Rise of Rurik

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According to Rurik's original plan, when the army arrived in Riga, it would split into two groups and launch operations.

Even since the division of troops in Riga, sea troops and land troops have begun to play different roles.

The huge army is separated by water and land. Although in theory it should meet on the beach of Courland and advance jointly towards the lagoon area. In this era without radio, how could two armies so far apart meet by chance?

Besides, the Ross navy will most likely arrive at the coastline first, so where will the huge army be stationed?

Rurik made a relatively simple plan. He had long heard that there were some Danish stone dens on the Courland coast, which meant that there were a small number of coastal fishing villages there. After preliminary development, they could naturally be used as a landing site for a large army.

The Courland coast was not completely unfamiliar to the Ross, and Rurik was not a natural place at that time. However, the Ross army that plundered Gotland more than ten years ago happened to encounter a soothing beach and deliberately beached the ship. There was a small river there. In order to meet the army's fresh water needs, there were a large number of rabbit activities near the shore, so the army received special supplies.

At first no one knew what that meant, but later Rurik concluded that it was a small part of the Courland coast.

Today, the Ross Navy launches an operation against Courland. The first fishing village it finds after bypassing the large peninsula serves as the navy's anchorage and camping ground. Then the navy widely disperses the small boats southward along the coastline, and the ships line up in a formation. The distance between them is barely visible to the naked eye, and at night they light bonfires on the shore to further take care of each other.

As a result, the distance between the two ships may be about five kilometers, which makes them very conspicuous in the open sea.

Ten ships can stretch out a cordon of at least 40 kilometers, which is wide enough for the land forces arriving at the coastline to clearly see the position of the navy.

The reason why Rurik made this arrangement was that Ross was quite ashamed that he knew very little about the Courland coast. Even though the self-titled Earl of Saaremaa led an army of pirates to cruise in the southern Baltic Sea, the area of ​​activity was always concentrated in the area from Saaremaa to Gotland.

Spuyut himself and his men knew little of the Courland coast, and they did not know the others even less.

If twenty small boats are arranged to set up a warning, it will be an extremely wide warning line. As long as the land troops see traces of one ship, it means they have met with the navy.

The navy's stay on the sea is not a waste of food. On the contrary, the navy can set up temporary camps by landing small boats on the beach and immediately process the fresh fish caught from the sea to supply military rations. The navy can also immediately launch exploration to lay the foundation for Ross's future development of Courland and the establishment of new settlements.

It is true to gather an army for an expedition to Frank, but it is also true to explore the unknown world along the way and enclose the land to plan the future settlement of Rus.

Rurik never thought that there were excellent guides who could guide the Russian army, but this is what happened.

"There must be a road before the car reaches the mountain? I never thought of relying on them. Some guides come uninvited?"

Rurik inadvertently ignored the fact that Riga, as a distribution center for the Amber Road, was by no means the place of origin. The origin of amber and beeswax was on the coast of Courland, where Danish immigrants were hidden in several hidden coves. village.

However, Rurik was even less aware of a

The subtle fact is that the Rus hardly ever visited the Courland coast, but there was an "old friend" who not only visited the settlements on the coast, but also tried to convince the local Danes and Courlanders to convert to God.

The old bishop of the north, Eskil, has now built his rather simple cathedral in Hamburg.

In his early years, Esquier wrote a letter to the Archbishop of Reims in which he reported in detail his work in the East and described the situation of the local people.

He marked the name of Seeburg very clearly, and there was also a village named Apluore.

and the Kurlandish coastal town of Koup, which is at the entrance and exit of the lagoon area.

Rurik did not know that the bishop's experience in Rus was not good, and he had no intention of proactively launching a new war to provide intelligence to the King of Rus.

Year after year, loose traders would arrive in Riga with rough gemstones for trading. The inland roads they traveled could be turned into the marching route of the Rus' army.

Rurik was overjoyed to hear this and learned that a Cherbourg businessman named Ostein, with his family and friends, worked hard to complete a deal but unfortunately got involved in the war. It happened that in this war, Ostein and his party stood on the right side. From a standpoint, it actually provided important intelligence for the Ross army in Riga to achieve a great victory.

This kind of person must be rewarded, and his family and friends must also be rewarded.

Rurik gave the entire army a three-day holiday. In fact, even one day on the shore was enough to greatly restore the soldiers' energy.

He publicly stabbed the captured enemy leader Namsis to death, and the incident immediately became a good talk throughout the city. Kill one and tie him into a rice dumpling

Son, the enemy chief who was beaten violently is not an honor, but it is something that the majority of Latvians like to see.

The Latvians with a large population now feel that King Rus is the spokesperson for their own interests. The Latvians and the Varyags have entered a more friendly era. Because these outsiders will never disturb the village, they show fairness in purchasing materials.

