Ironburg has undergone great changes in the past year. Not only have a new batch of attached wooden houses appeared around the wooden fence, but the population has also developed greatly.
The permanent population here has exceeded 1,000 people, including as many as 200 babies under the age of two.
People have long been accustomed to the alarming rate of infant mortality, and they attribute it to a miracle that almost no children have died in the past year due to improved hygiene, especially the practice of various cleanings using soap.
In the Gray Squirrel tribe after the war, the surviving men had a lot of women. Those tribal women are essentially borrowing seeds. They already have new children and have hope in life.
Sometimes Rurik is also worried. After all, the Russians are conquerors, and it was the Russian army that killed many of them. Are they willing to live like this?
Now Rurik gradually understood that the Russian people had some differences from theirs. The extreme reality of this group of Covin people is that the tribe is dependent on the Rus, and its population and strength are booming at an unprecedented rate.
For example, some Viking warriors attach great importance to honor and will take revenge as their lifelong goal. These Corvin people don't care at all.
Saipolava obeyed her father's request, so to speak, to use all the strength of a woman to please her man. It's a pity that she is still a child and it will take some years before she is qualified to become a mother. And it is not easy to stand out among the many women in Rurik.
Her father, Mechasta, was eager for his daughter to be pregnant with Rurik's child right away. Even though it was impossible now, he still hoped that his daughter would be like a dodder wrapped around a big tree, always clinging to Rurik.
On his first night in Ellenburg, Rurik felt soft after taking a sauna. He fell asleep, and Saipolava clung to him like a cat all night.
On the first night, everyone got an excellent rest, but some men were still excited to enjoy the night.
Some of the captured Gotland women were finally reunited with the Ross fishermen who had settled in Ironburg. They had to have a "suffering of the flesh". The next morning they all picked up earthenware bowls to eat wheat. After their stomachs were full, they forgot about what they had done last night. On the side.
Those Ross hunters who are motivated to hunt bears desperately have no idea about those women for the time being, but they can't resist the uninvited Yingying Yanyan.
The views of the Kovin people are indeed different from those of the Rus and other Viking tribes. There are still a group of women who have not found a new man, or are eager to have another one, so they appear.
Maybe this is the instinct engraved in the DNA, and they know the disaster of inbreeding. The new and strong hunter was targeted by them? The relationship happened like this...
When Rurik saw those Covin women inside the wooden castle with his own eyes, rushing around the young Ross hunter, eager to lure them home, he only had one realistic worry: "These women are a pack of wolves, and the warriors will A weak body cannot be replenished by eating a few bear bile."
The palace belonging to the Duke was well cleaned. Rurik stayed here, and it was also where the Balmoks who came from afar were formally held.
The sun has risen? Brothers Biyoni and Floki came to the mansion of Chief Ross excitedly.
The bear head on the wooden wall highlights Rose's strength. The bright red coals in the fireplace make the whole room very warm.
Rurik had not yet installed glass windows in the house, and a large number of oil lamps illuminated the house.
Rurik sat cross-legged on a bearskin, his Seborava still clinging to her like a kitten.
Mechasta, Kawi, Jevro and others sat on the left and right respectively, and Biyoni, Floki and Modgen sat facing them.
Everyone seems to be sitting in a circle. The so-called meeting is actually a kind of exchange of laughter and laughter. There is no clear distinction between respect and inferiority here.
"Biyongni, you came from that harbor in the west, and you went through many dangers along the way..."
Rurik acted a little reserved and polite, and Biyoni shook his head, "There is not much risk. My father selected ten warriors to protect me? I don't need these so-called escorts myself. We started from July. We set off. Although there were obstacles on the road, everyone passed safely. Our ship finally drifted here, but you all went to fight? If the people here hadn't told us that Chief Ross would come back, we would have sold the salt. leave."
Rurik listened carefully. "I didn't expect you to have arrived so early? It seems that you have been living in Ironburg for some time."
"Yes? It has been more than two months now. I live with you Russians and the leather merchants we used to do business with, and I live with you."
"Oh?" Rurik stretched his head, "I didn't know about this! If you had come earlier, you could have participated in the crusade of our Russians. Did you know? We residents of Svealand have just finished fighting with Denmark In the war, our army killed 10,000 enemies."
Killing ten thousand enemies is really an act of the God of War! Biyongni really couldn't immediately believe this record that exceeded his knowledge, but the Ross people were indeed a powerful and unique force.
Biyongni was stunned at first, and then laughed awkwardly to calm himself down. He congratulated: "You are really a powerful force. You have achieved a great victory."
"Yes." Rurik straightened his back. He felt that his verbal display of muscles had shocked the "Prince" of Balmok. Living in this world and in this era is all about the jungle. Rurik currently has no intention of attacking the Port of Narvik, but seizing it has been set as a long-term goal. It would be a good idea to use a more peaceful alliance to allow the Russians to obtain an ice-free port facing the ocean.
