Rise of Rurik

Restlessness is spreading in Roseburg, where immigrant people are quickly disposing of their possessions.

People dispose of wood furniture at home, and any woodware and pottery that are inconvenient to carry are being sold.

The already very lively market has come to a boil, and people who have turned into stalls to sell their belongings are everywhere. The market has turned into a flea market, and conventional transactions take a back seat.

They are also selling their own premises. Those wooden houses that have been built for a few years are sold at almost cost price, and the number of old houses that are decades old are not many and the cheapest.

Those who recently immigrated to Melalen and Yermalen paid close attention to these great things. They took the savings from their labor and happily traded with the Russ who were about to leave.

The merchants who lived in the guest house also joined the tide of panic buying. With the addition of these people, the real estate market, which was originally sluggish due to selling, was abruptly raised by the merchants!

Because the businessmen of those clients have already had enough of renting for a long time, and now they only need to pay a sum of money to the prince, and they are qualified to buy a house, why not do it? Many guest merchants do not have the right to immigrate to the East, at least not now.

Merchants do not really have a particularly urgent need. Most of the trade lines they operate from Roseburg to Birka Port on Lake Mälaren have their own presence on this trade line, and they will not easily give up their business here. Oriental Adventure.

Rurik had no time to interfere in the free transaction of real estate and daily necessities. He received a tax and then recruited a group of laborers.

The hired men and women were ordered to dismantle the Temple of the Gods in Roseburg, and after a small sacrificial event, the gilded bronze statues were removed one after another.

The strong Ross men are all planting wheat in the East, and almost all of the people he hires are Melalen immigrants, all of them with the same muscles. About six people worked together to pick up the statue and put it into a newly built large wooden box. The box is full of reeds, so there is no need to worry about the idols bumping into each other.

The entire temple is undoubtedly the most important of these six statues. They must be safely transported to the deer cart and slowly transported to the seaside.

All of this Rurik personally supervised and watched the deer team drift away.

There are more than 20 people on standby with sledgehammers, and their tendency is to smash the temple that has lost its statue.

Parla was dressed in plain clothes and wore a wreath on her head. Seeing that these strong men had already received orders, when she swung the sledgehammer, she frowned and leaned closer to the prince not to vomit.

"Prince! This temple did not have to be demolished.

"

"I know your concerns." Rurik looked at it flatly. "The gods will not blame me! The statue must be erected in the most suitable place, that is, New Roseburg. There is still the old stone ship altar, Parla, You are already the local high priest of Roseburg. I authorize you to recruit twelve lower priests. The Governor's Office will pay for your daily meals and sacrifices. In the future, all kinds of sacrifices in Roseburg will depend on you, and the servants' dormitory is now yours. Family……"

Rosburg was the homeland of the Vikings. When the Roth natives left with their wives and concubines of various ethnic groups, there were almost only Roths here, and the resident population plummeted to less than 4,000.

Vikings need the purest Viking traditional life, they must believe in Norse gods, and sacrifice rituals must also be Viking.

A sense of desolation struck, and Parla watched the gradually shattering temple come from it, two lines of tears ticking into the ground.

"You don't have to be sad," Rurik said.

"I...I still want to cry. You...almost all left."

"This is fate, Ross is no longer the Ross of the past. In the future, I will also regulate the ranks of priests. I will set up high priests in the capital. There are resident priests in all cities of Rus, and the resident priests can recruit a number of lower-level priests. Like It is a world tree, with a trunk, branches, buds, and leaves. This structure is the most stable. And you, you must recruit twelve lower-level priests to assist you, which is an obligation and responsibility."

The important sign of the complete relocation of the Rus administrative center to Novi Rossburg on the Neva River is the relocation of the sacrificial center here.

Rurik intends to regulate the beliefs. In order to ensure the consistency of everyone's spiritual home, the priesthood must be organized in a hierarchy.

In Rus, traditional priesthoods are held by women, which is indeed different from other Viking tribes. This tradition should be retained, the priesthood is still female, and the high priest must be a continuation of the blood of the prince.

There is indeed an existing blueprint for the division of the priesthood. Rurik intends to study the set of Christ, and that set of systems is also determined by the Roman Empire. For example, the high priest is equivalent to the patriarch (pope), and must serve in the great temple of the capital. The resident priests in other cities are actually cardinals, and the ranks are further arranged downward, so that each village has a resident clergyman.

The prince can use this set to control the thoughts of the people of Russia, which also corresponds to the fact of the "divine nature of the prince". Realistically speaking, once such a system operates stably, the decree issued by the Maharaja can be issued quickly in principle, which is beneficial to the operation of the state machinery of the huge principality.

