Everyone was waiting for Rurik to announce new important matters, and they roughly guessed what the important matters were.
Rurik solemnly declared: "Rosberg and other northern lands are too cold to grow wheat, but our people need wheat to fill their stomachs. We must rely on smelting iron and copper to make metal tools and sell them in exchange for the wheat we need. Therefore, I want you to double your current production capacity! This must be implemented next year!"
This was really a bold decision. People were surprised and subconsciously began to think of the beautiful scenery if the plan was successfully completed.
A large amount of metalware is produced. In addition to the fact that the Russians and allies can enjoy it immediately, selling it will definitely make a fortune.
The idea is always good, but in order to complete the task, the difficulties must be overcome.
Old Klavason's face darkened: "Rurik, we have just discussed this. Our labor force is insufficient. If we have enough slaves, we should be able to do it. But..."
Rurik stretched out his right hand, and his face darkened: "Yes. I know all the problems in this! If I say that I want to force you to mine frequently, that is very ridiculous. Time is very precious, and your work is also It’s very cumbersome. Lack of labor? I’ve thought of some solutions to this problem.”
Kawei immediately echoed: "The labor problem is very serious. If there were enough workers, we would have expanded our production capacity long ago. As our production capacity increases, our profits will also increase. Who would complain about too much money?"
"Yes. I'm going to take care of it this winter, and there's one more thing I have to tell you."
Rurik cleared his throat again, leaned his head and said: "A large number of Balmoks are about to migrate to the British Island. Their leaders have abandoned their homeland, but many people are not willing to leave. They abandoned their homeland, which is equivalent to saying Leave it to us. I will recruit those who stayed behind to become us Russians, and a new batch of labor force will soon arrive in Russia."
"Oh? That's a good thing." Klavasen said so. He also had his own opinions on the issue of labor force: "Those Balmoks are allies after all. Can I share my opinion?"
"Speaking."
"Perhaps you can go to the east and recruit another group of young men from Novgorod. I don't know the Balmoks, but I know the Slavs best."
"That's a way." Rurik nodded, "The Balmoks, Slavs, and the group of Finns in the East. Of course these labor forces can be used, but not in a short time. So, I plan to Use some female workers.”
"Female worker? Mining?"
"Exactly? Klavasen, you...you don't seem surprised." Rurik was slightly surprised.
The old guy was indeed not surprised. He said slowly: "Of course women can mine, but they are not as powerful as men. My guys and I are all fair. We only pay according to the weight of the ore transported, regardless of the ore." Whether it was dug by a child or by a girl, even if it is the ore dug by a monster, I am willing to pay if it can only be brought to us." After saying this, all the blacksmiths sneered.
Rurik shrugged, thinking that these guys really talked about contracts and a simple principle.
"Okay. Let me tell you straight, I plan to use female workers on a large scale. Remember those Tavastian women locked in the barn?"
Rurik reminded them of this, and saw that both of them looked strange.
After a while of silence, Kawei slapped his thigh: "Oh! Are you talking about those people? I remember that someone was carrying corpses before. Aren't all the prisoners dead?"
"Most of them are alive and well." Rurik was also surprised.
"Oh? My old friend, are you going to command these women?"
"Not only the women of Tavastia, but also the female prisoners I have taken from Britain in the west. Give them tools and arrange them to dig for ore. I will order them to work, and laziness will be punished, and refusal to work will be executed! This I will not be merciful in this matter. The prisoner must be worthy of the food and leather clothing I provide!"
Many people felt a murderous aura and then trembled all over.
Rurik looks like a wolf baring his teeth, giving people a dangerous feeling.
Klavason cleared his throat again: "Maybe they are suitable for mining, but from what I have seen, women are still better at transporting ore. What's more, now we no longer lift up sledgehammers to smash rocks, cover branches with trees, burn them, and pour cold water on them. , the ore disintegrates easily, and it is suitable for strong men to do this dangerous work."
"It's not a problem to let women do it." Rurik said along the way: "Since you think that the method of thermal expansion and cold contraction is the most suitable for strong men to do it. By coincidence, my mercenaries still have the one hundred sou Omi archers, they can just contribute labor force. At present, I intend to arrange it this way to increase motivation, but those Tavastian women will eventually be given to the Balmoq people. They are all trophies of the coalition forces in the Summer War, and I am not qualified to embezzle them. Trophies of allies.”
"It's better to have more strong men." Kawei pouted and said: "I never think highly of those women. Even a thousand words of praise cannot cover up their disadvantages."
"Exactly, this is a temporary expedient." Rurik continued: "After Hanukkah, I will escort these women to Balmok. Don't worry, I will definitely bring back a batch of Balmok when I come back. Balmok men. These Balmok men are miners, lumberjacks, etc. on weekdays. Once there is a war, they are soldiers. I plan to create and organize a Balmok flag team that will obey my orders and establish meritorious deeds for me. On weekdays, I am responsible for their food, clothing and housing, but they will dig ore and supply it to you, and you only need to pay the market price."
