Chapter 861 It’s Important for Stockholm Not to Have Them

Late at night, some people holding torches were running through the quiet winding streets of Stockholm. They were walking in a hurry but could not hide the sleepiness on their faces.

Nowadays, Bjorn is no longer the king, but the new king Rurik still gives him a lot of face. For example, his family occupied the residence of the earliest rulers, the Olegin family, and Rurik did not pursue this matter.

Not being a king reduces a lot of disputes. While he loses the right to freely go to war, he does not have to be responsible for the defense and security of the entire Sweden.

He found that he could be a rich man. As long as he quietly went about his business, his descendants would simply enjoy happiness.

He is not a man with great ambitions, and he is even less able and unwilling to raise a large army to attack the enemy. When he was king in the past, even if he knew that the Götalans were encroaching northward and had even gone beyond the traditional excuse and started to eat into the living space of the Swedish people, his attitude was completely wait-and-see.

Duke Bjorn, who had degenerated into an ordinary landed noble, would have become as unknown as before if he had not been promoted by King Rurik.

A messenger from the king arrived at the mansion overnight. He was busy having an intimate relationship with his favored slave, but Shu Shuang was suddenly interrupted.

Since it was an order from the king and the matter was so urgent that it had to be communicated overnight, there was no other way.

"This Rurik...which king would summon the nobles at night." He murmured and hurriedly changed his clothes, so that the favored slaves who were covering their bodies were waiting with peace of mind and were not allowed to sleep first. After that, he took a few followers and went straight to the Ross shopping area, which also served as the office of the Governor's Mansion.

During the day, King Rurik marched through the city with his glorious army. Bjorn knew all this. It was fair to say that he was envious and jealous in his heart, but when he stood by the water and looked at his face, everything calmed down. What qualifications does a forty-year-old guy have to compete for power with an eighteen-year-old promising leader?

He fully accepted Rurik as the new king. As for the big land nobles in the Melalen tribe, they easily accepted the reality. In particular, the renaming of Birka to Stockholm was simply a decree of "ten years of tax exemption", which gave huge benefits to all the large landed aristocrats of the tribe. Which nobleman would dare to challenge the past that granted him complete tax-free privileges?

The area controlled by the Mellaren Tribe is very large and rather trivial. The urban area of ​​Stockholm is adjacent to the Great Lake. Apart from fishing villages and commercial areas, there is vast farmland. Some of the landed aristocrats live here, producing agricultural and animal husbandry products in the agricultural area, and then transporting them to the nearby commercial area for sale, achieving a one-stop service of low-cost production, supply and marketing.

Including Bjorn, as many as ten land nobles ran wildly on the night road, heading directly to the venue provided by Rurik.

The Ross Shop is an area surrounded by wooden walls. It was the support and recognition of the Principality of Ross that led this group of land nobles to join forces to assassinate the ruler Karl. King Karl is killed and Bjorn becomes king. After the incident, Ross naturally obtained tax-free privileges in the market. As a result, he demolished some local people's houses, expanded the land and built warehouses, and surrounded the shopping area with thick wooden walls, which was equivalent to forming an independent market. A fortress that is easy to defend but difficult to attack.

Now that Rurik of Rus is the king, when the land nobles come here again, they will not face a warehouse, but a real military fortress, a fortress of royal power that can shock the entire Sweden.

The independent wooden room was brightly lit, the fireplace heated the house extremely warm, and the matrix of oil lamps hanging from the roof illuminated every face clearly.

Everyone saw King Rurik clearly, his face was serious and not sleepy.

There were wooden benches placed on both sides of the wooden house. The nobles sat down casually, except for Rurik who was pacing in front of everyone.

The king had no intention of paying any courtesy and did not bother to answer the nobles' greetings.

He paced up and down with his hands behind his back and said bluntly: "Today, my king was roaming around the city and saw a lot of things. I know that you either watched in person or sent envoys. You must be praising the magnificence of the army. Indeed, my The army is always like this, not only gorgeous and unstoppable. However, I noticed another group of people, those huge numbers of fishermen. I learned that these fishermen are not local farmers, they simply rely on fishing for hygiene. They live in Stockholm! After I issued the tax exemption order, some fishermen came here again. This was my miscalculation! Stockholm is not big, so so many people suddenly came, is it a good thing?"

Rurik deliberately calmed down when he said this. He squinted his eyes and looked left and right, silently asking everyone what to do.

The king's words hit the fishermen directly, and his attitude was clearly rude.

The nobles looked left and right, and the smart ones among them basically guessed what the king meant.

