Chapter 1,313 No One Can Stop You From Becoming a Dog

Remember [new] in one second! As the army marched into the sunset, the people on the sleigh were not so much protected by the cavalry as they were being watched.

Everyone has beautiful thoughts about the future, and deep down they also have concerns because they are in awe of the strength of the Ross army.

After all, they were Varangians living in Smolensk, and Hagen and his gang had trained Vadim's army. It is said that Vadim was defeated and captured, so wouldn't it be very embarrassing when the two met?

If the past events were known to King Rus, would he punish himself?

Hagen didn't want to think too much about it, and he wouldn't take the initiative to mention it.

Everyone has no way out, and now they can only hope for the mercy of King Rus.

Behind the team is the soaring smoke column, which is even more dazzling under the setting sun, like a monument standing in the forest and snowy fields.

After watching it for a long time, I got tired of watching it. As the smoke column did not develop further, the Ross army who hoped to witness the spectacle of a sea of ​​​​fire became slightly discouraged and turned away.

At least it adds some fun to the somewhat boring Ross Alliance camp.

Meanwhile, where the battle takes place.

In the main settlement of Smolensk after being destroyed by cavalry, one noble farm after another was on pins and needles. Even the protection of wooden walls was not necessarily absolutely safe. It seemed that only the mansions of nobles were safer.

The nobles and commoners were passively holding on. The women knelt down and prayed to the sky, hoping that the gods would bless and bring peace. The men brought a variety of farm tools to serve as weapons, watching the movement eagerly for fear that they would be attacked.

About nine hours have passed since the refugees began reporting tragic killings in the early morning. In such a short period of time, the huge Smolensk has essentially collapsed.

Even if there are still a large number of people staying in this area, their stay is probably due to a lack of understanding of wars and attacks. Now there is no strong man who can organize the vast number of young men and women into a large tribal army.

The world became extremely quiet, and people kept their doors locked for fear of being ambushed by Ross gangsters if they let down their guard. The sky gradually darkened, and the burning village became a huge torch. While it gave people warmth, it also caused more fear to the ordinary villagers.

The torch couldn't shine very far, and the temperature dropped rapidly as night fell.

The coldest days are yet to come, but every night is already too cold.

Now the villagers who have taken refuge in the noble manor have to consider a potentially fatal problem - how we will spend the night.

Even the mansions of nobles cannot be crowded with too many people, and most of the local nobles are not willing to let peasants intrude. Protecting them with walls has shown their kindness. As for the possibility of death from cold and starvation, the poor people will definitely It's fate.

People currently hiding in various noble farms are still huddled together to keep warm, hoping that everyone can leave the manor and go home after nightfall, and then make plans.

Just when the atmosphere was very delicate, some sneaky figures were squirming quickly in the dim light.

It was like a wild boar scurrying into the village. The soldiers standing on the battlements were so startled that they were shaking. They had become soldiers.

"Is it an enemy?"

"Who cares? Just shoot the arrow."

The soldiers on the battlements whispered, holding the hunting bow tightly with trembling hands, and the arrows flew toward the wriggling black shadow.

The lethality of these bone arrow clusters is very average, and they are basically ineffective against wild boars with hard bristles. But it was not a wild boar, and the arrow missed without any hit.

Several black figures suddenly stood up, shocking the battlement warriors into thinking that they were actually bears that had broken into the village.

The bear will stand up and look like an upright person. It is full of danger. To hunt a bear requires the cooperation of ten people with spears and bows.

But it wasn't a bear either.

Soon there was a thin voice, and the black shadow kept walking towards the wooden wall. Everyone gradually realized that it was actually a person.

Are they fleeing villagers? Eager to enter the estate?

But I saw many people boldly standing outside the wooden wall of the manor, waving their arms and shouting things like "Don't kill me."

"Who are you? Run for your life! This place is full!" A bearded peasant shouted at the top of his lungs on the orders of the nobles.

"We can't leave! We're coming from Gniezdovo! The Rus! Those gangsters! They asked us to bring you some words."

"What did you say? I can't hear you clearly!"

"Let us in quickly. I want to see Mr. Rome. We are envoys sent by the gangsters. Let us in quickly!"

They affectionately called the local nobles "Masters of Rome", which really fit the nobles' self-proclaimed self.

How can someone who doesn’t even have a purple robe call himself a Roman noble?

Only in the current situation, no one dares to doubt their nobility - after all, ordinary people still need their protection.

Although the wind was loud, the nobles standing high up still understood the core content of the words.

"Open the door quickly!" The noble raised his arms and shouted.

However, the armed guards were concerned about their safety, so the captain of the guard hurriedly advised: "Sir, be careful of fraud."

The noble scolded him directly: "Stop talking nonsense. You go down with your brothers and open the door. Put all the villagers back and let those guys outside the wall come in. Listen, I can't arrange accommodation for them at night."

