Chapter 804 Burnholm in Ross

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The Bernholm people represented by Swander have not been to the East Baltic Sea, and they only have anecdotal knowledge of the geography and hydrology there. watermark advertisement test watermark advertisement test

Although it was Ragnar's mouth to speak of the Burnholm Islanders' request for an alliance, Spooter took it mainly as his own. After all, Ragnar was a Dane, and the one who brought the leader of the islanders all the way to Novgorod was Taspuyut, an old Rus.

Spuyote even changed his normal behavior, and the three ships flew directly over Saaremaa Island, not even going to Tombstone Island in the north for supplies.

Swinder was stunned as they raced all the way through the Gulf of Finland, while the jibs swept northward with the southerly wind and with incredible speed.

It's not surprising that sails drive boats, but Rus' boats are not only big, but also fast. Relying on the traditional dragon-headed longship to compete with the Rus for speed is to kill yourself.

Swinder noticed that he was in an eastern bay. After passing a sand island, a huge and continuous wall appeared in front of him.

"Where is this? Is it your Rus' home?" Swinder sighed.

Spuyote, who was blowing on the deck, looked arrogant: "This is our New Roseburg."

"Your leader is here too?"

"He's farther away. Listen, our journey isn't over."

The governor, old Conuson, was very strange to the pirate gang who suddenly came back. Could it be that they grabbed too many things just after rushing to the west and came back to sell the stolen goods.

When he brought a group of men to the port to move supplies, he saw the waterline of the ship and knew that they had not achieved anything.

Old Konuson raised his head and asked loudly, "Did you forget to bring something? What are you doing here?"

"We want to see the prince! I want to present a gift to the prince!" Spuyut roared with a smile while leaning on the railing.

"What gift?"

"A guy who wants to take refuge. We will rest overnight at the port, and we will continue our journey tomorrow."

Old Conuson must know what the situation is. When he learned that the entire Burnholm Island intends to form an alliance with the Duchy of Ross, it is a good thing.

He hastily invited Swinder, who was visiting Ross for the first time, and his entourage to a feast.

The old governor even put the messenger directly into the city, so that Swinder was also deeply shocked by the great city of the Rus.

Without him, this place is too big! The streets are scattered, the hardened roads are very clean, and there is no peculiar smell when you smell it. What shocked him most was the huge hardened flat ground in Harvest Square and the tall buildings built around the square.

At this time, the farmland near the New Rose Fort had completed the spring ploughing, and with the still rough agriculture of the Rus Principality, it was not taken care of after planting. People still have a variety of production jobs.

What Swinder saw in the city refreshed his views, and he even yearned for life here.

Old Konuson had his own ideas. The so-called outsiders who were willing to take refuge in the city saw the great prosperity of the city, and it was bound to deepen their determination to take refuge.

The ships got some supplies and moved on against the Neva, and during the thaw and flood season, they had to be towed by paddle boats and combined with the use of sails to absorb the thrust of the southerly wind.

The huge Ladoga Lake is nearby, and the lake at this time forms a water transportation line. Those were traditional paddle boats that transported stones found on the shores of Lake Onega.

The stone was found during the freezing period. After the ice thawed, large-scale stone transportation has begun, and a batch of stone has arrived in Novgorod.

The southerly wind is accompanied by the river water flowing northward. The current navigable situation of the Volkhov River is a bit awkward. Although it is possible to sail against the wind, the speed is still inferior to that of a paddle boat all the way to Lake Ilmen in the south.

Three boats rhymed Swinder deep into the hinterland of Eastern Europe. The scenery of the lakes and mountains here was more than shocking to Swinder. He exclaimed that he found a sea without salty taste, and then learned that it was a huge lake.

The city of Novgorod stands on the river, and the riverbank and the extended area have large tracts of farmland.

He was envious of a comfortable idyllic scene, but also felt even more bizarre. He never thought that the vicious Rus people could still produce materials by themselves?

In a short period of time, the old islander was exposed to so many novelties that he had to accept the fact that the Rus were far stronger than the Danish tribes.

Swinder stood in the port of Novgorod, and he and his entourage just watched cautiously and dumbly.

Spuyut and the others came back after a month. Rurik, who was busy with internal construction, heard the report, so he didn't have to think too much that something big happened.