Probably, the king wanted to expel these fishermen, right?

Bjorn is the most noble among the nobles, and he is also the abdicated king, so he has the most say.

"King, what do you want? Could it be that you want to expel those fishermen from Biel... Stockholm?"

"Expulsion? You got half the answer right." Rurik sighed slightly and looked around deliberately. "Actually, for me, it is very important that there is no such group of fishermen in Stockholm. I think it is also necessary for you. I want to know about you Attitude! You! How do you view the fishermen who have lived here for a long time? I want you to speak your mind."

honestly? If he really speaks his mind, will he be hit because he disagrees with the king?

The nobles all looked at Bjorn, making it difficult for him to get off the stage.

"Of course I have to say this." Bjorn became fierce and raised his voice: "I personally hate those fishmongers! Their business is just fishing, and there is nothing else. If they are elsewhere No matter how many local fishing villages are organized in our trading ports, how many of those thieves and gangsters come from these free fishermen? I dare say nine out of ten. The fishermen in the port area are the source of all evil, like parasites Growing on the body of cattle, they are not considered Malaren people at all. When Olegin summoned an army to attack Denmark, these fishermen ran away after hearing the news. When I was king, these people never obeyed the arrangements. Liuli Grams, now you are the king, you can do well."

Since Governor White Fox was also present, Bjorn, who was already quite excited in his words, went one step further: "It is shameless to kill your own people, but those fishmongers occupying this port is not a good thing for us merchants. If the king can disperse them all, we people There is no need to worry about bandits.”

As soon as Bjorn finished speaking, seeing someone standing up for him, many local nobles, including big landowners and businessmen, immediately began to murmur in bitterness.

Is it really the big businessmen who have been working hard for the fishmongers for a long time?

"Shut up!" Rurik spread his arms and shouted, silencing them all.

"I understand what you mean! Since we are all disgusted with those fishmongers, are you all satisfied with letting them all leave?"

"Do you really want to expel them?!" Bjorn asked again, struggling for words.

"That's natural, otherwise I wouldn't have asked you to gather so late. I don't really mean to drive them away. I will move them all away from your eyes and demolish all the private buildings! When the time comes, You can build your own shops and warehouses in the port area, and you can also build larger docks. I want to give Stockholm a peaceful trading environment, and all of you must cooperate in this matter."

"Cooperate? How should we cooperate?" When Bjorn took the lead in asking this, it represented the full support of all nobles.

Rurik was a little worried that they would not cooperate, but now his worries are gone.

"Of course you must cooperate. I know that you now have twenty to one hundred private soldiers on hand, and many mercenaries who sell their physical strength are also working for you. If there were not always bandits, you wouldn't have the trouble to keep such More private soldiers. I want you to assemble private soldiers to help me drive away those fishermen. Listen, my methods will be very powerful, and you must cooperate with me to complete the measures."

No one would doubt Rurik's method, and this so-called method was to form a coalition to forcefully control the free fishing village entrenched in the port area, and finally take the captured fishermen to the king, and then use the king's fleet to Just pull it away.

In fact, they know very well that the Russians have been immigrating to the Lake Malaren area over the years. It was this Rurik who even spent his own money to help debt-ridden peasant families pay off their debts and redeem serfs. Rurik was definitely not really kind. He himself became the biggest creditor, and those who were ransomed could only follow him. It is said that they were all transported east to open up land for Ross. How the people who were forced to immigrate were living now, the nobles did not know and were too lazy to hear the news.

The fishermen who will be surrounded are destined to be transported away. As for what Rurik will do with this group of people, who cares?

The nobles only care about their own interests!

Late at night, the king made an agreement with the local nobles of Mellaren.

Those fishing villages controlled by fishermen must be wiped off the map, and the free space will be used for urban expansion. The expansion of Stockholm is inevitable, and the top priority is that huge grain delivery requires a wide space and a stable environment.

The nobles were obsessed with Rurik. The so-called big ship ordered by each tribe was anchored and floating on the lake. If you want to get it, you must complete the delivery of food. The small Gould Island is not suitable for huge amounts of grain trade. The trading place is located in the former commercial street, and it seems too cramped to continue trading.

So, those fishermen have to leave.

Rurik's plan for the nobles was to organize their manpower throughout the day tomorrow, and to gather as many people as possible on the third day. He also ordered: "Bring more wooden shields and clubs. I don't want you to really kill them all. You have to drive them away. If there is resistance, try to tie them up with ropes. You just need to take them overland to the Governor's Mansion." I will be here to guard you as soon as possible."

