The grain in Novgorod has entered the harvest period, which is the time when labor is most needed. Harvesting, threshing, drying, and storage can even last a month.
The Pine Needle Manor was destroyed. Since this manor can support more than 10,000 people, with this year's one-time plunder, the harvested food can theoretically support the lives of the people of the Principality of Ross for a whole year.
It happened that at this moment, the war against Karelia had begun.
My cousin's armed reconnaissance has made a breakthrough, and it seems that the decisive battle with the enemy is approaching.
However, reality is always unsatisfactory.
A messenger from Novgorod brought news to Medvet. As governor, he was indeed harvesting oats on a large scale. This is exactly the problem. Because they are responsible for harvesting all the output of the old Pine Needle Manor, the entire White Tree Manor, men, women, and children, all went into battle with sickles.
Eight hundred Slavic warriors and dozens of old Russian warriors were cutting wheat and threshing grains on the shores of Lake Ilmen. They were the main labor force. Just like in previous years, engaging in this kind of farm work was always tiring. As for sending a large army in a short time To assemble at Fort New Rose, the matter encountered major difficulties.
“The labor force is so scarce!”
Rurik complained about Medvet. Maybe they were indeed facing major difficulties, but the war should not be delayed.
After considering realistic factors, the original crusade plan has reached the point where it has to be significantly reformed.
The wheat harvest at New Roseburg was over, and men and women joined in to quickly complete the threshing process.
According to the previous contract, Rurik collected additional agricultural taxes from local farm owners.
A batch of freshly threshed oats was still a little damp, and they did not bother to dry it. Rurik had determined that these new wheat were military rations.
It was a cloudy morning, and Rurik and a group of soldiers had already assembled at the dock.
The main force of the Ross fleet has been assembled, and a large army is boarding the ship.
Kartenaka, the female leader of the Vips, clenched the wooden staff in her old hands, her grooved lips were trembling, and she watched a large group of warriors stepping on the pedals to board the ship.
Rurik's face was solemn, and he shouted sternly in ancient Finnish: "Suomi people! Hurry up!"
A thousand Suomi warriors barely lined up, most of them carrying their own short bows and arrows, and holding Russian-haired iron spears, and boarded the ship in a mess.
They felt uneasy. After all, they were going to attack the enemy's vital points, and there would definitely be a fierce battle. Total war is scary, and the huge Russian fleet is even more shocking.
Many people think the world is absurd. In the past, these large ships easily crushed the resistance of their Suomi tribe. Now everyone is a family. They have become a member of the Ross Army and have the right to use these giant ships.
They were excited, standing on the towering Class A and looking up at the huge city of New Roseburg. What would happen next?
On the dock pier, Rurik once again talked to his father, who was temporarily guarding New Roseburg: "I will win this time, but I'm afraid I can only win part of it."
Otto was slightly surprised: "Part of the victory? Why."
"I don't have enough troops. Now is not a good time to fight the Karelians."
However, Otto found it ridiculous. He covered his son's blond hair with his old and powerful hands: "How dare you say that you have insufficient troops? Those Slavs who cut wheat cannot come for the time being. Is this considered insufficient troops? You have more than a thousand men. A warrior named Odin, and a thousand Finnish warriors. You have two thousand!”
"Two thousand people? But I heard there are ten thousand people in Karelia."
Otto shook his head deeply: "Why are you too cautious when you are obviously strong? Arik chopped off two thousand of their heads without any loss! You should really learn from your cousin and be more reckless in this battle."
"Okay... maybe I'm too cautious."
Rurik spoke again: "I have a hunch that the conquest of Karelia cannot depend on the victory of one or two battles. It might take us many years to conquer them."
"It doesn't matter." Otto slapped his son on the head again: "It's okay to drive them away. We have to bring back the trophies, especially the deer. This is a reward from God."
Otto and other old guys are obsessed with reindeer, and the Ross tribe still has many legends about deer.
Reindeer were a common animal in the area near Roseburg. Long-term hunting has caused them to disappear, forcing hunters to go to distant places to hunt deer. When the Russians tried to start raising deer, they were faced with the unfortunate situation of having no deer to raise.
