Rise of Rurik

The Avlora was moving forward on the sea of ​​shattered ice. She moved against the wind, and the bronze bow kept smashing the ice, as if she was fighting an enemy.

The squeaking sound made the crew of the boat resuming their voyage feel uncomfortable, and at night it was even more difficult to fall asleep.

This has been the last voyage, and the time is also in late October. It is only a cold snap before the Gulf of Bothnia is completely frozen.

The weather has been quite sunny for a few days, but the temperature is not going up.

Because of the broken ice on the sea surface, the Ross fishermen have completely suspended their operations, and their winter life has begun.

Avrora's arrival was both unexpected and logical, as the people of Roseburg saw a large jib-sailed ship break into a bay completely covered in thin floes.

Many people stood on the deck, although the cold wind was like a knife, they finally triumphed in the long and great expedition.

People whispered and laughed, talking about taking away the spoils they deserved after going ashore, and living a nourishing winter.

Naturally, some people think that this is an extravagant hope. Of course, people are willing to lie down and not get up when they have food and drink, but Lord Rurik is not a lazy person.

For several years the Russ have used winter as a new opportunity to open up, think of Rurik's sermon in Balmerk.

This winter, many brothers have to escort the adults to Balmerk overland.

There was a group of Balmers in the mercenary team. They did not have a clear national concept, and now it is simple to hope that the two ethnic groups can be merged.

Rurik, clad in thick leather, surveyed his Rosberg.

Mary was standing beside him, and when she opened her eyes, she saw a huge city no less than Tamworth!

Do not! That is a very special city!

The city has walls and towers, and outside the walls there are a lot of buildings adjacent to the coast. Although this bay has been frozen, the ice layer will only get thicker and thicker in such a cold moment.

That seaside is like a forest growing? That turned out to be a large number of ships! It was an extremely large fleet.

Is this the naval strength of the Rus?

Queen Mary fell into deep suspicion,

She was convinced of the strength of the Principality of Ross, but doubted that even if the strength of all the British kingdoms were assembled, they would not be able to defeat such a powerful enemy.

Fortunately, I am already a part of them.

Looking at his harbor, Rurik looked at it carefully. He counted the masts, and after a while he was smiling.

The Avrolla-class sail cruisers are very large. In addition to their own ships, three other ships have been moored on the seashore, and their majestic and heroic appearances are clearly recognizable.

Slightly smaller is the planet-level sailing destroyer, eight of which are moored here! Apparently, from the Mercury to the Neptune, all eight of the planned ships have been launched.

He seemed to hear ding ding dong dong, perhaps auditory hallucinations. Rurik can be sure that the Hortra family is building the fifth and sixth ships of the Avlora-class cruisers in the two huge pure wooden indoor docks on the seashore. What kind of names should we take?

Rurik can fully confirm that Ross' 88 Fleet plan will be completed as planned next summer.

Rosberg was wrapped in silver light, and the silver white covered her grand outline, making the entire city more historically heavy.

Indeed, as a settlement, Roseburg has existed for over seventy years now.

She is actually still the capital of the Duchy of Ross, but her decline is likely to happen within ten years.

Roseburg will always belong to Rose, and the new Roseburg on the banks of the Neva River in the east, her splendor will replace other cities, and it must be the greatest city in the future of Rus.

A group of people wandered in the world of ice and snow, and in the industrial area of ​​the city, that group of furnaces were still spewing terrifying black smoke.

Noticing it, Mary hurriedly stretched out her finger and exclaimed, "Ah! There's a fire there! This is your home!"

Rurik pressed his arm, "How rare and strange, have you never seen a blacksmith shop?"

"I've seen it. Huh? You can't say it's a blacksmith's shop?"

"That is, the largest blacksmith shop in the whole of Europa."

Mary still didn't understand, and it wasn't her fault. The blast furnace that can smelt molten iron and easily mass-produce molten bronze is the only one in Europe. In fact, she is also unfamiliar with the matter of blacksmithing, but she has seen the royal blacksmith make weapons by chance.

In fact, Rurik underestimated his own strength.

The five blacksmith families of Roseburg, and their alliance of blacksmiths, expanded their industry very naturally.

A few months when Rurik was away, there was an accident at the blacksmith. Because of the frequent operation of the old blast furnace, there were imperceptible cracks in the furnace wall. A small-scale landslide accident not only caused the workers to frighten, but also the entire furnace was destroyed. .

It doesn't matter. Kawei, who knows blast furnace manufacturing, has already made a spare furnace in advance and has already started to tap iron.

The old stove was broken, and using the remnants of it that was still usable, Kawei built a newer one before the cold period.

This incident did not cause any casualties. It was really a blessing from God. Everyone was frightened and ran to the Temple of Ross. They paid a lot of money to the temple. Some people entered the temple and faced Thor, the god of craftsmen The gilded statue is worshipped.

