After only two days of sailing, the Rurik fleet sailing along the coastline saw the dotted islands on the suddenly open sea.
This was definitely the Åland Islands, so the fleet would undoubtedly land ashore nearby to rest. They rushed in with their heads down and immediately encountered cruising fishing boats and merchant ships.
Ross fishing boat, Mellaren fishing boat, everyone was quite surprised that the fluttering flag clearly indicated that the fleet belonged to Ross.
Could it be that Old Otto, who had completed the summer tribute collection, still had a fleet left in New Roseburg? Now the detachment is back too?
Next, the entire Tombstone Island was shocked!
The visit of the Mercury with a large number of dragon-headed warships was a surprise. The people on the island knew that Lord Rurik led a group of brave men to defeat the invading Tavastians. It has been two full months since they set off. The fleet set out for the inland river and also established the Covinstad stronghold, right?
Did Lord Rurik use magic to suddenly appear from the sea route leading to Novorosberg and Novgorod?
Rurik landed one after another with his cronies and soldiers.
A large number of skinny black-haired girls landed on the island, which surprised the people on the island. Everyone whispered that these women reminded them of the high priest Rumia.
Not only these women, but also about a hundred black-haired men. These men generally look thinner, and their clothes are mostly a mixture of gray and tan linen and leather. Who is this? People have thought of the scene when they first met the Kewen people. At that time, the Kewen people were also dressed like this.
Tombstone Island was already a fortress at the crossroads of the ocean. When she looked over it intuitively, she saw that it was a wooden castle standing on an island in the archipelago. The solid wooden walls and several towering towers made the protected port appear extremely safe.
Of course, such a building gave a huge shock to all the Suomi people present, including the people of the lake.
Those girls learned that their identities were not slaves at all. They would be assigned immediately after arriving at the Russians' hometown. They would even hold a Russian wedding together and become new Russian women. The young leader of Rus and the seemingly trustworthy tribesman Jevlo are claiming that all their promises will be fulfilled.
Life can't be any worse...
They were just ordinary farm girls living by the lake, and their lives were poor. The only reason was that they had not seen a more comfortable life and took the past life for granted.
A castle is in front of you! The Russians actually have excellent docks! There are also a considerable number of Russians here.
Could this be their home port?
The girls and the newly promoted servant warriors, all nervous and curious, temporarily gathered together, and soon began to camp on the spot.
After all, Rurik was the powerful Duke of Rus. The incredible visit of his fleet immediately attracted all the foreign traders stranded on the island. They hoped to get some information, and speculated that all the people brought back were captive slaves.
A powerful Russian army landed on the island, and they would definitely win a great victory.
More than one businessman tried to get close to Rurik, and the news quickly reached his ears, who had planned to take an early rest to relieve the fatigue of traveling.
Rurik, who was already sitting in the "palace", holding Carlotta in his arms and waiting quietly for the meal, almost fell into a nap.
Jevro hurriedly asked to see him with the news he had heard, and Rurik suddenly woke up and felt uncomfortable all over.
"Damn it, are you buying slaves and buying my trophies? Are you really targeting the woman I brought back? Do these businessmen have enough money?"
Yevluo was surprised: "Sir, is it possible that you sell them because they are rich?"
"This...leather is fine. Women are absolutely fine. We Ross go everywhere to get women and we always come back as wives. They are all the future mothers of Ross, and they are all protected by me. Anyone who dares to enslave them is seeking death!" Because of exhaustion! In anger, Rurik also threw a glass and smashed it into pieces.
Jevro breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the crystal fragments on the ground with a little pity. Thinking that glassware is no longer a rarity here in the Principality of Ross, he added: "Those merchants... think that the people we bring back are slaves. They also want to know why we come from the east sea."
"Do I still have to explain to them? Forget it." Rurik waved his hand and urged disdainfully: "Coax them away! I won't see guests tonight. Organize your brothers to keep an eye on all Suomi people and be careful of those The merchants secretly catch people. You don’t want a girl from your tribe to be stolen by a slave trader.”