Now, the Russians can finally raise deer on the banks of the Neva River. The prerequisite is to bring back the 3,000 trophy deer.
After chatting with his father for a while, Rurik's body boarded the flagship Aurora. Several large ships defended it, including four armed cargo ships.
Someone was ordered to blow the horn, the flagship raised its temperament, and the Aurora raised anchor and sails, leading all the ships upstream to Lake Ladoga amid the cheers of thousands of people...
"Okay, he's right. I don't really need the support of Slavic soldiers. The Karelia people are also strong, and they can't afford me to use all their best." Rurik thought about his father's statement and was deeply satisfied.
More than forty ships, large and small, finally sailed on the huge Lake Ladoga, with jibs drifting across the ocean, cruisers, destroyers, armed cargo ships and a group of traditional longships. Each ship formed a raindrop shape and headed north along the lake shoreline.
More troops is not always better. In a decisive battle, having more troops will naturally be an advantage. At other times, it will be a gluttonous beast.
Fortunately, the Rus, Balmoks, and Ostaras are maritime peoples, and the Suomi and Vips servants are fishing and hunting people. Everyone can basically solve the army's food problem by relying on fishing, and Rurik is prepared for this battle. The new and old wheat and dried salted fish transported with the army can also solve a lot of problems.
There were no logistical problems for this Russian army until the weather turned cold.
The fleet first arrived at the Vips village, Kekisalmi.
The appearance of the mighty army frightened the residents for a time, but as sharp-eyed people saw those flying flags, the people's fear quickly disintegrated.
The female leader is back!
No! A new leader is here.
Terravis officially declared the natives to be Counts of Vips, and their clan name was changed to Vipsarava. The people could only accept that it was a bit strange to add the suffix "Squirrel" after the clan name, but everyone admired this young man very much.
As for those who came back with the trophy deer, they also recently returned on foot. The two hundred young female deer made the tribesmen ecstatic, and a batch of captured iron tools was shared by everyone.
These are rewards from the Rus people, and the female leader is back. This time, they saw for the first time the supreme leader of the Rus people, a young blond warrior, clean and noble, like an elf born from the forest.
Those who had been given the opportunity to lead the way showed no emotion at all. They knelt on the ground like deer, playfully begging Rurik for permission to lead the way again.
"You want to lead the way? Okay! I'm going to recruit a hundred soldiers here who bring their own dry food to fight for me, and you have the right to grab the spoils of war."
The words were spoken in Old Finnish, which the Vips could basically understand.
They were shocked and ecstatic, and Terravis easily organized a hundred men.
A sheet of white linen was torn into a large pile of white strips.
The Russian army should be uniformly dressed to prevent critical attacks on friendly forces. However, it takes time to make white cloth and blue cloth. Rurik ordered all Finnish soldiers to join the army. They tied their foreheads with white cloth strips and restrained their fluffy hair. This was also the most obvious feature. Prove identity.
The female leader Kartesaka gave way to Taravis, and her granddaughter had a husband. She naturally regarded this young man as her grandson, and watched with confidence and boldness as he took away all the elite Vips.
In this way, the Vips, who know the Karelia people best, joined the Russian army, and the strength was not simply increased by one hundred.
A huge fleet sailed on the huge Lake Ladoga for the first time, sailing from the south shore of the lake all the way to the north shore, which was the first time in this area.
The Russian army conquered the Karelia people with a force projection capability that surpassed the times. The huge fleet successfully arrived at the Bear Festival Town, and the fluttering flag caused all the residents to cheer.
The army no longer needed the Vips as guides on their final voyage. They encountered long boats that were guest fishing boats. The garrisoned army was already throwing down large nets to catch fish.
The army arrived near the shore, and the soldiers took small boats and rushed directly to the beach.
The Avora-class sailing cruiser lowered all the side boats, released the anchor and set it on the lake. Rurik landed smoothly in the small boat without touching the water.
He successfully stood here. Looking at it, it was indeed an open space in the sea of forests. It was perfect to build a port here.
