After dusk, the Malaren Market rests as usual, and some torches are lit as usual on Gould Island under night. The torches on the island are not to attract businessmen who are willing to do business at night. In fact, no one does this. The market enters spontaneously. to curfew status.
Torches must be burning all night long, and mercenaries with swords must patrol around the island, which is about the size of a football field.
The closer to the harvest season, the more Gould arranged for manpower to step up patrols. After all, he had already stocked up some goods that needed to be shipped to Fort Ross, as well as a large amount of silver coins, gold coins, and even slaves to be shipped away.
Large amounts of property may attract robbers to attack.
Having drifted in the world for most of his life, Gould's vigilance can be said to come from the depths of his soul. He trusted the effectiveness of the Melalen chief's iron fist against thieves and bandits in the market. Captured thieves were usually beheaded in public, and escaped slaves were also hanged.
It is difficult to see crime in the Malaren Market during the day, but at night, who can guarantee that there will be no sneak attacks by bandits?
A large group of shadows approached the island with a strong sound of waves. The mercenaries who had started patrolling almost instinctively thought that this was a sneak attack by pirates. All the mercenaries immediately took action. Gould, who had nothing to do and was drinking and having fun with his newly bought Britton maid, was so shocked that after receiving the report from the mercenaries, he dropped the delicate glass directly on the sandy ground. .
He suddenly pulled out his dagger: "Are those bastards without eyes planning to attack my island? Inform brothers to prepare for battle!"
Gould recruited and trained as many as fifty mercenaries, and more than a hundred sailors under his command did a variety of chores on the island.
What he was most worried about was a sneak attack by blind people, so a sailor who seemed to lack combat ability could quickly put on a layer of hardened cowhide, pick up a short spear and a wooden shield, and act as a warrior. In fact, such warriors are no different from ordinary warriors of the Melalen people. To put it bluntly, most of the sea warriors are armed civilians. Among them, those who are well-equipped and brave are regarded as warriors.
Gould wasted no time in setting up the array, but as the shadows got closer and closer, he felt that the situation had become very absurd.
"Sir, once the enemy attacks, the shore will be very dangerous. Please stay back for a moment." The newly promoted mercenary captain comforted.
"Back off? Why do I feel like something is wrong?"
"Sir, it's really dangerous here."
"Wait a minute!" Gould consciously saw the black figures clearly, but he didn't want to leave. "These ships are not warships at all. Damn it, could it be that my eldest son came back early?"
Gould kept his men on alert and did not attack the unknown enemy, nor did he fight back.
The black shadow gradually approached, and Snoleva at the bow of the ship suddenly shouted: "Dad! We are back early."
That was the voice of the eldest son, and his sudden return was so unexpected.
"Quick! Collect the weapons and equipment. Our brothers are back early. Go and pull the boat."
A misunderstanding came to an abrupt end, and the sailors and mercenaries who went to pretend to be in trouble all turned into handymen.
Under nightfall, a large number of torches were lit, and a large number of ships dropped their cables to secure them to the trestle dock for the people on the shore. All the sails were furled, and the landing planks were lowered from the sturdy cargo ship.
Rurik opened his eyes wide and tried to see everything around him clearly in the night. He looked left and right, and soon he was among the crowd on the shore, looking at Gould with the help of firelight.
"Rurik! You! You're actually here!"
"Yes, I got the news, and I brought some brothers here in person." Rurik, who was dressed in costume, pulled Carlotta, who was in poor spirits, off the boat. For Carlotta, after a full year, she set foot on Gould Island again, but this time, she came here as the dignified female leader of the Ostara tribe.
Rurik's visit was a bit unexpected for Gould. Now that he was here, the subsequent work became very easy.
After a brief exchange of greetings, Gould realized that the purpose of his trip to Rurik was not simple. Others are here. This is to personally respond to the trade issues of the leader of Mälaren, Olegin, and to make a positive statement on the alliance proposed by Olegin.
No, the girl Carlotta is here, and she intends to participate in the upcoming alliance event as the leader of Ostara.
Gould didn't know how to judge the future: "Rurik, that Olegin has no reason to break his promise. He will keep his promise. The five hundred pounds of silver coins you brought can be exchanged for five hundred thousand pounds of wheat. As for the alliance, , I can’t guarantee that he will recognize Carlotta’s identity.”
