Rise of Rurik

Arik's sword stabbed the enemy, and Otto took the sword to collect tribute from Novgorod.

The Ross tribe is making significant progress in both directions, and they are bound to return with great treasures.

Before that, the residents who stayed in Roseburg were still living their ordinary lives.

A large number of women and children were left in their hometowns, and a group of older men carried small fishing boats and carried out traditional fishing on the sea near the fjord.

The fishermen dropped the hemp ropes with hooks, which were long and thick so that they could haul large cod.

Many fishermen's families spend a winter time carefully weaving their new nets. They have already started traditional trawling work, which is of course far inferior to the high-tech technology of a thousand years later. There is no sonar detection equipment. The fishermen pray for God's blessing, and then throw down their nets and start fishing purely by chance.

However, there is only one special catch that fishermen can accurately hunt with a harpoon.

That's the beluga whale.

As the ice floes melted away, the seals, who like to lie on the ice and bask in the sun, became difficult to catch.

Beluga whales entering the northern waters have naturally become the new preferred prey for fishermen.

In their cognition, beluga whales are called "big white fish".

They are docile creatures with no fear of human ships since ancient times. As a result, fishermen can paddle their boats quietly close to the group of whales, suddenly poking at them with an extended harpoon, or directly throwing a harpoon with a hemp rope at the end to stab and kill the beluga whales.

Even if the power of a beluga can capsize a fishing boat, the risk is worth the risk compared to the harvest.

There is only one type of whale that the Rus people dare not touch, and that is the huge baleen whale.

It is so big that it is regarded as a huge sea monster, but anyone who sees it should avoid it. Many people say that the mouth of the giant baleen whale can swallow an entire fishing boat. The best way to face fear is to overcome fear?

Well, fear can indeed be conquered. The fishermen woke up from their fear, of course, paddling in the direction away from the giant whale.

All Viking tribes are aware that beluga whales swimming in the sea have a lot of pure white oil on their heads, and they can be used as excellent lamp oil with only a little refining. And this oil is not ordinary, its smell is even lighter than seal oil.

Rurik, who stayed behind in Roseburg, had no intention of getting on someone's fishing boat to go fishing in the sea.

The bravest group of Rosberg had all gone out. Perhaps those brought by cousin Arik would triumph early, and the Sorgon army led by his father would have to return in a month at the earliest.

There are huge uncertainties in the voyage, and there is only one thing Rurik is very confident about. The cousin and father will be able to return safely with a lot of supplies.

However, since the Rus chose war this year, there are bound to be some young people who will never return.

But what does that have to do with me? Those warriors must have made up their minds to die in battle.

Rurik was worried that as the seals became more difficult to catch, the priests' efficiency in making soap would plummet, and even production would be suspended due to a lack of raw materials.

Who would have thought that the sudden increase in oil demand made fishermen start desperately attacking whales.

In this era, the number of whales in the world is huge, even in remote and narrow sea areas like the Baltic Sea, there are large numbers of whale groups.

The stabbed beluga whales were towed ashore, and they were quickly sold in the fish market formed by the coastal assault.

It has to be said that the beluga whale with a large body and red muscles is regarded by the residents as an unusual fish.

But how could the residents think that beluga whales and reindeer have exactly the same ancestors?

The fishermen also cut and sold the internal organs of the whales, trying not to waste the edible parts, ten copper coins for a Roman pound of whale meat. Although much more expensive than ordinary fish, many residents are still happy to pay the money.

A beluga can often weigh up to a ton! To get such a "big fish" to shore requires the efforts of the entire fishing boat, and in the end, it can only be decomposed immediately on the coast.

With the attitude of the Rus people towards food, they are willing to try to eat even the intestines and stomach sacs of livestock.

A beluga may weigh 2,500 Roman pounds in total, and fishermen will sell the edible 1,500 pounds!

One silver coin is exchanged for two hundred and forty copper coins, and the Rus people agree with this exchange ratio.

In this way, the fishermen can get seventy silver coins just by selling the meat of one beluga whale.

And that's just selling whale meat.

Because the cyst-like forehead of the beluga whale is full of viscous whale oil. Once upon a time, whenever the whales were caught, their naphtha was made into lamp oil by fishermen. Now, the priests are willing to pay a higher price to buy them.

The fishermen didn't think further, since the priests were happy to buy, why not sell it?