The fishing people came back one after another, because the Duke is here. This is the main force of Ross. The decisive battle against the Karelian people is probably going to happen in the next few days. The fishermen came ashore and returned to their team, and the most combat-effective members of the First Flag Team were present.
Rurik was walking on the dry lakeshore. There was a lot of construction going on here, and the ground under his feet was all black soil. It was a pity that the rich soil here blocked the possibility of growing wheat here.
He looked up at his arrogant cousin: "Brother, did you really kill many people here? All just twenty days ago?"
"That's true." Arik pointed with his big hand: "In that direction, I made a big tomb there, and the two thousand dead are there."
"Okay...I can't smell murder now."
Rurik felt sorry for the dead for a second, but as the mastermind behind the scenes, he knew that he was not qualified to feel sorry for the dead. This is the fate of the Karelian people. It is said that the mantis stalks the cicada and the oriole is behind them. They are fighting fiercely with their neighbors. When the brave Principality of Rus comes, they are not able to surrender. It's just that the Karelia people are not worthy of being vassals now. They are a kind of prop. Killing them will deter other servants. As the saying goes, "as long as Ross is willing, he will be killed no matter how far away".
The army had just arrived. Thousands of warriors not only saw roaming deer, but also noticed that a walled town was rising from the ground.
The walls here cannot be said to be strong, and some areas are clearly just temporary measures. The so-called logs are stacked randomly to create a short and fat barrier. Instead, several towers rose from the ground, allowing warriors to take a lookout, gain insights into approaching enemies, and also have a bird's eye view of the free deer herds.
When he first arrived in Xiongji Town, Rurik admired the fishery resources in this area. The town is located near a large lake and has excellent hydrological conditions. It is obvious that a permanent trestle system and a good dock can be built.
The army began to gather. They did not rush to fight the Karelians as soon as they landed.
Where is the enemy's main force? In fact, some people already have clear answers.
Rurik didn't have time to think about this for the time being. The army assembled according to their respective flags and tried their best to form a neat array.
Some soldiers shouted majestic chants, soldiers lined up, and the first flag team was assembled. The soldier holds his shield against his chest and holds the hilt of his sword in his right hand. Each of them carried a linen backpack, and the leather blanket was rolled up, folded and hung on the backpack. Their clothes were uniform, with blue and white patterns on their shields, and white cloth robes outside their chainmails, although many parts were marked with white pudding.
The flag bearer holds the team flag tightly, standing upright like a red pine.
The first flag team is like this, and the Balmok people of the third flag team are now in a similar formation, which is really gratifying.
The Shooting Flag Team is another powerful force, but its team composition is complex, with promising young warriors, mercenaries, and defectors. They also have something in common, that is, they participated in all the battles after Rus became a principality and became strong soldiers in the battles. Today, as many as twenty small two-wheeled carts are equipped with torsion slingshots, and thirty torsion trebuchets are also unloaded. They are a powerful force in battle.
Duchess Carlotta stood here with her fifty Ostara warriors as a de jure ally.
The Suomi army had as many as a thousand men, while the Vipus army had only a hundred men.
Even though the originally planned Slavic army failed to arrive due to busy farming, the Russian army still assembled a team of 2,700 people.
Such an army could also run rampant in the Frankish Kingdom.
An army of 2,700 people is a terrifying army in the eyes of the people of Northern Europe and Eastern Europe in this time and space. However, in Rurik's eyes, the army's strength was not large, so he could easily complete the review if it was assembled in a small area.
After landing, the first thing Rurik did was to review his troops. He was dressed in costume, gorgeous and yet brave. The original delicate face was losing its childishness, and the face shape became more and more like his biological father Otto. The golden beard made the entire chin become hairy, the eye sockets became deep, and the eyes began to exude irresistible nobility and kingly domineering.
Thirteen-year-old Rurik is already close to an adult in terms of body shape, but his arm muscles are not strong enough, and he is still far from becoming burly.
He personally inspected all the warriors, then stood on the wooden platform and preached loudly.
"Karelia! It must be destroyed! They attack our servants and dare to collect tribute on the land of Rus! They must be destroyed..."