He had just learned that the "Prince" of Balmok had lived in Ironburg for two months, and he was afraid that hidden behind his smile was his ambition to conquer.
We are all warriors, and none of us are given free rein. Ellenborg is the only source of chromite in Europe. This is a treasure that must be controlled by the Russians, and they need to flex their muscles to dispel any potential coveters. If deterrence by force fails, then we have no choice but to use force to defend.
Based on this idea, Rurik did not mind telling Biyoni about the Russian expedition. He didn't talk about some details, but he emphasized four points in particular: Ross's warships were invincible, Ross's warriors were covered in iron armor, Ross's bows and arrows were powerful, and Ross could quickly assemble an army of 10,000.
With this description, Biyoni's awkward smile quickly disappeared. He began to feel that Rurik, the young leader of Rus, was threatening the entire Balmok tribe.
"I'm really sorry, it seems that I scared you." Rurik saw the other party's sullen face and hurriedly explained, "We are friends. I am willing to be Floki's brother, so that I can also be your brother. Biyoni , I support you as the leader of Balmok, and we can make an alliance today."
"Okay." Biyongni felt a stone weighing on his heart, and he let out a sigh of relief, "We will form an alliance, but...do we also mean to form an alliance with other Svealan tribes?"
"It has nothing to do with them. This is just an alliance between our two tribes. Our two tribes will not invade each other and trade with each other."
Rurik's words are very realistic, especially "mutual non-aggression". This is the commitment Biyoni needs most. With it, future trade can be peaceful and stable.
Rurik thought of another thing, "I heard from Modgen that the Norwegians in the south covet your harbor?"
"Yes. Those are the people living in Bergen and Oslo. The people there intentionally ask us to join the tribal alliance. They want us to be inferior people, which is absolutely impossible. We have our own opinions!"
Rurik shrugged, "This is so similar to us! The leader of Svealan became a private king, made me a duke, and asked us to be vassals."
"What about your attitude?"
"Of course it's a verbal agreement. We Russians continue to live our own lives, and they can't influence us. If it weren't for trade, it would be impossible for me to verbally agree. But even though it's a verbal agreement, if there is a war, we should fulfill our contract and participate in the war. Okay After we have plundered the spoils. So our alliance should do the same. If the people of Bergen attack you, please send a messenger immediately, and I will immediately organize an expeditionary force to reinforce. Similarly, if Rus is invaded, please send troops to support. Except Besides, let’s not interfere with each other.”
Alliance means military alliance, Biyongni agreed. "My brother Rurik, it seems we need to hold a ceremony immediately. Kagura will see us forming an alliance."
"certainly."
Biyongni already has a lot of reputation in his hometown. His younger brother Floki has the "Raven Crest" on his forehead, which also strengthens the legitimacy of the family's rule. Crossing the snowy mountains to find the Rus people and form an alliance is an act of merit, but now he is a little conflicted.
The Rus people are probably more powerful than their own tribe. With the current contact, will they become possessive of the Balmok tribe like the people in Bergen?
Rurik wants to swear an alliance, okay! Just use some new chains to make the covenant stronger.
Biyongni suddenly smiled and said: "I also have a sister who is about to become an adult. She is a very beautiful girl with a beautiful singing voice. Our priest named her Nolen, and the man in her destiny is an amazing man. The warrior of this world. Maybe you... are the person in the prophecy."
Hearing this, Rurik sat upright suddenly. He wanted to exclaim, "Why is it another magical prophecy? Why is it me again?"
Rurik looked at the current situation and completely guessed Biyongni's intention. Any prophecy was a dispensable cover. Obviously they feel that "obeisance" is still not enough, and the best way to ensure the covenant is marriage.
I already have a lot of women, so why not have another Norwegian wife?
"Okay, I am willing to accept that Nolen. We will hold an alliance ceremony immediately. Before that, I really want to know how many goods you have trafficked."
When Rurik mentioned this, Mechasta felt itchy all over.
"Something's wrong with you?" Rurik turned around and asked.
"Sir!" Mechasta said with a smile on his face, "It's salt! A lot of salt! It's all very good salt! Up to four hundred pounds of salt!"
Four hundred pounds of table salt? Rurik couldn't sit still at this time, he jumped up directly, "Biyongni, did you really...bring so many here?"
"Of course, salt is our specialty there."
"That's great. I never thought you were so capable at making salt."
Four hundred pounds of salt, with a total weight of nearly 160 kilograms, were shared among ten travelers, and each person's load was not extreme.
People in Northern Europe sweat less and have a lot of sea fish in their diet, so they have little need for supplementary salt.
