Chapter 1,400 The Expeditionary Force Returns

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Those who died in the war were buried underground. In an open space in the north of the inner city of Mezot, the victors dug two graves. One buried the remains of the Latvian militiamen, and the other was filled with the defeated Semigalia and Oaks. The body of the Shtet.

But the remains of all the Varangians who died in battle were collected, and the dead would be buried at sea or turned into ashes in the manner of the northerners.

However, due to practical factors, the dead soldiers of the Rossalema Army and the Danish soldiers in Riga were lying on the dead wood.

A large number of straw-like firewood piles suddenly appeared on the banks of the Lielupe River. They were made of a large amount of pine wood. The dead were covered with firewood along with some of their relics, and each person's closed right eye was covered with a silver coin.

Legend has it that Odin sacrificed his right eye in order to gain wisdom. These warriors must have sacrificed their own blood to Odin...

After a crude ceremony, all the pyres were set ablaze. The choking smell of burning pine wood completely covered up the weird smell of barbecue. The onlookers spontaneously banged their swords into the sky, squinting in the choking smoke and watching the flames burning more and more fiercely! Until everything was reduced to ashes, and finally among the burnt remains, people gathered up the last fragile bone fragments and put them into the captured pottery urns.

All this is very similar to what the Russian expeditionary force saw in Smolensk.

In other words, throughout the entire "Amber Road", wherever there are settlements with Danish activities, the locals have accepted such cremation ceremonies.

"At least it's better than being buried at sea and feeding the fish. I'll take the pottery urn back and place it in a cemetery area in the Rus neighborhood of Riga, where your remains will rest."

Bar……"

Eric Spjutsson, who witnessed the entire cremation ceremony, was neither excited nor regretful. Although he was only a teenager, what he was witnessing now could not help but give birth to a sense of vicissitudes of life.

As the remains of the last Varyag man who died in battle were put into a pottery urn along with a few pine ashes, a story came to an end.

Take a look at the inner city of Mezotte now!

The villages along the river valley were looted and nothing of use was left.

According to the original battle plan, since the expected decisive battle ended with the complete victory of the Russian-Latvian coalition, it was necessary to launch retaliatory activities against the empty settlements! Even the inner city of Mezot, which was built around a mound altar.

But...are we really going to destroy the big city now? Although the environment of this area is far inferior to the agricultural reclamation area north of the Daugava River, after all, agricultural development has been achieved on both sides of the Lielupe River. The oat seedlings of the losers are growing quietly. Facing a developed mature field, the victors Shouldn't give it up.

So, the victors held a small meeting in the conquered city. Without any objection or dispute, they divided all the fruits of victory.

Who will be the biggest winner after the war?

Since they suffered the most human losses, it seemed that the Latvian militiamen deserved more spoils. It was precisely they who were dissatisfied with the existing spoils, and it was they who clamored for the pursuit of victory.

Even if Stekander and his Danish soldiers have no intention of continuing to go south, the Latvians who hope to make a fortune will spontaneously go south to seize the "home base" of the Semigalians and the undefended city of Pasvalis. Down.

The purpose of the Latvians is not limited to this. The inner city of Mezot should not be burned down. The Russian flag will continue to fly here in the future. The ruled area of ​​​​the Latvian County includes this place, and the Latvian farmers in the north will occupy all the farmland here.

From then on, Mezotne under the rule of the Rus' Kingdom became an important inland trade point connecting the "West Coast" Courland region, so that the stone-digging brothers in the West could happily take the inland waterway and finally reach Riga without having to Then pay any tribute to outsiders.

This was really a reward for Osten's caravan after victory.

One of Ostan's sons was killed in the battle, and his own arm was seriously injured. After being cut open by a broad-leaf spear, he went through some barbaric cleaning and bandaging. He was praying that he would not be "cursed by the evil spirit" and die. He died of a high fever, but he still felt weak a few days later, and the fatal fever did not occur.

Now, the rejuvenated Latvian militiamen are more powerfully armed through capture. They still have a forest of spears and have mastered a batch of rafts and canoes of the defeated.

As for the Latvian businessmen from the city of Riga, it was really contrary to their own livelihood to let them charge forward. In the place of victory, these people did not hesitate to spend the money they had prepared in advance to buy from the Danes and Russians. People bought a group of prisoners of war as slaves. They already controlled a group of ships, and they had the ability to pile tightly tied prisoners of war into the cabins, and quietly float downstream in an almost sinking manner.