Klavasen understood the meaning instantly: "Aren't they five hundred professional miners? No! In fact, they are your personal mercenaries."
"You can say that." Rurik nodded deeply: "Currently, I have exactly fifty Balmok mercenaries under my command, and another five hundred will not be a problem. Oh no! I'm afraid there won't be any more Balmok mercenaries in the future. In this concept, they are the new Rus' people. And the Balmoks who immigrated to Britain are the people of the Kingdom of York."
The heads of the blacksmith families looked at each other and exchanged opinions in low voices.
It was Klavasen who took the lead: "Rurik, your decision is always wise, and I support it."
Others followed one after another, and there was no objection in this chamber.
In fact, they have no choice at all, because in the Principality of Ross, whether it is Rossburg or Ellenburg, currently only these two places have metallurgical industries, and the Duke's family is almost the only buyer. As for the Gould family, which was a servant of the Duke's family, and the old Harald family, which later surrendered, the former monopolized the ironware distribution rights in the Swedish market, and although the latter had only been in the family for a short time, they also monopolized the ironware distribution to the Eastern Slavs. right.
A trade route of mining → transportation → smelting → distribution has been completed. Ross’s blacksmith alliance currently monopolizes the metal smelting link, which is also the most critical link.
They are just craftsmen, and many young craftsmen are essentially servants of the Duke's family. The Blacksmiths Union has no power to bargain with Duke Rurik. Although they have accumulated a lot of capital, they are unable to change anything in front of the Duke. They must develop the metallurgical industry according to the Duke's orders. The so-called conscious will does not exist at all. However, in the long-term future, the Blacksmiths' Alliance and the Duke's family will have a strong community of interests.
Since adults want production capacity, brothers will produce it. Anyway, the Duke will definitely pay afterwards, and he will have to collect taxes. After taking away the material cost and labor fee, everyone can still easily earn a lot.
Most of the workforce planning has come to an end, at least Rurik is confident in his arrangements.
Of course, it is not enough to have an empty labor force. Arrange many people to mine. If the furnace cannot digest the ore, all you will get is a mine standing in Fort Ross.
Another plan for industrial upgrading was issued by Rurik.
Compared with the labor issue just mentioned, his new arrangement is very simple and enlightening.
Rurik's request was extremely simple: "It is not appropriate to gather all the blacksmith shops here in the city, even if they are close to the city wall. I am most afraid that something will happen and cause a fire, causing unnecessary losses to Roseburg. Therefore, we should build a new city, which is built for smelting."
A new city? All the blacksmiths cheered up.
"Is it necessary?" Klavasen was the first to ask cautiously.
"necessary."
"It's not just... it's for fire prevention."
"Of course! It's for many reasons, the most important of which is cost control."
Clavason had no intention of arguing. He knew he had to agree and asked again: "Where is the new city of blacksmiths?"
Just west of Roseburg, deep in the fjord, next to the stream! The key is that the blacksmith city is close to the mountains, so the newly excavated ore does not have to be transported far.
If this is the reason, rational blacksmiths really have no need to question it. Indeed, a major problem in transporting ore now is the distance between the ore origin and the smelting center. You can't move your nest in the mountains. If you can eliminate the disadvantage of distance, there is no better way than to place the blacksmith shop in the mountains. If this is the case, another problem is also thorny - lack of fresh water.
The depths of the fjord are also at the foot of mountains. Although there is a lack of flat land and vegetation there, building a small town where metallurgy is the reason for its existence does not require a large area.
Rurik specified his plan: "A small town is necessary. We explore an area, cut down the trees on it, and build a group of houses after the land is leveled. We will build at least four more blast furnaces, build warehouses for storing fuel and Mold warehouse. The rest of the buildings and facilities must be built around these four blast furnaces, and you are all familiar with these facilities."
"This is really a big construction project. After all, it is building a small town." Obviously, there is something in Klavasen's words.
Rurik nodded, he guessed the old guy's hint.
right! Money matters.
But the Duke, who controls the entire military power of the Principality of Ross, is here, who has the power to bargain?
Rurik didn't want to use his power to order the blacksmiths to build a blacksmith city surrounded by mountains and rivers, but it was really painful to pay for it himself. As the Duke of Ross, he does have huge wealth, but many aspects of construction investment are all gold-swallowing monsters. If there is no desperate plunder from the outside, especially the targeted raids on Northumbria and Mercia, how can he give Ross What about funds for the development of the primary industry?
During these years of fighting, Rurik understood most intuitively that the wise saying is the truth - the foundation of primitive capital is accompanied by blood and tears.
But in this era of great strife, the Rus could either survive in the Northern Fjords and eventually be annexed by the Kingdom of Sweden, or they could go out and become the new Rome, and there would even be no third way.
So, for Rose to rise, some people had to make sacrifices. Even those who make sacrifices are still part of the Russian people.