Just like they did half a year ago, the Latvians brought their own local specialties with them in ox carts and small carriages. More people rushed to Riga on foot carrying baskets to sell agricultural products and dairy products to the Russian soldiers. It is midsummer now, and a large number of seasonal products have been harvested, especially those early-maturing vegetables (mostly cabbage). They are bound to be sold out, and the Russian army is also happy to get these key supplies that can help clear the intestines—— Eating dried fish and dry bread cubes all the time is very bad for your health.

In Rosdumari in Riga, Rurik met with some local boyars from the village during the day and highly praised them for actively organizing the militia and sending his nephew to command the militia to fight south.

At this point, it was no longer appropriate to criticize him harshly for sending troops without authorization. Rurik knew that the first thing he had to do was to immediately recognize the legitimacy and necessity of the actions of Fisk and his group.

All the boyars laughed from ear to ear. As the saying goes, King Rus supports this "just act", which completely means that Rus and Latvia are a complete military alliance recognized by King Rus. The safety of each village will be forever protected under the protection of Rus. Assure.

In the afternoon, Austen, his surviving son, and friends all put on neat clothes.

The clothes arrived at the Rus Duma to meet the Rus king himself.

When the main force of the Ross navy began to land and rest, Ostein noticed the eye-catching figure of King Ross from a distance.

He was a handsome young man, and his golden hair proved his identity as a northern hero. The wonderful pure gold crown was something that no ordinary leader would dare to wear. Now only King Rus has the right to wear such a crown.

A young and ambitious king was extremely important to Ross. The moment he saw him, Ostein was not only asked to question himself, but also asked himself in his heart and concluded that he had made the right choice - to surrender to Ross and become a servant.

Not all cats and dogs can become Ross's servants. The prerequisite for becoming a servant is that they have the value to be used.

Ostan had already thought about what to do when he formally met with King Ross. All six men who had survived the battle of Mezotne discussed with each other and finalized the plan.

They went through a body search as usual to ensure that there was no sharp weapon that could hurt King Ross.

That's all, he was let go by soldiers wearing heavy armor and bear head decorations.

"Bear-slaying warriors? You are really ferocious." Ostan muttered silently in his heart. He didn't want to look at those people even once again.

Rus Duma, this is not the first time for Osten and his group to come. All six of them remained cautious. When the wooden door slowly opened, the six people entered with cautious steps. They saw King Rus and some of his guards. Sitting on one side, the wooden chairs on the other side were empty.

The Rus Duma in Riga has always maintained the northern Nordic tradition and emphasized fairness and candor when discussing matters. Of course, there is a high-level

The podium on the stage was only for one person to make a speech, and the wooden chairs under the stage could be moved freely. From the current scene, Ostein estimated that King Ross might intend to talk to him on a more equal footing.

Even this "appreciation" is too precious.

Austen lifted his son up with his heel and gave the guys a signal with his eyes.

Rurik, who had been waiting for a while, raised his hand and said: "You? Old man, are you Ostan? And these friends. Sit down quickly and sit across from us."

Suddenly, Ostein and his friends suddenly knelt down. They all knelt down on one knee, covered their hearts with their right hands and lowered their heads, paying tribute to King Rus with the warrior salute common in Northern Europe.

This move immediately caused a commotion among Rurik and the "guards" around him.

Seeing this, Rurik was very happy: "You all get up! Ostan, you haven't answered my question yet. Are you... called Ostan?"

"Yes. The humble I am Ostin, and we come from Cherbourg on the western coast. Thanks to the love of King Rus, we are willing to serve you."

"Very good. Get up immediately and carry out my orders since you are loyal to me."

Rurik gave an extremely clear affirmation, and those with low self-esteem among the six people were also shaken by it, and they stood up one after another behind Osten.

"Sit down and sit across from us." Rurik smiled and raised his hand.

On the one hand, he has a reserved demeanor, and on the other hand, his spirit is relaxed.

Rurik showed a strong interest in the six men and asked: "You come from a place called Cherbourg? That is the coast of the west? You also walked through the inland river to reach Riga? Is this true? ?!”

"Absolutely true

. "Austin patted his chest in affirmation.

"Great." Rurik couldn't hide his joy as he slapped his thigh. He immediately looked left and right and said with a smile: "Brothers, I was worried that it would be difficult for the navy and the army to coordinate their separate operations. With these guides, all problems will be solved. . They are really the treasures given to us by the gods!"

After being overjoyed, Rurik asked again: "I also heard that when the army I stayed in Riga went south to fight, you businessmen also actively joined the army, and some brothers died in the battle for this. Is this true?"

"it is true!"

"Very good. So you have already proven your loyalty to Ross with practical actions. I like you people very much. I really should give you a certain reward."

In fact, when Ostan replied in the affirmative, he felt a little panic in his heart. The whole group of them was detained because of the goods, and his wife and young son were taken hostage. The men were forced to join the Russian army and fight south. All this was because he spoke Norse, brought his own large shield, and knew how to fight in formation. For this reason, he was really assigned as a sword and shield bearer to fight the Semigalians on the front line.

In the end, only six people survived without injury, including himself, which was a huge blow to the caravan.