Today, there is a bad haze in the sky, and it looks like a rain is going to hit the whole world.

Bad weather cannot stop the victors from expanding their battle

In order to satisfy their desire, the militiamen gathered outside the city and once again gathered in a dark mass. Alongside them were Danish warriors led by Stekander, and even some Saaremaa warriors temporarily placed under his command.

With two waves of powerful Varyag troops pressing down on the formation, and with their own troops still strong, the Latvian soldiers have nothing to fear.

In the past few days, the seriously injured people who were really going to die have died one after another. Most of the people who survived had minor injuries. This also means that as long as they are bandaged properly, most of the injured can join the subsequent robberies with weapons as long as their legs and feet are still agile. plunder.

Stekander's braided beard flowed in the wind, and he felt a chill.

"The weather is bad today, and we still have to march under the haze. I am really worried that we will encounter another enemy counterattack in the south."

Fisk knew that this guy actually wanted to stop, but his men pushed him and continued to lead everyone in the robbery. "You can't shirk it now. Anyway, their big leader is in my hands. Moreover, I'm afraid the leader of the Okshtet people will also be killed by us, and I'm afraid his head will also be thrown into the Jingguan."

"I hope we won't encounter fierce resistance as we go south. To be honest, without the help of your cavalry..." As he said, Stekander glanced at these excited Latvians: "It is impossible to defeat these guys alone. Semigalia! Without you, these are the ones who were captured. Look at them. They even found some coarse cloth bags. They planned to go to the city of Pasvalis and take away everything they could. "

"It's up to them to take away as much as they can." Fisk shrugged: "In Mezot

Inside, the wounded soldiers should stay here to recuperate as much as possible. I will keep two cavalry teams to guard them until King Rus's land army arrives. "

"So, is it really appropriate to bring that Namsis back to Riga safely like this? In my opinion, it is better to chop off this person's head to avoid future troubles. Only by killing him will everyone feel at ease."

Fisk shook his head disapprovingly: "Killing this person is easy. I still think the one who can execute this person must be King Rus."

"Oh, I'm afraid that the king will spare this man's life when the time comes. King Ross, after all, is merciful."

"Mercy? Are you being sarcastic?"

"Only God knows the king's thoughts." There was something in Stekander's words, but this matter was not mentioned at all: "What will happen next? Wait quietly in Riga?"

"Otherwise? However, I think I won't wait long. Unless...the king gives up this year's expedition."

"It is true that the time given to the king is running out. If you go to Frank, you will not drag the time to freeze in the sea. That is the far western world. I am afraid that just the journey will take several months."

"That's not necessarily true." Fisk shook his head: "It's not our first time there, and we know the situation there much better than you do."

"That's true, but it's a pity that I can't join you in conquering Frank to gain glory, and I can't see the king's powerful navy in Riga anymore. I'm about to go south..."

"Okay, we'll just watch you leave here quietly..."

Without further ado, Fisk mounted his horse and immediately organized three cavalry teams to challenge the army that continued the war.

Now it is a war between the Danish-Latvian coalition forces in Riga, and there is nothing left

To thwart their attack, even if it rains heavily and the Lielupe River really rises, they will enter Pasvalis, the largest settlement of the Semigalians in the south, and give the locals a devastating end.

…

The Ross flag is still flying in the inner city of Mezot, and the temporary observation tower built on the mound has been reinforced with wood. A long beam of a demolished house has been erected as a flagpole. Multiple Ross flags are tied side by side on it, protecting it from the strong wind at high places. Flying in the air.

A fleet was ready to go, and a cavalry team on the shore was also making final preparations.

Eric, the young man who was supposed to personally lead the team to participate in the expedition to the south, decided to take the injured brother back to Riga after Fiske considered it again and again. Firstly, the boy needs to recover from his injuries, and secondly, after meeting King Rus, he also wants to take credit for this.

Seeing little Eric fighting bravely and fearlessly, Fisk thought that he could not help but sympathize with him at that time. This was really a kind of sympathy between old Russians.

But he still didn't understand the boy's feelings. The helpless young man Eric could only pouted and led his "pirate army" on Saaremaa Island, escorting the prisoners of war who were tied to each other on the long boat and floated downstream. Riga.