"All right……"

People who had somehow spent the night were now flooded out as the hardwood door latches were removed, the armed guards withdrew, and the doors opened to seek refuge.

This scene made the messengers outside the door confused. They stayed where they were. After all, their home was in Gniezdovo, and now their home was indeed gone.

Soon, they were surrounded by tactical groups who rushed out of the wooden wall. The wooden sticks beat their calves and knees mercilessly, forcing everyone to kneel on the ground. The guards of the nobles swarmed around and tied them all up, and then searched them to make sure they did not carry any assassination weapons.

The guards did not find even a dagger, but were surprised to find a rather soft piece of cloth.

"Sir, look at this!"

The captain of the guard stood up and unfolded the cloth. Although the light was dim, a white cloth was sewn with blue stripes on the diagonal, and the typical Ross gangster flag was displayed in front of everyone.

"They're gangsters!" The noble didn't think much. He pointed at them like a frightened bird: "Kill them! Everyone get back. Hurry! Let's hide!"

The noble master said this, and it was already dark, and the surrounding forest was mysterious and there might be an ambush. The nervous soldiers looked at the captain's attitude. They did not kill these prisoners, but dragged them all like dead dogs. He stopped barking and dragged him back to the fortress.

The Ross flag has become a feared presence.

Only a handful of people were captured. Some of them participated in the expedition and were defeated and captured, as well as the residents of the high altar who were captured yesterday.

Oil lamps were lit in the room, and the house was relatively warm. The tied people huddled together, nervously watching the warriors with swords and axes, and the noble man wearing a thick leather coat and hat.

The interrogation began immediately, and the spread Ross flag was regarded as evidence of guilt. When the nobles learned about the situation, they were greatly shocked. They couldn't help but look at the ball of cloth in their hands, and secretly rejoiced: "It's a good thing that I didn't destroy it, otherwise it would have been all over the place." It is difficult to negotiate terms with the Russians.”

The messengers reported what they saw and heard about Vadim's failed expedition, the strength of the Russian army, and the large-scale killings in Gniezdovo.

He also stammered and explained everything Rurik had asked clearly.

Nobles, but not purely landed nobility.

It is not very important whether the powerful family in Smolensk really has Roman blood. Even if it does, it is just a little bit of the blood of Roman merchants. They are more willing to be businessmen and make profits from the locals by buying and selling. They are also landowners, relying on rent collection to further extract taxes from the locals.

However, Smolensk has a large population and limited productivity cannot produce much surplus materials. Foreign trade has been almost interrupted in recent years, and the Smolensk nobles are also eager to break the blockade and isolation.

Although Vadim is a "down-and-out prince" and an outsider, he is more enterprising than everyone else. In other words, if this person is killed because of the war, the local nobles will not suffer much loss. If the war he presides over opens up the situation, everyone will naturally be happy to make money.

But Vadim was defeated!

Four thousand troops were wiped out, and only a few people were spared by the Russians. This is by no means merciful to the Russians, just because they need a messenger.

The noble realized that the matter was extremely delicate, so he hurriedly sent his guards to contact various noble farms.

Late at night, when they were sure that the gangsters had disappeared without a trace, those nobles who got the news were willing to boldly walk out of the wooden walls of their manors.

The nobles walked towards the public council room under the protection of the servants. They gathered in the room. Outdoors, servants lined up in a wall to watch the surroundings.

It was obviously late at night, and they were so nervous that they didn't feel sleepy at all.

The local nobles are highly assembled. Each of these twenty people represents a force. They cannot decide the order of the entire community, but they can decide everything in Smolensk City, including the election of the leader.

Vadim is defeated but captured and will be burned alive as a sacrifice by the Rus on the high altar.

King Rus came with anger and gave all Smolensk nobles a chance to live. The premise is that the nobles must go to Gniezdovo in person, kneel down in front of King Rus, and express their submission in a posture equivalent to a dog...

The messenger, whose hands were still tied, reluctantly repeated the words of the Russians to the nobles in extreme nervousness, and also told them the truth about the expedition.

What he said was so explosive that everyone almost unanimously expressed doubts and denials out of instinct.

A seemingly eldest man coughed twice: "Maybe all this is the truth. If we completely deny it... wouldn't we not give ourselves a way to survive?"

"Dad! Are we stupid or are you stupid? Or is King Rus stupid?! If we go to the big altar now, won't we be killed at the neck?"

"Yes. We support Vadim's expedition. We never expected that this would be the result."

"Whoever believes in Russians is stupid."

If everyone was very simple, it would be impossible to have the current family business. They guessed that if they followed what the messenger said and went to Gniezdovo without or with few guards, they could be easily captured and killed by the Russians.

Although they didn't know about the "Hongmen Banquet", they also estimated that there was a huge conspiracy in it.

