Rise of Rurik

The old fox is dying, and his heirs continue to develop his career, and the little foxes are running in all directions.

Old Gould claimed that he would die on Tombstone Island in the Åland Islands, a T-junction in the Baltic Sea. He had no more appeals, and he suddenly found that the whole world had rejected him.

Who cares what an old man who is dying of old age thinks? At least his sons, daughters, and sons-in-law have been scattered all over the world, and a huge world appears in front of them.

If a businessman is very attached to the one-third of an acre of land in his hometown, his career will not last long.

The Gould family was originally a traveling trader from the Onkras tribe in Sweden. In the past, the young old Gould bravely traveled to the far corners of the world. He had a keen eye to discover the fantastic changes in the Ross tribe, and he made a desperate gamble and made a fortune by risking everything. He took his whole family to say goodbye to Onkras and became the new Rus.

But is Rose a permanent home? In other words, the huge world inside and outside Ross's influence is full of places that can be established, and only the fox cubs need to explore.

The Gould family has not really left their ancestral home in Onkras, because the eldest son of the family has become the city owner of the entire Swedish World Trade Center.

The second eldest son of the family is the most promising. This is Lan Hu, who has experienced many hardships and has seen a lot. A businessman became a warrior and a feudal noble.

The daughter married the old Eric family in Denmark, thus maintaining a trade route between Rus and Denmark's emerging trade ports of Copenhagen and Schleswig.

Now, the third and fourth sons are going to create their own excitement.

The Black Fox and the Red Fox received orders from King Rurik. Their journey was not only for their family, but their biggest mission was for the benefit of the kingdom. The two young men were precisely because they were too young. Ross had achieved great results in the grand war, but turned them away.

They are easily infected by grandiose things. Now that the eldest brother, Bai Hu, Fatty, is older, he and the youngest brother are not of the same era, let alone the same people. Only the second brother's experience shocked them, and they hope to follow suit. Of.

The old mother gave birth to four boys and one girl. Although the old father Gould was a sentimental guy, he was willing to take responsibility for his actions in the end. The children of a concubine cannot inherit the name of the Gould family, nor have they the right to inherit wealth. After all, those children are the sons of female slaves. At least they are also Russians now. This status is already a great honor.

The tradition in the north means a certain kind of cruelty. Most of the wealth that Old Gould has worked hard for throughout his life will be inherited by the boss White Fox, even if the boss is already the governor of Stockholm.

The other brothers' wealth must be obtained by themselves. At least, the king provides the brothers with the opportunity to make meritorious deeds.

As for those humble brothers who are "sons of slave girls", if they want to stabilize and improve their social status, a shortcut is to join the standing army, or join the ranks of professional sailors, and rely on future wars to take advantage of the opportunity to become famous.

It is obvious that the world is unpredictable and war is an eternal melody.

Black Fox and Red Fox, who were ordered to go south, had a premonition that if they wanted to enter the Frankish world that was in chaos, they would not just face the war directly.

I am afraid that brothers can still be the promoters of the battle in the new era of war.

An armed cargo ship and four longships were traveling in the vast Baltic Sea. The small fleet carrying goods in high demand from the north was heading for the most important relay station on its trip - Hamburg in the Principality of Saxony.

The fleet first passed through Copenhagen, the new city of the new Kingdom of Denmark. They replenished some catches and fresh water at this simple port that was still under construction, and also received a major piece of news.

"It looks like they really took action."

"I don't know how much loot that Ragnar could get by running to Britain."

"Maybe a lot of wool, gold, and slaves."

"It's impossible. The Franks are richer than those guys. Our brothers will definitely make a fortune if we go to the Franks."

The two brothers chatted for a while. They had no idea about Copenhagen. How could this desolate-looking port under construction compare with the large ports in Ross?

Now the question arises, who goes to Rotterstad and who goes to Nassau.

Rotterstad was still a low wasteland, but it was a good place to build a port, very close to the prosperous local city of Utrecht. Even if basic port facilities cannot be built in the first year, there is no problem in using local resources in Utrecht.

To go to Nassau is to enter the Frankish hinterland, and you will be deeply surrounded by them for a while. No one can be sure whether Ludwig will become angry after returning to his hometown after being defeated in the battle. He will insist on regaining face by using his own power, such as revenge against the Russians living in Nassau, which must be very risky.

The two brothers are similar in age. The two fat guys stand together, making it difficult for outsiders to tell who is the elder brother and who is the younger brother. They don't care about their specific age. Both brothers want to seize the opportunity of adventure, and even the younger brother will not give in to the elder brother.

"Then let the gods decide." Black Fox suggested, and Red Fox deeply agreed with this.

A fine Frankish silver coin was turned into a dice, and the obverse side of Charlemagne's head represented the journey to Nassau in the hinterland, while the reverse side represented the journey to Rotterstadt.

Who is eligible to go to Nassau? The black fox won the bet.

