Rise of Rurik

Gisla never had a memory of Mainz. Where is this place? The big city in front of us is Mainz?

The riverside pier was bustling with activity, and soldiers were coming and going under the thick city wall. On the river, it was clear that there were Norman long ships plying the Inn. What surprised her was that each ship was flying a cross flag to prove its identity.

"Uncle, are the Normans really doing something for you? The attack on Aachen...was it your order?" Gisla thought about it and felt more and more uncomfortable.

In terms of clothing alone, Frankish troops can be seen everywhere in the city of Mainz. They are not as gorgeous as the Aachen City Guards Standard Corps, and they do not have the bloat and fatigue of those people. They have a kind of terrifying elegance, which is just a pair of hers. The murderous aura can also be detected in the eyes.

This is my uncle's army, and the most rival is my father's army.

She doesn't understand why her own brother can kill Red Eye. Is it really right for her to come to her uncle's camp?

Although she is a princess, Gisla looks like a weak girl now.

She saw the fox brothers smiling and hugging each other, and she couldn't help but shed tears when she thought about her father and uncle who had killed her to a river of blood.

For the time being, the blue fox had no time to talk to Gisla, but fortunately Sophia Nassau was here, and two girls of similar ages at least had something in common.

In a rough shack by the river, two foxes gather together...

"The princess who lives in Aachen is in my hands, and I will hand her over to Ludwig immediately." The blue fox said this without excitement or regret, and his attitude was very calm.

"Strange. I thought you wanted to keep this woman for yourself."

"Her? I don't have any urgent need in this regard. If I have some servants and let the princess of Frank be my slaves, Ludwig will probably hate me to death. However, if there are some changes, I can do it."

Heihu was really puzzled by what he said: "Not as a servant, but... as a wife. Besides, so what if I am a servant? Brother, I have learned some important military information now."

"oh?"

Black Fox believed in Liu Doufu's statement. It was not that he believed in others easily, but that these statements coincided with his expectations.

From the Black Fox's perspective, Ludwig's boast at the military meeting, "I easily gathered an additional 30,000 troops," was just bragging. The Eastern Kingdom had already mobilized its main military forces. If it were defeated this year, I'm afraid this guy would have to hide in his hometown in Bavaria. .

Black Fox looked contemptuous, but in Blue Fox's opinion, his brother was still too young.

"Are you so naive? Do you really hope that his troops will be weak? His defeat will be detrimental to us, but he is an old madman. This guy insists on launching an attack in the autumn. Can he capture Strasbourg before winter? Just hope this Thirty thousand people to win the decisive battle? In my opinion, he will still suffer a big loss in Kaiserslautern. Being able to capture this city is already blessed by the gods."

Black Fox hurriedly added: "The Saxons are here too. Liudov wants to attack Kaiserslautern."

"This... Liudov is crazy! Another idiot. Does he really think he is a powerful duke?"

"Liudov thought he could make a lot of money through robbery, but I feel like he just blocked it. Hehe, hehehe..."

There was too much information in a short period of time. Blue Fox asked loudly with a sullen face: "Why are you laughing?"

"Haha, I am also a madman. I want to go to the Saar River again, this time to block the retreat of the Chinese King** team. As long as Ludwig wins, the entire Saar area is mine. No, it is ours. "

"Huh? I have learned about the previous battles in Nassau. Are you still not satisfied with Liyingau?"

"Why should you be satisfied? If I have the chance, I will seize it. Brother, didn't you also win a big victory in Aachen? I don't believe you have no intention."

"Oh, that's true." The blue foxes asked themselves, leading their troops to fight in the Maas River, and they had countless things to report to Rurik.

The sudden visit of the second brother was really an unexpected surprise. When Black Fox was returning home, he kept thinking about the possibility of future plunder during the boring voyage.

When there are few soldiers, many things cannot be done. If the second brother's expeditionary force suddenly joins forces with him, many things can be done.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Black Fox simply said bluntly: "Brother, I have a crazy plan."

"Crazy? You tell me. I thought you might be weak, but now you're either a fox or a ferocious bear."

"Thank you for the compliment. Seriously!" He stared at the face of his second brother Blue Fox: "Trier! You told me to continue upstream along the Moselle River. After Trier, you can reach Metz directly. .”

"Attack Metz?" Blue Fox had to cheer up, "That's crazy!"

"Looking at the way you frown, you think we can't do it."

"It can be done! But not now." Blue Fox stamped his feet vigorously and shouted: "Human abilities have limits! The expeditionary force is very tired now, and the entire army will rest for at least a month. Of course we can attack Metz, only if we are full of energy Must win."