A peaceful life will always be disrupted by some unexpected events. Rurik was already mentally prepared. Even if he learned that the Danes had formed a group to kill him again, he would not think it was outrageous. Anyway, if someone attacked, he would cut it back. He doesn't want to fight this year. If the enemy wants to fight, then start the war in advance! Even if Ross's military strength can be increased by another 50% next year.

He walked out of his palace in a hurry, even dressed in civilian clothes, and hurried to the pier with his entourage. I saw a group of royal pirates running back like this, no matter how they look at it, they don't seem to have gotten a big benefit.

"What's going on? You guys came back too early! Who's going to tell me what's going on?!"

The crowd onlookers heard the shouts of the prince, especially Spuyut, who knew that he had to give the prince a clear explanation. How to explain? A thousand words are not as useful as the appearance of a character.

Spuyut pushed Swinder, the islander who had entered the plains of Eastern Europe for the first time, and pushed him in front of Rurik.

"Prince, we came back with a baby."

"What baby?! Spoon, you'd better tell me you got a lot of amber."

"It's a baby. You see, it's the man."

"Huh?!" Rurik was speechless. Spuyote's words are really nonsensical. Could it be that the unremarkable guy who was pushed out by him could still be a baby?

"Who is this?" Rurik asked patiently, frowning.

Spuyote straightened his back: "Why don't you come and listen to what he has to say."

Therefore, when Rurik looked at this man, the man Swinder looked at the tall young man in front of him. Looking at the current scene, there are probably thousands of people gathered at the pier, the crowd is full of people, and it seems that more people come to watch the fun. Obviously, the man who can have such a great appeal is the young man in front of him, who is the supreme leader of the Rus people.

Swinder was trembling, and the tremors in his legs were beyond the control of his head.

"I... I'm from Bornholm. I'm a messenger..."

"What? Bornholm?" Rurik's eyes sharpened instantly, and the man in front of him felt boring because of his unremarkable appearance. If it had something to do with Bornholm Island, it would be completely different.

Rurik asked again and again, and was shocked to learn this astonishing fact that the Bornholm Islanders sent messengers, and the purpose of the islanders was very pure, that is, they hoped to make peace with Ross.

"You're a messenger, that's fine! But, do you mean anything? I don't trust you very much. You look like a beggar, ragged, and a lowly person doesn't deserve to talk to me." Rurik deliberately arrogant Ang put on the posture of a king. First, he was really arrogant, and secondly, he was trying to scare the messenger.

Swinder was not frightened, he did not dare to confront him with force, nor would he admit his own inferiority for his own honor. He calmly stated: "Our island does not have the greatest leader, and everything is discussed. They elected me as the temporary leader, and I came with their prayers for peace. We only have one request, I hope you Rus... can... Stop the persecution of our islanders."

"Have I persecuted you?" Rurik scratched his head, thinking that something really happened, or that he was the initiator of the crazy attack on Bornholm Island. "Oh, there is such a thing. You are Danish lackeys and you deserve to be beaten."

"Sir, at least give us a way out. We want peace, and we should have a good talk."

"Want to talk? Yes. But..."

"how?"

"You can't see me in such a sloppy image." After that, Rurik ordered Spewt and Ragnar directly, "You two take this guy who came out of the mud away, and go cover him. The mud is cleaned, the dirty hair is washed. Tomorrow I will have a formal conversation with the Bornholm messenger."

Rurik felt that his decision was wise. Although Bornholm Island itself is not big, there must be 5,000 islanders on it, even if it has been attacked frequently over the years.

They sent messengers to ask for peace talks. Peace talks are certainly possible, and a peace treaty can be signed as long as a satisfactory price is paid.

Of course, they can only sign an unequal treaty with Ross, and Ross must have a major advantage.

Now that things have happened, let's go with the flow to seek benefits. What are the benefits to be asked for? This will take some time to research.

Rurik ordered the messenger to bathe and change into clean clothes suitable for his identity, and by the way, he also let him see how the Rus lived.

Because the living conditions in the core area of ​​the Principality of Ross are not only stable and peaceful, but the substantial increase in the efficiency of material production has brought about a "great supply of materials".

Compared with the material abundance of the industrial age, Ross has a huge advantage over the materials owned by the extraterritorial tribes. This is a kind of sword called "soft power". Rurik also saw that in this era, there are no family and country feelings, and most of them are Viking tribes who live together. Who can provide a better way of life, more People outside the region have a high probability of immigrating spontaneously when they learn the news.