"Brother, it seems that this is the will of the gods." Black Fox even got an advantage and behaved a bit.

"I can't help it, this boat is quite bumpy..."

Red Fox accepted this reality, but from a business perspective, he felt that he might be more profitable. A Rotterstad to replace the burned-out port of Durist, where Ross wanted to set up the equivalent of a military base. The city will be a gathering place for northerners from all walks of life, including Danes and Rus. It is legally co-governed by the Kingdom of Denmark and the Kingdom of Rus but does not have a city lord. I am afraid that this port will be freer than Durist in the past, and the closest port to it is Haizeby, which has withdrawn from history.

This place will be the distribution center for goods from Britain, the Frankish hinterland, Flanders, and the north. It will be an extremely free trade market. Red Fox feels that he will definitely make a fortune.

The black fox won the bet and the opportunity to make military exploits. Does the little fat man dare to fight? He felt that he was not really ready, but the opportunity was rare. He thought that his second brother Lan Hu had also survived the danger alone, so he could do the same. Going to Nassau is not just as simple as building a new Ross shop. The second brother Blue Fox was ordered to run a local stronghold first, and he accepted it immediately after arriving. Then, he was ordered to plunder the Middle Kingdom.

Produce materials and sell them to make money? Where can I get money quickly through robbery? ! Moreover, in the peace treaty after the war, the Russians had the right to plunder the Middle Kingdom. This matter was legally supported by the Eastern Kingdom.

The two brothers had a peaceful journey across the Strait of Great Denmark. Now, they were facing the boundless Atlantic Ocean.

With the salty sea breeze on the pavement, a whole new world is in front of you.

The small fleet also turned, following the coastline that began to extend to the southwest, relying on the advantage of the jib to drift against the mild southerly wind until it reached the mouth of the Weser River.

Starting to enter the inland river, the four long boats quickly transformed into tow boats.

This is not the first time for some brothers. They have witnessed the war and have lived in the Hamburg area for half a year. For these guys, the village not far away was the salt boiling stronghold in the early spring. Now it is an emerging fishing village for the Saxons. , and inherited the salt boiling facilities from the past. What can be seen with the naked eye is that there is thick smoke billowing here. Sea water is boiling in large and small pottery urns, accompanied by thick smoke billowing from burning resin.

The two brothers were surprised when they first saw all this. The busy salt cooks felt very friendly when they saw the fleet flying the flag of Ross.

The people of Saxony have a very friendly attitude towards the Russians. They are not as close as brothers even if they have different beliefs. What is the future of cooperation simply for the sake of money?

The arrival of the Ross fleet quickly caused a sensation in the city of Hamburg. A group of fishing boats escorted it and led them to the city on the inland river smoothly.

Even in the summer flood season, the water flow of the Weser River is still limited. The river washed away everything from the winter war. Many bodies of Frank soldiers frozen in the river ice drifted into the Atlantic as the snow melted. No trace of the war could be found. Hamburg was originally a small settlement. After the war, it became the largest in the entire Principality of Saxony. settlement. Even though many war refugees have returned home, 20,000 people still live in urban-centered areas.

Agricultural production resumed faster than Prince Liudov imagined! At least they retained the necessary grain. Although they would be in trouble during the spring and summer famines after sowing, as long as they harvested in the autumn, everything would be fine.

Therefore, the Principality of Saxony was extremely weak after the war. Even if it wanted to expand its preparations to fight the new war that was bound to come in the future, Duke Liudov would be unable to do anything due to poverty.

In this case, Rurik's de facto eldest son Reglaf, even if he had big ideas in Hamburg, he could only implement a small part.

Reglaf, the legitimate heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Mercia, was actually in exile in the Principality of Saxony. He could only maintain a so-called "King of Mercia's Guard" consisting of thirty Rus and seventy Saxons.

He wanted to imitate his great father, but due to the poverty of his father-in-law Liudov, he could only maintain this small number of troops, and the soldiers were actually equipped with their own weapons.

Even so, this hundred-man team is temporarily included in the armed forces of the Principality of Saxony. He is obviously very young and can be called young, but Reglaf is also a general of the Principality of Saxony.

The "Great Peace Talks" ended only four months ago. The Hamburg area has become the main battlefield, and the people are licking their wounds in pain. Although East Francia suffered heavy losses, the losses of the weak Saxons were equally heavy. Last year's autumn harvest suffered a blow, and famine has actually occurred. If it were not for ocean fishing and boiled salt sales to purchase food from the Greater Flanders and Cologne regions, starvation would be the norm.

The whole people lived like ascetics, and they did not fall into endless lamentation. At least the Archbishop of the North, Eskil, was in Hamburg. This well-traveled old man finally established his episcopal seat in Hamburg, just like a shepherd pointing the way to all the lambs.

Teach the people to live a life of poverty and live as frugally as possible to achieve the purity of the spiritual world. Black bread, wild vegetables and clear water, this old guy can lead his junior priests to live a monotonous life.