"Don't fight if you feel tired? I don't believe that everyone has lost interest in plundering. Besides." Black Fox said with a sullen face: "Kaiserslautern is full of Count Metz's army, and his rear is empty. We only need to dispatch a surprise force You can win. In my opinion, a thousand people is enough."

"There is still this matter?!"

"Is it still fake?"

"This matter still needs to be considered carefully. Anyway, I will see Ludwig in person soon, so I can ask him face to face. As for your plan, brother." Blue Fox pinched his beard and pretended to think, "It is not impossible to implement."

"You agreed?"

"I didn't say it." Blue Fox frowned, slightly disgusted: "It's great to be young. You just think it out, and you don't consider the possible consequences. You must suffer a loss and pay a bloody price to learn it. cautious."

There was something in his words, and he was secretly criticizing the large group of impulsive young people on the banks of the Maas River. And this is the root cause of Blue Fox's scruples! The expeditionary force plundered a lot of property, and they also paid a terrible price for their losses. The tragedy is that these costs clearly did not have to be paid. Nadu's crazy warrior culture, which advertised itself as "the warrior chosen by Odin", fought to the death against the superior Frankish forces. , and offered his own sacrifice as a blood sacrifice to Odin. Is it all worth it?

Besides, after all, the coalition forces he led had lost half of their strength, and the young men of the newly formed Seventh Flag Corps had suffered serious losses.

Rurik will definitely be blamed for these things, unless the expeditionary force can seize greater benefits in this Frankish civil war.

He knew nothing more about Metz than the name Metz. How much gold, silver and grain is there in the local area? What role did the city of Metz play in the Civil War battlefields?

The brothers know nothing about it, and it is just Black Fox's "daydream" for now.

Who can understand the situation in Metz, except Count Metz's army in Kaiserslautern, and Ludwig himself on the other side of the battlefield.

Blue Fox was indeed tempted. It was impossible to send out the entire army, but if he and the Nassau garrison cobbled together an army of a thousand people to launch a sneak attack, he still had the courage to do so.

"Seriously, since you attacked that Sarah Bruecken once, going there again is like sucking a piece of ribs that you have chewed. How can you have any meat to eat? At most, it's just some scraps." Blue Fox's words It was enough to hint at the drastic changes in his heart.

Black Fox was keenly aware of this and smiled: "I'm just saying! We have to fight anyway. I didn't dare to do it before. Brother, when you come, we must be a big one."

"Okay. But I'm new here, so I didn't expect that Ludwig would actually take action."

"There are still four days at most." Black Fox added.

"Four days? So soon? You...you are here with a small group of brothers..."

"It doesn't matter." Black Fox shook his head again, "Even if you don't come, I will take my brothers to the south to fight again. I don't have to really listen to Ludwig's request. It's all up to me when I want to go south. "

"You're free, that's fine." Blue Fox shrugged, "I'll rest for a while. Now you can send someone to the city to inform Ludwig. That guy has a good face. Due to etiquette, it's not convenient for me to visit him rashly. "

"good."

"By the way, there is also Princess Gisla."

"That girl? I ignored you and brought back a girl." Black Fox said with a smile.

"Just tell that guy that the great Joseph Blue Fox captured his niece from the palace of Aachen."

"Okay, hopefully he'll be surprised."

Based on their understanding of Viking tradition, a man is obliged to adopt his nieces and nephews when necessary. It is customary for such children to be equivalent to his own sons and daughters.

Adoption is very common in the north. In the final analysis, every family needs as much labor as possible to survive better in the bitter cold land.

The two foxes took it for granted that Ludwig would treat their niece well.

The Norman envoy did not have the right to go to the palace in person to report the news, so the envoy told Ludwig's personal attendant.

"Joseph Blue Fox?" With his back to the half-kneeling guard, Ludwig faced a bronze mirror that was polished as smooth as possible and played with his clothes. He didn't take it seriously at first, "Is that guy coming to see me? He came suddenly, maybe because I happened to ask about something."

"Yes, Your Majesty, there is... one more important thing. A very noble... female noble."

"It's ridiculous, you are hesitating and you have something to say." Ludwig immediately turned around displeased.

The guard was really frightened, "Your Majesty, those Normans said... they went to Aachen and gave the princess to..."

"Aachen? Princess?"

Ludwig immediately showed a fierce look on his face, and the guard was so shocked that he sat down on the stone floor.

"Maybe the Normans are talking nonsense? Your Majesty, that's what they said. I don't dare to speak nonsense."