That night, the messenger Swinder and his gang ate bread and roasted meat. He couldn't understand why Prince Ross entertained such a sumptuous meal. He can only subjectively think that the Rus people are willing to make peace with each other, and this delicious meal is a signal of peace.

Swinder guessed right, but not quite.

The times are not the past, and Rurik, who has the soul of the East, pays attention to entertaining foreign envoys to show the generosity of the prince of Rus, and to satisfy the glorious pursuit of the supreme ruler of a big country.

Put on a tribal leader for an audience, a few delicious meals and warm accommodation are indispensable.

And Rurik held a small meeting with the returning people in the evening, and he figured out what happened to Speuter and his party.

But he had no idea that Ragnar was the proposer and executor of the entire peace plan, and what Speuter did was really smooth sailing.

The whole island of Bornholm has essentially seceded from Denmark, and they want to ally with Ross?

Rurik deliberately wanted to listen to Ragnar's opinion, so after being specially heard, Ragnar, who felt that the timing was about the same, simply no longer held his composure, and directly named his purpose: "We all have a common enemy, the hateful Denmark. King Horrick. As you said, you intend to support me as the new king of Denmark. If I succeed, my Denmark will also ally with Ross. Rurik, you must be sincere, so I will be active in the Danish world Look for the anti-King, organize and find the right time to attack. When we do it together, we will be successful. So we need those people on Bornholm who deserve to be drawn."

Going to war with Denmark was a big deal, and Rurik actually had a grudge. He believes that Denmark has a strong strength, and Ross still needs several years of power accumulation to have an absolute military advantage.

Ragnar's appeal was constructive. He would rectify the anti-King people in exile and form a coalition before going to war. Ragnar himself is basically difficult to complete the great cause alone, and he needs the military support of the Principality of Ross.

Bornholm Islanders demanded that peace be restored, and Ragnar had to pay the benefits to become the new king of Denmark with Ross's support.

Of course, he has to ask for a lot of benefits, otherwise why would Ross help him with Ragnar?

What benefits will the future ask for in the future, and now Rurik only wants one - the surrender of the entire Bornholm Islander.

Rurik made a very refreshing decision.

"Why should I ally with them? I want that island under my rule, I can even appoint a governor and relocate some of the islanders inland. I want their islands to fly my flag and roaming fishing boats with me I want them to organize an army to attack the King of Denmark when necessary."

"Ah! This request..." Ragnar never thought that Prince Ross wanted to swallow a whale.

"What? You don't think I can do it?"

"You can definitely do it. It's just that they can surrender to you just because of a negotiation. I find it difficult."

"Generally speaking, this is the case." Rurik shrugged and joked: "Don't they want peace? I'll give them peace. If their messengers don't accept it, just keep fighting."

From Rurik's standpoint, Bernholm was very close to Denmark, but was still too far from the nearest stronghold of the Principality of Ross.

If the local islanders surrender, Ross will also be difficult to rule directly because the sky is high and the emperor is far away. Even if direct rule is chosen, the cost of governance is too high.

He set himself a bottom line - the islanders can't give their lives to King Horrick of Denmark.

The messenger Swinder, who had rested all night, was looking forward to the meeting with Prince Ross. Because of the hospitality, he thought that this meeting would have a very successful outcome.

After breakfast, he was urged by the soldiers to go to the prince's palace, where he was checked again, and met Rurik in an absolutely defenseless manner.

He cautiously entered the hall, and saw a big man dressed in a white bear skin sitting casually, with a small table in front of him, with wine and snacks on the table. This is nothing, and looking at the circle of bear heads hanging on the wooden wall is extremely mighty.

Swinder wanted to say something, but Rurik spoke first.

There was no reason for any polite words, and Rurik gave the messenger a multiple-choice question in the tone of command: "You Burnholm people, either as my vassals, pay tribute to me every year and hang our flag, or... ...still in a state of war!"

Hearing that, Swinder's head suddenly became bigger. He originally thought that the Kingdom of Ross would have such a request, but they really did.

Seeing that there were no other nobles present, the armored warrior sat under the bear's head.

Swinder sucked in a breath, maybe he refused, and it was almost impossible to leave alive.