What if describing the Karelians as trespassers could arouse the anger of warriors? Can it inspire their fighting spirit?
Rurik knew what the brothers needed. He deliberately poked his head and described the beautiful scene to everyone: "They have a lot of deer, a lot of leather, a lot of women, and a lot of interesting things. You can rely on your skills Go and plunder, I declare to you! I! Duke of Ross! I will only take half of the loot, and you will rob the rest and divide it equally. You will all become rich, and you will all rob one or two women. They I will give you many children, and your wealth is enough to support ten more children. Don’t worry! Fight for me, fight for Rose. If you die in the battle, your soul will immediately arrive in the Asgard sanctuary, and you will have There is a high probability of entering Valhalla. I will raise your children in this world according to the rules, and your wealth in this world will also be inherited by your eldest son."
The Rus, the Balmoks, the Melalens, the Ostarans, all the Viking warriors roared in excitement.
In this warm atmosphere, Suomi and the Vips warriors also roared.
The latter generally do not understand what Asgard is and what Valhalla is. Rurik preached some important information in ancient Finnish, which aroused their ecstasy. Because as a servant army, you can naturally get spoils by fighting for the monarch. There are as many as two flag corps of Suomi people. In fact, they have no unforgettable hatred towards the Karelia people. It is the Tavastians who have enmity with them. So, once they win, the Suomi people hope to take away a group of people. Young women in Karelia give birth to their own children.
The mood of the army was completely aroused, and the army built a military camp on this flat land near the coast. At night, the bonfires by the lake looked like stars. Rurik did not order his men to practice the "bonfire to confuse the enemy" tactic. There were actually a lot of people landing and there was a need to light fires everywhere.
Rurik did not want to live outdoors. Some old Karelian buildings were preserved, so he and a group of generals sat in the big house that was originally the residence of the priests.
People scooped the cooked new wheat into their mouths and praised the delicious taste of the wheat from the newly cultivated land near New Roseburg.
The Bear Altar is not the core of the Karelia people. Where is the core of the enemy?
Rurik had just finished his meal, and he could clearly see the eager faces of the three flag captains who were left behind under the oil lamp.
It turns out that the stay of the three flag captains was not as simple as building a city, catching fish, and repelling a handful of enemies.
Since a group of enemy armed men suddenly appeared and launched an attack, where did the enemy come from? The Ross soldiers who followed up later discovered a relatively wide river, and even obvious traces of ships running over the mud on the lakeside. The enemy actually came by boat. There were a lot of indentations here. Considering the condition of the opponent's boats, it must have been a group of canoes landing here.
Following this clue, the stationed team quickly found the mouth of the river, which was not far to the east of Xiongji Town. So the question also arises, why didn’t the Karelia people build the priest center at the mouth of the river?
The soldiers stationed there had no intention of thinking about this. With their years of combat experience, they were sure that they would find a large settlement by going upstream. Only large settlements can send a team of hundreds of people to challenge at once. Based on their experience, everyone later believed that this was actually an armed reconnaissance team of the enemy.
The fighting behavior may have alerted the enemy, and a Ross longship soon arrived at the mouth of the river and went upstream.
The three centurions proudly reported their great discovery to Duke Rurik, which immediately aroused everyone's emotions.
It was a very large residential area, with an inland lake surrounded by tents and deer roaming in groups...
These things were unexpected by Arik. He could not have imagined that during the period of his absence, his brothers would make such amazing discoveries.
"There is no need to hesitate!" Arik shouted excitedly, "In my opinion, that is the core of the Karelia people. We will rush directly to the inner lake as a fleet, directly seize the beach and land to catch them off guard!"
As soon as this statement came out, many people said that this should be done. After all, the enemy was probably already preparing. If they waste more time, Ross might not be able to take advantage.
Rurik looked at everyone's eyes that seemed to be on fire. Things were developing at an unexpected speed. He understood the importance of speed in fighting. He couldn't give up when a huge fighter plane was in front of him.
"Fight! Let's play tonight and take action tomorrow! We have to reach the inland lake before tomorrow evening and seize everything you want!"