"It's just nonsense. It's okay, just back off. Remember!" Ludwig scolded in a low voice, "You didn't see anything and don't know anything about what happened today. Do you understand? Otherwise... now you tell Norman I have an audience with Lan Hu and that woman."

"As commanded."

The guard didn't understand how the king could suddenly reveal his murderous intent. He was clearly a member of the Guards with a high status, but just by passing a message, he aroused the king's anger. He could only say that he was involved in some unexplainable important matter.

Ludwig really didn't want others to know that he not only knew about the Russian attack on Aachen, but he even made some suggestions.

What he didn't expect was that there was actually a daughter of Lothair in the palace. It shouldn’t be! All intelligence indicated that the eldest brother's family had gone to Strasbourg.

Who knows? Maybe some desperate maid pretended to be a princess for a temporary survival. After all, it was the Normans who attacked Aachen.

Besides, even if there is a coincidence here, what is the eldest brother’s daughter? The eldest brother has many children, and he also has many children.

An unlucky niece is nothing. The worst thing is that if everything is true, this girl is the damn insider!

She deserved to die because she knew something she shouldn't have known! Even if she is really her niece.

Subjectively, Ludwig didn't want to believe the girl's identity. Of course, the girl herself was not something he needed to seriously consider now.

He needed to know what was going on in Aachen.

As the saying goes, Ludwig wore a purple robe and swaggered in the army for the sake of the royal family's face. Blue Fox wanted to disgrace him, so he quietly waited for the order at the riverside camp.

The news finally came, and by now Blue Fox had regained his composure.

Poor Princess Gisla has a hard time finding a close friend. At least Sophia from the Nassau family is a female noble and similar in age to herself.

She wanted to get some comfort from this girl, but all she got was further shock and panic.

Ambition is brewing in Sophia's little mind. Being born as a woman does not mean that she is just a mother who can only have children for a lifetime. The Russians who came from afar brought new possibilities - women can also have great power. .

Sofia was just too young to implement her ambitions personally, but she was already a count, and with a huge fiefdom, she had the basis for expansion.

Nassau is absorbing Norman culture. This does not matter whether it is progress or backwardness. In other words, the Nassau family is doing what their ancestors wanted to do but were unable to do two hundred years ago.

It was originally a tiny branch of the Alemannic Tribe Alliance. It was really forced to join the Franks and become a noble. Now that there was an opportunity, Sophia looked around with her eyes.

She told Princess Gisla in a high-profile manner: "Laingau, Koblenz are all my territory, Salgau will also be my territory. Even Trier will be my territory. My father will give me Abandon, but fortunately my husband is a good man, my warriors are brave, and we can create a powerful force with our own hands. Gisla, what do you think?"

In Sophia's eyes, her father Henry just abandoned his hometown in Nassau, which was doomed to war. This was an act of abandonment! She was angry with her father, but now she is relieved.

The canary that broke free from the birdcage transformed into an eagle, and the Nassau army was participating in the war with great intensity. Legally speaking, the entire army was in the hands of this little girl, and all the tough warriors and lower-level nobles were under her control.

This situation completely subverted Gisla's three views. What kind of world made a little baron's daughter suddenly become an earl with a vast fiefdom? !

Unlike Brother Fox, who is tight-lipped, Sofia is still a child. She is naturally a little embarrassed when facing the princess of the kingdom. In order to prove herself extraordinary, in addition to showing off her noble status, she simply bluntly stated the army's next plan.

The war turned the ordinary noble girl into a ferocious she-wolf. The princess, who wanted to be comforted, remained silent. She was ruthless about this war, and all she could do seemed to be incompetent rage.

Gisla was not furious, but cried silently facing the water of the Rhine River.

She thought about dying, but her faith prohibited her from committing suicide, and now she could only cry silently.

She sat quietly on the wooden pile facing the river. Sofia, who was really bored, had left, and the princess remained quiet under the surveillance of the soldiers.

Suddenly, a big hand put on her shoulder.

"You?" Gisla turned around suddenly, "Fox?"

"Call it whatever you want. You..." Blue Fox noticed the girl's obvious tears, "Are you sad? Don't be afraid, your uncle has agreed to see you. Come with me."

"Okay. That's it..."

The Russian army swaggered into the city of Mainz holding a flag. As usual, they were highly watched by the local Frank warriors, and then commented on them.

The "two foxes" both put on their battle robes and strode forward with swords hanging from their waists.

Ludwig gave special permission for the two of them to meet in court. This was not a show of respect, but essentially a reaffirmation of their alliance. Because he knew that this sudden visit of the blue fox was unusual. He was a general specially authorized by Rurik. Standing here, this person represented King Rus himself.