The packed statues are loaded before many goods. The Sperosvillea bow sculpture is also stuffed with a strand of white hair of the legendary high priest. This sacred ship is most suitable for shipping statues and various temples. Utensils, and even a special stone!

The stone boat altar will be built immediately in the new Rose Fort, and a large stone excavated from the old altar will become the cornerstone of the new altar, which means the transmission of divinity.

It was not until all the idols were loaded that Rurik breathed a sigh of relief.

He was happy that his army of immigrants was traveling lightly, and it would be too much trouble to transport a large number of pots and pans with him.

The journey from Rosburg to Novgorod was a long voyage, and the fleet might drift for half a month on seas, lakes and rivers. The long voyage is nothing to the soldiers, but it is a daunting challenge for women and children.

Women with children longing for an early reunion with their husbands are the most urgent. They were actually orphans who were adopted by Rurik, but they didn't feel it.

Rurik had been staying in his hometown of Roseburg for many days. He hoped that everyone would be evacuated as soon as possible after carrying the supplies. When the work really started, he knew that there would be a lot of trouble.

Relics seized from Lindisfarne in the past, diamond-encrusted crosses from the Shetland Islands, and wooden boards that recorded the past of the Rus, they were all packed up. The most important thing is Rurik's treasury, or the treasury of the Duchy of Rus.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to move, Rurik checked the balance of his banknotes. Although there were a lot of coins, it was lower than Rurik expected.

Think about it, he also knows the inside story, a lot of money is spent on construction expenses, and maintaining the welfare policy is also swallowing money. Compared with ten years ago, the people are really richer than ever before. The productivity of Rus is also continuing to expand, and the amount of hot money circulating in the principality society is also large, which attracts more foreign merchants to trade, even if the merchants have to pay taxes.

Perhaps there should be a tax hike to expand the treasury so that infrastructure and shipbuilding can continue.

Shipbuilding and iron smelting were actually the two affairs that Rurik paid the most attention to besides supervising the relocation of the temple.

The heavy smoke from the blast furnace town obscures the sky and the sun. This highly polluted town is a satellite city of Roseburg, and because of its proximity to mines and charcoal workshops, the metal output here is substantially more efficient than Europe.

Although Rurik did not explicitly count the annual iron output of Rus, it would be very small by the standard of a thousand years later. By the standard of the ninth century, the two iron smelting institutions in the town of Blast Furnace and the northern castle of Elrond were enough to make Rus rich. .

And these two places are also military important places that Ross must guard for generations. Even if the core of the Principality of Rus is relocated to the Neva River, the entire Gulf of Bothnia in the northern Baltic Sea must be the exclusive inland sea of ​​the Principality of Rus!

As a result, the tombstone island fortress at the entrance and exit of the Gulf of Bothnia must be further constructed, and there is a T-junction in the Baltic Sea, when the Ross fleet is stationed.

The shipyard was Rurik's final focus. In fact, as early as at the banquet after the Ros Duma meeting, the slightly drunk master craftsman Hortra told the truth after drinking and told all kinds of situations in the shipyard.

Rurik was rarely drunk that day, and he didn't hear much, but now he still has to investigate the situation on the spot.

Because there are still a group of shipbuilders and apprentices who must immigrate to the East, Rurik is here today to inspect this special group of skilled immigrants and even announce a major event.

The order issued last year on the manufacture of standard-type armed cargo ships has indeed been implemented by Hotra. The salary given by the prince was exciting, and the supply of shipbuilding materials was very stable, so the craftsmen worked hard.

The time is already early June. In the past eight months of Deling, Hortra has only accepted orders from Rurik. According to the technical parameters, two large indoor shipbuilding workshops have built four ships in an average of three months. ship.

When Rurik returned, the ninth to twelfth general-purpose armed cargo ships were about to be launched, and the shipyard was also rushing to the water during his stay.

He came looking for the sound of ding ding dong dong, and the mercenaries were waiting outdoors, and he entered the still lively factory.

No one is afraid of the prince. The young prince's visit is equivalent to the arrival of the god of wealth. Seeing the prince, everyone's faces smile like blooming flowers.

Hotra came with a cane in high spirits, and warmly greeted his friends to suspend work.

"It seems that you are still accelerating the construction." Rurik looked up at the small ship and said with relief.

The more Huotra looked at Rurik, the happier he was, and he immediately sold the boats: "I rejected the orders of other people according to your order, and only build boats for the prince. These Kirk boats are very strong, small or small, better than others. The theoretical loading capacity can reach 100,000 pounds, and the wind speed of each boat is amazing. Now that we have given up paddling, we naturally make good use of the wind.”

Rurik nodded with satisfaction: "The fishermen I contracted are all using the eight boats that have been launched, and they told me that these boats are very useful. Especially when towing a large fishing net, it is still maneuverable and the amount of herring is higher. ."

