Rise of Rurik

From the Novopolotsk Fortress to the Gulf of Riga, even if the ship floats on the West Dvina River that has not yet frozen, it must take six to seven days to finally reach Riga.

It's already November, and the continuous snowfall has made people living in a large area lazy and bored.

In the Danish community in the city of Riga, just like in their hometown, people began to stay at home after stocking up on various foods for the winter.

Because starting from mid-to-late November, the ice at the mouth of the West Dvina River will become suitable for walking on foot, and the bay will freeze quickly. People may be able to move freely on the ice after a snowstorm.

Production and life have almost been suspended. The local Latvian tribesmen and Danish immigrants are very willing to stay at home and wait for spring.

With the end of the great river, life can go on. Therefore, the Danish merchants who escaped from the Vitebsk Fortress did not dare to stay in the Novopolotsk Fortress. After informing the garrison of the war warning, they were doing their best. As for the locals, it was up to them to evacuate or defend.

The merchants who escaped the war admired the courage of the defenders. After careful consideration, everyone had to re-determine their position.

"Fighting the leader of Smolensk? We are businessmen and we have to make money alive. We have to return to Riga even if the river freezes and tell the leader the news. He will decide everything... As for joining the war, let's see It depends on the situation." The fugitive businessman was not sure that his leader Stekander would organize his brothers to send troops.

I'm afraid that the real situation is that he will take the initiative to send troops due to his friendship with King Rus, but he will not be able to convince the general public to follow him.

As for those Latvians, even less can be counted on. That group of guys outsourced their defense to the expatriate Danes most of the time. They were not even willing to fight for their own homeland, thinking that they could buy everything by providing property and women, let alone fight for the suffering Russians.

Unless... the Russian Count who controls the navy can know the news and organize their Russians to march.

A long boat continued to drift in the wind and snow, with most of the blades retracted and only two oars acting as rudders.

People were wrapped up and huddled together, with fur hats covering their entire heads, leaving only their eyes exposed. They were motionless, with a layer of snow falling on them.

The seemingly dead ship pushed through the broken ice and gradually arrived at their starting point - Riga in the snowy world and ink-colored river.

At this time, a large number of boats were neatly arranged on the gentle riverside. Even Latvian fishermen pushed their boats ashore to prevent the swelling sea level from freezing and damaging their livelihood tools.

It is not until the West Dvina River is truly dredged that the boats will retreat from the shore. Fishing work has been completely suspended, and the trade in gems and leather has been terminated prematurely.

Now, various merchants in Riga are hoarding large quantities of amber, beeswax, and other gemstones.

There are even colored glasses that can be easily confused with pearls, which are the most numerous, because the locals are well aware of these things that are difficult to call gems.

Because of the "Ross Gem", the sales price is naturally not high. Unless the colored and transparent glass beads can be sold to Bulgaria and Rome further south to uninitiated people and make a fortune, they can only make small profits but quick turnover.

The person who transported these glass beads was none other than Spyut, who is known as the great explorer.

It's also his

The "Baltic Law Enforcement Fleet" can serve as a power supply for transport ships, taking a group of brothers away from Saaremaa and spending the winter in Riga.

This winter, he and his son floated to the port on an armed cargo ship. There was no need for them to deal with the wind and snow. The ship dropped its iron spear when it reached the shore, and everyone took the cargo and released the boat to disembark.

Some people may question, if the ship is left to dry in the sea, won’t the frozen sea ice destroy it? Absolutely impossible!

More than 200 people from Spuyut's group landed, and after one after another unpacked their winter supplies, they arrived at the Ross Shop that had been built here.

After all, Spuyut is a count conferred by the king. Compared with the environment on Saaremaa Island, everything in the city of Riga is superior.

From the standpoint of the local Latvians, the Rus are no different from the Danes. They are a new group of Varyags who have settled here.

Different from Denmark's mercantile business, the Russians not only focused on businessmen but were also warlike. They are the overlords of the entire ocean, and the Spuyuts are the earls of this sea area. They were given the power to kill first and then report later by King Rus.

Don't mess with this kind of character. Just work with him and everyone can drink and eat meat happily.

The construction of the Rus' shop in Riga, or the new residence of the Count of Saaremaa, was actually completed in 842, that is, this summer, and a new Rus' immigrant community came into being.

Wolong Fengchu, who had been exiled by various tribes, changed their identity as pirates, but their fierce and cunning character remained unchanged. If it weren't for the managers of Spuyut and his son, they would definitely cause some trouble.

In Riga, basic customary laws are still followed. The thieves cut off their fingers, those who insulted fellow tribesmen were punished corporally and then exiled, and the vicious perpetrators were beheaded... Legally speaking, the city of Riga was included in the Kingdom of Rus, and Spyut himself acted as the city lord.

He was unable to manage every aspect of the city. The reality was that everything was business as usual. The big businessmen in the city, the mercenary leaders of the Danish community, and the leaders of nearby villages still held power.

As Rus' forces participated in the trade, various goods from Rus' began to be dumped, and in addition to collecting the necessary tribute, Spuyut has been making steady profits here.

