Rise of Rurik

Everyone was waiting for Rurik to announce something new, and they had probably guessed what it was.

Rurik solemnly declared: "Rosburg and other northern lands are too cold to grow wheat, but our people need wheat to fill their stomachs. We must rely on iron and copper to make metal utensils and sell them in exchange for the wheat we need. So, I want you to double the current production capacity! This must be implemented next year!"

It was such a bold decision that people were startled and began to imagine what the plan would look like if it went through without a hitch.

A large number of metal artifacts were produced, and in addition to the accident that the Rus and allies could enjoy immediately, selling them would be a huge fortune.

Ideas are always good, and in order to accomplish this task, the difficulties in it must be overcome.

Old Clavasson lowered his face: "Rurik, we have just discussed. We have insufficient labor, and if there are enough slaves it should be able to do it. But..."

Rurik stretched out his right hand, and his face sank: "Yes. I know all the problems in this! If I say that I will force you to mine frequently, it is very absurd. Time is very precious, and your work is also It's cumbersome. Lack of labor? I've thought of some countermeasures for this problem."

Kawi immediately echoed: "The labor issue is very serious. If there were enough workers, we would have expanded our production capacity long ago. With increased production capacity, our earnings will also increase. Who would complain about too much money?"

"Yes. I'll be working on it this winter, and there's one more thing I have to tell you."

Rurik cleared his throat again, pointed his head and said: "A large number of Balmerks are about to migrate to the British Isles. Their leaders have abandoned their homeland, but many people are not willing to leave. They abandon their homeland, which means that Give it to us. I will recruit those left behind to become our Russians, and soon a new batch of labor will arrive in Ross."

"Oh? That's a good thing." That's what Clavason said, and he also has his own opinions on the issue of labor: "Those Balmerks are allies after all, can I speak my opinion?"

"Speaking."

"Maybe you can go to the East and bring in another group of young men from Novgorod. I don't know the Balmers, but I know the Slavs best."

"It's a way." Rurik nodded. "The Balmerks, the Slavs, and the group of Finns in the East. Of course, these labor forces can be used, but not in a short period of time. Therefore, I plan to Use some female workers."

"Female worker? Mining?"

"Exactly? Clavason,

You...you don't seem surprised. ' Rurik was a little surprised.

The old guy was not surprised, and said slowly: "Of course women can mine, but they are not as powerful as men. My guys and I are fair, we only pay according to the weight of the ore shipped, and we don't care about the ore. Whether it was dug by children or by women, even if the ore dug by monsters can only be found in front of us, I am willing to pay for it." After that, a blacksmith sneered.

Rurik shrugged, thinking that these guys really talk about contracts and a simple principle.

"Okay. I'll tell you straight, I'm going to use women workers on a massive scale. Remember those Tavastian women who were locked up in the barn?"

Rurik reminded them of this, and seeing their eyes, one or two were unfamiliar.

After a while in the cold, Kawei slapped his thigh: "Oh! What are you talking about? I remember someone was carrying the corpses before, aren't all the prisoners dead?"

"Most of them are alive and well." Rurik was also surprised.

"Oh? My old friend, are you going to command these women?"

"Not just the Tavastian women, but the captives I took from western Britain. Give them tools, and arrange for them to dig for ore. I will order them to do things, and laziness will be punished, and refusal to work will be executed! I will not be merciful in this matter. The captives must be worthy of the food and furs I provide!"

Many people felt a murderous aura, and then shivered all over.

Rurik is like a wolf with fangs, giving people the feeling of danger.

Clavasson cleared his throat again: "Maybe they are suitable for mining, but from what I have seen, women are still better at transporting ore. Besides, now we are no longer smashing rocks with sledgehammers, covering branches and burning them and then pouring cold water. , the ore disintegrates easily, and this dangerous job is just right for a strong man to do."

"It's not a problem for a woman to do it." Rurik followed the words: "Since you think that the method of thermal expansion and cold contraction is the most suitable for strong men to do. Coincidentally, my mercenaries still have those hundred Su Omi archers, they can contribute labor. At present, I intend to arrange this to motivate, but those Tavastian women are to be given to the Balmers after all. They are all trophies of the summer war coalition, and I am not qualified to embezzle them. Allies' booty."

"Let's get more strong men." Kawi pouted and said, "I never liked those women. A thousand words of praise can't cover up their disadvantages."

"Exactly, this is a temporary stopgap measure." Rurik continued: "After Hanukkah, I will escort these women to Balmerk, don't worry, when I come back, I will definitely bring back a batch of Balmers. Merck men. These Balmerk men are miners, lumberjacks, etc. on weekdays. Once there is a war, they are soldiers. I plan to create and organize a Balmerk flag team that obeys me and builds merit for me. I am responsible for their food, clothing and housing, but they will dig ore to supply you, and you only need to pay the market price."

