Rise of Rurik

Chapter 577 Rurik's Expedition to Tavastia

In May, the galloping Oulu River is no longer violent. After the flood season caused by the melting of a large number of winter ice and snow, this watershed is peaceful enough for the long ships of the Rus to drift freely.

In a sense, this region of the Land of the East (Finland) is more like an island divided by rivers and lakes. The extended waterways even allow ships from the Gulf of Bothnia to reach Lake Ladoga, which is further east.

The Tavastians don't know the right way to migrate to the lakes in central Finland. Since the discovery of a large lake in the north and the traces of the Kovins this year, they have begun to travel north along the waterway.

The lake group in the middle, with thousands of lakes, is a large group of natural cisterns, and most of the derived rivers flow into the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga.

There are also several meandering rivers that eventually flow into Lake Oulu, which in turn flows into the sea known to the Rus.

Once informed of the existence of a waterway leading to the core of Tavastia's rule, all the Rus had to do was assemble their forces and launch a quick assault on the Yellow Dragon.

The Duke's order has reached Roseburg.

Although Lord Rurik has long stated that this year the brothers will sharpen their knives and go on an expedition to loot Britain. Since there is an unprecedented expansion in the Eastern Land, there is no reason for the brothers not to join forces.

Ross fishermen cruising on the sea have learned the news that when they arrive at Coventstad, which is under construction, they can trace the source of the river to find a large lake. There are a lot of fish in this lake. Casting a net is more promising.

Rurik planned to recruit a hundred longships and estimated that this would take some time.

The fact far exceeded his expectations, because a large ship was stunned upstream on the river.

It was the Mercury, the only ship with a human propeller for auxiliary power. She had her own name on the side of the ship, except for the flag of the Rus, and for the time being, the main mast of the first sail also had a flag with the name stitched.

Just expecting a few strong men to keep stepping on the pedals, how can she go upstream. The real core of power came from the two longboats that towed her, and the men on the longboats were busy paddling with reinforcements.

The fully loaded longships were hauling two or three up the current with cables, and although it took some time, the ships arrived at the Rus army camp on the river outside the old Grey Squirrel Hill fort.

For a time, the bend of the river was full of longboats. With one hundred and twenty longships and the sailing destroyer Mercury, the Russ attacked and formed a powerful inland fleet!

It was a very fine day, and Rurik proudly boarded his makeshift flagship.

He stood on the stern deck of the Mercury, standing on this high point overlooking the dragon-headed warships that filled the river.

Under such circumstances, who would dare to say that the Ross Army is not invincible?

At least in this Nordic world, the Rus people are invincible in every way.

Arik was infected by this grand occasion, and he shouted proudly against the warm south wind: "We are not going to war! We are easily occupying the entire Tavastia, they are all our slaves."

"Yes! We will make a fortune." Herrigel also echoed the trend.

At this point, it would be pure hypocrisy if Rurik said he didn't like excessive killing.

The main achievement of the foreign war is naturally the commander-in-chief. In everyone's heart, Rurik is a "human slaughter", and it is the hero that people are most proud of.

Rurik really didn't want to make the war any more bloody, he needed Tavastia as a new servant to replace the economic role of the Corvins. With such a large army set up to invade the enemy's territory, the enemy should look back, right? I hope so, if the enemy wants to be trapped and fight, he will not show mercy.

The Kovins have been saying that Tavastia is rebellious, and since Rurik had no choice but to fight his opponent to the end, he prepared more weapons and equipment, including fifty sets of "Silver Scale Armor", which could make fifty strong Han turned into an invulnerable ruthless man rushing into battle.

Look at the brothers again, the ships await the order to set sail for the flagship.

There was nothing left to hesitate. With a wave of Rurik's hand, the sailor standing on the bow yelled at the tug ahead: "Let's go!"

Two thousand people and more than 300 prisoners of war took a total of 121 boats. The boat also carried some wheat and dried fish, as well as a deliberately vacated space for storing spoils.

The re-affiliated Teljo and the five village leaders of Tavastia, who had been forced to surrender, became the guides of the Rus army, and they identified the correct river course.

Are these people trustworthy? Rurik wasn't worried, he knew he had the right way out. Because the end of the river in this area is the mouth of the river, the Gulf of Bothnia of the Rus.

The Rusian soldiers were in high spirits and followed by as many as 200 fishing boats. What happened to them?

The fishermen did not go to war, not to mention that there were many female fishermen and elderly people among them.

It was mainly the Kewen people who fled to Roseburg who said that the lakes in the upper reaches of the rivers in their hometowns were rich in swimming fish. Everyone believed it to be true, and whether or not there was such a war, everyone had to go and find out. Now led by the Duke's expedition fleet, the fishermen are full of confidence, and they have actually been given a new mission - logistics supply.

Not to mention that there are some special merchants mixed in with the fishermen.

The merchants are all from Lake Melalen, and in fact, almost all of them are family members of the big family of the Melalen tribe. The merchants were in fact doing the work of slave traders, and they were determined to try their luck closely with the Duke's fleet.