"He must admit it," Rurik said firmly.
"But she is a child, and she is a girl."
"Just because of that, does she lack qualifications?"
"That's probably it."
Rurik thought for a while. It is not surprising that powerful men in this era discriminate against women. However, as the leader, Carlotta can no longer simply regard her as a woman, because her essence represents the will of the Ostara tribe. leader.
"It doesn't matter, at least we Russians recognize them. In my opinion, if Olegin believes that Ostara is dead, it proves that last year's incident Olegin just sat back and watched the destruction of an ally."
"Huh? It's interesting." Gould pinched his braided beard, and subconsciously reached out to pinch Carlotta's chubby face: "My dear, it seems that your man is real. He has great wisdom and even knows how to maneuver."
Carlotta forced out a smile. Her mood was very complicated, and she was even a little timid to see that Olegin. Similarly, she also complained in her heart that the leader of the alliance did not save Ostara's destruction. For the sake of the dead souls of his tribe, he had reason to question the leader of the alliance face to face.
The soldiers disembarked one after another. Arik, who was extremely vigilant, stood proudly on the island. He noticed that almost all the people on the island who gathered were wearing leather armor, and many of them had swords in their waists and wore The chain mail shone in the firelight.
He subconsciously became vigilant, holding the hilt of his sword with his right hand at all times, approaching Gould with stubborn steps, and asked rudely: "I saw that your people are armed! What's going on. "
"Ah! It's the heroic Arik." Gould hurriedly bowed gently to the young talent of this tribe.
"answer me."
"Oh, that's it. I almost thought you were sneak attacks." Gould said, looking at Rurik, "My dear, the safety of Melalen is only during the day. At night, there are likely to be pirates. .Thank God, the response mechanism I arranged acted very quickly, so that if there was a pirate attack, I could immediately organize troops to kill all the enemies who landed on the island."
"So that's it." What Gould described was something Rurik had never thought of. He had to admire Gould's high vigilance. "You have done a great job, and now you don't have to worry anymore. My coming to the south has made my tribe very worried. No, I have fifty of the best warriors to protect me, including your Yevluo. Now let's land on the island , your island will become safer."
"Oh, that's great."
"When can I see Olegin?" Rurik's sudden and urgent question surprised Gould.
"He...of course you will meet him. When do you want to meet? Tomorrow? Oh, that is a man who is more guarded. This matter is all on me. I will arrange a messenger to contact him first. I am even worried He’ll reject you because you’re a kid too.”
"He dares! I came with money." Hearing Gould say this, Rurik's already not very good impression of Olegin became even worse.
Gould blamed himself for saying this casually, and hurriedly started talking: "You must be tired and hungry. You should have come a few days later. It's incredible. It only takes five days to get from my island to Fort Ross." Already?"
Snoreva looked proud, but Rurik was not too happy. He complained: "We sailed day and night, and now we are docking for the first time. I am tired and hungry, and so are my brothers. Gur. De, I am the most distinguished guest, and my cousin is also a great hero of the tribe. You can reward me with a few roasted sheep."
"Okay! Just a few sheep are not a problem."
The intense fatigue of the journey made Rurik indifferent to the deliciousness of the barbecue. He ate some roast lamb and some thick salty wheat porridge, and then he yelled that he would talk about any important things tomorrow and find a room to rest quickly. . As for his cousin Arik and the brothers he brought over, how they drank the Gould family's ale in large gulps, or how they opened their bellies to eat the sheep raised by the Gould family, were all the same as Rurik's. no problem.
This night, Rurik was forced to sleep on the ground.
He was really a little puzzled. Did Gould know how to enjoy it? He built a house with wooden floors in Fort Ross, but it was still a traditional Viking residence on the island? Does he not care much about the construction of the island?
Although he slept on the ground, there was a lot of leather on the gravel floor. The sleeping shack was soft and warm, like a baby's cradle for tired Rurik and Carlotta.
Rurik was somewhat thankful that the climate in the Nordic world was cold and there would be no annoying bugs crawling around, so he didn't have to worry about having his ears pierced by bugs while sleeping on the ground.
An unexpected banquet made Gould a little exhausted. The banquet did not consume much of his wealth, but it took a lot of energy to serve the two Rurik brothers and even a group of elite Ross warriors who landed on the island.
After the stormy banquet, there was another debris on the ground.