Gisla followed the blue fox tremblingly. She tried hard to recall her uncle's face, but she only saw him a few times, and his face was already too immature.

The palace in Mainz was honest and simple. Gisla couldn't help but look at it a few more times and comment. It was obvious that this palace was far inferior to the palace in Aachen.

The Russian guards stood in the street as usual, waiting for the blue fox and the black fox to go straight to Ludwig's usual "reception room".

The two de facto Norman nobles seemed to be the masters here and walked up the stairs in a swagger. Gisla had to follow cautiously. After all, she was a guest.

In the agreed room, a middle-aged nobleman wearing a purple robe and a golden crown stood here with a high profile.

Hearing the footsteps, Ludwig said twice: "Fox, are you here?"

"It's me. I'm the Count of Gothenburg, and I'm here." Blue Fox said calmly.

"You?" Ludwig turned around and subconsciously searched for a girl's face. He saw it immediately. Then he was startled, and then he immediately regained his composure and asked, "Is everything done? You succeeded?"

"Of course, I won a great victory! Moreover, your eldest brother's garrison in the west was also defeated by us."

"Is this true?" Such news was like a bolt from the blue. Ludwig took three steps forward and stood directly in front of the blue fox: "That's at least two thousand heavy cavalry! And you won easily?"

"Easy victory." Blue Fox deliberately concealed the fact, his eyes gleaming as if everything was true. "My agreement with you has been implemented. There are no outsiders here, and the wealth of Aachen is in my hands. Except for Maastricht and Liège, they no longer exist..."

"You...make it easy." Ludwig couldn't help clenching his fists, "But I don't believe it. It's so crazy! How can you really win so easily?"

"It doesn't matter." Blue Fox shrugged, "Time will tell everything soon. I tell you, bronze lion, bronze eagle, gilded door..."

"You! Then what?"

"It's nothing. I fulfilled the contract and your grandfather's tomb is intact. It is the only one that is intact."

The details unknown to mortals revealed by the Blue Fox fully proved that he was indeed standing in front of Charlemagne's tomb, and Ludwig had to believe it.

He whispered: "You can tell me about this later."

"Yes, but this girl is your niece."

After saying that, the blue fox brought Gisla to him. "Look carefully, as an uncle, her face does have some similarities to yours."

"This girl?" Ludwig was very confused at the moment. He glared so hard that Gisla quickly raised her head like a frightened kitten.

Blue Fox continued: "Gisla, your eldest brother's fourth daughter, your biological niece. You are my uncle, and now I will hand her over to you."

"is that so?"

"That's it. What? Ludwig, don't you accept it?" Blue Fox had already expected this person's possible rejection, but his uncle's refusal to take away his niece in distress was really unacceptable.

"Absurd, why should I accept it. An unknown girl, you say she is a princess? Lothair's fourth daughter is Gisla, she is in Strasbourg, and his whole family is there! She is also the king The place we must attack this year! I tell you, Fox! If he wants to kill my entire clan, I will dare to kill his entire clan. I am about to do it, and all the fools in Strasbourg will be buried with him."

Ludwig's words were extremely exciting, entirely because of the girl in front of him.

Hearing such extreme words made Gisla tremble with fear, and her legs trembled, because her uncle made it very clear that he wanted to kill her own niece.

"Uncle..." The girl trembled all over, and she reluctantly raised her head: "You...really want to kill me? I am really Gisla."

"Bah! You're a lowly slave. The devil gave you the courage to overstep your bounds? Where's the evidence?" Ludwig didn't want to hear her explanation at all. The girl was interrupted by a ruthless scolding just as she was about to speak, "A wild woman also pretends to be a princess? Shut up!"

He glared at Lan Hu's face again: "You are really a cunning fox, take back your smartness. This woman has overstepped the royal family, someone is here!"

As soon as he finished speaking, two guards entered the house.

"Are you going to be violent?" Upon seeing this, Blue Fox pulled Gisla to his side, holding the hilt of the sword tightly in his right hand, slightly exposing part of the blade.

"Why bother? For a slave." Ludwig waved his hand again, and the guard hurriedly retreated upon seeing this. He continued to be angry: "You are indeed a wild woman, you are taking pleasure in me."

"Okay! Okay..." Blue Fox's eyes circled rapidly, and he took a long breath and tactically used the slope to get off the donkey, "Maybe I was wrong, but this girl is really pitiful."

"Pity? Do you like it? Just keep it as your own slave. In short, don't say anything more about Gisla. I've seen that girl before, and I know what she looks like better than you. Fox, fox, don't be deceived. Sorry. You and I can't hurt our harmony."

"Oh, thank you for your advice."

