Rise of Rurik

,!

Ostein's group, who originally came to sell stones, finally have new identities.

But to get this identity, the price paid for it is really high.

"Maybe your death is worth it..."

Ostan put on the new clothes given by the King of Russia. It was a spacious plain white cloth robe with two slender blue cloth strips specially sewn on the front, just like the flag of the Russians.

He was also issued a Ross flag, and his buckler was asked to scrape off its past paint and replace it with a Ross pattern.

This makes the "Count of Cherbourg" look respectable.

The Ross Army regrouped, and they had fully rested in Riga. After getting some key guides, they had a clear direction for the originally confused road ahead.

After discussions at the meeting, the two-pronged Ross army was assembled at Cherbourg on the Courland coast.

Irurik estimated that the navy would arrive first. He was reassured that the troops that arrived first would not attack the locals of Cherbourg, because the County of Cherbourg had been established by surprise. Soldiers who dared to attack the locals were criminals and could be beheaded according to military law.

The Russian army cannot take action against its own people, not even the servant army. The same principle also applies to the servant army.

Although Rurik did not specify specific detailed regulations for his army, and frequently allowed his soldiers to plunder during battles, he only emphasized one point - no harm to each other.

He ordered his generals to swear an oath to the gods in front of Ostin, the newly named Count of Cherbourg, that the army should exercise restraint and dignity. After arriving at Cherbourg, they would camp in an open area so as not to disturb the lives of the residents and do business fairly.

This was just a verbal oath, at least the Russian army swore it. This statement made all six

The guide was very moved.

Rurik knew that if he wanted these people to serve as guides honestly, they must see the sincerity of the Ross Army.

Although the women and children were advancing with the land troops, Rurik checked on these people who had been under house arrest. They were all restored to freedom, and were now given new clothes and sufficient food. Although there were few young children, Rurik was willing to provide some honey as nutrition for these children.

The child put the honey into his mouth and immediately showed a hearty smile. The child was happy, and their parents were also happy. Even though they were involved in the war that just ended, the men of the caravan suffered great losses.

Life is like this, especially when running this dangerous trade route across the Courland Peninsula. Everyone considers being exploited by the Semigalians, or even being attacked and murdered by those guys.

They have the courage to act, and they also have the awareness to die accidentally during the journey.

Now those Semigalians who are blocking the road to ask for money are afraid that their vitality will be severely damaged, and they may be wiped out by the army that continues to move south. The future trade routes should be safe.

It’s a sunny morning, and it’s July in the Julian calendar.

At this point, Rurik no longer considered whether he had "caught a late meeting" after arriving in Frank. Anyway, the army would definitely arrive. He explained that if he didn't have an explanation, then he would create conditions to give them an explanation.

According to the agreement half a year ago, Rurik unloaded a batch of grain and a sum of silver coins to pay for the military supplies provided by the locals in Riga. The money he delivered was far less than previously agreed. The transaction between the two parties was fair. The Latvians now provided less supplies, and the Ross side also gave less.

As for pulling

Rurik didn't care whether Tvia suffered a loss in this regard. On the contrary, he didn't ask these guys for money because he was merciful.

Although Fisk led the cavalry and conspired with the local armed forces to launch a march south, from another perspective, it can also be said that the Latvian nobles hired the Russian regular army to launch the war.

Ross's most elite cavalry was the main force in the war. No matter how you look at the main results of the war, land, cities and living space, the Latvians got the most.

Considering that the County of Latvia is a vassal state of Russia, its sphere of influence has been swooping towards the Neva River due to victory, and it has really reaped benefits for Russia. If it is still entangled in asking for "mercenary service fees", it will appear to be the stinginess of the king of Russia.

Soldiers operating by sea took small merchant ships one after another. Those large ships were anchored offshore. They were as stable as offshore islands. After the small boats arrived at the side of the ship, the soldiers who were full of people were so skilled that they began to climb the rope net.