Jevro nodded. As a Suomi, he knew very well what happened to him when he was a child, so he said, "I understand. I also thought that the Merlaren merchants or other merchants who were hanging around Tombstone Island were not trustworthy. , if they dare to take action, I will chop them off myself if they catch them."
"That's it, just step back."
One hundred Suomi men are now following Javlo, not because their heirs will inherit the title of "Margrave of Finland", but simply because Javlo is a member of their own race, and this mutual trust is natural.
The men were armed that night, even with short spears as tall as a man. They were asked to guard the camp and protect all the women.
In fact, the buildings in the castle on Tombstone Island could not accommodate the entire army. The army stayed alert and slept outside, even the nearly three hundred male and female soldiers in the army.
Although we slept in the open, everyone slept very peacefully this night.
The entire huge bay north of Tombstone Island is the inland sea of the Principality of Ross. This is the gateway to the core area of Ross and is a real pass.
But those businessmen still did not give up, and they finally got a rough idea of the experience of the Russian army in conquering the enemy.
In pursuit of profit, they immediately started thinking that since there was a waterway to the east that penetrated into the hinterland of the "Eastern Land", they could start a fur business with the locals. It's just that actions such as arresting people are probably not allowed. The locals have actually collectively become servants of the Ross people. Will any violent behavior turn into the anger of the Ross people against the Melalen people? By then, Leader Bjorn, who has already taken control of the power, will lose his footing if he blames himself.
At noon the next day, Rurik's fleet took advantage of the warm southerly wind to leave Tombstone Island and drift toward their hometown.
They appeared and left suddenly, and Rurik didn't make any interesting remarks.
The people on the island still figured out some things. Although they were surprised, they all lamented that Lord Rurik opened up territory for the Principality of Rus. He was indeed a god favored by Odin.
Rurik is eager to return home and has no intention of wasting time.
For those who are already very familiar with the hydrology and geography of this bay, sailing is as easy and comfortable as floating in the pond in your own backyard.
Each ship set sail and moved forward at a slow speed of only three knots, almost traveling day and night. They returned to Rossberg Fjord in only three days and nights.
"Rosberg is ahead, and we are finally back." said Gevro, standing next to Rurik on the stern of the Mercury.
He actually said this with a hint that he wanted to hear what Rurik had done with those Suomi girls.
"I'm back. I'm really tired." Rurik slouched deeply and glanced at the group of listless girls on the nearby longboat. Thinking that this was also their first voyage in their lives, it was really difficult for them.
In fact, Otto also returned to Hong Kong a few days ago with the tribute from the East. He was not surprised that Rurik and his army had not completed the crusade for so long.
Well, the longer the war lasts, the more loot will be harvested.
It wouldn't be appropriate to say he wasn't worried.
In his twilight years, Otto's hair has turned gray. Whenever he thinks of his two sons who died early due to accidents, he is afraid that something will happen to Rurik, who is the only son and actually the third child. His son has the blessing of Odin, and he has also received divination from Rumia. It is said that "Rurik's victorious expedition is still going on", so he feels relieved.
Across the bay, Kovenstad is under rapid construction, and many of Roseburg's fishermen have recently moved to the other side.
They are all forest hunters, so how can the level of the Rus people be inferior to that of the Kovin people? It's obviously a higher level!
In the east, squirrels reproduce at an alarming rate in the warm season. The best fur and a large number of lake fish are in the east. They rush to the east for more wealth, which objectively stimulates the development of Covinstad.
Everything was prosperous. Otto, who had returned, also noticed that a batch of new rowing long boats had been launched. In the huge shipbuilding workshop in Hotla, the hulls of the four sail destroyers were basically at the stage of laying decks.
Originally there were only five blacksmith families in Rossburg, but now the number of blacksmiths has exceeded 100! Not only the contracted blacksmiths under Rurik's command, but also a group of newly promoted young people from Rus's local area simply gave up the glory of being warriors and planned to become hard-working blacksmiths, as if doing so could simply earn a stable income.
