The continuous good days warmed people's hearts, and the whole Roseburg became more and more green. In just three months, the world once covered by ice and snow became lush and green.
In the extremely high-dimensional Roseburg, the average daily maximum temperature has exceeded 20 degrees in recent times, and many people have even felt a little bit hot.
They were a large number of unscrupulous strong men, with their upper bodies covered with golden chest hair exposed, their furry arms stretched out, actively standing on their own fishing boats, and struggling to pull the loose nets onto the boat.
Roseburg has entered the warmest time of the year. This year's situation is indeed significantly different than before. Its strong warmth is felt by everyone, and the large demand for supplies on Tombstone Island also tempts fishermen to transport large quantities of fish there.
Therefore, when the small fleet composed of the Aurora returned, the fleet directly met Rurik's own fishing boat.
It was a fishing boat with a port number, and the fishermen had all signed contracts with Rurik.
The two fleets temporarily met at sea. Rurik on the deck asked condescendingly, and he felt more confident about the future battle.
At least their own fishing boats and contracted fishermen will be very active in fishing and transporting goods for profit.
What about the other tribesmen? Dare not say that they made great sacrifices for the great war to conquer the Gotlanders, Rurik believed that they at least contributed immediately for the sake of profit.
Ahead, a large number of off-net boats were cruising, and there were also a group of boats hanging on the sea. Fishermen were fishing for cod with hemp ropes.
The entire Gulf of Bothnia is under the control of the Ross people. Most of the fish resources in this huge bay with a depth of 600 kilometers have become the exclusive exclusive rights of the Principality of Ross. However, due to the limitations of fishing technology, the Russians are still "takers with very limited abilities" and their influence on the ecological resources of this bay is very limited.
Just a few days ago, Rurik was worried about launching a major war, and the logistical pressure on the Russian army would be a big problem that would be difficult to alleviate.
The weather was clear at the moment. Standing on the bow deck four meters above the waterline, he could overlook a large number of ships and even the distant horizon.
"There are so many ships? Is it difficult for all the Russians to come out to work? If I go back now, how many people will stay here for a long time? If they don't come back by the winter solstice, my order..."
Rurik unexpectedly felt a little more stressed, but now he needed to go back early.
On the night of June 25th, the southwest direction had become very weak, but the Avora kept sailing with its sails still hoisted.
It's just that within seventy-two hours, the latitude of Roseburg reached the point of the astronomical summer solstice, so today's pure night time has been compressed to only one hour.
The Avora sailed almost in the middle of the day, but was blown by the warm sea breeze, which made Rurik feel that this world was really weird.
The final voyage was uneventful, just as Rurik expected. After this short night, an unknown number of hours passed. In short, the sun was still floating on the western sky, and the Avrola fleet turned around. Head, all into the Rossberg Fjord.
Four large ships entered the harbor with distinctive triangular sails, and the sails were clearly sewn with huge criss-crossing blue stripes.
It's the leader's ship! The leader's fleet has made a triumphant return!
A large number of fishing boats have left the port for fishing operations, but there are not many people taking in Roseburg. Most of them still stay at home. Women, in particular, worked as seamstresses and chopped firewood to boil the salt used to marinate fish.
Finally returning home, Otto climbed onto the bow of the ship and looked toward home.
"Hey, that's our house."
"I saw that there were not many boats on the coast. The boat owners must have gone fishing." Rurik said casually.
Suddenly, the dense black smoke in an area of Roseburg caught the attention of the father and son. The two subconsciously thought there was a fire. After a closer look, wasn't the area where the smoke was coming from the blacksmiths' mansion? The blast furnaces that smelt pig iron are also in that area.
Rurik patted his face that was numbed by the warm sea breeze and sighed to himself: "The chimney and black smoke represent our strength, and now we need the blacksmith to work hard to make it."
There is still one month left for the Russians to prepare for war, unless Rurik personally orders no action against the Gotlanders this year.
Indeed, Rurik asked himself, he can say that launching a strategic decisive battle now is indeed too hasty in terms of armaments. If we continue to accumulate strength during this winter, next year's Ross army will not just be the Aurora, because there are currently two large ships of the same class being built. Next year, the Russians will have at least three large ships, and the Russian army will also be equipped with more weapons and more armored warriors.
Look at the "industrial area" with thick smoke! In the past, Rurik could only dream, but now he feels that the Russians have the ability to produce plate armor with high efficiency.
The clear air allowed people on the shore to easily see almost all details on the sea in the small fjord. Some people in Rossburg were born with farsightedness. Not only did they see the Aurora clearly, but they also saw the ship. People standing at the bow.