"Why don't I know." The nobleman nicknamed Dad coughed again: "Vadim was defeated, the big altar was destroyed, and the people over there were either killed or fled. What should we do? Stay here and stand still, the Russians There is reason to kill them in large numbers. If we go to the big altar to pay homage in person, you will be worried about being killed. Otherwise, let’s escape."

At this point, the father looked at everyone fiercely: "You abandoned all the properties and houses. All of us took our families, slaves, livestock, and everything we could carry and left."

"Escape? Where to go? To Vyadzic?" a middle-aged man asked sadly and angrily.

"Forget it." Another person sighed bitterly with grief and anger: "Heda took his people and ran back to his Vyazma in the morning, and even took some of our people hostage. Why should we go to his territory? ?What do we have left after losing our land? Besides, even if we get there, the Russians will give up?"

"Then what do you think we should do?!"

"I have no idea!"

"If you don't know, just shut up!"

The nobles started to quarrel among themselves, and their livid faces gradually turned red.

The father has lived for a long time, and after his death, his son will take over the power of the house.

Now seeing this group of nobles who are similar in age to his eldest son arguing, unable to come up with any plan in their distress and anxiety, the father can only close his eyes and tense up, waiting for them to slowly shut up.

After all, the war of words did not turn into a group fight, and they really became quiet after shouting enough.

"That's enough!" Dad, who had closed his eyes for a while, stood up and leaned on his wooden staff: "We have only three choices! Fight! Surrender! Escape! Since you are unwilling to surrender or escape, then fight. All men and women organize, we form a coalition. Never mind Vadim, let us fight!"

The old man had fire in his eyes, but the nobles looked at him like an old fool.

"Stop talking about it." One person waved his hand with a wry smile: "We can't win."

"You guys aren't even willing to try?"

"How to try?!" The noble who was hit by missing arrows was the most pessimistic: "Even hiding inside the wooden wall, my people still suffered a lot of losses from missing arrows. Everyone was frightened. I dare not wait until tomorrow. More people will flee."

Dad shook his head: "I don't want to be a dog, I don't want to fight, and I don't want to run away. What are your plans?"

"So... what are your plans?" someone asked with ill intentions.

After all, Vadim came to power through dishonorable means. With his defeat, the largest family in Smolensk controlled by him now exists in name only.

The orphans and widows Vadim left here have been abandoned by the nobles, but these nobles are not strong enough to convince everyone.

Even for the aristocrat nicknamed Dad, everyone is willing to listen to his nonsense because of his age. No one will believe him if his words don't speak to their own feelings.

Dad naturally has his own opinion: "There is nothing wrong with being a dog. Since you don't want to do anything, just stay here and wait for the Russians to kill you. And I! I want to take my family and surrender to the Russians. .I will also take Vadim’s wife and children to surrender.”

"Just you?" Then someone said something sarcastic: "No one will stop you from being a dog. But why did you take away Vadim's wife and children? His wife is quite young. You have a handful of bones and you still think about it." Possessing other people's women? Are you okay? As an old man, stop trying to do things between men and women."

"You!" He almost lost his breath. Dad covered his chest and hesitated, then explained angrily: "I have many female slaves and I don't need that woman. Vadim's wife and children are gifts, dedicated to Ross. The King is good for us all. You idiots don’t know that it’s me who can save your lives.”

"Bah! Old man, you are just lustful. You have many slaves, wouldn't it be okay to have one more?"

"You can take that woman to join the Russians. If you want to prove that you are not lustful, just kill them to prove yourself."

The words were fierce and vulgar, and the father was furious: "Okay, I will send someone to take action. You guys are waiting here, and I will take their heads to surrender tomorrow. You have also thought about it and are willing to take a gamble. Just follow me. It doesn’t matter if you scold me, I’ve made my decision. I have no time to waste any more time with you, I’m leaving.”

This old man knew almost nothing about Rus and the King of Rus, but he learned from the visiting Varangians that the king had unified the north. Those who can unify the northern sea area will definitely kill without restraint, but they will definitely maintain order. Killing is a means. If it becomes the goal, wouldn't it mean that surrenders from all walks of life would seize the opportunity to rebel?

Dad is a generation older than other nobles, and his life experience determines his willingness to believe that King Rus will abide by a certain order.

Moreover, the entire Smolensk is on a cliff, and Dad has no choice.

He didn't know whether surrendering voluntarily was the best choice, but standing still, fleeing, and fighting were all bad choices, among which war was the least useful.

Looking at the behavior of those guys, there is no need to expect the existence of a coalition of nobles, at least at this moment it is absolutely impossible.

He has no obligation to help those guys.

I'm afraid things have really changed! If possible, his family would live under the rule of the Russians. Presumably, the Russians would not attack those who surrendered, and they would only pay an extra tribute.