A large number of lamb bones, half-eaten fish, and some scattered wooden bowls were discarded by the open fire on the shore.
If there was anything that made Gould very happy, it was the landing of elite Ross warriors on the island, which strengthened the island's defense strength. This incident also has symbolic significance. It clearly represents that the power of the Russians has officially penetrated into Lake Malaren.
A new day and the cool north wind indicate that winter is not far away.
After sleeping for a night, Rurik regained his energy. He got out of the warm shack, put on his warm coat, and stood outside a little abruptly, witnessing a huge and organic group.
This is Gould Island, and a large number of people are constantly wandering around. They obviously have their own purposes.
Some children dressed in simple gray clothes, whose rosy complexions signified their health, were mostly walking past him carrying buckets of water, and some were holding bundles of yellow and dry thatch. They are both male and female, and their identities are very clear.
"Gould, you have indeed kept your promise to collect the beggars of Melalen for me."
They must be some poor beggars who will eventually be transported to Rossburg and become Russians. Of course, their status is still as servants.
Rurik had no intention of striking up a conversation with these busy children.
He wears a beautiful snow fox hat and a ferret fur coat. The girl Carlotta standing next to him was also dressed in this way, but when she saw the children passing by, the girl's eyes became more ambiguous.
"Ah... these children are all rescued beggars." Carlotta sighed softly.
"Huh? Do you know them?"
"I know. Alas, I'd better not say it anymore..."
Carlotta didn't want to mention the sad thing. She was quiet for a while and asked calmly: "These children will definitely be transported back. According to the agreement, I will still be the leader of all girls?"
"Valkyrie Legion? Of course. But..."
"What?" Carlotta suddenly grabbed Rurik's arm and looked at Rurik's little face who turned around expectantly.
"Well, the population of your Ostara tribe is too small. I think those rescued boys will be assigned to you. They are all your tribesmen. What do you think? Under my rule, your tribe It must be rebuilt.”
"Oh, you are so kind." Carlotta smiled and rubbed Rurik's clothes. This intimacy was as if the two were biological siblings.
Carlotta is indeed a year older than Rurik, but most of the time she behaves more like a younger sister.
In the early morning, the living room where business was discussed on Gould Island suddenly turned into a restaurant.
Green smoke is also curling up on the island. Those who ate meat last night are now starting to gnaw on grilled fish. After all, he was the one who was still domineering in the vast sea area south of the mouth of Lake Mälaren a few months ago. Arik's brothers gnawed on the fish meat and talked about their previous great achievements. They also felt deeply about the Mälaren people immersed in the fresh water. many.
Look! Under the golden light of the morning sun, the lake was full of boats with sails flying, and there were also a large number of rowing boats, netting fish or fishing on the lake.
Arik and Rurik, two brothers, sat in the island's meeting hall as honored guests. In front of them were sizzling grilled meat, sticky wheat porridge, and even the rare raspberry preserves and floating porridge. Mead with an intoxicating aroma.
Arik is that kind of bold and unrestrained person, he is a martial artist. Faced with such a rich breakfast, he ignores the non-existent etiquette and eats wantonly.
"Well, you really don't see anyone outside." Rurik glanced at his cousin a few times, a little speechless, and then awkwardly looked at the Goulds and his son who were sitting upright but also with a big belly.
Oh, this time Gould's former mercenary captain Yevro is now a completely honored guest.
Being able to achieve your current status depends on a pair of discerning eyes. Gould realized that his Jevro had transformed into a general who became more and more comfortable with the two generations of Ross leaders. Jevlo is still very young and will definitely be Rurik's right-hand man in the future. slave? Pooh! Perhaps after taking power, Rurik will give him the position of "War Chief" to represent the leader's authority in all directions.
Therefore, Gould entertained the girl Carlotta in accordance with the standards of facing a tribal leader, just as he suddenly realized the extraordinary identity of this girl a year ago.
"Rurik, I didn't expect you to come anyway. I saw that you brought a batch of precious goods that needed to be sold, and a huge sum of money..."
After eating a few pieces of extremely sweet plum preserves, Rurik raised his little head and said, "Don't be polite anymore. Your eldest son has told me everything. Now I solemnly tell you my attitude. I am very willing to cooperate with you." Olegin does business. Now I have only one question."
"Meet him and solidify the business?"
