On a very quiet night, Rurik invited Blue Fox into his palace bedroom. He even ordered all the servants to retreat, and only the two of them talked secretly by an oil lamp.
The Blue Fox really needed a private place to come back. He was a little reserved at first, but when Rurik asked the question first, he immediately spoke out in surprise.
"Prince! Our great enemy is indeed Denmark, but the Franks are a big fat sheep. We should plunder them."
"Huh?" Indeed, this kind of statement is indeed inappropriate to point out in the presence of Eskil.
"You don't have to be surprised. According to my observation, since our fleet can expedition to Britain, then we will bypass the Jutland Peninsula and directly attack cities named Hamburg and Bremen along the river. Those are riverside cities, and our The fleet can go straight in, and when we finish looting, we can leave quickly with the treasure."
Rurik was indeed tempted, his cautious forehead relaxed, and he asked quietly: "Did you do some investigation and know them well?"
"Of course! Even now we are facing a golden opportunity. Their armies have all gone to attack Denmark. Bremen is already empty. There are only a group of honest farmers there and no army at all. Now is a good time to plunder."
"Oh? Are you encouraging me to fight?"
"Yes!" Blue Fox said resolutely, "I know Bremen very well. There is a very wealthy city surrounded by wooden walls, and a large amount of wool is traded in the city square. We should rob the local area!"
"Is this so? All we can do is fight? I...have not arranged any war operations this year."
Blue Fox shook his head: "They have also put forward very harsh conditions. We must believe in their gods and pay high taxes in order to do business with the Earl of Frank. As for Prince Ludwig, he They don't even bother to see me. Eskil said that their prince thinks that we are just a small tribe, as humble as ants."
"Absurd!" Rurik punched the ground hard and laughed again for a moment: "Okay, Blue Fox, you are using the provocation method. Listen, I am the prince, and only I have the right to arrange whether to send troops."
"But their provocation is real. They are also very rich...don't you hope to get a lot of wool?"
These words really stopped Rurik. We cannot rush into a war, let alone jump into it as soon as we get good news.
Rurik thought for a moment, and it was unreasonable for him not to be moved. For practical reasons, if he could get a large amount of wool, his garment factory could produce clothes and felt products with a more stable efficiency.
It is unrealistic to expect the Ostara people to provide a large amount of wool in a short period of time. After all, it was not long after Carlotta gave birth to her child, and her Ostara people did not breed a large flock of sheep.
The arrogance of the Franks was not a major reason for the crusade, but the looting of supplies. Of course, their provocation and arrogance could be very legitimate reasons.
The blue fox saw the prince's state of mind wavering and immediately pointed out: "I learned a lot in Frank. The expelled Danish King Harald Clark was a mercenary of that prince, and the prince also arranged for Horik to be the new king of Denmark. Our shops were destroyed, and there was a Frankish conspiracy behind it. As for the Danes fighting with the Franks again, that is another matter. You are the greatest prince, and your interests in Denmark have been damaged. Considering your authority, , even if we send two hundred men, we must take advantage of the empty space behind the Franks to attack them."
For a moment, Rurik suddenly understood.
He slapped his thigh: "That's right! Why did I forget that I can send out small troops for action? What I always think about is sending out six flag troops to fight the war to destroy the country!"
Blue Fox immediately laughed out loud: "So, you are determined to take revenge this year? The time now is still in our favor."
"You..." Looking at the blue fox again, Rurik shook his head with a smile: "You have become thinner and your mentality is crazy. Do you want to be a warrior? Okay, I will give you this opportunity. It was you who proposed As for the crusade, I will give you this opportunity. You must join the crusade, and you must be responsible for your words."
"Absolutely. I am even willing to be a warrior and go through fire and water for the prince." Blue Fox replied decisively.
Regarding the fact that the Franks were extremely arrogant towards the Principality of Rus, Rurik wanted to believe that this was a fact.
How can a great country look down on a foreign country?
Frank knew almost nothing about Ross, but as a prince, Rurik knew a lot about Frank. Not to mention the well-known and deceased Charlemagne, after the division of this great country, two main bodies were formed, France and Germany. Nowadays, both Frank and Germany do not exist. The two brand-new countries cannot be said to have completely disappeared. They are like twins in the belly of a pregnant woman, developing rapidly.
In other words, it is the East Frankish part that adopts an arrogant attitude towards the Principality of Rus. To be fair, Rurik is more willing to call these guys Germans.
