The ship has docked!
Because their physical energy was replenished, Carlotta and Ella had the strength to move around again. That's what they look like now, just two little beggars.
According to the rules set by the donor, all newly picked beggars need to be purified.
The so-called purification is to pull them into a special wooden house, take off their rags and burn them on fire to completely remove the lice and fleas, and then give them a simple and decent cloth.
Their bodies will be cleaned thoroughly, and soap engraved with the word "RUS" will be used according to local conditions for a very thorough cleaning.
Soap is indeed a good thing. Not only does the donor make a lot of money from it, but the brothers really enjoy the blessing of the donor. Everyone uses it to wash their bodies every day.
During this period of time, Yevlo has experienced an unprecedented feeling of cleanliness. Presumably those who picked it up and bought it are also very happy.
It's these two kids that are different.
Yevro came back early today, and he intended to inform his sponsor of the matter in advance.
He was the one who received the most respect from Gould. No, Jevro broke into Gould's meeting hall alone and saw the sponsor who was negotiating with the businessman.
Yevluo stood aside very wisely, waiting for the sponsor to finish the matter.
Gould also saw his mercenary captain return suddenly. Judging from his appearance, he must have learned some important news in the market.
He quickly ended the business, and after negotiating the price, he left all the delivery and collection matters to his eldest son Snoleva. After that, he gave Yevlo a look to report something.
In a separate room, Gould sat leisurely on a leather cushion.
He waved his hand and motioned for the close Jevlo to sit down and talk.
"You came back so early and found something new in the market? So you came back in a hurry to report it? Maybe you can tell me my name and invite the merchant to me, and I will buy the goods at a high price."
"Yes, my lord, if that is a merchant, and precious treasures," Jevro responded.
"Oh? So that's not it? What is it? Did you bring back many people from that slave market?"
"No. My lord, there are only two children."
"Two children?" Gould immediately narrowed his eyes, "Two very special children? You would never make fun of me."
"It's absolutely true, my lord! Please forgive my recklessness, I listened to the words of those two children. They were two girls who claimed to be from Ostara in the south."
Ostara? In the past few days, Gould had indeed heard that the tribe had been destroyed by the Danes. It was a bit late for the news to reach Melalen, but the tragedy had arrived, causing the Melalen people to suddenly take precautions.
"Ostara? Now the news is that that tribe was completely destroyed, and the Danes didn't even leave a single person alive, and finally burned the house."
"This is what I suspect, sir. Because those two children, they call themselves..."
"What is it?"
"Yes, the leader's granddaughter. Moreover, she is also the last survivor of the leader's family."
"Really?! Where are they?!" Gould suddenly stood up, the fat on his face trembling.
"They were outside and their brothers were watching them."
"Quick! Let them see me quickly."
"Sir, do you understand their rhetoric?"
Gould shook his head vigorously: "Why don't you believe it? Ordinary children don't have the brains to say such things. Go and bring them here."
"As you command!"
While Gould and Javlo talked, the two girls were left out to dry.
An island controlled by merchants? Carlotta and Ella both had good eyesight. The sun was shining high at this time, and the fog on the lake had long since dissipated. Looking far away, the two of them saw not only a large number of sailboats on the sparkling lake, but also the bustle in the distance. bazaar.
Compared to the market, this island is also very lively.
Carlotta saw some people dressed obviously as businessmen, calling their men to move some wooden boxes to their ship. There are also some obvious goods - animal skins.
Some women dressed simply but decently were also helping with the work, and there were even some girls about the same age as themselves who were also pulling the cables.
With her keen sense of smell, she smelled a disturbing smell in the air, which seemed to be a stench.
Someone gave the two children a small piece of hard bread, and they gnawed it bit by bit like squirrels with their little mouths open.
And this is the serious food they have eaten for a month.
Javlo suddenly appeared and dragged the two children into the room where Gould was waiting.
The two people who still didn't know what happened suddenly appeared in front of Gould.
"Are these two children? Jevlo?"
"Exactly, sir!"
"Huh? It looks really dirty! Like a mink that fell into the mud."
