Rise of Rurik

Now, the burgers are heating up.

The snow on the house melted rapidly in the sun, flowing like a stream, and then gradually froze at night, becoming an exaggerated icicle that could be seen early in the morning, and continued to disappear rapidly.

The visible snow is disappearing and the whole world is getting wet.

This is only February, and the current scene will not be seen in the hometown of the Russians until April, and even in Novgorod it will not be seen until March.

On the Elbe River, the ice that could once support the bloody battle of thousands of people has now completely shattered.

The ice flow has begun, and the ice layer has melted to a point where it is no longer enough to maintain a stable structure, and the spring floods have begun. The ice discharge process of the entire basin is now.

Countless pieces of ice drifted rapidly toward the sea. They continuously hit the wooden floating body of the pontoon, hitting and squeezing it with their huge mass.

The situation of the iceberg had already been taken into account when the bridge was built. The iceberg could not destroy the bridge, nor could it destroy the anchored Ross fleet.

The thousands of soldiers waiting to return home were in a restless spirit. Almost all of them were willing to stay by the riverside and watch the ice cubes floating towards the ocean as far as the eye could see, and discuss the specific date of their departure.

Theoretically, the current situation will not affect the drifting of ships down the river. When the Gulf of Bothnia thaws on a large scale in the north, longships can travel in the ocean of endless broken ice, not to mention that the flowing ice in the Elbe River is small and easy to move. Shattered without any threat.

There were people discussing their return home and packed bags everywhere.

Rurik himself was also in a very restless mood. A long expedition was over and it was time to go home.

There are still some things that need to be resolved before going home.

The Russian-Danish coalition has been living in the Saxony area for half a year, and has made a detailed investigation of the hydrological data, offshore sea conditions, and land conditions here. Being a pirate is definitely not everyone's original intention. If there is a warm land that can be taken over for farming and reclamation, everyone is willing to take it over and settle in it.

The area near the city of Hamburg is already very attractive to Ragnar's Danish army. They saw with their own eyes that the Elbe River was flowing on a large scale in February. Wouldn't it be possible to sow seeds when the snow melts away? Even this past winter was a total freeze, and most years the river didn't freeze at all.

Therefore, the salt boiling ground opened by the Russian army at the mouth of the Elbe River has become a small fishing village. It will become reasonable for a large number of Danes to visit and stay nearby in the future.

Although Duke Liudov of Saxony was a little unhappy about this, he could only admit it.

Saxony still needed the protection of all the Normans for a period of time, and Liudolf needed to maintain a humble attitude.

King Rurik of Rus intends to hold another dinner party and take the opportunity to discuss some matters. Taking this opportunity, Liudov just stated some of his other demands.

The stone interior is brightly lit, and the fire from the matrix of oil lamps dispels the coldness and humidity of the melting snow period. There is grilled fish and ale, as well as scones and wheat porridge.

Rurik will never treat himself badly when it comes to food, and he must eat "delicacies from mountains and seas" whenever he has the opportunity.

No noble is naturally willing to eat simple food. Once they come into contact with real delicacies, the desire deep in their souls will be aroused. Even the northern archbishop Aisi Hungry, who has always claimed to be an ascetic, his deep desire for barbecue burst out tonight.

The land belonged to Liudov, and the cook and ingredients were all provided by Rurik.

All the kings, nobles and archbishops from the north gathered here.

The archbishop of the archdiocese actually sat down for dinner with the "Norman chiefs". The scene was so ungodly that those who felt uncomfortable had no choice but to join in.

No, Eskil and Hadbold, as two archbishops, insist on grabbing food with their bare hands, even if this will make their hands extremely greasy. They can also recite a prayer before eating, claiming that this delicious meal is A gift from God.

Rurik understood these Latin words, but he ignored them.

Real military nobles all use knives as their main tableware, supplemented by spoons and forks. It seems inappropriate to really grab food with bare hands.

Because King Ross was flexibly manipulating two walrus ivory sticks, skillfully grabbing food and stuffing it into his mouth. The nobles were not surprised, but his eldest son Regraf also came to this dinner. This little boy was as proficient in using the "stick" as his father.

Rurik, King of Rus, Ragnar, King of Denmark, Joseph Blue Fox, Count of Gothenburg, Javro, Count of Finland, Medvet, Governor of Novgorod, and Spuyut, Count of Saaremaa Island.

King Aenred of Northumbria and his crown prince Ella, Viking King Biyoni Magnutson of York, Viking Earl of Lindsey Floki Magnutson, King Reglaf of Mercia .

Duke Liudolf of Saxony and his son Bruno, Count Henry of Nassau of the Netherlands, Count Robert of Hamburg, and Count Baudouin of Flanders.

King Ludwig of East Francia, Archbishop Eskil of the North, Archbishop Hardbold of Cologne.

The stone room restaurant was crowded with nobles. There were ruthless people with tattoos on their faces, well-dressed nobles, simple priests, and young nobles with immature faces.

This is a historic dinner. If there is photography technology to capture it, it will become a testament to history.