Clavasson instantly understood what he meant: "Isn't it five hundred professional miners? No! They are actually your personal mercenaries."

"The same can be said." Rurik nodded deeply: "At present, I have exactly fifty Balmerk mercenaries under my command, and it is not a problem to have another five hundred. Oh no! I'm afraid there will be no more Balmerks in the future. The concept, they are the new Rus. And the Balmers who immigrated to Britain, they are the Yorkers."

The patriarchs of the blacksmith families looked at each other and whispered to exchange opinions.

It was Kravason who took the lead: "Rurik, your decision is always wise, and I support it."

Others followed one after another, and there was no objection in this chamber.

In fact, they didn't have a choice at all, because the Duchy of Ross, whether it was Fort Rosberg or Fort Elrond, currently only have metallurgical industries in these two places, and the Duke family is almost the only buyer. The Gould family, who served the Duke family, and the old Harald family who later surrendered, the former monopolized the distribution of ironware in the Swedish market, while the latter, although they had not been in the business for a long time, also monopolized the distribution of ironware to the Eastern Slavs. right.

A trade route of mining→transportation→smelting→distribution has been reached. The Blacksmiths Union of Ross currently monopolizes the metal smelting link, which is also the most critical link.

They are just craftsmen, and many young craftsmen are essentially servants of the Duke family. The Blacksmiths Union did not have the right to bargain with Duke Rurik at all. Although they had accumulated a lot of capital, they could not change anything in the face of the Duke. They had to develop the metallurgical industry according to the Duke's orders. The so-called conscious will does not exist at all. However, in the long-term future, the Blacksmiths Union and the Duke Family are a solid community of interests.

Since adults want production capacity, brothers will produce. Anyway, the duke will definitely pay after the fact, and he will have to collect taxes. After removing the material cost and labor cost, you can still easily earn a lot.

Most of the labor planning has come to an end, at least Rurik is confident in his arrangement.

Of course, it’s not enough to have labor. Arrange a lot of people to mine. If the furnace can’t digest the ore, what you get is just a mine standing in Roseburg.

Another plan related to industrial upgrading was issued by Rurik.

Compared with the labor issue just mentioned, his new arrangement is very simply deafening.

Rurik's request was very straightforward: "It is not appropriate to concentrate all the blacksmiths in the city, even if it is close to the city wall. I am most afraid that an accident will cause a fire and cause unnecessary losses to Roseburg. So, we should build a new city, she was born for smelting."

A new city? All the blacksmiths lifted themselves up.

"Is it necessary?" Clavason asked cautiously.

"necessary."

"It's not just... for fire prevention."

"Of course! For many reasons, the most important being cost control."

Clavasson had no intention of arguing. He knew he had to agree, and asked, "Where is the new city of blacksmiths?"

Just west of Roseburg, deep in the fjord, next to that stream! The key is that the city of blacksmiths is close to the mountains, so that the newly mined ore cannot be transported very far.

For such a reason, there is no need for sensible blacksmiths to question. Indeed, one of the major problems with transporting ore today is the distance between the origin of the ore and the smelting center. It is impossible to move the nest in the mountains. If the disadvantages of distance are eliminated, there is nothing more than placing the blacksmith shop in the mountains. If so, another problem is also very difficult - the lack of fresh water.

Deep in the fjord is also the foot of the mountain. Although there is a lack of flat land and vegetation, it is not necessary to build a small town with metallurgy as the reason for its existence.

Rurik specified his plan: "A small town is necessary, we survey an area, cut down the trees on it, and build a batch of houses after the land is leveled. We will build at least four more blast furnaces, build storage for fuel and Mold warehouse. The rest of the buildings and facilities must be built around these four blast furnaces, which you all know well.”

"It's a really big construction project. It's building a small town, after all." Clearly, Kravason's words meant something in his words.

Rurik nodded, guessing the old guy's hint.

right! money issue.

But the duke who holds the military power of the entire Ross Principality is here, who has the bargaining power?

Rurik didn't want to use his power to order the blacksmiths to make their own efforts to build a city of blacksmiths with mountains and rivers, but it really hurts to pay for it by himself. As the Duke of Ross, he has indeed mastered enormous wealth, but the construction and investment in many aspects are all gold-devouring monsters. If there is no desperate plundering, especially the targeted search of Northumbria and Mercia, how to give Ross What about the development of the primary industry such as funds?

In these years of battle, Rurik most intuitively understood that the wise saying is the truth - the basic capital of primitive capital is accompanied by blood and tears.

But in this world of great contention, the Rus either lived in the northern fjords and was finally annexed by the Kingdom of Sweden, or went out to become the new Rome, and even there was no third way.

So, the rise of Ross, some people have to make sacrifices. Even those who made sacrifices were part of the Rus.