So far, the work of the accompanying Ross fishing boat owners has come to an end. They have received a small amount of money for transporting reindeer for the king. As for what choices the fishermen will have next, they can continue to follow the Ross navy, but that Hardly in the interest of fishermen.

Because Rus has not built a stable home port in the huge southern Baltic Sea, fishing boats starting from the depths of the Gulf of Finland are reluctant to go south after arriving in Riga. Riga is their new home port. They collect fish from the Gulf of Riga and set up a stall on the soothing coast to make fish jerky. They can either sell it or keep it for their own use.

It is already July after all, one hundred days later

The first snow may be falling, and it may seem a little early to prepare for the harsh winter, but no one wants to worry about stocking up on too much food during the winter.

The large number of Russian fishermen moving in has really taken up the working space of Riga, Latvian fishermen and Danish community fishermen, but what is there to protest?

Rus popularized the technique of trawling, which was used to clear out cod schools in the Gulf of Finland, and was also used for catching herring.

While the Ross army was still stationed, the Ross fishing boats unloading their cargo were already demonstrating their unique skills to the locals - forming a line array for trawling.

Without sonar, it is impossible to determine the location of fish schools. If they want to catch surface fish such as herring, the trick the Russians come up with is to form a queue of multiple fishing boats, with a net towed behind each boat, and everyone lowers their spinnaker and moves forward together to expand the fish. Search the surface and share the fish equally among everyone. This method is much more efficient than a single-handed operation.

The Russians can do it, so why can’t we?

Quietly, the locals in Riga kept what they saw and heard in mind and began to imitate and learn from it.

The Gulf of Riga is large enough, and the local residents are few enough. The hundreds of Ross fishing boats that have entered the bay this year do not intend to plunder all the fish caught in the Gulf of Riga. They have the intention but are absolutely unable to do so due to lack of strength.

Fishing is required here, and the waters near Gotland Island are what the Russians have considered as a good fishing ground since ancient times, and that is the brothers' favorite place.

The existence of Riga Port City will prevent fishermen from squeezing the Tombstone Island Fortress in the Åland Islands in the future. Tombstone Island has too few residents, far less than the city of Riga - a large area with a population of over 30,000 settlement area, the ring here

The environment is very attractive to ordinary people in Russia.

Rurik is naturally happy to see that fishing boats from the capital suddenly come to Riga in large numbers. They can spontaneously immigrate some people. As a result, the Ross community in Riga will rise strongly, and the local life and culture will also change.

The most important thing is control! The extensive activities of Russian fishermen have enabled Russia to not only legally control Riga and the areas on both sides of the Daugava River. The population of the Russian people is increasing, and the local Danes and Latvians must adapt to the new situation wholeheartedly. The local people have benefited from following Ross, and they may not necessarily rebel in the future. As the local Ross population surges, the concept of "rebellion" may not even sprout in the future.

Admiral Gothlund led nearly 60% of the troops to launch the operation. The large ship towed the unladen longship. The largest Sea Monarch was now really Gothlund's command flagship. Rurik gave him special authorization, so that the sailing ships Each flag captain had to obey all the orders of this "imperial envoy".

Goldlund is now Rurik's spokesperson. This does not mean that he can act recklessly. Goldlund is fully responsible for Rurik himself. If any trouble occurs, he will be fully responsible and will be punished.

On the shore, tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians watched the huge fleet drift away, followed by various fishing boats to see off the expeditionary force for another journey.

It was past noon, and Rurik stayed on the shore until he watched the Sea Monarch's huge mainmast turn into a small white dot in the sea.

"They set off..." he murmured with a smile.

"Your Majesty, it's time for us to take action. Without further ado," Fisk said

.

"Indeed, the navy is ready to get it, and so is my army. It's time to go, now!"

The sound of the horn sounded throughout Riga. At this moment, Ross's huge herd of deer had arrived on the left bank of the Daugava River in a small boat. The cavalry had also completed their landing, and a huge team suddenly appeared.