Rurik had his own way. Afterwards, he used charcoal to roughly draw the aristocratic seats for this dinner on hard paper to lay the foundation for future generations' artistic development. But this is a story for another day.

They drank ale happily, and Rurik took out the last bottles of spirits.

He covered his beard and drank burning liquor to show off, which completely relieved the tense atmosphere.

"It's magic! Is this magic?!" Hudbold was surprised and his eyes widened.

Not surprised, Eskil glanced at his fellow believer and just smiled without saying a word.

The priest had not drunk any wine, but the nobles drank a lot. The young nobleman needed to prove that he was a real man, so Reglaf drank a large glass of ale in public.

This is like a petition. As Rurik's eldest son Reglaf is barely ten years old, he can be invited to this dinner by his father Rurik simply because he is an important role.

Taking advantage of the drunkenness, Rurik introduced his son in a high-profile manner: "Reglaf, my eldest son! He is not a warrior of Odin. He has converted to your God. This is his innate destiny. .I want him to stay in Hamburg. Liudolf! Liudolf, Duke of Saxony! You are his second father! Oh no, he married your daughter, and you are his father. Reglaf wants to live here , until he really grows up. Then...take back his kingdom of Mercia."

Liudov had already learned about it at this time, and now Rurik himself said that the matter was obviously dead.

Reglaf was like a hostage, but an extremely noble hostage.

The tipsy Liudov also made a high-profile announcement: "When Reglaf turns twelve, we will arrange for him to marry my daughter! Our two families are already engaged. On the wedding day, the Northern Church will definitely bless them in a high-profile manner." .”

In response to this, Eskil stood up the aging body enthusiastically: "This is what we all support! I will personally bless them, this is my honor."

The atmosphere was lively and lively, but now that the local nobles of Mercia were fighting for power, King Aynred of Northumbria had to cool down the lively atmosphere.

"But Mercia is in a civil war! Many local nobles have become kings. Wessex has been coveting Mercia for a long time. As long as they are willing, the entire Mercia will be annexed. When the time comes, should we use troops against Wessex? ?”

"Then fight!" Rurik slapped the table resolutely. Everyone could see that the noble king was getting more and more agitated due to drunkenness, and his words were also extremely brutal: "London! Winchester! Canterbury! Let's go plunder. , Go and get rich! If they dare to attack my son’s Mercia, I will send troops to fight them. And you! If you can, send troops and make the people of Wessex suffer!"

He really spoke the truth while drunk, and the drunk Ragnar was so arrogant that he knocked on the wooden table: "According to the treaty, we Danes can't rob Saxony or shoot Flanders in the future. If we rob Frank, it's a long way to go, and then we'll rob Wesek." Si. Haha! Very close!”

The ruthless people with Viking blood present slapped the table one after another, and everyone yelled and cheered, clearly expressing their desire for wealth on the table.

It had a clear reason, in order to avoid Mercia being annexed by Wessex, the Viking longships had good reason to attack frequently.

Eskil knew he was powerless to stop such a crazy thing and had to remain silent, while Hardbold was completely frightened by the barbaric scene.

So if these ruthless Normans did go on to rob Wessex in the future, where would they divide the spoils?

Although Baudouin, a chicken thief since ancient times, did not express his position directly, his intriguing eyes towards Rurik already implicitly stated his attitude - my Flanders can still help you sell the stolen goods.

Open support for raiding was not allowed, but Viking raids would give Northumbria, Flanders, the Netherlands and Saxony wealth. To hell with all those beautiful creeds! Several parties have experienced the devastation of war and are in urgent need of plundering wealth from the outside to make up for their losses. Piracy cannot be just a Vikings' patent. The Flemish and Saxon tribes can serve as accomplices of pirates just for the sake of wealth.

Of course, this kind of thing was also praised by Ludwig. If the Norman army suddenly sets its sights on the British Isles in the west, it means that in the future they will at least not unilaterally break the contract and encroach on the Eastern Kingdom.

Ludwig, who had no diplomatic ties with Wessex, was happy to divert trouble from the west to the south.

They took advantage of the drunkenness to express their inner desires. The northerners would not leave once they came. The mouths of the Elbe River and the Rhine River would be built as Viking strongholds in 841, becoming trading ports and expedition bases. From this base, A sneak attack on Wessex became easy, and the unsuspecting opponent had no naval power (Northumbria's intelligence).

Everyone drank up the last of the liquor in Rurik's inventory, and almost all the ale in Hamburg's inventory was consumed.

People have extraordinary prospects for the future. Although Ludwig was a complete loser, he was not mentally humiliated here. Although he was defeated tragically, the bitter ending is still acceptable today.

The nobles gathered in this room are about to go their separate ways and start a new life.

Rurik finally set a day to leave, and the soldiers were so excited that they lit bonfires.

He needed to make a sacrifice for the voyage according to northern customs, so he spent money to buy ten cows from the local Saxons, intending to sacrifice their blood to the god of rivers and seas to ensure a safe return voyage.