Rurik mentioned a condition to them. The so-called blacksmith union should also pay the tax for the past year at the end of winter. Since the blacksmiths have to spend the money to build the city of blacksmiths, this is exempt from the tax, or It is said that all the money from the tax is used to purchase the labor force of the local people, whether it is men, women or children, they should be paid for participating in the construction of the city of blacksmiths, and the reward will be provided by the blacksmiths union.

Do you have any opinions? Opinions are not too small.

But Clavason knew the big picture, he expressed his support, and others had to follow up. As the most senior blacksmith, Klavassen can say that he has watched Rurik grow to the present and began to grow a beard. He knows that this kid will never cheat him. It seems that the blacksmiths will suffer a big loss for the time being, but in fact it is for the future. A smart investment for great wealth and glory.

"Then give the town a name," Clavason said.

Rurik scratched his head, and when it comes to the name, he doesn't bother to come up with a pretentious name, so let's be honest.

"It's called Strofnstadt."

The name is concise and straightforward, and no one has any objection.

A new question arises, when did the blast furnace town begin to be built? When the town is built, where will the old blacksmith workshop go?

Rurik has made arrangements, and is adhering to his consistent action, making plans today, tomorrow will start propaganda and construction of the blast furnace town in the entire Roseburg, and the day after tomorrow will be site selection and logging to start construction.

As for the destination of the old blacksmith shop after the completion of the event, it is natural to retain some of the already mature traditional furnaces and blacksmithing workshops. The only purpose of the old blacksmith shop is to finish the iron, that is, to manufacture low-carbon steel tools and weapons by the method of frying and smelting steel. But it was still a long transition, and eventually there were no more blacksmith workshops in the walls of Roseburg.

Living quarters and industrial areas are separated, Rurik hopes to arrange a city in this way. Especially now, the city is built with wood, and a large number of blacksmith shops are placed in the city. If a fire breaks out, will it not be a disaster for the whole city? Even the existence of a large number of wooden buildings in other settlements in the Principality of Roseburg is an expedient measure. When the cost of cement drops in the future and the production capacity of stone and clay bricks rises, it is necessary to completely replace the settlements with masonry buildings.

The rise of a country begins with exhausting financial resources to develop the primary industry, especially the metallurgical industry and the manufacture of heavy equipment. Rurik felt that he was actually engaged in real estate in Roseburg and other territories, and eventually building a new town that could objectively provide job opportunities for the diverse people of Roseburg. Because not everyone is qualified to participate in the war of invading other forces and plundering the spoils. If no one creates a large number of jobs, many people will inevitably waste their time in the ignorance. This is no wonder they, the cold and long winter has long been only the strongest who can bravely go out to catch wild animals and sell their hides to make money.

Humans don't really want to hibernate, they are just forced to do so by the harsh environment. Unless there is an opportunity to make a huge fortune in front of them, they will take the risk.

Simple construction of towns, mining, logging, etc. can make many people earn money, and also allow them to buy enough wheat to eat.

This is enough? not enough!

Rurik was under a lot of pressure, and he found himself running his duchy carefully under tight financial pressure. The wealth obtained by various means in the past year should be consumed in this winter. Although selling steel products is very profitable, it is also necessary to rely on other high value-added goods to obtain more wealth.

Regarding the steel industry, Rurik felt that he had made very detailed arrangements, and he had also made other arrangements.

This time, Lilia became the protagonist.

Without him, the Clavasson family are all talents, and the married daughter-in-law has also become a new talent. Lilia has become a master of glass making through continuous practice, and she does not dare to take the risk of burning her lungs to engage in glass blowing, but her skills in die-casting glass are getting better and better. She can match the raw materials of glass herself, and has also figured out how to control the temperature of the furnace, but the key to success lies in the excellent bronze mold.

But she was pregnant again, and it would be foolish to expect a pregnant woman to work hard.

The glass is so crystal clear that anyone who owns it will consider it a treasure. Its added value is very high, but the glass production in Roseburg is too low, unless it really becomes an industry.

As the eldest sister-in-law of the Duke of Ross, the eldest lady of White Tree Manor, and a natural and respectable doer, Lilia has her own opinion, which is to call on Ross's new Sorgon voyage, and then get it from the hometown of Novgorod Come to a group of young women, preferably the girls from the White Tree Manor. Not just women who make glassware, but also workers who use brand new glassware to distill ale and make spirits.

This is a very constructive suggestion!

Rurik nodded, fully agreeing and taking it to heart.

Indeed, he also planned to take Svetlana to Novgorod to visit relatives. Besides, I still lack an Ilmenslav-style wedding with her. Such a public wedding will also have a strong political meaning, and it will be an invitation to all Novgorods living around Lake Ilmen. The Slavs of the region displayed the monarch's goodwill gesture, which was conducive to the rule.