A boy with a golden ponytail and an old guy with a flowing beard.
The ecstatic people ran wildly through the maze of roads, shouting, "The leader is back!"
The news soon spread to the chief priest's house. Rumia was taking care of the high priest Vilia to drink soup and medicine. Her hand holding the wooden spoon was trembling.
Like the cracked earth, Vilia half-opened his eyes and muttered slowly: "It seems... your man is really back. You... go and bring him to me."
"Yes! I'll go right away."
Rumia was so excited that she couldn't help but shed two hot tears. She was afraid that Rurik would encounter some crisis during the expedition, but now they have returned safely.
Of course, what moved her even more was that what happened now was within the expectations of the high priest.
It seems that the old lady lying in the leather is a Valkyrie. Her soul will return to Valhalla one day. She still persists tenaciously until now, and she must still have this mission to complete in the human world.
In the past, almost all the ships of the Gould family stayed at Lake Mälaren in the summer. Times have changed, and now Gould himself has returned to Roseburg in advance. There was once an annual cargo trade. As the Russians have essentially controlled the entire Gulf of Bothnia, ships that were once worried about being attacked by pirates now dare to sail alone.
Not only were the trade routes common, but trade also began to become frequent. Gould left the general trading business to his sons, especially the eldest son Snoleva. He himself only had to deal with some major matters, so he needed to stay in Roseburg for a long time.
Rumia wore a gray-white burqa, and behind her were four lower-level priestesses wearing burqas. They hurried to the dock of Gould's house, and soon saw the Aurora docked steadily, Rurik chatting and laughing with the big businessman, and the leader Otto, who was still intimidating to her.
Rumia gently lowered her hood, revealing her unique black hair and a braid tied behind her head with a silver hairpin.
She hurriedly approached her man and interrupted urgently: "Rurik, the high priest is her. She is looking for you."
"It's Vilia! Is she okay?" For a moment Rurik was so shocked that his whole body was numb. He suddenly thought of the bleak look of the high priest who was about to die when he set sail. Look at Rumia's current mood. , obviously the high priest is in good condition.
Rumia nodded: "The High Priest can still speak and eat. The Great God did not take her away."
Rurik had already talked to Gould about the war. Gould was so shocked by the seriousness of the situation that his face turned red. His face was ashen and serious, and his plump body could not help but tremble.
"Just follow my decision. This is the power given to me by the Duke. Just follow my orders. Do you remember?"
Gould nodded vigorously: "Go to Mellaren to recruit mercenaries who are not afraid of death. Then buy a batch of salted fish jerky or other food. I will organize a fleet today."
Rurik nodded and followed Rumia without saying a word, ignoring the others.
Otto shrugged, his big hands still squeezing Carlotta's neck: "Let's go back now."
"But, Duke, we..."
"Silly boy, this is Roseburg, and you have to call me father here."
"Yes! Dad..." She changed her words in an instant, and Carlotta actually felt uncomfortable at all. Although the war was still going on, she just wanted to return home, see her biological sister, see her adoptive mother, and have a good rest for a while.
Lumia held Rurik's wrist, and the two of them ran along, forcing the accompanying priestess to also hold her robe and run along.
Rumia is still a deer herder who is good at running, even though she has essentially fulfilled the duties of the high priest of Rus.
She was spared her life by Odin. With this favor, the tribe no longer had prejudices and doubts about the black-haired deer herder. For her, this doubt was a great rebellion against God.
Now, Rumia has not been dazzled by the power she possesses. All the stable life today comes from Rurik.
The high priest previewed that the war launched by the entire alliance would definitely end on a very large scale, and the Russians would also gain huge gains from this war.
What exactly is the so-called huge gain? Are you referring to those poor prisoners who were transported back some time ago?
Rumia wanted to know the "secret" that Vilia knew, but she didn't dare to ask in detail.
Soon Rurik returned to the longhouse of the priests and sat next to Grandma Vilia.
A hand that looked like a dead bone rose up, and Rurik grabbed it without hesitation, and then put it against his face.
A faint smile appeared on Vilia's withered face, "God said that I can't leave until the important things are done."
"Grandma, you..."
"That was a preview, and the preview has become a reality. You...are back."
"Yes! I'm back. I want to participate in this year's summer solstice sacrifice. This is what I must do."
Wei Liya laughed subconsciously and said slowly: "You... are definitely not because of this incident. You want to plan a big event, but I don't know what it is. It's just that the oracle told me that what you planned is right." Ross…”
"How about it?"
"It's a good thing."