A lively sacrificial ceremony was actively being arranged, and the long boats that had been pushed ashore had all been pushed into the river, and were tied with cables. Most of the large ships have resumed sailing, but the ships have turned into fishing boats and are plundering herring and cod offshore. The catch is roasted on a large scale at the salt boiling camp at the estuary to make dried fish, which is the so-called ration for the soldiers when they return home.

Most of the troops will return to their hometowns. The war that Rurik originally expected to last until 841 will finally end early, and now the expensive expedition can come to an end. This year requires a truce to raise the strength, and piracy can still be done.

The Russian-Danish coalition forces camp along the river in the northwest of Hamburg. The many buildings are much stronger than the large number of residential buildings in the city. The military barracks was given to Liudow, which in theory could immediately become Hamburg's second city, instantly alleviating the severe housing needs of the nearby Saxons.

The young Reglaf was destined to stay, and as a father, Rurik was destined to be unable to give his actual eldest son more pampering.

Only Reglaf will never be Odin's war, so even though he is the eldest son, he will never get involved in the politics of the Kingdom of Rus again in the future. For him, it is also another kind of protection.

Reglaf also served as a powerful wedge driving deep into the Catholic world. He has received a very important cultural education, as well as a military education, and has been fully experienced in the past year's war.

But his father will eventually leave, and if he stays here in Hamburg, I am afraid it will be difficult to see his father and grandfather in the future. The feeling of loss is written on the face of this ten-year-old child.

"Accept your fate." Rurik patted him on the shoulder. "When I was ten years old, I led an army of thousands of people on an expedition. You can still do a good job. Just recruit your cronies in Saxony. Train them and cultivate them. As a father, I can't help you much. In the future, you will return to Mercia with your own army. When you decide to go to war, I will immediately send troops to help you."

Although her biological father Rurik was about to return, in Saxony, the Duchess was very rare for this son-in-law from the north. The lady's only son Bruno lacks the spirit of bravery, but her son-in-law Reglaf is not only of noble blood, but also knows how to fight. The most important thing is that this child knows Latin.

The enthusiasm of the Duchess directly touched Reglaf's heart. He had longed for maternal love since he was a child, and now he has probably found a mother who cares about him.

After Liudov thought about it, he became more and more aware of what Reglaf's stay in Saxony meant. He is indeed just a child, but he knows very well how the Russian army fights. "He will transform my army. He is like a treasure given to me by God. It would be great if he were my biological son..."

A grand sacrificial activity was held on the riverside.

The cows were restrained with extremely thick ropes, and Rurik stabbed the cows' necks one by one with his sword. The cow struggled violently in pain, and its blood was scattered everywhere. In the end, most of the blood flowed into the Elbe River.

Thousands of warriors gathered on the riverside beat their shields, chanted "Odin" rhythmically, and lit fires to complete the sailing ceremony.

The beef was then eaten by the soldiers, and in the end only the beef bones remained, but the big bones were also broken into pieces, and the delicious beef marrow was roasted on the fire and sprinkled with salt, making it an extremely delicious food.

Now, bustling Hamburg will return to its former state, with nobles and armies going their separate ways.

The nobles boarded the ship built by Ross with different emotions. The ships of the Viking Kingdom of York will carry the Northumbrian king and his son home, and the Blue Fox's squadron will send Henry Nassau, Baudouin, Hadbold and Ludwig home in one go. Each family.

The squadron will cruise the Rhine River, and the number of the team will expand to a thousand people, but this voyage will be a peaceful journey for Cologne and the Eastern Kingdom.

However, this fleet will not disappear in the future. After completing the mission of delivering people, it instantly turned into an inland fleet on the Rhine River, and it obeyed the orders of Blue Fox. With the help of this fleet, the Russian army that penetrated deep into the hinterland of Europe then used the Eastern Kingdom's mercenaries In the form of soldiers, they made a sneak attack on the middle kingdom. Ships are to the Russians what horses are to the steppe people.

The journey back home is now. When all the loot taken away has been packed and packed on the ship, what is left is the densely packed troops carrying the same style of backpacks climbing rope ladders and rope nets to board the ship.

On the shore, Rurik kissed Reglaf hard on the forehead, then suddenly took off his dagger and put it in his son's hand.

"Father……"

"Take it. My father is with you! Remember, you were broken out of your belly like Caesar, and your destiny is to create extraordinary things."

Regraf nodded, holding the jewel-encrusted sword in his arms, and watched his father board the boat, and watched his father slowly drift towards Ross's flag-fluttering flagship Sperosvelia...

He has been standing by the river, watching the huge fleet gradually drifting towards the sea and gradually disappearing into the river covered by the forest.

He looked at the sword gifted by his father again and subconsciously pulled it out of the scabbard. The bright white steel sword shone on his face, and he could see clearly that his face looked like his father's.

"I'm free..." He sighed secretly, then turned around and looked at the city of Hamburg in the sunset, and the dusk bell of Hamburg Abbey began to ring in his ears.