In the iron smelting area within the walls of Roseburg, the chimneys seemed to be forever spitting out black smoke.
Every day, a group of women, men, and even Rurik's "child army" carry rattan baskets, drive reindeer and ponies pulling two-wheeled carts, and go to dig in the nearby mountains. Ore, and even go to the upper reaches of the river that flows into the fjord to dig out fine river sand.
Industries that once did not exist were born in Roseburg, such as the manufacture of cement and the firing of rough clay bricks.
Whether it is the local construction of Roseburg or the construction of distant New Roseburg and Covenstad, the most important thing in all kinds of construction is "building a house".
Roseburg was truly born into a boom caused by "real estate". Metallurgy, pottery making, brick making, logging, wood processing, stone processing, and cable processing were all driven by these industries. The working people earned their revenge, and subsequently, industries such as hemp textiles, leather, felt, fishing, making tallow, and soap that improved and improved people's livelihoods also flourished.
It is obvious that compared with these fast-growing industries, Ross's labor force is too scarce. Even if a large number of women have developed to hold one in their arms, one in their belly, and even hold one in each hand, Roseburg can really afford to raise a large number of children without getting sick very often, and the children are old enough to work. The lower limit is six years. The shortage of labor has limited the maximum speed of development of the Russian people, so that many old men who are considered useless are doing things such as saving hemp rope, making pottery clay, sharpening iron needles, and making Low physical labor such as fishing hooks.
The wealth that Ross has looted over the years has become efficient fuel for the operation of the state machinery.
This time Otto also plundered a batch of surplus grain, leather and a batch of wool from local Slavic homes in Novgorod, and immediately sold them to tribesmen who were interested in working and uniforming. He "recycled" a batch of circulating silver and copper coins, changed hands and then stored them for his son's expenses.
In such a prosperous era, the Principality of Rus is full of hope. Immersed in this prosperity, Otto also happily enjoyed this wonderful old age.
He never dreamed that a little girl captured from the North would give birth to his first grandchild many years later.
Velika has brown hair and blue-grey eyes. She is not a pure Rose girl, but she has a strange beauty. Although he was still a baby, teasing his granddaughter and watching her laugh, this was what the Ottonias loved to do now.
Suddenly, Rurik's fleet triumphed!
The surprised Otto hurriedly left the palace, and Niya also hurried downstairs with the infant Velika in her arms.
Hundreds of people gathered at the pier, and the fishermen chatting on the shore also stood up, took off their fur hats to protect the sun, and greeted the returning fleet.
One long boat after another docked steadily on a trestle far away in the deep sea, and was tied to wooden piles with ropes.
Those Suomi girls rubbed their sluggish eyes hard. They were mentally exhausted by the long voyage. But when they saw this huge city built on the mountain, which was indescribable to them, they were so shocked that they couldn't speak. The whole person suddenly woke up.
They were urged to disembark, walked shoulder to shoulder across the pier and stood on the sandy shore, and then lowered their heads in confusion as more and more blond-haired Russians pointed at them.
The performance of the Mercury is undoubtedly the most amazing here. The human propeller system comes in handy when the ship docks. The sails have been furled, and the helmsman accurately controls the rudder, cooperating with the people pedaling, and docks very smoothly.
Uniformly dressed soldiers landed ashore one after another, and then the busy work of unloading cargo began.
The follow-up work is very orderly, and almost all the goods will be stuffed into the Duke's warehouse.
Rurik easily saw his father who was smiling without saying a word, and his mother who was holding the baby and crying with joy.
Seeing the cheers of people in his hometown, the tired Rurik also smiled, opened his hands and won with great interest...
That night, the Rus' people celebrated their victory over the Tavastians with great joy.
But the people in Roseburg had no idea how great this victory was. They didn't even know the details and what victory meant.
After eating some wheat porridge and drinking a glass of sweet wine mixed with a lot of honey, Rurik's mental fatigue was mostly eliminated immediately.