"Yes! I want to meet him, the sooner the better."
"Ah? So anxious? You were just as anxious when you got off the boat last night." Gould looked surprised: "I thought you would wait quietly for a few days."
"Why? Don't you know that time is money?"
Gould couldn't help but applaud after hearing these golden words: "Oh, precious time is indeed money. My dear, do you plan to see him today?"
"Isn't it possible? I came with money, and I'm ready for everything. Maybe after we finish eating and tidy up, we can row to the market not far away. I want to see Olegin immediately."
Gould looked embarrassed: "It's too sudden. My dear, I'm afraid only the big leader comes in person can he be qualified to see the alliance leader directly."
"Huh? Am I not the leader? The position of leader Ross must belong to me."
"That's true, but that Olegin only recognized Otto."
Rurik felt that Gould was perfunctory for him inexplicably, so he stood up suddenly, scaring Arik, who was busy chewing meat, to put down the leg of lamb in a hurry. "Gould, is that guy not going to do business?"
Gould's expression became even worse, and the murderous look in Aric's eyes made him fearful.
He hurriedly said: "My dear master. If you are just doing business, you only need to give me the money, and I can complete the business with that man. But here you are, if you go to see him, you are not just doing business." Business. You are the successor of the Ross tribe. When you go to see him, you are actually going to see the alliance leader. Ah, I hope you can understand."
Hearing Rurik sit down slowly, his mood stabilized a little, and he generally understood Gould's specious words.
If the alliance leader is similar to the concept of a king, then are the tribes that have formed an alliance equivalent to the concept of a duke? Aren't you the son of a duke?
In this era, the more noble a person is, the more pompous and dignified he or she is. This is the norm.
Rurik asked tentatively: "You mean, you have to send someone or go to that person in person to report to him that I'm here?"
Gould hurriedly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, "Exactly. My dear, I will send someone to report to the leader. You don't have to worry about our purchase of half a million pounds of wheat. However, whether he will meet you depends on his attitude. . Oh, I hope Olegin is happy to meet you, and..." Gould's eyes glanced at Carlotta, who was sitting quietly and was obviously only interested in preserves: "There is also the female leader of Ostara. But May he call you both."
Rurik shrugged: "I hope so. If he doesn't see me, it doesn't matter to me. Listen, we Russians are not servants of the Melalen people, and I have never been afraid of him."
Rurik and his cousin’s eyes were firm, as was Carlotta’s attitude. Gould secretly admired the courage of the Ross people to challenge the leader of the alliance, not to mention that the Ross people did have a great challenge and inferiority complex. Considering his own interests, Gould wished that the Ross people would replace them and become the new leader tribe.
Gould took a sip of the spicy "Ross Vodka", and the spicy taste made him very refreshed: "Ah! I have sold out all the flammable spirits. I kept some for myself. The spirits made me a lot of money. , I don’t expect them to recognize the name you engraved on the glass bottle? Oh, it’s called Roman characters. Maybe the name of the Russians has spread with the help of these wines, and that Olegin bought a lot. I hope that guy will Because of the strong drink, I have a strong interest in you.”
"Wine is a good thing. We have made a lot of money, so we should buy a lot of goods during the harvest season. You know my attitude!" Rurik's eyes were determined. "Silver coins are not important. How many daily necessities can be purchased with silver coins? is the most important."
Rurik is indeed not a money-grubber, he is very pragmatic! Gould continued following Rurik's words: "Okay, although the harvest season is late, it will arrive soon. Now the market has also reached the last lively period of the year. Rurik, I will arrange a messenger Go and report the news to Olegin, it will take a while. In the meantime, you can log in to the Melalen Market and you can buy some interesting things."
Going to the market? Rurik suddenly became interested and went to visit the largest market in Scandinavia in the ninth century. It was an interesting adventure.
"Okay! Let's go to the market then! Prepare the boat. After dinner, I will go to the market to see it."
Gould chuckled and said: "Then let Jevro be your guide. And the heroic Arik, it is your first time to come to Melalen. You two brothers intend to challenge the power of the Melalen people, then Just land in their bazaar and see how the people of Mälaren live. I think this is important to you."
"Them? A bunch of cowards. I'm still interested in buying some interesting things." Arik looked unconcerned.
Rurik agreed with Gould's words. Knowing yourself and your enemy means you will never be in danger of a hundred battles.
