Rise of Rurik

,!

The cavalry sentries stationed in the village of Gawa live with boredom all day long. Due to the destruction of the war, the village residents were killed or fled, leaving behind this loose house.

The army that attacked this village was their own, so the cavalry could no longer complain.

After the village was ransacked most thoroughly by the Latvian militia, even the scattered rags were picked up, allegedly to fill the wooden gaps in their houses.

The oats in the surrounding fields continued to grow silently, and the horsemen let their horses eat as they pleased.

They built fire pits in the village, set up wooden frames to hang pottery urns to cook wheat, and then caught some fish in the river. Life has become extremely quiet, even scary.

The Russian flag was raised high in the village, and the warriors' daily job was to keep quiet and wait for the arrival of the king's army.

There are thirty people in this team, which means that under the command of the captain, they can already perform some complex military tasks.

Just after the battle, both men and horses were exhausted. The captain should send his men to patrol farther away. Considering what he had seen and heard over a long period of time, he learned that this place is full of forests and mud. If you are lucky enough to go to such a bad place, you may encounter bears. Will there be new enemies seeking revenge?

There is not much entertainment, either playing cards or throwing pot, or just lying down and basking in the sun.

The leisurely people were suddenly awakened by the low sound of horns in the distance!

The sound of the melodious Nordic horn horn is very penetrating, and its changing rhythm makes the warriors more sensitive.

The thirty people waiting for the grilled fish around the bonfire stood up in excitement: "Get up! Get up, all lazy people! The king has finally arrived!"

Because, an audio rhythm of the trumpet emphasizes the "highest order"

The message is suffixed. During battle, the trumpeter will not blow randomly unless the king personally orders it.

It's midsummer, and many soldiers are so comfortable that they don't even wear shirts, letting the sun scorch their golden chest hair. They hurriedly put on Ross's white robes, tied them with belts, hung up their swords, and then went to pull the horses out of the houses that served as stables.

Soon a team of thirty people appeared on the left bank of the Lielupe River. In front of them was a shoal that could be safely waded across - this was the only shoal that had been discovered in this river.

"Your Majesty, where are they?" the guard raised his finger.

"I saw it. Now let's go quickly and get ready to cross the river!"

Rurik no longer wanted to ask any more questions, thinking that Ostein had clearly pointed out that the Russian army would only encounter one village before arriving at Mezotne. Gawa Village is now the northernmost settlement of the Semigalians. Of course it is no longer there now. With the collapse of Semigalia, this area has been included in the territory of the Kingdom of Ross.

Rurik wanted to cross the river directly, but he saw those staying there were riding their horses across the river one after another. Water splashed around the horses, and they seemed so excited that they didn't care about getting wet.

A team of soldiers and horses lined up to report to the king after half a year's absence.

The captain sat on the saddle and bowed sharply. This person was a warrior from Pecheneg: "Welcome, Your Majesty, this is your territory. We were ordered to guard and wait, and finally the army arrived."

"Have you waited for a long time?" Rurik asked happily.

"soon."

"Okay. Which team are you on? Who is your flag captain?"

"We are under Carl's command."

"Where are the others?"

"Just in the south." The captain pointed out

Directly south of the river left area.

It seems that just as Fisk said, the two remaining cavalry units have moved to the left side of the river. Rurik asked again: "They have set up camp there? Are they waiting for my king's army to arrive at the mouth of the river and then head west?"

The captain was slightly surprised: "It seems that the king already knows?"

"Hey, how could I not know?" Rurik tilted his body and felt refreshed and contented. He glanced at the empty Gawa Village and stopped asking because he already knew what happened here.

He looked at the sky again. It was not too late now. He rushed the entire army to cross the river before sunset, and then immediately lit a large number of bonfires to dry out the wet war horses and reindeer.

Maybe the crossing of the river can be postponed to tomorrow. Rurik really doesn't want to wait any longer. It's not that he is forced to go to far away Frank. In fact, the navy has already taken the lead. The speed of the battleships is so fast. If the land forces can't wait any longer, Just keep them waiting.

Even wading across the river is troublesome. Even if the Lielupe River is not deep in this section, it is still enough to flood a person's chest. There was a light rain a few days ago. The small amount of rain still caused some increase in the water volume of the river.

Rurik was eager to cross the river. He shouted in front of the two groups of cavalry behind him: "We are about to cross the river! Take off all your boots, hold the reins with both hands, lift all your feet high, and try not to let them get wet." water!"

There is only one core of the order: horses and reindeer must go through the water, and personnel and supplies must ensure that they do not touch the water.

The soldiers thus showed off their magic powers. Some sat cross-legged on the saddle, some kneeled, and some bold ones hung up their leather boots.

At the neck, the whole person bends over and stands on the saddle, holding the reins to show his balance.

The young warriors had various tricks, which everyone saw in novelty, and the cool ones among them made them laugh.

In fact, it doesn't matter if it gets wet. Although there are not many houses on the other side of the river, there are a lot of open spaces.