"If there is nothing important, take your slaves and leave now!"

"Okay." Blue Fox nodded, and pointed his eyes at his confused younger brother Black Fox.

"Of course, maybe your brother has told me that our army is about to move. Fox, you came at a bad time."

"I think it's the right time. I know everything. My brother is still too young. As an elder brother, I have to help him. You should be smart enough to understand."

Ludwig was not stupid. He nodded: "Take your personal slave and leave for now. I'm tired today. Tomorrow! We can have a good chat tomorrow. You know, no one will have trouble with interests."

"Okay, I'll go then." After saying that, the blue fox covered the back of Gisla's head with one hand and pressed his face against his robe, letting the robe be soaked with tears. He took the princess away in this way and ended today's hasty meeting.

As a result of such a meeting, Blue Fox was satisfied and angry, and he had a "Riddler"-style conversation with Ludwig. The so-called special emphasis on certain words proves the speaker's intention.

Poor Gisla seemed to have lost her soul. After being dragged by the blue fox to the riverside camp, she huddled up and just cried silently.

It was late at night, and the Frankish soldiers were still wandering around, making the whole Mainz noisy. The Ross camp was uncharacteristically serious. This was Blue Fox's order. He was really afraid that Ludwig would find a way to launch an assassination to get rid of the girl.

The security of the camp is very complete, and if things go wrong, everyone can escape by boat immediately.

Lan Hu gave her a decent chance to be alone, and started talking casually with her brother and sister-in-law outside the wooden shed.

"She is really not a princess? It seems to me that Ludwig said you were just entertaining him." Black Fox said.

"No, she is Gisla, that guy's niece." The blue fox stared at the bonfire, adding more firewood at will.

"How can I see it?"

"Brother, if a person lies about something, he will often loudly deny that the matter has anything to do with him."

The black fox suddenly realized. At this moment, Sophia gently held his arm: "I talk to her a lot. She must be the princess."

"Since she is a princess, why? Why doesn't he want his niece?" Black Fox just didn't understand this.

"You, you didn't hear Ludwig's attitude. He wanted to kill Lothair's whole family. It seems to me that he was just emotional and said casually. He may not dare to do it himself, and he would not kill his young niece. .”

The black fox suddenly raised his head: "Brother, do you actually know that Ludwig has admitted that this is his niece?"

"Yes. He knows everything, and I'm afraid he wants Gisla to die. Indeed, she should die in Aachen, so that we Normans will be held responsible for the crime. Gisla knows too much, that's why."

"It's so cruel...more cruel than me." Black Fox took a breath.

"Not necessarily." Blue Fox turned around and glanced at the girl who was still curled up and sobbing: "You can also hear the last words Ludwig said."

"What?"

"If she is really my personal servant, Ludwig will feel at ease. Then she will become a Russian and have nothing to do with Frank. It will even be a humiliation for Lothair."

"Okay, maybe this is her only way to survive. But brother, wouldn't you..." Black Fox's eyes widened, and gradually he smiled again.

"It's not impossible. If that's the case, she has nowhere to go. There is no problem in staying in my Gothenburg. Besides, she is Charlemagne's great-granddaughter. Ludwig dislikes her. Our King Rurik may think that It’s baby.”

"But the king already has eighteen wives, so he probably won't want her. And you are still single at your age."

"Boy, I'm not old yet." Blue Fox punched his brother lightly and said with a smile, "This matter must have the king's permission."

"Haha, the king should give permission."

So the situation was really unexpected. Blue Fox no longer forced Ludwig to take away his niece, so Gisla also stopped giving him the box of silver coins as a gift to his uncle.

The poor princess was despised by her biological parents, betrayed by her personal maid, and threatened with execution by her uncle.

Along the way, Blue Fox has always been worried about Askard's joke. It’s been ten years since I played for Rurik! The young and fat man back then had a beard. It was precisely because he was too loyal to work and was always running around to fight, and now he is passive without a wife and children.

It's time to end! Maybe what Askard said was not a joke, but the fate that the gods pointed out through his mouth.

Thinking again of the heroic words I said in front of Charlemagne’s tomb...

Blue Fox clenched his fists, no longer needing to think.

He decided to get Gisla and asked the King of Rus to admit all this. As a result, Charlemagne's great-granddaughter will lose all names related to the Franks. Princess Gisla has died, and only the Countess of Gothenburg will exist in the future.

(At this point, the fate of the fourth princess Gisla, who was not allowed to marry, was kicked out of the palace by her eldest brother Lothar II, was forced to be the abbess of a female monastery, and died of illness at the age of only 29, will forever remain in this time and space. changed)

Our website: