Chapter 1,357 Looting

Rather than saying this is a battle, it is better to say that it has evolved into a "crossbow competition" of shooting moving targets.

Rurik was at the scene, and the young warriors under his command were eager to show their strength.

If the enemy has the consciousness to fight, they will not be merciful, even if they see that there are female warriors among the enemies holding shields and swords.

After losing their boss Gower, most of the Pskov Army soldiers lost their fighting spirit. They began to fight for themselves, and they also made a final venting charge for this inexplicable defeat.

Ran and those who dared to charge became targets of public criticism and became the targets of steel-armed crossbows.

There were corpses and squirming dying wounded soldiers everywhere. The snow was dyed red with blood, and the warm blood quickly solidified and froze in the cold. In such an environment, during the excavation in the fighting area of ​​the large Danish community of Pskov, the soldiers fell one after another, until the last one was seriously injured and died in pain...

Goyle died with his eyes full of arrows, but Svard and Carlott, who advised him to fight to the end, acted on their advice and died for it - killed by arrows.

The fact that the battle could end in this way was basically within Rurik's control. However, he was very surprised by the current situation. He did not expect that the battle would end so happily.

"We won the battle just by archery, but my infantry clearly didn't take action yet! Since I have such an advantage, in future battles, maybe I...should increase the number of crossbow warriors again."

This is what surprised Rurik. This time the battle of Pskov was won with only crossbowmen. This of course does not mean that melee infantry is redundant;

At present, Russia is so powerful that it can use the "non-contact mode" to win against all the forces in Eastern Europe.

As a result, the melee infantrymen could not gain any combat merit. Since they did not know which arrow had completed the kill, it was difficult to determine the combat merit of the crossbowmen. A system similar to the "military knighthood system", Rurik has not tried to design and implement it based on the current situation of the kingdom, but everyone admires the brave and capable heroes on the battlefield. Anyone who can kill the enemy unparalleled, everyone thinks that the king should have reward.

In this battle, the Ross army lacked the unparalleled heroes who broke through the formation, but had more integrated combat teams.

The battle as far as the eye could see was over.

"Dismount! Draw your sword! Check the dead body and give the dying one a last blow." Rurik took the lead in dismounting and ordered...

As a result, these first-come-first-served warriors rush into the battlefield. Rather than recovering arrows on the spot, they are now more willing to pluck the enemy's corpses to find any usable trophies, even if it makes their hands scarlet and sticky.

Next, when the defenses of the large Danish settlement in Pskov completely collapsed, it became logical to sack it.

A brand new order has been issued, or this is a "private permission".

Rurik could only expressly prohibit one thing - no arson, anyone who violated the order would be beheaded and his family members would be seated together.

The Russian army has been consuming supplies since its departure from Riga. There are no good men and women in the Russian army, and Rurik will not call himself a "great good man" now.

The cost of the army's exploratory march was a large consumption of supplies. If the army had not completed the sack of Smolensk and specially organized a huge

The reindeer sleigh team and the army did not have the corresponding logistics foundation, so more than 2,000 troops rushed to Pskov.

Those close-combat infantrymen who had been on standby and witnessed the entire shooting battle were trembling with anxiety. This anxiety gradually turned into anxiety. As the war ended, many people were disappointed.

Because in principle, if you don't participate in the battle, you are not qualified to plunder the spoils. If someone insists on "getting something for nothing", he will be ridiculed as a coward by his peers.

The infantry received express permission to rush directly into the city of Pskov and commit any plunder permitted by the king's permission.

This is actually risky. It is said that some enemies are very likely to be hiding in the long rooms of the houses and may launch sneak attacks at any time. The infantry must act in armor and must be careful after entering residential areas.

This order applies to the surrendered men of the small Danish community and the Slavic servants in the Rope Village. They are also eligible to enter Pskov and plunder freely, but these people are unwilling to follow suit for one reason or another.

For Orafin, he could imagine the power of the Ross army.