However, it was not until nightfall that the huge team completed the crossing.

Thanks to the fact that it was midsummer now, the Turkic horses and reindeer in the Russian army had short summer hair, so they could absorb water but not much.

After reaching the other side, the warrior quickly dismounted his horse, stepped barefoot on the river beach that had turned into black mud, then held the reins and let the horse shake vigorously to dry himself as quickly as possible.

The war horses shook their manes, and the reindeer shook even more. The landing site turned into mud, so that the soldiers had to return to the unspoilt shore to wash their feet and calves.

Many people's pants were still wet, and the unlucky ones accidentally fell into the water and got soaked.

There is only one woman in the army, Beyahil. She is a woman who belongs exclusively to Rurik. As for the other soldiers, they are all male soldiers.

Rurik immediately chose a folk house as his palace, arranged the oil lamps he carried and put in the seal oil lamp. Beyathil skillfully spread the leather blanket on the rough wooden bed and did not care about the outdoors.

There were bonfires everywhere, and wet warriors hung their clothes to bake. They were all men, and they were not shy about each other. However, these young brats laughed and joked about each other's bodies, which was a bit of a break from the boring march.

Rurik noticed the hooks on the wooden wall and temporarily hung the heavy armed belt and sword there.

He glanced at the man who was busy making the bed

Beyathil put his big hand on her shoulder casually.

"Tired?" She turned her head slightly.

"I'm tired."

Beyathil let the king rub his face and continued busy with the work at hand: "I am the only woman in the army. Fortunately, I am your woman."

"Is there something in the words?"

"Your soldiers are ruthless. If there are still some women in this village, they will be tortured to death by your soldiers. Fortunately, you separated the guide's female children and camped separately, otherwise there would have been trouble. Look, this village is empty. . But the Semigalians here also know how to make wooden beds."

"Because it's relatively humid here. There are rats and snakes, but don't be afraid, I will protect you."

"Ha! What's a mouse? What's a snake? I can easily strangle them to death."

"That's not necessarily true. How about trying my snake?"

"Huh?" Beyah Hill didn't react yet, but then he understood...

What was the king busy doing in his "palace"? Fisk, who was eager to find the king, noticed the movement in the palace, so he lingered outside the door and waited. It was not until he was waiting for dinner that he saw the king walk out refreshed.

"You?" Rurik looked at the old man: "Have you been waiting for a while?"

"Yes." Fisk had an idea: "Now that the wheat is cooked, it's ready to eat."

"That's alright. I'll take a rest while you go and gather all the centurions in one place, as well as the deer herder Wahavanin."

"As commanded."

If she gets pregnant again and gives birth to a second son, her Demyansk County will be more stable. But if his belly gets bigger and bigger during the war, he will soon be unable to lead his subordinates in person.

Go to war.

Beyathil was very conflicted. She was a little angry at Rurik's sneak attack just now, but now that the matter was over, she should think more about it. Among all the wives and concubines, she is the only one who marches with the army. On the one hand, she is a female general, and on the other hand, she is a pure wife when she is not fighting.

Seeing that Rurik was back, she arranged her hair, raised her chin and said harshly: "Listen, if I get pregnant, you will lose one of your generals."

"At least I will never lose you. I understand, no matter what happens to us, you can command the battle before winter begins. Now change your clothes and go to the meeting to study how we will act tomorrow."

"You! Are you planning everything about me?" Beyah Hill was not angry, even excited. She lowered her head and muttered: "Isn't this the same as three years ago?"

"I hear you. If this is the case, our second son will be born safely. You might as well think of a name for the child now."

More than a dozen people gathered around the bonfire. On Rurik's left was the deer herder Vahavanin, and on his right was his concubine Beyashir.

The people sitting here are all noble officers, and any arrangements for them can be communicated to every soldier from top to bottom.

After some discussion, some problems that may be encountered during tomorrow's march are no longer a problem.

In the early morning, after the morning fog dispersed, the soldiers also had breakfast.

The wet clothes were completely dry, and the army lined up in the negotiated formation with their flags raised and continued to move due south.

From the village of Gava to Mezotne, even if they walk along the river, the cavalry sets out early in the morning, and even at a leisurely pace, they must arrive before evening, not to mention Luo

The purpose of the Sri Lankan army's trip was to reach the downstream position within Mezot.

The Shvet River, in this era, extended eastward at a key point in its upper reaches instead of turning northward hundreds of years later. This channel structure contributed to the prosperity of Mezotne.

And when the river suddenly turns north, it will bring prosperity to the village of Jelgava and turn it into the city of Jelgava.

In an era when inland navigation was dominated by rowing boats, the Shvet River, as a small river, was very navigable.

The Danish settlements on the Courland coast, as well as the Courland tribes in the nearby area, needed such creeks to communicate with the Semigalians for trade.

But the prosperity of Mezotne has been destroyed by the Rus-Latvian coalition. Perhaps she will regain prosperity in the future, and that has nothing to do with the Semigalians.