The land forces were completely transformed into mules and horses, with horses and reindeer replacing human feet, as well as ships and vehicles.

Reindeer's suitability is limited, and its strengths lie in its amazing endurance and ease of feeding.

Nearly five hundred deer herders (Lapps) control a total of 6,000 reindeer and pack horses. The one hundred captured war horses are now used as pack horses, but their hooves have been repaired and new shoes have been nailed. All have become spare mounts for the cavalry.

Daughter Verica and adopted daughter Blackbird, the two daughters and the priests accompanied the navy. All the combatants here in Rurik, if there are non-combatants, are none other than the family members of the guide.

There are currently only two cavalry teams assembled in Riga, and the cavalry of the Demyansk County, which has only fifty troops, has joined, so there are approximately 700 cavalry. Two other teams were stationed in Mezot, and the soldiers were ordered to seize the time to rest and defend.

After all, he wanted to once again show the might of the Russian army to the onlookers in Riga. The army had not yet left Riga. Rurik ordered the entire army to line up neatly. Each flag team used hundreds of people as a "square" and kept distances toward each other. Advance up the Lielupe River.

Behind them was an even larger herd of reindeer. It was useless to have experienced reindeer herders to supervise them, and the following team seemed in a mess.

Even so, the military and civilians of Riga still saw an unprecedented

An army that I saw - like a nomadic force.

Beyathil happily followed Rurik on horseback. She was even more happy that she was not only a warrior, but also the only wife Rurik could have during this expedition.

In other words, he will enjoy the favor of King Rus exclusively in normal wars.

She tightened her grip on the reins and felt extremely good: "Your Majesty, our team reminds me of the grassland."

"Oh? Do we look like nomads now?"

"Of course. If our reindeer were replaced by horses, all this reminds me of my hometown. Is this how we want to go all the way to the unknown western world, to Hamburg?"

"Yes."

"It's amazing, now we have really started. And I am still a general." Beyathil cares about this very much. She does not want to live like a female noble who indulges in childbearing. She only needs to ride horses and participate in battles. What you love.

"Of course I will give you a chance to fight. The cavalry you hold are our elite."

"Hehe, I can make meritorious deeds." Beyah Hill laughed heartily, acting coquettishly as if she wanted to ask for something.

The Rus Army, which was transformed into mules and horses, moved very quickly, and the soldiers also moved lightly. All armor and most supplies were carried by reindeer. When night fell on the first day, they had reached the most important bend in the lower reaches of the Lielupe River. at.

The whole army set up camp on this apparently flat land.

The fabrics used to build the tents were all carried by reindeer, and the soldiers cut down trees on the spot to serve as frames. A large number of deer herder-style tents were densely connected.

The iron pot was unloaded and the wheat was cooked on the spot. The warriors who had been riding for the whole afternoon were stretching their muscles and building the

After building his own sleeping shack, he waited for dinner.

Such a huge camping scene is unheard of in Ostan, and this is precisely the basic behavior of nomads.

Ross is a man of seafaring, but the military soul of the cavalry army comes from Pecheneg, so it is natural that it has grassland genes.

The lifestyles of Pecheneg, a grassland herdsman, and deer herders, a herdsman in the ice, have something in common, so their actions throughout the afternoon were completely consistent with each other.

There are nearly a hundred Pecheneg warriors among the current Russian cavalry. They are still elites. Although they are a little shorter, they are stationed in the Novgorod area where the food is richest in Russia. These people eat and drink. All of them are short and stocky.

When Ostein was forced to fight with the Ross cavalry, he saw such a short, flat-faced, black-haired warrior. At first, he was just an alien. He never expected that even the wives and concubines of King Ross had such faces.

There is now a warrior with such a face among the ten cavalrymen. Looking at the strong arms of these men, it is obvious that they are all strong men with bows. Smart people should not provoke these sharpshooters.

In fact, Ostan did not dare to provoke anyone. The powerful aura of the Ross army invisibly revealed made him feel terrifying.