The whale brain oil of a beluga whale can at least fill two large wooden barrels. Even if the fishermen earned seventy silver coins from selling whale meat, and the whale brain oil fell into the hands of the priests, it would eventually evolve into at least thirty pieces of sulfur soap! Besides, whales have thick subcutaneous fat, and these fat priests are also willing to pay high prices.

In order to buy these oils, the priests can easily get them from the fishermen at the "large sum" of a barrel of whale brain oil and a silver coin.

As everyone knows, the total sales price of whale brain oil, which is finally turned into soap, will reach one hundred silver coins, which is one pound of silver.

According to the agreement, Rurik did not have to take part in soap making himself. In theory, as long as the fishermen caught a beluga whale, he would eventually get 80 silver coins himself.

As it should have been, however, Rurik's silver coins did not continue to explode.

The reason is really very simple. For half a year, Rurik has been devoted to amassing wealth for himself frantically through the means of commodity trading and business sharing. Most of the inhabitants realized that in the long run they would be hollowed out by those merchants, which also drove many people to take a risk and wage a war of revenge against the Gotlanders.

The silver that was originally hoarded has been greatly enriched in Rurik's hands.

By now, not too many people in the tribe buy freshly produced soap made from beluga oil. Soap is really easy to use, but every family is really short of cash.

But the production of soap is still not stagnant!

Rurik paid the priests silver in advance according to the agreement, and soap production was still on track.

In this way, the priests became producers through and through, and he himself became a buyer.

More and more soaps were being made, and Rurik had to think carefully about how to stock up.

Even if his clansmen won't buy them, when the big businessman Gould who made a lot of money in the south returns, that old guy will spare no expense for profit. Gould will buy all soaps, and they will never be too much. many.

Rurik had at least a rudimentary understanding of economics.

He professed to know only a skin and knew terms like "supply and demand" and "the invisible hand", and now he still has a reverence for business.

As everyone knows, the basic knowledge he understands has surpassed too many people.

Rurik did not think that because of this knowledge, he would become a big businessman without a doubt. Because Gould, a big businessman in this time and space, has fully proved one thing. The fact that the ancients may lack a lot of knowledge does not mean that they are born stupid than the people of a thousand years later. Even if they do not understand any clever theories, how to do business big Strong, this guy Gould has his own opinions and skills, relying on these, Gould himself is quite rich!

Now, Roseburg is looking a little depressed.

actually not.

The eyes of those who stayed behind were full of expectations for the future, while others were mobilized under Rurik's various influences.

Maybe precious metals are naturally pure in value, but this value is still given to it by people.

Gold and silver are both in small quantities and extremely difficult to damage, so they naturally have the necessary conditions to become money.

Money is still only a measure of the value of commodities in transactions, so money must be in circulation to make sense.

I already own a lot of silver coins, what's the point of them just sleeping in a wooden box? They can't be eaten.

Rurik quickly recruited some tribal men of considerable age. Most of them were forty years old, and their physical fitness was generally much lower than that of young people. Of course, such a man takes up arms and is still obviously strong against the Slavs.

Rurik recruited twenty men and told them to build two longhouses, which would serve as their own storage rooms and the servants' living room.

For this he was happy to pay the builders a huge sum of five silver coins each.

Five silver coins for wages, is that much?

Of course a lot! This money is all purchased into fish, enough for a person to live and breathe for three months!

Rurik adopted an advanced strategy of advance payment. Each worker first got two silver coins. If the construction of the two longhouses could be completed in five days, he would not only get the remaining three silver coins, but also get an additional one. A reward of silver coins.

One quiet night, Rurik stayed in his longhouse.

The climate has become warm, there was a light rain yesterday, and it is still warm today.

Ah, in fact, this so-called light rain was also felt by Otto who was far away in Novgorod.

This is a rainfall process that has swept across most of northern and eastern Europe. It rains lightly here in Rosberg, and in Novgorod it is a thunderstorm pouring down from the sky.

Rurik ate fresh whale meat. It has to be said that whales are also an ancient branch of cloven-hoofed animals. This meat is very similar to reindeer meat and has a weird and shy taste. Of course, this smell can be ignored.

As an ancient person, being picky eaters is stupid. Rurik dared to hold his nose and eat even the coquettish shark meat and the crazy-tasting shark liver.