The longboats were connected to each other with ropes to ensure that the boats would not drift apart.

The ropes of the prisoners of war were also tied to each other, so that if someone jumped into the river to escape, he would be dragged tightly by his companions who did not escape, and there would be no way to escape.

Maybe there is no point in doing this. Wouldn't the trapped people be drowned if they fell into the river?

actually not.

In the inner city of Mezotte, there are no shoals for people to wade directly across, even if there are local shoals that can

Shvet River all the way to the west.

What Fisk was wary of was an accident on the flat river section where the ruins of Gawa Village were located. The flat-bottomed longboat could rush directly through the shallow water and silt, even if it was carrying a large number of people, it could still force its way through. But if the prisoners of war seize the opportunity, someone may take advantage of the chaos and escape through the water.

Fisk tried his best to take all precautions before asking the recruited pirates to take care of the prisoners of war. They were authorized to kill any escapee who dared to leave the cabin and get wet. They would immediately stab him to death with a spear in the water without mercy, and assassinate everyone in the same team.

The few Latvians among the victors threatened all the prisoners of war, so-called "if one escapes, ten will be executed." Relying on the fear brought by the continuous sitting system, Fisk believed that the prisoners would not dare to escape.

And he himself has to look after the biggest and unexpected result of this expedition - the leader of Semigalia, Namisis himself.

The dull sound of the horn announced the victory, and the Ross cavalry inserted a spear as a ceremonial guard on the saddle, with the Ross flag tied to the spear. The soldiers hung their helmets on the saddles and took off all their plate armor and placed them near the captured war horses.

The Semigalian cavalry was gone, and the last one hundred good gelding stallions became Ross's temporary pack mules. This was a very practical capture of Fisk, and in the eyes of the captured Namsis, being tied up and placed on horseback, and being guarded tightly by the Varyag cavalry named Ross, every second It's an insult to one's own character.

Fisk is completely uneasy about such a person, so he can place this person next to him for easy supervision at all times.

The march by waterway was peaceful and boring.

The army should have been cautious in the river section of Gawa Village. The army safely passed through the ruins here, and what followed was a more boring final journey.

Just when I saw the dilapidated scene of the village, it turned out that the residents here were loyal to themselves...

The feeling of sadness became more intense due to the haze in the sky. Without noticing, two lines of hot tears burst out from my eyes.

"You guy? You actually cried? What a coward." Fisk said with disdain and cold eyes.

Namsis could understand the Norse language, so he did not dare to bite his tongue and commit suicide, but he hoped to die happily and hastily.

"You! Russians! You should kill me! Otherwise, let me seize the opportunity and run back. I will unite all the soldiers and eventually kill every human and animal in your country."

"Ha! How dare you curse when you end up in a situation that is no better than a sacrifice?" Fisk rolled his eyes at him: "Maybe I should plug your crow's mouth again."

"Either you kill me."

"I have no business doing this. Listen, I have no grudge against you personally, and there is no honor in killing a captured idiot. If I don't kill you, someone might kill you."

"You!" Namsis heard the most arrogant words. He suppressed his blush and asked suddenly: "I should have asked you a long time ago. You are not the Danes in Riga. Although they are all Varyags, why should it be you? Ross organized people to kill me?"

Fisk chuckled: "Want to know?"

"think."

"No one else. Your inner city of Mezot is blocking the road, and our King of Ross is about to come through the road. You fools are unwilling to surrender and die, so our Ross has to organize some Riga militia to help you die. .you!

Namsis, you could have huddled in Pasvalis City, but now you are counterattacking with a large army, so don't blame us for continuing to kill. "

All of this was gangster logic. Namesis was holding back his anger and had nowhere to vent it. He was overwhelmed by the strong sense of frustration.

After being silent for a while, Namsis heard the news silently: "Your leader Ross, what will he do to me? I have no grudge against you."

"Maybe you will be killed, maybe you will be exiled. But...we have actually killed your entire clan, do you really still have the face to surrender? As a man, you can't."

"I! I just want to die quickly." Namsis said harshly.

"That's fine, then you have to take it with you honestly. When you get to King Ross, I will say something nice to you and give you a chance to die with dignity."

Soon, the huge city of Riga, with all the buildings spread out like a pie, comes into view!

