it hadn't been for the Danish incident and the loss of all the ships, Fordegen would not have bothered to communicate with this group of people.
After all, in Vodgen's business district, all I know are big businessmen who are active in the "Melaren Economic Circle"! Naturally, his level of Buddhism is much lower, it all depends on who he is comparing with. If he had stayed in the prosperous and peaceful years of previous years and started the fur business, he would have been able to earn twenty pounds of silver from his annual net profit. I want to talk about "The Rise of Rurik" with more like-minded people, follow "Youdu Literature" on WeChat, chat about life, and find confidants~