Rurik ate the roasted whale meat, as did his servant Rumia.

Now, a servant Lumia and her little master are sitting and eating meat together, and Niya is completely indifferent now. The husband took the army to collect the tribute, and also asked for a wife for many young boys, and also had the important task of building the New Rose Fort.

The husband is old, and everything he does is for the only son, Rurik, to take over smoothly.

Niya didn't like loneliness at all, so in previous years her husband Sorgon sailed, and she always recruited a few left-behind women from her clan to temporarily serve as her maid, asking them to do something in the name of the chief's wife.

It is no longer needed.

Because of this Rumia, perhaps Rurik has given her too many favors, and this girl's meekness is reassuring.

Nia did have one thing that was quite critical of her son's decision.

"Rurik." Nia's words were harsh.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

"I don't object to you paying someone to build a house, but you... you actually spent one hundred and twenty silver coins!"

"What? Mom, do you think this money is very valuable?"

"It's already a pound of silver!" Niya shook her head vigorously, and stretched out her old, dead hand, pointing to the wooden beams of her long house; "How valuable do you think our house is?"

"This..." Rurik shook his head, because he really didn't know.

Nia said with a sullen face: "There are only ten silver coins."

"Huh? So cheap?"

"Cheap? It's already a big price." Saying this, Niya couldn't help recalling his youth.

Niya glanced at Lumia, who was chomping on the flesh, and recalled that thirty years ago, she was only a little older than this girl.

Engaged at the age of twelve, and a few years later became Otto's wife. Now, thirty years have passed!

"Since I married your father, your father invested in building this house, and he spent ten silver coins at that time. That's a lot of money! Especially the main beam." Niya still pointed to the beam, "It It can be used as the keel of an elite warship, it has been a beam for thirty years, and it is still very strong. But you! For two new wooden houses, each one pays six times the price!"

Hearing what his mother said, Rurik suddenly straightened his back: "Ah! I spent a fortune?"

"It's good that you know." Niya burst out with a smile, because now she doesn't feel bad that her son spent the so-called unjust money, and his son is not short of money. "My children, those men generally followed your father when they were young, and I talked to their wives. Guess what the women said?"

"How to say?"

"They said that Rurik was a good man. He really deserved to be the leader of the future. He was ruthless when it came to spending money, and he was really considerate to everyone."

It sounded like a compliment, but Rurik always felt a little harsh.

Niya continued to nag: "You have a lot of money now, and spending money will naturally become lavish. I just hope that before you spend money in the future, you should think carefully about whether it is worth it. Maybe you feel that your decision is very worthwhile."

Rurik nodded: "If the clansmen think I can give them a better future, of course they will follow me. For example, if I do things for me, I will pay them more, so that everyone will be loyal even for money. to me."

"Oh? You did it on purpose."

Rurik sighed slightly: "I have to pay the money now. If I knew the market at the beginning, I might have thought about it."

On the issue of wages, Rurik really didn't think much about it. After all, he now has as many as 5,000 silver coins in his hands, and taking out about one-fifth of them to pay for building a house, how big a problem can there be?

At this moment, Rurik had to think about it, is it so easy to make money by himself that he has become extravagant in throwing money?

The prepaid wages have been paid to those people, the construction of the houses is on track, and the situation is that they will be able to build the houses in five days.

It's a wooden house after all!

Axe and scraper to cut the pine and oak trees that are readily available on the hillside into reliable shapes. The first is to dig a hole and put the stake and pestle in to form a wooden frame, and then pile up the wood horizontally to form a wooden wall. Even the roof is framed first, and then wood is laid to build the roof.

In fact, those men in their 40s have certain woodworking skills themselves, but they are just building traditional houses, which is not a problem at all.

Rurik hurriedly finished eating the meat, and faced his mother and expressed his feelings: "Mom, money is earned. In fact, I don't feel like my father and eldest brother took an ax and a sword to steal others. What a wise means of wealth. Wouldn't it be better if you could do business to make money?

Mom, you don't think it's very wise for me to build a house with one hundred and twenty silver coins.

The fishermen caught a whale, and the brain oil was sent to the priest. Grease turns into soap, and when Gould comes back I sell all the soap, which is another huge sum.

I've figured it out, I can make eighty silver coins on a whale myself. "

"Ah? So many?" Niya was taken aback.