Since King Ross said that the brothers' actions were "voluntary" and a "symbol of loyalty", there was no need for him to make any corrections - it would be really beneficial for the brothers to follow King Ross's words.

Ostan explained: "I have two sons. My eldest son fought for the king and died in the south. Now there are still me and my younger son, and we are willing to continue to serve the king."

"This matter has

People report to me. Your caravan dispatched nearly twenty warriors, and only six of you survived. I recognize your loyalty and I deeply respect the loss of your eldest son in action. I can tell you that as a person blessed by Odin, anyone who fights for me will have his soul enter Valhalla. I heard that you also brought back the coffin of your eldest son who was killed in battle? "

"Yes."

"Very good. Our Ross has a cemetery in the capital, where all the heroes who fought for the glory of Ross are buried. I think your son can be buried there, and he will be sacrificed every year in the future."

"This..." Osten's nose felt sore for a moment, and tears welled up in his eyes. "Thank you, Your Majesty..."

"Are you touched by my justice?" Rurik continued to point out: "Look around me, they are all my king's generals. We are on an expedition to the west, and we are bound to experience Cherbourg in your hometown. Cherbourg. The Château is really lucky to have a character like you. My army will not do any damage to Cherbourg. Because Cherbourg has been included in the territory of Ross, and you!"

Rurik suddenly pointed at the tearful old man: "In your hometown of Cherbourg, is there a local leader?"

"No. We are all free men digging rocks."

"No! There is a leader now. You! This king makes you Count of Cherbourg (War Chief). Your title is hereditary. Your status is the same as the Count of Latvia in Riga and the same as the Count of Saaremaa."

The aristocratic hierarchy is too far away for free people. Although the current hierarchy in Ross is also very rough, it is very advanced for the vast number of people in the tribal era.

Rurik used one

Only with these descriptions did Ostan understand what that meant. The so-called Ross gave Ostan the power to rule the entire Cherbourg settlement, and his power came entirely from Ross.

This really shocked him. Will the Sipuyut who once detained him be able to equal him in status in the future? ! I'm afraid it's only nominally equivalent.

Osten was not a domineering person by nature, but he led some friends to form a caravan to complete the operation, which proved that he had certain leadership skills.

There are thousands of residents in Ranseburg and nearby areas (which is already too large in Ostan's opinion). Everyone is either fishing or digging stones. Before this, Ostan never thought that one person could rule everyone. Now Se The Kingdom of Castle was born from the mouth of King Rus.

Osten has no idea about the future of the so-called Count of Cherbourg. His life experience is rich enough to know that people can be protected by the powerful Ross by relying on the big tree of "Count of Cherbourg". Anyone who dares to attack is to fight against Ross is the enemy.

So, what's the cost?

Incredibly, the King of Ross did not mention tribute, and seemed to only grant an earldom, and asked for nothing else. No matter how he felt, as long as he surrendered to Ross, it would be harmless to everyone in Cherbourg.

As for the only request of King Rus - garrison.

This matter is a matter of course. Only the existence of the Ross garrison is the real security guarantee for Cherbourg.

The chatterbox was completely open, and the reserved guests began to relax. King Rus was indeed young, and his generosity was touching.

Now, Rurik made serious arrangements: "Calling you Earl of Osten is a reward for you. My army will be with you in the future."

Cherbourg will be stationed for a short period of time. When we leave, the ships of the Count of Saaremaa will also be stationed in your Cherbourg. The port of Cherbourg will become a good port for Ross in the south. In the future, if you sell any supplies, you should not consider going inland. You can get profits by selling them directly to us in Cherbourg. Wouldn’t it be great!

You will still serve us. I've decided!

Your son took two men as guides to help the Ross navy reach Cherbourg.

You take two more men with you and serve as guides with my cavalry to retrace one of the inland river routes.

Finally we will complete the meeting in Cherbourg, for which you will get not only a knighthood, but also a sum of money. Your other female dependents and children are following the overland team. I will go with them. They will be taken care of by me and have plenty of food along the way. I hope that all of us will arrive at Cherbourg in the best condition. "

Ostan had already expected that the brothers were controlled by Spyut with the intention of serving as guides for King Ross.

Because of his support, he decisively agreed and declared that he would do a good job.

The older Ostein was also hearing the threat hidden under King Ross's pleasant appearance. The forest cat has soft claws, but if you annoy it, its hidden claws will appear.

King Ross specifically mentioned the "female children" this time. With his strength, King Ross will naturally take excellent care of them. However, the premise of all this is that he will lead the way honestly and lead the Ross army to their destination smoothly.

Osten has no choice. He must protect the lives of his family and friends. As for when the Ross army arrived at Cherbourg, would they really "not ask for tribute" like the king? Still believe in the benevolence of King Rus?

Be kind! However, even if the King of Ross still demands tribute, at least his family will not suffer any loss. As for the other residents of Cherbourg, the safety of those people depends on the King of Ross. Osten never owes those people, so he will not talk too much about hope. King Rus made another promise.