Upon hearing such comments, Carlotta, who had regained a certain amount of strength, immediately retorted: "We are not dirty! We Ostara people have always been aboveboard! You are dirty, you businessmen wearing snow-white mink fur, with all your heart in mind It’s mud!”
Now, Yevro suddenly became angry. He immediately covered the girl's head with his left hand, strangled her neck with his right hand, and said viciously: "Don't speak evil words to my master."
Carlotta was also surprised by this.
Is Gould angry? To be honest, I was a little angry.
However, this curse actually came from a dirty child, and this curse was really quite good. Obviously, if she were a child from an ordinary family, she would probably be a timid little girl now, seeing people in gorgeous clothes. He should be shivering out of instinct.
This child has seen the world!
Gould looked at the other children. Although they were dirty, they looked dignified and graceful standing there.
"Well, I'm not mad. A poor ferret fell into a muddy puddle and just needs to be cleaned and it's a white furry baby again. I see, you two need a cleaning and I'll be happy to send my maid Help you."
"Oh, thank you very much... sir." Carlotta said politely.
Gould nodded and continued: "I heard that you two are the daughters of the leader of Ostara?"
"No. It's the granddaughter." Carlotta corrected her simply.
"Really? How can I trust you?"
"I don't need to convince you, my lord. This is who we are wherever we go. It's our destiny."
Hearing this, Gould was a little impressed. "Yes, a noble person is also noble at heart. Even if you lose your property, you have not lost your soul. I am willing to believe your identity, but I still hope you can mention some tokens. Children, don't look at me As fat as a winter seal, I know something about you. What's your name?"
"I am Carlotta and my sister is Ella."
"That's a good name. Carlotta, come here. Stand in front of me, with your back to me."
Carlotta immediately became cautious: "What do you want to do?"
"Oh? Are you still afraid that I will eat you? Am I a bear? Just come here, I want to verify something."
After hearing Gould's order, Carlotta came over. She was very surprised to be ordered by this businessman to lift his dirty braids, as if this man knew everything.
The girl's neck is very clean because it is always covered with hair. The "calf head" tattoo on it instantly explains everything.
Gould suppressed his inner excitement. He asked the girl to stand back, and then raised his head to think of some past events.
"He is indeed a descendant of the leader. I know the beauty of your family and I recognize your tattoos."
Carlotta was startled: "Mr. Merchant, do you know us?"
"Of course. I was still a young man at the time, and my father ordered me to go to the south to do business. Your leader's name was Staff, and he was also a young man at that time. I bought your cowhide and sheepskin, but later I stopped doing it. This business. But I do know one of your traditions." As he spoke, Gould deliberately touched his neck: "Every member of your chief family has a family tattoo on his neck or back. You guys Ordinary people in the tribe cannot enjoy this privilege.”
At this moment, Carlotta and Ella were already in tears...
Indeed, in Nordic society, tattoos and tattoos also symbolize a person's status. Many warriors would tattoo words or patterns on their bodies to show their bravery. As for the nobles in the tribe, they enjoy some special beauty, and only the core members of the family enjoy it.
If it weren't for the injury on her leg, Carlotta would have been kneeling on the ground. She muttered: "Sir, I never imagined that you know us so well."
"It's a miracle to meet you." Gould turned to Jevro: "This time, you really brought me an incredible treasure. I think the Russians will be very happy."
Gould also noticed the injury to Carlotta's leg and couldn't help but said with concern: "Carlotta, it looks like your injury is serious."
"I don't care. I've endured it for so many days."
"No." Gould could see at a glance that the girl's leg injury was serious. "I still have many things to ask you. It seems that now you need to eat something and take a hot bath. Don't worry, children, you will be protected by me. In the future, there will be more noble people to protect you. .”
In this way, Carlotta and Ella were led to a darkroom by four women dressed very conservatively.
The so-called "dark room" is actually a bathhouse with a wooden floor.
As a businessman, what you want after you have money is to live a life that is far beyond ordinary people. With these, some businessmen may pursue greater power.
The Gould family had long heard about the sauna invented by the Finnish tribe, so much so that the mercenaries under his command from Finland described in detail how to build a steam room to the sponsor.