The concept of Germany has existed since ancient times, but it is not used as an official country name now.
Since Bremen is a commercial city, it is feasible to take advantage of the opportunity to plunder.
Have a heart-to-heart talk with the thinning Blue Fox. Although the senses are very strange, the reward emotion revealed by that guy is easy to sense.
After some logical deduction, the mastermind behind the destruction of Ross's shop in Hedeby was Prince Ludwig of East Frankland. As for why that man got into a fight with the Danes, why should the Russians pay attention? Rose's interests have been harmed, and the masterminds behind the scenes have been identified, and they should be bled!
Rurik tossed and turned on the bed. He ordered Svetlana not to sleep with her tonight, and he occupied the entire bed by himself to think quietly about important matters.
He made a major decision, and the next day he began to gather men and announced an ocean mission that would combine plunder and crusade.
These days, Spuyut and his gang lived a comfortable life in Novgorod. They ate wheat cakes, drank ale, put on new clothes, and lived in a comfortable place. If there wasn't another plan to rob, the brothers would have continued to enjoy themselves.
On the other hand, the Salmon Chief also underwent some maintenance, and those torsion slingshots were carefully inspected. Worn parts are replaced and spent weapons replenished.
As for the old fellow Eskil, he came to settle in the small monastery in Novgorod. Let's look at John Invall. This boy was moved to tears when he saw his teacher.
It was in this monastery that John Invall received people from the Archbishop of Reims, who became a legal priest and qualified to baptize people.
A small priest was promoted and became a grassroots member of the Holy See's management system. He became a priest at a young age, and with his qualifications and missionary achievements, he could gradually rise in rank. In theory, it was possible to become a cardinal. The reason why he got the position was because the Principality of Rus was full of confused lambs. Naturally, this was in the context of the priests. John Ingvar was young and had a lot of time to spread the faith. As a teacher, Esquier could only stay here temporarily for one winter.
Christians who gathered in the Novgorod region for various reasons welcomed the northern saint, and they were almost full of hope.
However, Rurik always remained vigilant, and they were watched by spies. As for the missionary behavior, they were immediately arrested as soon as they were discovered. As early as the meeting, Eskil was "vaccinated". If any missionary behavior was detected, of course there would be no physical punishment. He could only spend this winter in prison again. evicted in the year. This decree has long existed. It was originally bound to genuine clergymen such as John Ingvar, but now there is an additional "Northern Saint" who has to follow this set of forms.
It was also here that Eskil finally met the young Reglaf. The child who had inherited the throne of Mercia was as golden as his biological father. The boy always pestered his grandfather and grandmother. The old couple were the old leaders of the Rus people and the first generation of princes. Esquier maintained the utmost restraint. He did not dare to tease the child. He respectfully explained that the child had a noble status recognized by the Holy See. He also gave the child some verbal instructions in Latin and left.
Eskil's movements were so bad that he could travel in and outside Novgorod under the escort of mercenaries, and he could see the rural life in the principality. He could write a report, and Rurik was willing to provide paper, quills, and ink.
For Rurik never denied the possibility of peaceful trade with the Franks. Crusade to combat their arrogance is one thing, trade is another. Based on his understanding of the Hanseatic League, that commercial alliance could not have jumped out of the cracks in the rocks. It represented the inherent merchant class in the Frankish Kingdom. Merchants and small industrial owners even rebelled against the king for trade privileges and succeeded. Arrogance belongs to the nobility. Frank merchants will never refuse goods and opportunities to make money from Russia! After all, Novgorod is clearly on the list of the Hanseatic League.
Eskil was authorized to write some records of his experiences on paper. This person saw that it was extremely convenient to write on cloth and wood, but it was definitely not parchment. Rurik could imagine his excitement. This old guy felt itchy all over after a few days of traveling, because here he saw an idyllic scene that resembled the Frankish interior.
The Rus among the Normans are actually working as farmers? The stereotype of the sea hero has been greatly rewritten.
Of course, the records written by this person can only be taken away after Rurik personally reviews them. If there are fields that slander the principality, they must be deleted, and those fields that may involve major secrets of the principality must also be deleted.
Eskil remains under a sort of house arrest.
In recent days, Spuyut has always seen Eskil, who is wearing a black robe, walking on the road covered with gravel and clay, and even running on the main road that is made of bricks.