At this time, the two cavalry teams had been waiting for a long time at the confluence of the Shvet and Lielupe rivers. Not far to the south of them, there is a mound visible to the naked eye. It is the mound of the Mezotne Altar. On the top of the mound, the Russian flag is flying.

In principle, the Ross cavalry did not need to take care of the wounded soldiers of the Latvian and Riga Danish soldiers. The wounded soldiers who survived continued to stay in the city to recuperate. Since they felt that there was no danger, the Ross cavalry all left.

However, the wounded soldiers soon noticed the appearance of men on horseback carrying flags on the other side of the river - the Ross cavalry simply arrived on the other side to prepare for the westward march.

In order for the Russian army to complete its mission, the main force of the Latvians who occupied Mezotne had already moved south. However, when Rurik's army arrived at its staged destination, Stekander and his Latvian allies who were on an expedition to the south There is still no information about the victorious teacher.

Did they win or lose? Don't know

road. Rurik didn't bother to care.

He saw a large cavalry camp at the mouth of the river. The camp was built close to the forest. It was obvious that a large number of trees were cut down and some simple wooden sheds were destroyed by raids. Or because they had waited for a long time, the soldiers continued to strengthen their simple wooden sheds. Rurik looks like a nomadic tribe at first glance.

If that were the case, Rurik could have called the camp Orduo if he set up camp here.

For a moment, he thought of himself as the Mongolian army on the Western Expedition...

"Batu? Subotai? I do look like the Mongolian army on the Western Expedition. If the reindeer were all war horses, it would be more like it."

With the ready-made camp here, Ross's land troops can quickly spread out and set up the largest camp. If there are no enemies, there is no need to use the bonfire tactics. However, with a large army, the number of bonfires needed is still staggering.

The sky was once again burned red. From the perspective of the wounded soldiers stationed in Mezotne, they did not think it was an enemy invasion. This just confirmed what the Ross cavalry said - King Ross and his land army had arrived.

It's meeting time for senior generals! Several people were sitting by the bonfire, and Ostin, Count of Cherbourg, was pulled over and transformed into the most important person.

Rurik patted the old man on the shoulder: "Ostan, the rest is up to you. Is this the Shvet River?"

Osten still glanced at it, using the last dim light of the evening to determine the surrounding geography: "It is correct."

"In this case, you were rowing when you came. My cavalry is advancing in the riverside area. Are there any obstacles? Will they enter the mud pond? Is there a flat access road? If so,

Yes, is the road wide..."

All Rurik asked were critical and technical questions. Bejahir beside him acted as a temporary scribe, writing down the key information described by the old man on hard paper.

"There is a road! A flat road. And the river is getting shallower and shallower upstream. We will go all the way to the swamp at the source of the river, and then..."

"How?" Rurik asked.

"To a new river, let's call it the Forest Cat River."

Osten gestured with his hands before Rurik understood the "Forest Cat River". According to the Kurlanders, there are small clawed animals around the river. They resemble leopards but are small in size. They usually have a lot of hair on their bodies, and their fur is very good after being captured.

It was Lucis River, and Rurik realized that it meant "cat." Compared with the cuteness of cats, people in this era pay more attention to the functionality of cats. The Nordic forest cat is widely distributed, and its fur is dense and soft. It is also a sharp weapon for catching mice, which is really a good thing.

Osten outlined the completed path for Rurik, and explained two settlements in particular: "We will pass through the village of Azerei, which is a stronghold of the Semigalians. Unexpectedly, the king's enemies have collapsed. This The people in this place should defect to the new master. They are undefended and the villagers have no intention of fighting. The king does not need to kill them. I think they will surrender to you."

"Oh? It depends on whether they are sincere." Rurik pinched his beard lightly, "Since you mentioned forest cats, the locals may have such leather, or even living kittens. As long as they pay me some tribute, If you kneel before me again and surrender, I will keep them safe. What else?"

"The other one is apoul apere

e, it is a big city! I'm afraid that the original population of Mezotne that you conquered was equivalent to, perhaps, 10,000 people. They are all Kurlanders and have no enmity with the king, but they are on your only path. Maybe... you can be kind to them too. "

"Ha! It seems like you have become their lobbyist." Rurik scolded deliberately, while making calculations in his mind.

What Ostan couldn't bear the most was the impulse of young people. He relied on his age but did not dare to say anything nonsense considering Rurik's power. He still persuaded him: "Your Majesty, if you don't want time to be delayed, don't make trouble. Sooner or later, you will conquer Courland. Is not it?"

"That's true. But I want to meet those guys, at least... let them know the existence of Ross. If they are really smart, they should think of providing some tributes and swearing allegiance when they see my army, so that in the future I Don't beat them. And you!" Rurik glanced at Ostan with a smile: "Since you mentioned these, maybe you can serve as my envoy to explain your interests to the people of the two settlements you mentioned. Since you Care about them..."

"Okay! If this makes peace."