Rurik mentioned a condition to them. At the end of winter, the blacksmith union should also pay the taxes of the past year. Since the blacksmiths have to spend money to build the blacksmith city, this tax is exempted, or It is said that all the money from taxes is used to purchase local labor force, whether it is men, women or children. They should be paid for participating in the construction of the blacksmith city, and the reward will be provided by the blacksmith union.
Do you have any comments? The opinion is not small.
But Klavason understood the big picture and expressed his support, and others had no choice but to follow suit. As the most senior blacksmith, Klavasen can say that he started to grow a beard after watching Rurik grow up to what he is today. He knows that this boy will never cheat him. It seems that the blacksmiths will suffer a big loss for the time being, but in fact it is for the future. Smart investments that lead to vast wealth and glory.
"Then let's give the town a name." Clavarson said.
Rurik scratched his head. When it came to naming, he was too lazy to use his brain to come up with a pretentiously elegant name, so he could just be upright.
"It's called Strofnstadt."
The name is concise, concise and extremely upright, and no one has any objection.
A new question arises, when will the construction of Blast Furnace Town begin? When the town is built, where will the old blacksmith workshops go?
Rurik has made arrangements. Adhering to his usual ability to act, he made a plan today and will start promoting the construction of blast furnace town throughout Rossburg tomorrow. The day after tomorrow, he will select a site and start logging.
As for the fate of the old blacksmith shop after the completion of the project, it is natural to retain part of the already very mature traditional furnaces and blacksmithing workshops. The old blast furnace used for rough processing will be demolished, and the old inventory warehouse will also be demolished. The only purpose of the old blacksmith shop is to finish iron tools, which relies on the steel frying method and the steel making method to make low carbon steel tools and weapons. But it was still a long transition, and eventually there were no more blacksmith workshops within the walls of Roseburg.
Separation of living and industrial areas was how Rurik wanted to organize a city. Especially now, the city is built with wood, and a large number of blacksmith shops are placed in the city. If a fire breaks out, won't it be a disaster for the whole city? Even the existence of a large number of wooden buildings in Fort Ross and other settlements in the Principality itself is a temporary measure. When the cost of cement drops in the future and the manufacturing capacity of stone and clay bricks increases, it will be necessary to completely replace the settlements with masonry buildings.
The rise of a country should first begin with exhausting financial resources to develop the primary industry, especially the metallurgical industry and the manufacturing of heavy equipment. Rurik felt that he was actually engaged in real estate in Roseburg and other territories, and eventually built a new town, which would objectively provide job opportunities to all kinds of people in Roseburg. Because not everyone is qualified to participate in the war of invading other forces to plunder the spoils. If no one creates a large number of jobs, many people will inevitably waste their time in confusion. This is no wonder for them. In the cold and long winter, only the strongest have been brave enough to go out to catch wild animals and sell their hides to make money. The majority of the people are like hibernating black bears hiding in their own homes for a virtual hibernation.
Humans don’t really want to hibernate, they are just forced to do so due to the harsh environment. Unless an opportunity to make huge wealth is presented to them, they will take the risk.
Simply building towns, mining, logging and other jobs can make many people money, and also allow them to have enough money to buy enough wheat.
This is enough? not enough!
Rurik was under great pressure, and he found that he was actually running his principality carefully due to tight financial pressures. The wealth gained through various means in the past year will be consumed a lot this winter. Although selling steel products is very profitable, it is also necessary to rely on other high value-added goods to gain more wealth.
Regarding the steel industry, Rurik felt that he had made very detailed arrangements, and he also made other arrangements.
This time, Lilia became the protagonist.
Without him, the Klavason family is all talented people, and the married daughter-in-law has also become a new talent. Lilia has become a master of making glassware through continuous practice. She does not dare to risk scalding her lungs to engage in glass blowing, but her skills in die-casting glass are getting better and better. She knew how to mix the glass raw materials herself and figured out how to control the heat of the furnace, but the key to success lies in excellent bronze molds.
But she was pregnant again. It would be foolish to expect a pregnant woman to work hard.
Glassware is crystal clear, and anyone who owns it will regard it as a treasure. Its added value is very high, but Roseburg's glassware output is too low unless it really becomes an industry.
As the sister-in-law of Duke Ross, the eldest lady of White Tree Manor, a natural and respectable doer, Lilia has her own opinion, which is to call for Ross to launch a new Sorgon voyage, and then start from her hometown of Novgorod. Bring a group of young women, preferably girls from the White Tree Manor. Not only were women workers recruited to make glassware, but also workers who used new glassware to distill ale and make spirits.
This is a very constructive suggestion!
Rurik nodded, fully agreeing and taking it to heart.
Indeed, he also planned to take Svetlana to Novgorod to visit relatives. Besides, he and she still lacked an Ilmenslav-style wedding. Such a public wedding would also have strong political implications, which would be an invitation to all Novgorodians living around Lake Ilmen. The Slavs of the region demonstrated the monarch's goodwill gestures, which was beneficial to their rule.