The Ross fleet, which was in high spirits and was fully rested, set off in the morning and only spent the entire daytime, and in the evening, they saw a vast expanse of space ahead.

The gorgeous sunset tinted the world in mid-spring into a lazy hue. The Ross Expeditionary Force naturally docked and camped on the spot, while the two hundred ships that followed them foolishly occupied the river surface, just lit their fuel lamps to prepare for night fishing.

Everything is simply the grace of God, and those bait that have just been cast are quickly attracted to the bait.

The Rus people used the cod fishing tools in the sea in the lakes, and the big bass were biting.

The Kewen people who lived here have long known the fish resources here, but they were unable to make more flexible fishing lines and high-quality barbed hooks. Facing the vast lake, they can only stare blankly most of the time, and can only do near-shore fishing like chance.

The Ross Expeditionary Force camped and slept on the spot, and the lake was "starry."

The fishermen who caught the Ross overnight had a huge harvest. By the time Rurik woke up in the early morning, the fishermen had spontaneously set up a fish market on the shore.

"They're really business-minded."

Rurik was overjoyed when a market suddenly formed, and he happily ate delicious grilled sea bass this morning.

The best-selling fish in the market is actually freshwater cod. In fact, many people do not know what name to call this fish, but its thick fish oil and huge body are really coveted.

A large freshwater cod can weigh up to twenty pounds! Who would refuse the low price of a silver coin for a fish? A few brothers bought it together, and then divided it up and ate this oily feast. It was really a powerful breakfast.

If there is no need to not eat wheat, the Ross Army has reached such a consensus.

Thanks to the gift of Lake Oulu and the superb fishing skills that the Rus people were forced to use in their long production and life, Rurik was delighted to receive a crucial supply.

European perch, freshwater cod, and pike were piled directly on the boat. The Ross people who were accustomed to eating fish were no longer sensitive to the fishy smell, but this really tormented prisoner of war was very uncomfortable.

Although it is May, the temperature throughout the day is relatively high at noon, and it is good to have 5C at night. The lower temperature allows the fish to be preserved for a longer time, but the majority of Rus people are not picky about mildly rotten fish, they can only say that this is forced out of life.

Lake Oulu, this is the limit of the Rus people's exploration in the "Eastern Land", the rivers and lakes in front are unfamiliar.

Rurik only knew the basic geographical structure of the wide-area world, and knew that everyone insisted on going eastward to Lake Ladoga, and then the movement along the lake could reach Novgorod and Novgorod.

Now he relies heavily on the guidance of the defectors such as Telho. The Ross Expeditionary Force used it to raise its sails on the wide sea like the ocean and advance against the south wind. It took a morning to plunge into the river at the southernmost end of the lake. Lake mouth.

All six defectors were captured on the Mercury, and they all pointed to the river, claiming to go up the river, sticking to the widest channel to avoid breaking into the wrong tributaries, and finally reaching Tawasti. Ya's worship center.

"Are all your directions correct? Well, if you lie, I will kill all the captives including you. When I find your village, I will kill everyone in revenge."

Rurik's words were a threat, and he was capable of doing so.

Especially the five village chiefs who still had families and followers, they all knelt down on the deck, begging the supreme ruler of the Rus people to show mercy.

"Show mercy? It depends on your performance afterwards. You must hand over a batch of property and some young women to prove your surrender."

Rurik put his words here, he was not afraid that these defectors would not cooperate. Really not cooperating? It's a big deal, brothers, take a little effort to search for it yourself.

In this Russ expeditionary force advancing inland, people really have their own thoughts.

The vast majority of Russ, Melarens and Balmerks all have the common identity of "Vikings", and ordinary warriors are too lazy to care about the grand plans of the big men. What they want to do now is to rush to Tawasti In the hinterland of Asia, first shoot some leather, dried meat, etc., and then capture a young woman to immediately solve the desire of the lower body, and then take him back to his own home to be a second wife.

The few Covens, Caihas and Mechasta are pure vengeance. Let's look at these two guys who once brought their respective clansmen to the brink of blood, they are now "in love with father and son". The two were seated in the dragon-headed warship of the Rus, and they were dressed like a Viking. The two of them did not row, but held a short spear with a scorpion on each end.

The most powerful commander of Tavastia, Watkad, and his younger brother, Watyala, had their heads stuck on the spearheads and became the trophies of the Kovins.

Watching the young warriors of Rurik, boys and girls, once again experienced a brutal battle, and simply ensured that no one died in the battle.

Carlotta, Duchess of Ostara. She wanted to talk to her man Rurik again, but she was helpless because of her mission. She had to manage the "human Valkyries" under her command, and then keep pace with the young warriors managed by bald Fisk.

Their youth does not mean that they lack strength, and the longboats they ride are pulled by the ropes of the ships ahead. The children continued to paddle, talking and laughing along the way.