At this moment, Rurik would rather be very superstitious. This is called frequent good omens before a war. It is a good thing for the soldiers who are about to go to war and the entire Ross tribe!
Rurik continued to hold Vilia's hand and stared into her eyes seriously: "Yes, it seems that Odin has met the outcome of this war. I have decided that I will devote all my tribe's resources to it." Strength, to completely defeat the Gotlanders and accomplish what the leaders of all generations wanted to do but were unable to do!"
Upon hearing such a plan, Vilia let out a sudden sigh of relief.
"Grandma, are you surprised?"
"Me? Hehe... I finally understand what the oracle is. It's you... just go ahead and do what you want to do."
Then, she asked Rumia to stretch her head: "Listen, child, obey all your man's orders. At this year's summer sacrifice, you must announce Rurik's decision in public."
Rumia nodded vigorously, but she was worried about the future in her heart.
Is it necessary to launch a decisive war against a powerful hostile force?
At this moment, Rurik was holding Vilia's hand. He felt that this old lady had already understood everything. Even if she was not a prophet, she still had the ability to predict the future. If she were a man, I am afraid that the throne of the leader of the Ross tribe would be controlled by her. .
In fact, the result is similar. This old lady has been the leader behind the Ross tribe for more than ten years.
Rurik said solemnly: "Grandma, you don't have to worry at all. I have drawn up a detailed battle plan. I will make full preparations and select warriors from the tribes that serve us. This war is about I will use the strength of the entire tribe to win the future of our Rus people. Please stay here to protect me, and I will triumph."
"Then... it depends on God's will." Vilia forced a smile, "I am still alive now because of God's favor. Ah, the future depends entirely on you, Rurik."
The heartwarming scene happened to be seen by Otto who came over. He didn't speak, he just watched with his eyes and listened with his ears. Undoubtedly, he heard something incredible, and he couldn't help but tremble all over.
Otto was trembling with ecstasy in his heart, not only because the high priest seemed to be weak and still had some years to go before he left, but mainly because the high priest learned from the obscure oracle that victory lies in Ross.
Victory belongs to Rose, but he does not sit back and wait for victory to fall from the sky.
This year's summer solstice sacrifice will be very grand. Rurik intends to announce war mobilization in public. However, some people in the tribe must have smelled the signs of a larger-scale war. They must know in advance, even if they know it one day earlier, it will be one day earlier. Prepare.
Blacksmith Clavarson and the apprentices have been working hard in the past few days.
The blast furnace never stops, molten iron flows out regularly, and ore and carbon blocks are dumped into it throughout the night.
In order to serve this furnace, Rurik assigned tasks to the blacksmith apprentice and his large group of subordinates as early as when he left Roseburg.
Even children, carrying shovels, chisels, and handcarts, were digging in the nearby mountains. Their numbers were strong, and their mining efficiency was enough to stably supply the blast furnace with ore.
A consortium for the production of carbon pottery and iron has been formed in Roseburg. Charcoal burners provide raw materials, potters supply molds, and the blacksmith alliance mines and completes smelting. The final iron products not only benefit the participants in the entire process, but also serve them. The leader accumulates wealth.
After all, the production efficiency of pig iron smelting products almost depends on the supply speed of raw materials and fuel.
Rurik had already made an appointment with the blacksmiths to sell pig iron products, especially agricultural tools, in exchange for other things, such as precious grain.
The only blast furnace continued to smelt and cast daily necessities, but Klavason did not give up the work of making steel swords with orders. The blacksmiths are the busiest people in the entire tribe. They are more diligent than the fishermen, especially now that it is daylight most of the time, they have entered the period of hardest work throughout the year.
Their struggles are also accumulating wealth at an astonishing speed, and they are also accumulating their political capital in the great thing of upgrading the tribe to a principality. His mind is extremely clear.
Rurik, who returned, could not forget the sacrifice in two days' time. He did not need any drafts to deliver a speech on the occasion of the sacrifice. He dragged his tired body back home, and after being hugged hard by his mother, he couldn't wait to lie down on the bed and fall asleep.
Before that, the wooden board of the "Duke's Edict" had been placed on the beach of the tribe. Under Otto's instruction, soldiers rushed around to announce that Ross was going to declare war on Gotland.
Under the short night, everyone in Ross was excited. War often means getting huge amounts of loot, but...
Is the tribe really going to declare war on the entire island of Gotland and launch an all-out attack?
While people lamented the leader's courage, some also suspected that the leader had acted too hastily. Anyone with a discerning eye can see that the tribe's strength is growing every month. Since we really have to fight, why start now?