He just didn't expect that a battle that could make him think about it for a whole night and make him unable to sleep because of his restlessness would actually fall apart under the ruthless arrows of the Russian army. Is this considered a battle? How can this be done in battle? To be fair, these tricks of King Ross are dazzling but extremely efficient.

Orafin really felt sorry for Gower. Even if he had developed a strong body and wore armor, wouldn't it all become a joke under the fierce arrows of the Russian army? The bow and arrow department is very strange, and the only ones who can use it in various ways are probably the Ross family. Orafin was impressed by King Rus, and was both happy and scared at the same time.

he

I am happy that I surrendered correctly in Riga, but I am afraid that once I am recognized as a threat by the Russians, will I be killed?

The time spent with King Rus was neither short nor long. Regarding the Pskov issue, King Rus behaved like "the big fish eats the small fish". None of the reasons for the war were tenable after careful consideration.

So what? When Gower was still alive, he took a group of big hands to various Krivi Slavic villages to collect tributes. He himself captured a group of fair-skinned and beautiful women from the local villages to be his wives and concubines. Could it be that while doing these things? And ask these Krivich people, "Would you like to do that?"

There is no concept of karma here. Orafin just feels that since Goyle can do something, King Ross can naturally follow suit.

Orafin boldly followed the ecstatic warriors and approached the battlefield firmly controlled by the cavalry. He wanted to find Gower's body in the pile of corpses to report to the king.

He didn't need to waste any effort, just because Gower's body was "covered with ears of wheat", and the death of a high-ranking man was so miraculous that he was currently being watched by a group of Russian warriors as if it was a novelty.

Orafin also ducked into the crowd and stuck her head out, and after just one glance, she realized that her judgment was right.

He heard a group of young warriors talking about the dead man who was covered with arrows. There were many frivolous and dirty words in their words, and they were always insulting the dead man as a big fool.

"Stop saying a few words! Brothers, do you know who this is?" Olafine said loudly.

"Who can it be? It's probably that Gao Er." A soldier laughed and said.

"You guessed it right, this person is really Gore."

"where?

The soldier was suddenly startled: "Is it true that I just said it casually?" "The soldier grinned again, pointed at the man with eyes open and laughed: "You are indeed an idiot, and you dare to challenge our Ross Arrow Array. Brothers, do you think this Gore looks like a wild boar with bristles? "

As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately burst into laughter.

Olafin couldn't help but laugh. He saw that the main force of the Russian army was wreaking havoc throughout the city of Pskov. There must be many civilians here who had not evacuated. He heard a lot of screams that sounded like women, and he felt very uncomfortable. taste. After all, those people were from the same hometown, and they moved away because of differences of opinion.

At a certain moment, Olafin even regretted it. If he had not led the Ross army to reach Pskov smoothly, there would probably not be the current disaster.

But wait! With the ambition of the Russian people, they even have to deal with the legendary southern giant Frank, and the rest of the strength is probably regarded as a piece of fish.

Olafin had limited regrets about the death of Gower himself. What he was most worried about was that the Russian warriors who were eager to get rich would completely loot and destroy Pskov. Now the situation was deteriorating in a direction that he did not want to see.

"No, I have to go to the king immediately and report my findings."

Olafin didn't need to look left or right, because Rurik was sitting on the sleigh not far away, and beside him sat Bejahir and Brody. The three of them had to rest. Even Rurik, his arms were sore from the high intensity of pulling the bow. He never felt uncomfortable because he was too excited during the battle, but now he feels uncomfortable after resting.

Ordinary trophies have long been out of sight of the three of them, and those ordinary soldiers

They think they can pick up and take away some treasures from the dead.

Now Orafin came in a hurry.

"My friend, you are here. What a coincidence. Let's take a look at the achievements of our army. What do you think?" Rurik asked casually with his legs crossed.

"A great victory." Orafin had no choice but to compliment him, and added as if he was relieved of a heavy burden: "Allow me to report that Gorta... is dead."

"Oh, was that the armored man who yelled at me at the last moment and was eventually killed by random arrows under my command?"