The incident also reminded Kawhi, Kravason and others.

The blacksmiths realized the importance of safe production for the first time because they saw the molten iron and liquefied slag rushing after the furnace cracked. Those things are instant death.

Since the furnace may be damaged naturally after two years of use, make some new ones.

Armed with capital, they were able to employ a large number of people who were forced to lose their jobs during the winter to continue metallurgical production.

A group of people were eagerly looking forward to the return of the Avlora, and there were many people standing on the city wall.

More than a dozen employees who pulled sleds to transport iron ore also stood at the gate of the fence and looked out to the sea. After a while, many people walked out of the wall that blocked the wind and cold to welcome Rurik's return.

An old man with white hair came with firm steps, and behind him was a wrinkled old woman swaddling a child. Many young girls also appeared in warm burqas.

Otto, Nia, and Rurik's daughter-in-law all went out of the city to meet them!

Everything was so peaceful, Rurik could see his old face from a distance.

Not to mention, if the god-king Odin had an image, then Father Otto put a piece of cloth over his right eye, and the image of the god-king should be like that.

"Look, Mary, that's my family."

Mary couldn't see clearly, since those are the top nobles of the Principality of Ross, herself...

She couldn't help but panic, and subconsciously grabbed Rurik's elbow.

When it comes to height, Rurik is actually a little taller than Mary, even if his body is young.

Rurik really liked this woman who was quite active, but Rumia was the favorite, as well as his first daughter Velika.

The Avrora was parked in her exclusive berth, now the warm atmosphere dispelled the harshness of the cold wind.

Rurik got off the boat, and was soon hugged by the old mother and kissed.

In fact, the swaddling Velika is almost one year old, and she is particularly vulnerable in the cold season.

It was Rumia who was holding her daughter, showing the tenderness and kindness of a mother, but in fact she inadvertently showed her strength.

Velika can already be called papa, and the milky milk is really flattering. Rurik's intentional provocation, and his daughter kept interacting through smiles.

"You're finally back." Rumia looked tender, "Look, how much Willika likes you."

"Then let me hug."

Rurik's gesture of holding the child can be considered self-taught. He was surprised by his daughter's weight, and saw the child look up at Rumia again: "How can I praise you? Come to my room tonight with Verika in my arms. ."

Rumia nodded in relief, not to mention her happiness.

Witnessing all this, the Queen of Mercia was so envious. Marie hoped that she was also the girl in this baby, but unfortunately, her fate was the victim of her parents' marriage.

Do not!

Ask yourself, Mary still doesn't know who her father is, is it a nobleman or a farmer? Not Wigraf anyway.

Mary stood here, Otto didn't pay attention at first, thinking that her son is a rare real man, what's wrong with catching a slave for pleasure during the expedition? However, a large number of women disembarked along the rocker, and he could not help but begin to doubt.

"Who is that woman?" Otto asked with a slightly wooden face.

"Oh, she's my new woman."

"She?" Otto was taken aback.

Not only Odin, but Rumia and the other female followers were surprised and inevitably jealous.

Especially Rumia, she was also furious. Even though Rurik was still holding his daughter, he casually said that another woman was his!

She couldn't help but be vigilant, because this new woman was prettier than herself.

Of course, this is just Rumia's simple idea, but she doesn't know that among many female relatives, her skin is the most delicate and odorless, which is based on the advantages of Rurik's aesthetics. In essence, as the first woman of the monarch, she naturally has a first-mover advantage.

Rurik sensed something was wrong with the atmosphere. He used to blame himself for being scumbag, but this was in the ninth century AD, and the Nordic values ​​of this era were like this. Heroic men had more than ten women, just like Odin had eighteen Valkyries.

[Reading to receive red envelopes] Follow the public account [Book Friends Base Camp] to draw up to 888 cash red envelopes when reading books!

Coincidentally, he currently has exactly eighteen wives and concubines.

As a king, even in the presence of his favorite woman, Rurik resolutely announced Mary's existence.

"She is Mary, a noble of the kingdom of Mercia in Britain, and is now my woman. There are other women who have disembarked, all of whom are my captives."

Since all the female family members were here, and even many Ross elites and a large number of fish-eating people who did not know the truth were watching the scene, Rurik simply opened the skylight and made a bright statement, publicly announcing Mary's status among the prince's wives and concubines.

"Mary, she is a nobleman of Mercia, and the son I conceived with her will have the right to the throne of the kingdom of Mercia. You must accept this sister, rest assured that she will never threaten your position. Each of you women have Her own destiny, Mary's, is to have a son to fight against Mercia. She will live in our home, and she will be a sister you all respect."