Since his father followed the instinct of an old warrior and asked about the process of this crusade, Rurik simply gathered the elites currently staying in Rossburg to gather on the first floor of the palace, just in time to publicize his great achievements to everyone.
It was a lengthy lecture. Not only did Rurik stand up and pound his chest to explain to everyone, but Arik and even the Allied Commander Biyoni also explained a lot.
The lecture was long but exciting. Listening to these young men's explanations of their great achievements, Otto was sweating all over while sitting with his legs crossed.
He hates it! I hate myself for getting old! I hate that I have to hide my fatigue in front of the trustworthy local Rigus when I take a boat to Novgorod to collect tribute. I am also glad that my gray beard hides many age spots on my face.
In fact, everyone who stayed in Rossburg was very surprised. As the Duke's captain of the bodyguard, Jevlo commanded all the elite mercenaries and had no right to make personal remarks at the Ross military meeting.
However, times have changed. This Suomi native Yevro, who was born as a slave, is actually considered a noble. At least his descendants are indeed canonized by the Duke of Ross and must be loyal to Ross.
Including other people's speeches, a huge amount of information hit Otto's aging brain. For a moment, he felt that the news was really confusing.
Otto made two hoarse coughs: "Rurik, you actually... entered the interior along the river, killed five thousand Tavastian warriors, and destroyed their homes along the way? In the end, you conquered Suomi? The term is a bit unfamiliar." As he spoke, he pointed his right hand to the ceiling, "You must not brag in any way, and any words you say cannot be hidden from Odin. Now, Ross really rules the entire eastern land. ?”
Rurik looked sideways, his face as calm as water: "Not necessarily."
"Oh..." Otto let out a long breath, "That's right. You have achieved a brilliant victory, but conquering the entire eastern land is still a bit far-fetched."
"No!" Rurik shook his head: "I mean, there are also the Karelia people north of Novorosberg, and the Perm people further east. Dad, and other people, do you still Didn’t you know that there is a large mountain running east-west in the extremely far east? The name of the mountain is the Ural. I dare say that if we conquer these two groups, everyone from the Ural Mountains in the east will be conquered by us."
These words should have been majestic, and a somewhat smug Rurik was looking at everyone, and everyone's expressions were generally puzzled.
Rurik shrugged: "Forget it. What I mean is that at least there are no people in the East who compete with us. It is natural to conquer them and collect tribute! What's more, I now define the entire eastern land as Finland, and Jevlo is also married. Now, his son must be a pure Suomi. When he has the title of hereditary Earl of Finland, he will send troops to fight for us in any war. It is precisely because of this arrangement that the local people did not choose to resist. I am conquering Finland now, just like Our ancestors conquered Novgorod fifty years ago. Didn’t the local people pay tribute every year? The heroic spirits in the sky and the old priest Vilya will be happy for us."
Everyone knows these words. You look at me and I look at you. Both of us are happy.
Everyone does not think that Rurik made any compromises with the Suomi people. They all think that those guys are like the Kovin people, the Lapp people, and even the Novgorod people back then. They are a group of smart people who know that they are not strong enough to choose Be a submissive and loyal dog.
I'm afraid they had to kneel down and beg for mercy, because the Tavastians who decided to fight to the end were almost completely destroyed by the Ross army.
Because the spoils of war are not just these five hundred Suomi women, but at least two thousand Tavastia women, a large number of reindeer, and a large number of collected weapons, they are moving slowly overland to Covinstad. This group of Tavastian women almost all have their own Ross men. The soldiers who came back by sea first are still waiting for the women to be transported to Rossburg so that they can claim their new wives.
"So we did conquer the land in the east." Otto said: "I saw that you brought back many women and a group of men. Are they all slaves?"
"Slave? How is that possible! I told the local Suomi chief that he would treat the five hundred absolutely pure girls they contributed well, and I must treat them well. There are also two thousand other Tavastian women, all of us Rus' people. Women, I dare say they will give birth soon. By the way, how to arrange these people is what I will announce below..."