All guides and accompanying family members were asked to call themselves a small camp. In order to avoid complications, they must keep a little distance from the Russian army.

Only Ostan himself must go to the bonfire of King Rus to report...

The branches crackled in the fire. Not long ago, Ostein had seen the Russians using wonderful tricks to quickly light the fire. The air was then filled with the aroma of cooking wheat. All this was unimaginable by Ostan.

of.

"You're finally here." Rurik hugged Beyahil, who was sitting next to him, looking particularly relaxed and relaxed.

"Great King..." Osten didn't know what to say for a moment, so he sat directly on the edge of the withered grass.

"Wait a minute. Here comes someone!" Rurik ordered: "Bring a mat to our guide."

After a while, Osten was able to sit cross-legged on the leather cushion. He cautiously asked: "What can I do for the king?"

"Let's talk about tomorrow. The cavalry is fast enough, and the ground is relatively dry now. Can we reach the inner city of Mezot tomorrow?"

"Yes." Osten answered simply, "The cavalry can definitely do it, but as for the deer..."

"Horses and deer are fine. Now tell us what we should pay attention to along the way."

"It's crossing the river."

"Crossing the river? It is indeed very important." Rurik sighed lightly: "We have to cross the Courland Peninsula. There are many small streams and even some larger rivers in this place. Do you think this Lielupe River has A shoal that you can wade directly through?”

"Yes, it's in Gawa Village."

"Very good. How is the village?"

"It has been destroyed by the king's army. Fortunately, the ford can be passed by us. But..."

"How?" Rurik narrowed his eyes.

"After passing Gawa Village, we will move forward on the left bank of the river. But the inner city of Mezot is on the right bank. If the king wants to get there, he will have to take a small boat to admire your victory."

“Can’t the river in Mezotne be forded?”

"Can't."

"Then, the Shvet River we will definitely enter..." Rurik couldn't help but frown.

"That's what I'm trying to explain

of. "Osten paused and pointed to the west with his big hand: "The Shvet River and the Lielupe River are very close to Mezotne. If the king wants to see the victory of the army, maybe he can just watch it from a distance. There are still your remaining cavalry stationed there, which may cause some trouble for the king's future actions... due to the problem of crossing the river. "

"I know this. It's just that there is no place to wade across the river. Wouldn't my cavalry still have to cross the river in a captured boat? Maybe I should ask my general..."

Rurik was not clear about Fisk’s specific arrangements, but in fact Fisk had already made arrangements.

When he called Fisk, who was waiting for dinner, to inquire, he received this reply: "I have arranged for the two teams to be stationed on the left bank of the river after they have been trained, especially at the mouth of the Shvet River, waiting for the main force of our army to meet. , and then headed west."

Stationing like this is not Fisk's shrewd consideration. Everything is arranged by Osten. The army must be stationed like this in order for the operation to go smoothly.

After hearing the news before the meal, Rurik was very satisfied. In fact, he had been holding back a knot in his heart. Why did the victorious cavalry have to stay in Mezot for two teams? The army should complete a large gathering in Riga to make himself happy. Now It makes the cavalry troops feel like they are walking alone.

The Russian army set up camp quickly and "closed up the stalls" just as quickly.

In the early morning, in the foggy morning fog, the entire army was so wet that they gathered all the cloth and discarded all the branches of the tent, except for the key ones that served as wooden beams.

They chewed dry rusks and dried fish on horseback, and arrived at the legendary village of Gawa at noon, where everyone suddenly saw

A blue and white presence.

"Our flag?!" Rurik poked his head out in surprise, and immediately asked Fisk to come over and explain.

"Have you arranged to garrison troops here?!" Rurik asked again.

"No. It may be arranged by Karl or Swain. I think they are cooperating with the king."

"I think so." Rurik nodded with satisfaction: "Let's go! Display all the flags, and the trumpeters will blow the trumpets to tell the brothers that we are coming."