Rurik felt that he had to say this, that many things had to be laid from a very early age. It is human nature to fight for power and gain, and there are both men and women who are jealous.

As long as they give birth to children, the inspired motherhood and the desire for power that they continuously cultivate will protect their children, and then use the natural noble status of their children to divide the share of the power cake as much as possible in the top of Ross's power.

There are many people here, and everyone is a witness. Rurik believes that his preaching will have a strong deterrent effect.

They are all wives and concubines. Since he has assigned them four levels, they should continue to uphold the power circle.

Of course, now that he's home by himself, days alone with Mary for long periods of time will also be rare.

The king... the emperor flips the brand.

"Lumia tonight, Lana tomorrow, Lumi the day after tomorrow, Noren the day after tomorrow, Seporava the day after tomorrow, and Carlota Ella. As for those ten, we can't now..." He thought silently in his heart. .

Rurik made some plans for himself, but he is also a rational person, and it is naturally impossible to indulge in beauty.

His face swept to Noren, thinking of going to Balmerk by land this winter, Noren, she probably didn't know that she was named Countess of Narvik Port by her biological father.

These things Arik must be busy with his own business, and have no chance to tell her about it.

Rurik intends to have a good chat with her, but before that, he himself will have to tell the old folks at Roseburg about his British War.

There must be a party tonight.

Of course it was a grand event, Otto's old guys, a group of blacksmiths including Clavathon, the Gould family who were all shy and fat, the Fodgen who was good at making clothes, the shipbuilding expert Hortra ...

There were more than 60 people gathered on the first floor of the palace.

Their uproar caused the female relatives upstairs to have no intention of chatting and laughing with the newly arrived Mary.

Facing the enthusiastic eyes of everyone, Rurik, who was sitting in the front seat, slapped the table vigorously to signal everyone to be quiet.

With a smile on his face, he said in his changing voice, "It looks like a council like the old Gotlanders needs to be built."

"Good idea!" Otto applauded.

All those who agree here, the quiet room just now is like a pot of boiling water and oil.

They didn't agree. It seemed too small for everyone to gather together. Even so, the old meeting tent was actually smaller. It was necessary for Ross to build a grand building, like the Great Chamber of the Mellarens, although it was a clear waste of space.

Of course, if the ground is broken, the property of the council belongs to the duke, and the duke will give all the craftsmen a sum of money. There is money to be made here in Roseburg. Who would dislike the opportunity to earn money by employment? The old guys in Ross know that the Duke is very rich and generous. Everyone wanted the duke to continue to build construction forever. They just took wages from Rurik's bank, and then bought food and tools. They had no time or knowledge to think about the economic operation involved.

This matter is very important, and Rurik made affirmative instructions. It just so happens that winter is the time to build ships again, this winter is still large-scale logging, and Rosberg's cement-making technology has initially matured. Wouldn't it be nice to collect building materials this winter and build a fairly stable large court? No, more houses should be built, maybe they will be idle for a while, but they will always be useful later.

And the most important thing is that their own people must act and earn wealth through labor, so that the economic activities of Rus will become more prosperous, and by the way, the infrastructure will be improved in the future.

According to the tradition of the Rus, the council chamber is called "Autin", and according to the Slavs, it is "Duma".

It has to have a short, catchy noun.

Rurik decided, the Chamber was called "RUSDUMA". Once it is completed, a plaque will be hung. As for the name, it is naturally his bad taste.

Putting this matter aside for the time being, Rurik wanted to tell everyone about his British War Chronicles. He prepared a lot of honey water and started talking...

Wonderful! How wonderful!

Although Arik has already talked about it, and many people know about it, Rurik told more details, and everyone was sweating.

It is true that because of the fireplace, the first floor of the palace was also very warm, but everyone felt comfortable when they heard the war, and then turned into envy, and lamented their aging.

As for the brothers who died in battle, no one regrets their deaths.

The sons of the dead are directly supported by the duke, who then inherit his husband's sword and shield. As for the dead themselves, they not only died in battle, but also for the sake of the son of god Rurik, and their heroic spirits must enter Valhalla.

So when a drunk guy mentioned this, many people shouted that the Valkyrie Speros has brought the warriors from his hometown into the sanctuary. This is the privilege of the heroic spirits after the death of our Ross warriors.

In the lively atmosphere, many people got drunk on a large scale with the recently distilled spirits. Otto was also drunk, it was rare for him to be as excited as he is today.

No one disturbed the room of drunks, who slept almost until dawn on the warm first floor.

Rurik went up to the second floor while stroking his aching head, scolding Kamne for not being able to grasp the strength of his distillation. He finally greeted all the female relatives and got into the room.

Here, Rumia, with excited tears in her eyes, sat beside the bed and welcomed her man.

And Villa was sleeping quietly in the hanging basket on the side...