It is equivalent to saying that the main task of driving away fishermen is done by local nobles. The smart nobles realize that the bad reputation of driving away fishermen will fall on themselves. What else can be done? Driving away the fishermen is good for everyone.

Rurik will not be the ultimate good guy. According to his plan, he will start moving the entire fleet tomorrow evening, block the port with the king's order, and ban the night fishing operations of Stockholm fishermen. The port area has been closed since the evening and will not reopen until the dust settles.

As for the merchant ships coming from other places during this period, they can only be trapped outside the blockade.

As the king, Rurik will take the lead in taking action, which is a reassurance for the nobles.

The plan was made and it was immediately put into execution.

This peaceful day seems to be no different from other days. The majority of farmers in Mälaren are still busy harvesting oats. Some farmers who have finished harvesting first have already gone to battle with their whole families to thresh the wheat ears with their cheeks.

Those fishermen were not aware of the misfortune that was about to be released on their heads. They fished or fished and fished as usual. They did not notice that the Ross fleet had begun to move, and the troops were continuously moving from Gould Island to the land.

The fishermen also didn't know that the big families living in the city were spontaneously interacting with the families who settled in remote areas. Even Bjorn transferred some people from his ancestral home.

The local nobles organized their manpower in their mansions, and all men who could take up arms were organized.

In principle, these people are warriors of the Melalen tribe. This time they are no longer holding sharp blades, but sticks and cables. Although many people think that driving away fishermen is meaningless, since the master who hired them is willing to pay them with food, why not do it. The mobilized people did not want to kill the fishermen, but they still took care of each other and lived in Lake Malaren. Since we just forced them to move and drove them to the king's camp, that would be the end of it, and the psychological burden would be gone.

Because all this is the arrangement of the king and the nobles.

In the afternoon, something visible to the naked eye finally happened.

The Ross fleet formed a long snake formation, with the ships connected end to end and tied to each other with ropes. A circle of ships surrounds the port area. There is no exit here, and the gap between the ships cannot pass through the rowing boats. Only sampans that can only take one or two people can pass through.

The fishing boat trying to pass through the gap was shot at intimidatingly by the Ross Navy's torsion slingshot. Although it was still stubborn, just when it was about to pass through the gap, the ship was punched with holes by cast iron bullets, and the fishermen were fished out and captured.

As long as they are captured, they will be transported directly to Gould Island and imprisoned. The fishermen asked why, but no one told them.

The entire Stockholm port was completely blocked, and the floating ships flew the flag of Chess. The landing Russian troops also set up flags outside the city.

The whole city was on lockdown, but that wasn't quite the case. The real traders ran away. They didn't live in the city, so they took Xinruan and fled in a hurry. The strange thing was that the Russian army did not stop them.

This is actually a loophole, or it is also an open door that Rurik intentionally or unintentionally placed in the siege.

Those who want to be taken away are pure fishermen in the port area. If they evacuate by land, they will abandon the fishing boats and shacks on which they rely for a living. There may be fishermen who feel the danger and run away with their families, but the vast majority of fishermen must maintain a wait-and-see attitude.

The merchants outside could not get in, and the small traders who escaped inside spread all kinds of news. No matter how bizarre the news was, there was no doubt that King Rurik had taken control of the city.

The fishermen remained unfazed, and the commercial street was completely deserted by evening.

The largest tavern in Chengli controlled by Ross would have a large number of small businessmen coming here at night to buy cheap ale, drink it, and then talk happily. Now, the tavern has closed its doors due to lack of interest.

The city fell silent, quieter than ever tonight.

Any local nobles who were mobilized could find Shuyuan www.zhaoshuyuan.com and their private soldiers were making final rest. Private soldiers from all walks of life tried their best to arm themselves. Those who were capable wore chain mail, and those who were not capable wore a layer of leather as much as possible. No one used swords or battle axes, but sticks of varying lengths.

Each noble reported their mobilization status to Rurik, and nearly a thousand private armed forces would join the hunt for fishermen.

When the rooster crows for the first time, the sleeping private soldiers wake up one after another.

At this time, the well-prepared Ross army also stood up. Even the horses that were transported to the shore, the riders jumped on the horses holding the flagpole high.

Part of Stockholm is awake, and part of it is still asleep.

The sky turned sky blue, the eastern sun was still below the horizon, and the sky over there had been illuminated yellow.

The sound of horns and drums suddenly sounded loudly, which not only signaled the soldiers to take action, but also woke up all the fishermen.

All the nobles who are ready take action!

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