When it comes to the eldest son, Snoleva, sauna sessions have become a normal enjoyment for the whole family in winter.
But who would have thought that this kind of enjoyment, being immersed in the hot steam for a long time, is really unfriendly to men, and this is precisely the important reason why Snoleva gave birth to two daughters in a row. Snoleva was lucky. If he had been pursuing the "scalding" feeling of steam, he would have been angry at his wife for being a "hen that cannot lay eggs," but in fact he would have been burned into waste by the steam.
Of course, there is also a huge wooden barrel for bathing. Its size is enough for the fat Gould to lie in it and blow bubbles like a real elephant seal.
Now with two soaps from Roth, bathing suddenly becomes magical.
So much soap arriving was indeed hugely profitable, and the Gould family was not stupid enough to keep the good stuff for themselves.
Now, Carlotta and Ella, they begin a bathing experience like the underworld.
Some wooden basins kept filling hot water into the large wooden barrels, and some basins filled with hot water were prepared.
The maids who have lived on Gould Island for a long time are all long-term hired workers. They do various chores on weekdays. Of course, they are not young because they are not pretty. The actual owner of the island, Snoreva No interest in them.
Although they are a group of old ladies, it is this kind of people who work as handymen to make the funders worry free.
Gould, the largest donor, issued a message to smear the child's body with sulfur soap and scrub the child's hair vigorously, but be careful not to damage the child's wounds.
The words were spoken in this way, but in the end, Carlotta, who was still weak, was completely like a helpless chicken.
The maids all knew that they were taking care of the bathing of a certain tribe's eldest lady, but they just didn't expect them to be so dirty!
Carlotta and Ella, their braids were completely spread out, but their golden hair was stuck together.
They were doused with hot water no less than ten times. The dark hot water flowed along the cracks in the wooden floor of the sauna and into the sandy ground.
At the same time, their bodies, which have become too slender due to long-term chronic hunger, are constantly being rubbed with linen cloth. The maids just hope that this will remove the mud from their bodies as soon as possible.
Finally, a yellow-white lump exuding a strange smell appeared!
It has to be said that the mass-produced sulfur soap made by Rurik was so affordable that customers would rub their hands on the soap until it was filled with small bubbles before applying it on their bodies.
Gould used a knife to cut the soap into small pieces so that a family could use it comfortably.
The maids did the same thing.
"What are you doing to me? It stinks so much! Woman, don't use this thing that reeks of the underworld..."
As Carlotta said this, the maid just worked with her head down.
Even after saying many words, Carlotta still couldn't get rid of the slippery result.
"Sister, what's going on! Why is my whole body slippery?"
"Ella, no matter how hard you endure it, I don't know what they are doing to me."
"But I dare not open my eyes! My eyes hurt."
At first, these maids were also shocked by the magical experience of sulfur soap. The sticky and slippery feeling on their hands was really incredible. This feeling cannot be described as being covered in oil. After rinsing in the water, my hands were extremely clean. There was not even a trace of residual dirt, and even the gaps between the fingernails were clean.
Using it to wash their hair, these old women felt refreshed that they could never imagine in this life.
Because their scalp also becomes dry and firm.
Carlotta's whole body began to smell of sulfur, and she even thought that the merchant might have gotten into a cave and got some weird things from the underworld. She didn't dare to ask any more questions, because she was covered in these sticky things, and when she barely opened her eyes, she felt as if she had a needle-point irritating her eyes.
Until a large amount of water was poured on the two girls from head to legs.
Carlotta was thoroughly cleaned, no trace of that filthy dirt remained.
She felt that the skin all over her body was tight, her little face was tight, and her hair was extremely dry.
Through the gap in the wooden window, she could clearly see her hands and the gaps between her white nails.
"Dirt? All gone?!"
She was so surprised that she had forgotten the pain in her knees. What was very bad was that even after she was wiped clean and put on neat linen clothes, the stench still lingered.
The two children were out of the bath, and there was no sense of beauty, because only after they were washed, others could really see how thin they were and their low-spirited faces.