The Latvian tribe, which had the largest population, did not suffer a loss. What they paid for in tribute was the security protection of a stronger Russian army.

The news spread to the surrounding areas. In the past 842 years, in the warm zone, the Seron tribe and the Livonian tribe were nearby. They sent cargo merchants to Riga one after another. Selling goods was one of the purposes, and gathering information was the biggest purpose.

When the two tribes learned that Riga's prosperity was still there and that the Rus' conquerors had not done anything to exploit them, they felt relieved and had to consider their position in the new era this winter.

The Russians, who planned to spend the winter in Riga, chatted with the Danish brothers who lived next door and participated in the grand event.

Spout and Stekander drank and talked happily, and their sons called each other brothers. The Russian flag is flying high here, which means that Riga has completely become the city of Rus, and it also declares its existence to the Semigalians across the river.

It is a provocation and even more a threat of war. Because on this snowy day, the two people gathered together, Spuyut, Stekander, and even their guys, because they were bragging too much, it seemed that they really needed to fight to prove who was the right one. A true warrior.

There will never be a civil war between the two sides, not even shirtless wrestling in the snow. At least play something that is quite popular in Northern Europe, especially Denmark.

"Clay Pot" is the original version of rugby. What both sides are really planning is a possibility: we take the initiative to attack the territory of the Semigalians.

Taking the initiative to attack the people on the other side of the river? The local Latvians are unwilling to take this risk. They have been on the defensive for a long time, counting on the Danes living there to help them deal with the threat.

Of course, this would require paying these northern mercenaries more money and materials to prevent them from following the Semigalians who were willing to spend a lot of money.

With Riga completely owned by the Rus, this concern of local residents disappeared. Because the Russian army is not someone that cats and dogs can afford to hire as mercenaries to fight in wars.

Unless the Russian army determines that future operations will be very profitable. Si Puyut here had this thought.

They discussed extremely realistic and explicit war topics in the warm house. What Si Puyut drank was nothing but delicious wine.

How he finally got it surprised everyone present - it was genuine Nassau wine.

Without him, the fleet returning from the Franks returned in a relatively low-key manner with strange trophies. The main force of the army was still stationed at the mouth of the Rhine. Blue Fox, who commanded the army to fight, arrived at Saaremaa Island with a small fleet and unloaded a small amount of it. The goods set off to the capital at full speed again.

This fact really shocked Sipuyut. From the perspective of him, an old man who had dominated the ocean for twenty years, the expeditionary force had achieved a great victory, and the Frankish capital must have been looted. Moreover, because of the desire to expand the war and wanton looting, the main force of the army was not willing to come back at all.

This is easy to understand. After all, those who went on the expedition were all old and new ruthless men with the blood of old Ross, and simple trophies were no longer enough.

Si Puyute is really itchy! I have to bring a barrel of wine to Riga...

"If we take the initiative to send troops to plunder their food, leather, and population, wouldn't we be able to make a fortune? King Rus needs slaves to add a group of two-legged cattle and horses to his mines." Stekander doesn't think this old guy After getting drunk, he drank freely of the wine, indulging in its unique sweetness and taste. While the wine was still strong, he talked about his knowledge of the Semigalians... Stekander talked a lot, but he didn't know. Did the brother in front of him hear it? Judging from his trembling eyes, he probably had something in his mind.

"How many brothers can you summon?" Suddenly, Sipuyut asked.

"Huh? Is it possible that you are planning to take action next spring?"

"Absolutely. And I... can summon three hundred fierce brothers. What can you Danes do?"

"This... at most 200 people. If we recruit some warriors from the local Latvians."

"Warriors?" Sipuyut couldn't help laughing, stroking his beard and saying wildly: "Are they worthy? They don't even know how to fight in groups."

"It seems so. Then let them give us more food to help us fight. I can see it too..." Siputu paused and looked into his brother's eyes sincerely: "They are just cowards. We Danes How can we manage the amber trade well with them? In the past, the Polotsk people in the upper reaches of the river dominated the river and collected benefits from merchants along the way. Those Latvian merchants wanted to sell amber, but they clearly did not dare to resist when they were being unfairly exploited. We have to follow our Danish caravan all the time, I really don’t know who is the host and who is the guest.”

"Hehe, of course we are the masters. Now, me!" Spuyut hit his chest hard: "I am the master here! I am the leader that you all should respect."

"That's true." After another glass of wine, the gray-bearded Stekander couldn't help but think about the future: "I can still remember my Danish birth. But my sons, grandsons, and even descendants. I'm afraid they will only Remember that you are a Russian."

"Do you have any regrets?"

"It doesn't matter. King Rus is blessed by the gods, and our entire community is loyal to Rus, so naturally we are also blessed by the gods."

"Yes!" Spuyut slapped his thigh: "This requires us to kill some enemies and sacrifice blood to Odin to prove our courage to the gods."

"It's convenient... and it's also about robbing Ross of the mining slaves he desperately needs." The two of them got drunk while changing glasses, and their son and friends were as drunk as they were.