It is the Dane John Ingvar, who still has a silver cross hanging on his chest, but is it still necessary to maintain this belief now?

His identity is that of a clergyman. If there is no current experience, his destiny must be to become a priest of a monastery, and even have the qualifications to become a regional bishop.

Clergy's hands must not be contaminated with the blood of others! Unfortunately, he had already broken his precepts on the battlefield.

He walked all the way through the stinky, muddy and terrifying battlefield. He subconsciously wanted to pray the last prayer for the dying, and suddenly it occurred to him that these savages in the woods knew what they believed in.

The dead were everywhere, and at the order of Lord Rurik, the burly warriors chopped off the deceased's heads just to make a statistic to calculate the merits, and the corpses drifted with the flow...

John Invall's brain was deeply stimulated, and now he is just paddling, and he doesn't want to mix with the fact that others are laughing about killing the enemy.

It's another resting on the shore. Now the river has become relatively narrow. Fortunately, the water depth of the river is still gratifying. For example, the Mercury with a shallow draft can still drift smoothly.

Rurik knew that even driving the Avrora into the river was possible. Imagine a large ship appearing in the enemy's hinterland. What kind of forceful oppression is this?

They camped on both sides of the river, and people ate the last raw fish, even if the fish was stale, it was charred and oily and then sprinkled with salt, everyone was still suffocating.

Sitting by the bonfire, Rurik spoke eloquently to his cronies: "I heard that the enemy walked for six or seven days before arriving at the battlefield along the same road as us. They rely on a pair of feet, we have a boat, we faster.”

Arik took advantage of the situation and said: "You can't think of arriving tomorrow?"

"That would be best. In my opinion, we're there in the next three days."

The brothers had another wonderful imagination of occupying the enemy's hinterland, fantasizing about how many benefits they would get, and how many captured women could be stuffed in the vacated positions of the ships.

When it comes to women's problems, men talk about it without reservations or even lower limits. Unsurprisingly, Arik deliberately made the head, and when Carlota was present, he praised his brother for being a real man before he reached adulthood.

The brothers laughed, and Arik also expressed his best wishes: "Carlotta, you will have several sons for Rurik. Your tribe needs your son to inherit, so you must please your Rurik well."

That said, although Carlotta blushed, she was not afraid of anything, but insisted on raising her chest and claiming that she could do it, and then she held Rurik's arm.

The Rus, or the women of all Viking tribes, are the same. They will fight on the battlefield like men, they will also take on the burden of taking care of their families, and they are also obliged to safeguard the interests of the tribe. They are inherently active.

Carlotta is active, and Rurik is not passive. Carlota's accumulated pressure needs to be released, and Arik's words really stimulated her heart.

This night, the two...

The next morning, when the sun came out, Rurik was very happy, and so was Carlotta.

As the saying goes, the large group of young fighters in Rurik are usually men and women in their training and labor, and they cooperate to defend the enemy on the battlefield. It would be strange if there was no affection.

Rurik wanted the same effect. Just like a Spartan culture, a resolute mother and a brave father would naturally produce the strongest warriors to defend the tribe. To put it bluntly, the girls of the "Valkyrie Legion" that Carlotta was ordered to lead are destined to be the wives of the new generation of Ross male soldiers.

The voyage of the Ross Army continued, and it seemed that it was not far from the destination.

Now, the five surrendered village leaders feel more and more that they need to behave well. They try their best to prove that they are loyal dogs. The alliance has already collapsed anyway.

They are all pointing out that since the river has become wider, not far ahead is the Tavastiya Sacrificial Center, which is also the core of the rule.

This is indeed the case. Rurik, standing on the stern deck of the Mercury, saw a lakeside of this long and narrow lake from a distance, where there are a large number of wooden houses and thatched cottages. The old villages are quite similar.

The destination is just that, and the entire fleet position boils over.

The Rus, the Balmers, the Mellarens, and the Covens, all cheered and shouted that they could make a fortune and take women back.

On the other hand, those prisoners of war who were still bound by ropes had ignored the pain of having their fingers chopped off, and one by one they lowered their heads and wept.

Without him, this is where their troops assembled more than ten days ago. Who would have thought that more than half a month has passed, and when everyone comes back here, the owner has changed hands.

And the Tavastians on the shore, the canoes on the lake, retreated almost instinctively out of fear.

They had never seen such a scene. A large number of large ships were rampant on the lake, and the hoisted sails and waving flags seemed to have other meanings. The left-behind people are basically women, especially the people who live in the sacrificial center.

The woman instinctively began to flee, and the Tavastiya warriors who stayed behind also took up arms and at least prepared their positions to guard against unexpected events.

"Look! Your lord, they still have an army, and it looks like they are going to fight us." Yevlo pointed with a very alert hand, and the implication was to urge Rurik to attack.

"They are seeking their own death, Yevluo, you are loud! Pass my order and let the brothers land on the beach! Remember, try to catch the ones alive."

"As ordered!"

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