Directly to the west is the turbulent Gulf of Riga, and to the east is the broad, quietly flowing Daugava River.

Small fishing boats with Russian boats floating around here are actually Latvian boats with homemade flags. The simple and easy-to-make Russian flag is hung on the mast. It is not only a symbol of status but also a guarantee of safety. Only in this way can they Dare to cross the Saaremaa Island at the exit of the Gulf of Riga and enter the unfamiliar South Baltic Sea to catch more and better catches.

At this time, the Riga merchants who had arrived earlier had already transported the first batch of prisoners of war, and an open-air slave trading market was immediately born.

Merchants raised the price of prisoners of war very high, but even so, Riga, which lacked labor, quickly absorbed these prisoners of war.

Among them, Salle

The Earl of Falkland Islands Puyot is the biggest buyer. It was really because these businessmen kept a close eye on it. They unanimously claimed that the Saaremaa Island Army did not plunder prisoners of war on the battlefield. Spuyut, who needed some slaves to be transported to the island to be used as cattle and horses, happily bought them. Ichiban.

Slave trading is not normal. There were immediate markets in the past, but in the past era, there was only a war ten years ago. Danish mercenaries sold a group of prisoners of war in exchange for a sum of money. To this day, there are still a few prisoners of war who have not been abused. Dead and numb, they have to continue working as serfs.

The scale of this slave trade was unprecedented, and its existence perfectly proved the coalition's victory.

However, the merchants also deliberately concealed the fact that the Varyag army and the Latvian militia suffered as many as 2,000 casualties, and their own losses were indeed unprecedented.

With the arrival of the new waterway parallel team, all two thousand prisoners of war were transported back to Riga.

"Hey, if I had known that my son had robbed so many slaves, why would I have spent so much money?" What else could Spuyut say? He went to the dock in person and watched boat after boat of slaves crossing the entire Daugava River from the opposite bank into the main city of Riga on the right bank.

The slaves were all placed on the dock floor, and their faces were drawn with a block of charcoal, with diagonal lines drawn in them to mark them as Ross's slaves.

"We have triumphed." Fisk, who had just landed, said, his eyes also glanced at the coast, and then faced Spyut who greeted him with a smile: "Uncle, all the enemies have been eliminated. Now I can report to the king. . He...should not accuse me of taking unauthorized actions."

"

Indeed, you have brought back so many slaves that this battle exceeds my tone. But...the king's army has not arrived yet. "

"That's fine." Fisk shrugged. Behind him were more ships. Horses and cavalry rode in a long boat. They had to be careful to cross the river. The expedition was not truly over until they landed. "The king will definitely come back. Now we have a lot of time to rest and recuperate. It's really bad. The weather has been bad in recent days. Fortunately, we got back before it rained."

"Then just relax and cultivate." As an elder, Spyut patted Fisk on the shoulder casually: "I learned that the main force is still going south. That is the war between the Latvians and our Ross has nothing to do with it, and there is also the St. That guy Kander, let him be."

"That's fine." That's all, Fisk snapped his fingers, and the unlucky guy who was tied up was still on the ground.

"Is this a high-level prisoner of war?" Spuyut hit the nail on the head.

"Indeed, uncle, you would never have guessed that this is the leader of the Semigalians."

"You actually captured their leader? You even made a special trip to bring him back. Could it be that this was just to show off to the king?"

"Exactly. Uncle!" Fisk triumphantly stepped on Namsis's face: "This fool and his army of 10,000 people were defeated. I still need to personally report the victory to the king. Your son Those who have made great achievements on the battlefield also need to be commended by the king. But this person..."

"I understand." Spuyut nodded deeply: "I will keep this person under strict supervision to prevent him from escaping. Maybe I should cut off this person's hamstrings to avoid trouble."

"It doesn't matter, I'll give it to the king alive anyway."

Forget it. "Fisk knew that Spyut's casual words would probably still be implemented. Anyway, Namsis wanted to die, so it would be better to cut his hamstrings and escape. "Anyway, Semigalia has collapsed, and the king is gone. The land route occupied the area called Courland, and I think it has been smooth all the way. Moreover, now that Semigalia was laid bare, there was no enemy left to threaten Riga. "

"Good job. Great!" Spout was so excited that his body couldn't help but tremble. He had no choice but to pat the back on the shoulder and rub the furry head of his son Eric who was standing next to him.