"Yeah. So I have to build wooden houses. Just two longhouses are not enough." Rurik's eyes were full of hope, "I have a merchant selling soap for me, I don't have to worry about earning silver coins, and I can still make money at the blacksmith. I'm going to make my own warehouse first, then my future servant's living room, and the guard's living room. Mom, I think I should go and find a way to exchange some gold and make you a beautiful one gold necklace."

Hearing her son's words, Nia felt warm in her heart. She patted her son's little head and smiled, "I'm satisfied now. I'm too old to be embellished with gold and silver. I just want you to be rich and healthy."

"Of course I will! Because those soaps, just by washing themselves with it, can wash away...the evil things, and people won't get sick." Rurik said this deliberately after thinking for a while.

This is indeed the case. The strong bactericidal ability of soap, especially sulfur soap, kills all kinds of bacteria and viruses on the surface of residents to a large extent. In fact, as long as there are no serious infectious diseases in the Baltic Sea, and as long as the residents of the Rus people use soap frequently and keep warm, Rurik can't imagine what kind of disease a good person can be killed by.

Nia didn't think soap really had such magic power, it would be best if it had. Nia values ​​the huge benefits brought by soap more, and her son will get richer because of it.

Anyway, there is nothing to do at night, and in the era of lack of entertainment, Rurik is willing to chat with others to pass the boredom.

"Just soap isn't enough. Mom, I've thought of other ways to make money."

"Oh? What is that?"

"Mom, you would never have imagined the special container I saw at Merchant Gould's, a beautiful transparent bottle filled with wine. Gould dared to pay three pounds of silver just for a transparent bottle! "

"Ah? Just a drinking container? Three pounds of silver?!" Nia couldn't believe her ears.

"It's true. But..." Rurik smiled deliberately: "I already know how to make it, and I need the help of a blacksmith. Mom, I'll be very successful, and when Dad comes back, I'll be able to Make some crystal mugs and sell them and I'll make more money!"

These were things that Nia couldn't understand. Seeing her son's excitement, she believed that his son would still succeed.

The continuous success of the child, as a mother is the happiest and proudest.

When Rurik saw his mother's smiling face, that was the best encouragement for him.

It seems that making glass is not difficult, Rurik really knows four important materials of modern glass, and these materials are readily available!

His own plans for the future: "I've decided, Mom. Tomorrow I'll take my guys to the hillside to train. When we're done training, I'll go to the smithy and Kravason to try and make new utensils. .Mom, think about the future life!

I recruited a group of servants, there will be maids to take care of you, rub your back, help you tailor, and even all the clothes are washed by servants.

Mom, you don't have to work hard yourself, just enjoy the rest of your life.

Ah, everything will be better"

Hearing his son's words, Nia was moved to tears. She held back the soreness of her nose and tried her best to restrain her tears. She said bluntly, "Rurik, you are still growing, so you must eat more meat. And you, Rumia!"

Nia was in a very good mood, "Rumia, you also eat more meat. If you are too thin, you can't serve your master."

"Yes." Rumia nodded, but Niya threw a piece of bloody whale meat, she skewered the meat on a branch, then sprinkled a little salt, and grilled it on the indoor bonfire very skillfully.

Because in the old days, Rumia also lived the life of eating barbecue to satisfy her stomach.

That's when salt powder was extremely expensive. Their own deer-raising people are not very willing to exchange a pile of leather with other groups. Besides, the Finns weren't always peaceful.

Sometimes Finns and Varyags do exactly the same thing - attack deer keepers

Rumia just heard the little master's words half-understood. It seems that the master will get richer and richer? That was great. Soon another group of servants will arrive, and it is also a good thing to hear that the master intends to canonize himself as "maid chief". Perhaps in the near future, he will no longer be driving the deer herds and grazing by himself. With the presence of helpers, the work pressure will be less.

Who knows? The only thing Rumia can believe is that, as a servant of Rurik, at least she will not worry about food, clothing and accommodation.

Looking at another big pile of fresh meat in her hand and the salt in a small urn, Rumia has become accustomed to this good day when she can take salt at any time.

Those new servants may already be on their way. Most of them are girls who are much younger than themselves. The so-called "maid head", I am afraid that the meaning of the little master is to order himself to be their sister.

Rumia is eager to have more "family", thinking that she will have a group of sisters soon, she also feels that the future is bright.