Thinking that the dead body he just saw was indeed filled with arrows, it was terrifying, so the king must be talking about Gore. "It seems that the king already knows about Gao Er's situation?"

"It doesn't matter." Rurik shrugged: "Does it matter whether you know it or not now? When I take a rest, I will chop off that man's head. Orafen, you can also take your brothers into the city to plunder. You must know best if there are any good things, and if you go and get them yourself, it will be rewarded to you."

"Okay, I can go. It's just that I hope the king can treat Pskov well and the killing can stop here." With that said, Olafin resigned and walked in the opposite direction.

He is a smart man and would not go to the big community to participate in the robbery under any circumstances. Firstly, this is to take into account the feelings of those old friends. Secondly, he is setting an example for the guys in the small community. Thirdly, he has a clear conscience.

Orafin, who had been sullen just now, walked back to the empty formation with a few men. He was worried about something that Rurik had guessed.

Looking at this excellent guide who had made meritorious deeds along the way, Rurik's face darkened and he whispered: "The killing is indeed due.

That's it. "

Rurik indeed has no grudge against Gower, but Gower must die.

If this person is the leader of a weak tribe, it would not be inappropriate to subdue him and give him some treasures and tools, just like the Russian army conquered the Seron tribe, the four hundred farmers in Rope Village, and Psko along the way. Thirty households in my husband's small Danish community.

Next, we have to conquer all the Krevic villages in the entire Pskov region!

Provide funding to small, weak and poor forces, and they will become stronger than in the past, but the upper limit of their strength is very limited. When their lives improve, they will be grateful for Ross's gift, and they will definitely rely on Ross economically for sustainability. To get rich, this kind of person cannot rebel due to the limited upper limit of his strength. At most, a popular rebellion cannot shake the power of Ross.

But Gower's biggest problem is that this man is obviously very weak, but he controls a large number of people in a huge area. In theory, this man and his family have a high upper limit of power.

This man is really "unworthy". If we really win over this man and form an alliance with him, what will be the outcome in the future? He is not related to this person, and if Ross recognizes his hegemony in Pskov, his strength will expand rapidly due to each other's economic activities in the future, and a small overlord may emerge within ten years. After all, Goul really controls a large number of Pskov's population. Is Ross going to raise a second Vadim?

Because Rurik had actually heard that there was a Principality of Pskov in another dimension, which together with the Novgorod Republic became the dominant power in the north.

If the Principality of Pskov must exist, her noble

The clan must have the name suffix of Ryulikovich.

Goyle and his family must die, and the sacking of the Great Community is for the benefit of all warriors.

As a result, small-scale street fighting inevitably breaks out.

People who did not want to be slaves fought fiercely with the Ross army who entered the community, but the infantry soldiers wearing heavy armor resisted almost all sneak attacks.

Those attackers were women and old people. Because all the young men and women in the large community had died in the battle, the number of these people was too small and they soon failed.

At first, the young warriors did not intend to kill maliciously, but they had long been a group of bloodthirsty wolves. After their hands were stained with blood at the Gniezdovo Altar, they no longer felt the psychological burden of killing again. After being attacked, they immediately launched a hundredfold counterattack. .

They killed and destroyed people everywhere and looted people's property in large communities.

The soldiers rushed into Gower's mansion. There were actually some beauties hidden in this mansion with gorgeous patterned wood carvings? The Ross warriors rushed forward without hesitation, and finally led a group of unkempt women out of the longhouse like cattle and sheep.

After the initial killings, they began to capture slaves everywhere. As the tightly tied survivors were taken away from the looting site, there were only more than a thousand Rus warriors left in the large community who were hunting grass in the valley.

Slaves, gold, silver, gems, leather, and metal utensils, a search could not satisfy the warriors' appetite.

They maintained the utmost restraint and did not set fire. The flag captains even asked their subordinates to exercise restraint and securely protect the obvious granaries and the leader's residence.

The food collected from each household and the wheat collected from the community's public granary alleviated the potential threat of the Russian army to a considerable extent.