A guy asked Spuyut: "Boss, I'm worried that this guy is a craftsman. He's too showy."
"Careful work? There are armed brothers behind, so this person doesn't dare to mess around. This is an old guy. He may not be able to walk in a few years."
Spuyut was busy buying Novgorod's specialty Slavic loaf. This was a loaf of bread deliberately added with chopped oak wood. After it was baked, it quickly became extremely dry and could kill people. Silly "stone", this kind of extremely storable food is very suitable for long-term sailing life.
Just as they were busy buying supplies, the prince's summons suddenly came down.
The Spuyut pirate gang gathered urgently, and at the same time, Arik from the First Flag Team and what seemed like a hundred capable soldiers came to attend the meeting.
The men of the First Flag Team turned into fishing madmen, and the guys recruited this time were all the guys who went boating on the nearby Lake Ilmen.
Arik and his men were very excited because they learned that the assembly was related to a special expedition, and they decisively put aside the prince's statement that "no troops will be sent out this year."
"Boy, even if you don't fight, your hands will feel itchy. I like it very much." Arik sighed secretly.
A group of troops entered the city, causing a stir among the people, and some remarks about war spread like wildfire. Especially the most populous Slavic people, their attitude towards the war is generally supportive, but according to rumors, won't the prince summon any Slavic warriors this time?
After all, is this a battle that only belongs to the Varyags? Who is their enemy?
The Rosduma parliament chamber was very long, so Rurik simply led all 150 people in total to the long room of the parliament.
This rectangular confined space is very suitable for preaching. Rurik stood on the podium and pointed out the "truth" when he opened his mouth.
He shouted with anger and pointed out that the Franks were behind everything: "Our Ross shop was destroyed by the Frank army, and the Danes are their lackeys. The Franks said that it is okay to do business with them, but they must pay a huge tribute. And you must believe in their gods. I used to think that the Danes were the biggest enemies, but now it seems that the Franks are the most insidious..."
He even used the provocation method to cross-talk a Frankish nobleman's rhetoric, pointing out that the Russians were regarded as barbarians in the north, as humble as ants.
As expected, people were irritated, and Arik roared at the top of his lungs: "We should really chop off their heads for talking nonsense!" He just stomped his feet crazily to make noise.
They are angry and hateful, and they still have to find ways to appeal to their desire for plunder.
Rurik pointed directly at the first target of this operation-Werder Bremen.
In his words, it was a Frankish city that stored a lot of silver coins, and also had granaries and wool warehouses. The First Standard Brigade robbed Lindisfarne Abbey, and the gold and silverware inside was swept away. By coincidence, there is also a cathedral in Bremen. Blue Fox visited and stayed in the church, and the first-hand information he obtained pointed out that there was indeed a large amount of gold and silverware inside.
Anger and greed are intertwined, and this long-distance robbery must be carried out.
The people who were selected by Prince Rurik and sat in the Rusduman were very fortunate that a good opportunity to make a fortune was in front of them. Although there were some risks, they could be ignored in the face of a large amount of wealth.
A plan to sack Bremen was written down on paper.
According to the plan, the principality will dispatch a hundred-man team of local elites, led by the first flag captain Arik himself.
Businessman Blue Fox was incorporated into the army as a soldier. Rather than fighting, his main job was to serve as a combat advisor, guiding the army to attack cities and plunder.
Spuyut led the current pirate gang into battle and brought another group of people on Saaremaa Island.
The Finns in Finland must also participate in the war. Count Jevlo must bring out no less than fifty archers to participate in the war, and they must participate in person.
Since the purpose of the operation was pure plunder, the number of troops should not be too large, and they should not be entangled after encountering the Frank army.
The size of the team must be between 300 and 400 people. If the city of Bremen cannot be captured well, their wheat will be harvested on a large scale around the city and the village granaries will be looted.
Arik is a fierce general, and his overall performance is that bravery is better than wisdom, so Javlo, who stays in Finland, needs to lead troops to check and balance. The existence of Jevlo is also very important. As a de facto vassal, he no longer serves as the mercenary captain. With noble status, he must fulfill the obligation to send troops to help the prince, and it is also a means of monitoring him.