Rurik marveled at the astonishing figure of four hundred pounds of salt, but Biyoni claimed that they could produce salt on a larger scale.
"I love your salt, what are you going to trade us for? Just leather?"
"That's absolutely not the case. Ross has a lot of novelties, and I like them very much..." Biyongni's eyes were fixed on the glass cup holding hot chrysanthemum tea, "such as your crystal cup. And your army, The sun-shading black crystal that the warrior placed in front of his eyes.”
"Is that so? I have more good things, and each product has a price marked on it. For example, this crystal cup doesn't cost much, it's just half a pound of silver coins."
"Ah! So cheap?"
"And those sun-blocking glasses cost twenty silver coins."
Biyongni knows how precious gold and silver are, and he also knows that only a few people can enjoy crystal utensils. His knowledge was refreshed because Rurik claimed that the Rus had received the Asgardian wisdom imparted by Odin and could make crystals from mortal objects, so the price was no longer measured in equal weight of gold.
Biyoni could not hide his desire for all kinds of rare things, and Rurik followed suit, "Now we need to determine one thing, how much silver is your salt worth."
Biyoni quoted his selling price, which was a pound of salt for one freshly skinned polar bear skin, or five new reindeer skins.
Rurik shook his head, "The selling price is erratic, why don't you listen to my opinion?"
"Speaking."
"Salt is indispensable, but every meal consumes very little salt. You have to pay a lot to boil seawater and make salt. I will give you ten silver coins for one pound of salt. What do you think?"
"Ah?" Biyongni's eyes widened.
"What? Do you think I gave you too little?"
"No! That's enough."
Biyongni smiled naively, and Rurik knew at a glance that this man was claiming to be getting a big advantage. Here Rurik has no intention of continuing to lower the price. Firstly, the Balmok people's salt is indeed of good quality and has almost no bitter magnesium chloride. Secondly, when they make salt, the Russians don't have to use the extremely light Gulf of Bothnia seawater to make salt. Thirdly, If they boast of getting benefits, they will worry about losing Ross allies.
At the beginning, Biyoni exchanged salt for some bear skins. He was still complacent, but he did not expect that Rurik, the leader of Rus, would make a generous profit as soon as he arrived.
"We will do this from now on!" Rurik emphasized again, "We will import your salt every year in the future. This year we bought 400 pounds. I hope you will bring 500 pounds or 1,000 pounds of salt next year. I As a promise of honor, I will buy it with high-quality silver coins. This time, I promise that you will get a large number of silver coins to return home when the ice melts and the snow melts."
Biyongni wanted to laugh when he thought that he would be able to earn one hundred pounds of silver coins every year from now on. In this way, if we can import leather, weapons, and other things from the Rus, the life of the Balmok people will be better.
Biyonni did not explain that in order to make so much salt, they cut down trees on the rocky hills of the wide fjord to boil the sea to make salt. Although the ocean water is saltier, their salt production costs are still high. .
With more profits, the Balmoks themselves will become stronger and have more capital to explore the sea. After all, the fjords of the Balmok tribe are already too crowded with today's productivity levels.
On the open-air altar inside Ironburg, the snow had been completely swept away. The Kovin priests placed bronze sacrificial vessels and glasses under Rurik's instructions.
Rurik brought several bottles of Ross’s own vodka, and the glass bottles were indeed engraved with the word vodka.
It was already evening, and almost everyone living in Ellenburg watched this special ceremony.
Rurik was cruel and stabbed his finger with a dagger, and his blood dripped into the spirits in three glasses.
Although it was a strange ritual, Biyoni and Floki both understood the immense symbolism. The two pricked their fingers and blood dripped into the cup.
Rurik knelt down on one knee, holding a glass and facing the sunset, and the other two did the same.
"Great Odin, we form an alliance here. From now on, we Rus and Balmoks are brothers. I, Rurik, promise mutual non-aggression and mutual benefit. If my brothers are in trouble, I will support them." After saying that, he drank a strong drink. liquor.
Biyongni also said similar words. He finally made a solemn wish, "May our two tribes be brothers from generation to generation!"
Of course, this was not a Taoyuan trilogy. At night, Rurik insisted on engraving the terms of the alliance on a wooden board as a clear text of the treaty.
Here is not one treaty, but as many as three.
Treaty of the Rosbalmok Alliance
Rosbalmok Peace and Trade Treaty
"Rosbalmok Non-Aggression Pact"
Perhaps the last treaty was superfluous, but Rurik insisted on signing it. Biyongni didn't understand that Rurik was already his younger brother, and everyone was a blood-blooded alliance in front of the god (the sun). There was no need to be stubborn about mutual non-aggression.
Rurik insisted, and he had no explanation.
He finally invited, "Let's go bear hunting together tomorrow! Let you see the power of our Ross hunters. Let me also see the abilities of you Balmoks."