So what is Semigallia’s fault? guilty. The crime was that they existed on the edge of the territory controlled by the Kingdom of Rus, but they did not send envoys to surrender.

Because they are disobedient and have a tendency to use force against Ross's vassals in the future, it is better to defeat them in advance than to passively respond to the attack.

However, the Russians and Danes in Riga did not need to train their troops in advance. The people from all walks of life were already heroes at sea. They could quickly assemble a Viking army of hundreds of people by picking up swords and shields.

The snow covered up the murderous intention, but Riga seemed still calm. Until the ship arrived at the dock at the risk of being frozen... The news exploded in the clear sky and disturbed the Delos shop. The news instantly spread to the Danish community next door, and then even the Latvians living in Riga knew the news more or less. The most critical part - the Smolensk army is attacking the Russians in the Polotsk area.

The locals did not have time to understand the Vitebsk Fortress and the Novopolotsk Fortress. They only knew that they were the strongholds of the Russians and controlled the entire Polotsk.

The powerful forces in the east gathered their armies to attack Rus in the snow? It’s incredible no matter how you think about it. Reportable businessmen do not sound war alarms for no apparent reason.

It had only been two days since the last time I had a drink, and the wind and snow continued outside. The shocked Spyut had to organize heroes from all walks of life to discuss this sudden military and national event in the newly built Ross Duma Chamber of Commerce in Ross Shop.

Only God knows how far the war has come. It was quite cold outside, and there were people wearing furs indoors. There were not many oil lamps hanging on the wooden walls, which made the undecorated parliamentary court look deserted and simple. The worst part was the dim light.

It all started with the businessman who risked his life to report the news, and now the businessman must explain everything he knows... With some uncontrollable fueling and jealousy, the strength of the Smolensk army has become stronger.

Spuyut did not dare to slap his thigh and get angry and point at the person and say: "You are talking nonsense." Because the businessman mentioned a key name: Vadim.

The nature of the situation has completely changed! That was no ordinary attack, it was clearly

"Fugitive Vadim" raises an army to seek revenge.

"Vadim! Seeking revenge in winter, you really know how to choose the right time! You actually took advantage of our weak troops to take action, it's really despicable..." Stekander was a little surprised: "This Vadim? Who is he? Look at how angry you are. .Brother, do you Ross have a big grudge against him?"

"Of course. This person is the person that King Rus must kill. I really didn't expect it..." Obviously, it would be useless to be surprised and complain now. As an earl, Spuyut completely believed the merchant's statement.

He also made an insurance policy and threatened: "I am willing to believe you, but if you lie about the situation, your guilt will be enough for me to punish you as a blood eagle!" The businessman did not change his face when faced with the threat of extreme punishment. Everyone slapped their chests in front of them: "I put my property and a large amount of supplies in Vitebsk. Your Russian fortress may not be able to support it. If your Yelinger is defeated, Polotsk will be the next to suffer." If they succeed, it will be a disaster for all of us."

"If the Smolensk people cut off the trade route, the amber we intend to sell to Rome will be unsaleable." Stekander, as the boss of the Danish community, was furious: "Since you have witnessed a lot. Brother, you will be your guide. ." After that, he looked at the restless old friend Spyut: "It seems that your plan to attack the Semigalians is about to be put back. You will definitely go upstream to rescue your Ross relatives. , and our entire Danish community will rally all the young people to help. In fact, I will order the rally immediately."

"Then let's do it! We don't have much time." So, Count Spuyut of Saaremaa stood up angrily and suddenly pulled out his steel sword. The buzzing sound of the sword wind was really eye-catching.

Under the dim oil lamp, it pointed its sword towards the east: "I don't care whether the Smolensk army is five thousand or ten thousand, in winter we Russians are invincible. That idiot Vadim, killing this man is a great achievement, Rus The king will give him a huge reward. Let’s attack together and use their blood to sacrifice to the gods during Hanukkah this year.” That’s all, everyone stood up one after another.

The local Latvian tribe who originally wanted to watch the show reluctantly stood up to show their attitude. Riga made its decision, and a small but powerful army appeared.

The timing of Spuyut's situation was very delicate. He preceded Rurik's assembly order in Novgorod and set out with the army. He ordered the battle on the first day after learning the news, and full combat preparations were completed on the second day. began, and Riga only had one day to prepare for war.

On the third day, local horses and reindeer were gathered to drag the sled, and they could barely carry 300 soldiers.

Yes, there were only three hundred people, not many, but not many. Once northerners lost the speed advantage of inland shipping due to frozen rivers and bays in severe winter, the next best thing was to rely on animal-powered sleds.

However, there are not many domesticated winter draft animals in Riga, and the patchwork animal-drawn sleds can barely carry 300 people.

Si Puyut really couldn't care anymore. Even if he might encounter a blizzard on the way, he would have to take any risk in this matter.

This is not just reinforcements, the whole army shares the same hatred of the enemy and has strong morale. Because it is as easy to make money as killing one's parents, the actions of the Smolensk army have made Riga feel an existential crisis, and the violent counterattack originated from this.

They are more fighting to defend their wealth.