Rurik was still not at ease with his cousin, and he had to warn again: "Brother! Most of the brothers listened to you this time. You are very good at leading two to three hundred people to plunder a stronghold with thousands of people. I just hope that you won’t be too impulsive and learn to stop when it’s time. Let’s rob the wealth, fill up the transport ship and then withdraw. The most you can do is burn Bremen with a fire, and you must not resist the Frankish main force.”
"Really?" Arik stood up and punched his chest with a smile: "I should kill many Franks to let them know the cost of humiliating Ross. I really hope to fight with their main force."
Rurik suddenly frowned, slapped him on the face, and continued to instruct: "They have a lot of cavalry! Maybe a thousand! This is what Blue Fox saw with his own eyes! Think about what we encountered in Northumbria The Frankish cavalry are more ferocious than theirs, so don’t go head-on, we have to be smart to fight them.”
The encounter with the cavalry in Britain made Arik feel uncomfortable all over. The Ross-Balmok coalition at that time suffered a lot as a result.
My brother mentioned the businessman Blue Fox, but this person actually fights as a warrior?
Arik couldn't help but ask: "Is Blue Fox's reconnaissance information reliable? He has been traveling in Frank for a whole year and has seen a lot. Will he exaggerate to them? Besides, why didn't I see him there?"
In fact, Blue Fox was always present.
I saw a man whose face could only be described as slightly chubby and who had just started to grow a beard stood up. He was wrapped in a smart brown leather jacket and had a belt tied around his waist. He looked like a warrior no matter what.
"I am the Blue Fox. I swear to Odin, Frey, and the gods that what I saw is the truth."
"You? You're the Blue Fox? Isn't the Blue Fox a fat man like a seal?" Arik smiled rudely, and others also looked at the thin man who called himself Fat Boy Blue Fox.
What else can the blue fox do? He could only smile apologetically, and then sternly said: "I have killed Danish soldiers, and even almost met that Frankish prince. I was greatly humiliated in Denmark, and I wanted to sacrifice my life to assassinate that prince with my own hands in order to die in the battle. Ninety brothers took revenge. Now that I am thinner, I can kill enemies better. Arik, I am not much weaker than you."
Such wild words aroused Arik's curiosity: "Oh? It seems that you are indeed a blue fox. Are you very confident? Why don't we go outside and compete to see who is better at hitting people."
"Fight? I'm not good at fighting. My strength lies in my understanding of the Franks." Blue Fox said with a sullen face: "No one understands the Franks better than me, and no one understands their army better than me. Only I can tell Where are your warehouses, where are their gold and silver hidden, and which villages can best solve our military food problem."
"Oh! You are indeed better than me in this regard." Arik didn't want to quarrel. He shrugged and borrowed Po Xia Donkey. After all, he would definitely win in a real fight. Even the reputation spread was not good. He killed countless enemies. Is it outrageous for a madman to bully a professional businessman who aspires to be a warrior?
The Principality of Rus began preparations in Novgorod. Considering the existence of quite solid wooden walls in Bremen, it was time to prepare some siege tools in advance. Rurik wanted to build a large counterweight trebuchet, but considering the actual time cost, that was very unrealistic. The focus is still on making a siege ram that was born by crashing into a door. It is impossible for a ram to be completely transported on a large ship. The key parts can be transported away and can be assembled with wood when it arrives locally. There is also a very violent and straightforward method, which is to use a steel lumber ax and dozens of people working together to chop down part of the city wall alive. After all, the wooden city wall is not indestructible.
The number of people in the plundering fleet was fixed, and the number of ships was also arranged by Rurik.
Considering that there is a high probability of encountering the Frankish regular army, especially the cavalry, the principality needs to focus on leveraging its naval superiority and use enough ships to transport the various supplies it has grabbed.
The sailing cruisers Salmon Chief and Gray Squirrel were recruited, along with the four planet-class sailing destroyers Venus, Mars, Saturn, and Eubit, as well as four standard armed cargo ships launched in recent years. Accompanying number four. With ten ships participating, the scale of the operation was already quite large. If the simple sailors recruited were brought along, the number of people from all kinds of people could be gathered to 500.
However, this was the only military operation in which Rurik was not provided with military rations or fresh water.
The expedition personnel were able to collect supplies in Novgorod with their own money, and finally completed the naval assembly and weapons on Tombstone Island.
In exchange, the wealth they looted was divided 50-50 with the prince, which was enough to promote the brothers' fanatical will to fight.
It seems that Werder Bremen, as the target, is already a big fat sheep.