The food crisis meant that everyone could eat happily after the war.

They took away the cattle and sheep, and also took the few local horses out of the stables. However, these horses were too low with shoulders and could not be used except for pulling sleds and wooden carts.

All the property of the large community belonged to the Rus' army, and the servants who only watched on the sidelines and nominally participated in the battle also got a share of the pie after the war.

In this regard Rurik fulfilled his promise.

The sun was shining brightly and the white snow was dazzling. Manchico, the leader of the Rope Village, was initially shocked by the corpses on the ground after the chaos, but when he thought about being able to rush forward to collect loot, his fear was quickly suppressed by the desire to get rich.

"Brothers, follow me and charge! The domineering Gore is dead. Let's go grab it with our skills!"

Because these people made clear signs to show their identity as friendly forces, they looted in large communities, and the Russian soldiers who also searched for property everywhere did not embarrass them.

After leaving the battlefield, Orafin and his men resolutely stayed at the original position, together with the large number of vacant reindeer sleighs left here by the Russian army, silently watching the development of the situation with surprise and melancholy.

"Is this how they fight?" Bohm finally asked.

"Strange, you actually asked me? You have been in their capital for half a year." Olafen asked in surprise.

"Aren't you walking with them all the way? You should know better than me."

"Sigh... Only God knew how they fought before I actually saw them fighting. I really didn't expect that Gower and the others didn't hurt any of Ross, but they were all targeted and shot dead. Gee, Gore didn't even think of himself. That's it

dead. As dead as a hedgehog. "

Speaking of Gore, this man's head had been chopped off with a long-handled forest ax and strung up with a javelin. Rurik raised the javelin and let the cold blood drip on his hands and sleeves. superior.

His behavior seemed like a way to vent his anger, but in fact he really had no hatred for this dead man.

The current situation can really be described as "the dead are more useful than the living." Rurik knew that the most populous villagers of Krivich in Pskov hated this guy who knocked bones and sucked marrow.

But who organized a group of farmers holding wooden shovels and forks? How could he challenge Gore, who was supported by hundreds of armed thugs?

They wanted to kill this man but were unable to do so. Presumably as long as this man's head was shown in public, the villagers would realize that they should kneel down and surrender to the new king.

The cavalry rested for a while. Their sore arms due to too frequent shooting of arrows were slightly relieved, and the warriors collected all arrows on the spot that could be used again.

After all, it was a high-intensity shooting close to the face. About one-third of the arrow shafts broke and collapsed, and half of the short and thick crossbow arrows became waste. There was no reason to recycle them.

Ross has always been like this. Combat arrows are defined as a type of fast consumables. They will never be made very delicately. It is best if the arrows fired can be recycled and reused. It doesn't matter if they are not used.

A large number of arrows scattered on the ground were recovered. Seeing that the cavalry were almost resting, Rurik raised his arms and shouted: "Cavalry! Follow me into the city!"

The cavalry officers responded to the call and rode into the already chaotic community.

At this moment, a considerable number of soldiers have withdrawn

In a large community, they took the loot and rested in a clean snow field.

The Scarlet Battlefield finally ushered in a group of "vultures", who were the villagers of the Rope Village led by Manchico. It didn't matter if there was blood stains. They simply took away all the clothes of the dead warriors, and finally a piece of frozen meat was exposed in a strange posture on the ice and snow, quickly freezing and turning gray-white.

These "vultures" are very confident. The damaged crossbow arrows abandoned by the Russian army have thicker arrow clusters and are not easy to break after quenching treatment. The huge nails quickly forged from small iron ingots made by the fried steel method are in the Manchico doesn't seem to be the best harpoon, but it also works well as a hunting spear.

They dug out some buried hand axes and even bent swords from the snow, and took away any junk that the Russian army did not want.

They made a fortune, and when they saw the Russian soldiers happily gathered together to rest with a large number of cattle, sheep and some female prisoners, they couldn't help but cast envious eyes.