But the nobles were not ascetics, and the people did not really feel the need for such extreme fasting to be permanent.

At least the Northern Church is playing its huge positive role in these difficult times.

It was in this atmosphere that the Ross Squadron docked.

In any era, the docking of a long-distance cargo ship will cause a sensation, especially when the Saxons living in poverty are as excited as seeing the Ark when they see the Ross cargo ship docked in the port.

The facts also meet the demands of the poor people.

Liudov and his whole family rushed to the Embarcadero pier. Reglaf and his "King of Mercia Guards" simply waved the flag of Ross to greet the ship from his hometown. The boy even imagined that his father Rurik would come in person. .

A lot of people gathered on the pier. When Eskil came with a group of black-robed priests, holding a cane, suppressing his inner excitement and looking calm, the people spontaneously made way for them.

The rowing Russians retracted their giant oars. After landing, they worked together to pull the cable and tow the ship to the pier.

After the ship stopped, the two fat men awkwardly disembarked along the rope ladder, almost directly connected, and the unloading of materials began.

Black Fox and Red Fox came to Hamburg for the first time. They noticed that the city was like spreading out a big pie, and the buildings were densely packed. However, some buildings were very regular and seemed too messy. At least the inner city was pleasant, with its walls and a tall stone fortress in the centre.

The two of them straightened their clothes and put on their leather hats with colorful feathers to clearly distinguish them from the others.

Is he a new Ross noble?

While Liudov was confused, his good son-in-law Reglaf was already in a great mood.

"Child, these two people... do you know?"

"I know. One is a black fox and the other is a red fox."

"Oh?!" Liudof suddenly realized: "I know there is a Ross noble named Joseph Blue Fox, who must be that person, brothers?"

"Yes."

"Ah...this is what Rurik explained before."

Liudov heard Rurik mention that he would send trustworthy people to the Frankish world to develop new business matters. Of course, it would not only be business, but also the pursuit of power.

Regarding this matter, the Northern Archbishop Eskil has more news, because everything has been discussed. The old guy has been waiting these days, thinking that he has finally found the right person.

When they met for the first time, the Black Fox and Red Fox brothers were quite reserved, but they knew very well that Reglaf was the King's de facto eldest son after all, and the fact that there was indeed a Ross flag flying on the shore made them even more cordial.

So at the dock, the two parties briefly introduced themselves.

The visitors are not soldiers, and they will not stay in Hamburg. Instead, they will leave a batch of supplies that can survive for the Saxons at Rurik's request - food.

Part of the space in the armed cargo ship was stuffed with oats, and the total amount was nearly five tons. This batch of food was not given for free. In exchange, the Principality of Saxony exchanged it for salt.

The two brothers quoted King Rurik's trade request, and naturally what they got was Liudov trembling with excitement. In addition, a small batch of agricultural tools were also unloaded. They were just plowshares and shovel heads, and the work of installing wooden handles was left to the buyer. The same batch of goods could also be exchanged for salt.

The food would immediately improve the summer famine situation in Hamburg, but the two brothers were also killed. Half of this batch of food was a gift to Reglaf.

Regraf got not only a batch of grain, but also ten pounds of silver coins!

This wealth at least completely reversed the predicament Reglaf was facing now. This was a start-up capital given by his father to his son, at least the first batch of start-up capital. But compared to these, Reglaf still hopes that his father Rurik can come and see him again.

The little boy had tears in his eyes, but he pretended to be strong and raised his chest, showing the arrogance of the so-called King of Mercia. He silently asked the older Black Fox: "My father...ah no! When will King Ross come to Hamburg again?"

The Black Fox was quite surprised that Reglaf called his father so vividly: "The king is busy with his own affairs. I learned that this year's Ross has a truce. However, the king ordered us two brothers to develop in Frank. Order us to deliberately create some trouble."

So Red Fox deliberately added an intriguing sentence: "If war occurs, the king should send troops."

"That's good." Reglaf fought hard and responded in a very official manner: "I will lead the Mercian army to fight side by side with the Russian army."

It seems that young Reglaf has become accustomed to his new identity, or has made compromises in life.

The Fox Brothers' stop in Hamburg to deliver supplies was a small task, and in the final analysis it was a normal business practice.

The biggest goal of the two is to find the Northern Archbishop and deliver a letter written by King Rurik.

They are no longer ordinary people. They have received a very formal church Latin education. Even if the language is not fluent at all, it is not a problem for them to stutter and communicate with the old man Eskil. Of course, this is not a problem for Eskilde. It's a miracle.

There were notes with very personal characteristics written on the paper. Esquier had already accepted the advanced writing medium of "paper" and recognized that it was Rurik's own handwriting.

It was a letter of introduction, the content of which was not most to Eskil's liking.

The old guy's eyes were trembling with excitement, looking at the two little fat guys as if he were looking at his long-lost son.

He opened his aging arms with a kind face, "My child, I... am your godfather. Baptism, tonight."