"Thanks to the prince's promotion."

"You're welcome, you have to admit your abilities. You also need to understand that in this sea area, our Ross fleet is invincible! So based on realistic needs, for the time being, I don't need giant ships, but a large number of standard cargo ships. This kind of cargo ship that can carry up to 100,000 pounds of supplies is very good, and a torsion slingshot on the bow is a good force ship."

"So……"

"In the future, the shipbuilding workshop in Roseburg will continue to build cargo ships for me, and at least ten ships should be built for me every year. You will be satisfied with the price. In this way, our fishing and cargo ships in Ross are completely unified, which is not only easy to manage, but also if there is a war, this It's part of our mighty navy!"

Hortra was excited when he heard it. Hundreds of craftsmen and apprentices were making all kinds of noises to express their joy.

Rurik saw that Hortra and his friends were already a very powerful shipbuilding group. The young cubs they recruited in Lake Mälaren were apprentices, and all their economic life was tied to the organization.

If such a rapidly expanding shipbuilding workshop continues to expand, it may not be all beneficial to the shipbuilding industry in Ross. It must be split up, so taking advantage of the opportunity of immigration, it should be split into three parts.

"Where are all the talents who are going to the East?" Rurik asked loudly.

Hotra clapped his hands, and the selected came out one after another.

Here stood the second and third sons of Hortra, as well as the offspring of other small families.

Carl Holtrasen and Stein Holtrasen, the two brothers are only about 20 years old, because they were taught by experienced fathers themselves, they are very good in the theory and technology of shipbuilding, and they are very good at independent command building. Big boats have confidence.

Rurik was very happy that Hortra could hand over his son. As for why he was the second son and the third son, the reason was very simple, because the main business of the family was inherited by the eldest son, and the other sons would have to rely on their abilities sooner or later.

There were as many as thirty people gathered, artisans and apprentices.

Look how unhappy they Rurik? He asked again: "Is it appropriate that you have chosen people who have exceeded my plans? Shipbuilding here will be less efficient."

Hortra answered cheerfully: "Just train another batch of craftsmen."

"Alright, I want to announce something." Rurik calmed down and announced to the thirty people in front of him in a clear voice: "I will build a shipbuilding workshop in the Principality in the East, and I will fund the construction of factories and residences for you. Hiring you to build ships, I will provide you with a very stable life and an opportunity to improve your skills in shipbuilding. You will have high social treatment, even the young apprentices now will be respected by everyone in the future. I, even will To assign wives to you, the premise is of course that you must be loyal to my command."

The prince's preaching promised "the grace of the gods", and many people were completely at a loss when they heard it.

This is nothing short of pie in the sky! Those young apprentices are almost orphans, and they are basically full to eat with Hortra. Now that everyone has suddenly become the direct subordinates of the prince, it is natural to go through fire and water.

For apprentices with low status, they are happy as long as they can eat a good meal every day. For Hotra's two younger sons, the two brothers need more. They are eager to use their personal abilities to start their own business, but unfortunately they lack the original capital.

In this case, Rurik simply hired two people as craftsmen directors, and was ordered to preside over the shipbuilding industry in Novgorod and Novgorod. Even if you can only build traditional long ships at the beginning, it is already a huge help for the inland transportation of the Principality!

Rurik gave all the craftsmen of the duchy high treatment, and the people of this era were also very satisfied. It was a good treatment to go out to work and get a meal that was sure to be full every day. If there is any remaining wealth, it is really the kindness of the employer. .

It is precisely the struggle of the artisans. The Principality's top products are all from their hands, and the huge economic added value in it can promote the benign accumulation of the Principality's capital, without forcing the Principality to use military force to survive by war and plunder.

Rurik has arranged everything he can think of, and many things have been delayed for a long time. He has to postpone the date of immigration, which has been postponed until the twenty-eighth day of June in the Julian calendar. .

The summer solstice sacrifice of the Julian calendar was held as scheduled, and this was also the last grand summer sacrifice in Rosberg.

Tomorrow is the departure date, most of the soft goods have been loaded, and Rurik can actually announce the departure long ago, and the delay is to deliberately catch up with this festival.

During the waiting time, Mechasta from Elonburg also brought his daughter to report her work. Another major event was to exchange her daughter Cypolava for her man Rurik.

There are no additional arrangements in Elonburg, Mechasta still has to provide the principality with a large amount of iron, as well as catching salmon during the autumn fish flood, and as a transit point for the trade of the port of Narvik opposite the Atlantic Ocean. .

This time, three women gathered beside Rurik. They all had black hair and almost all oval faces. They were all of ancient Finnish ethnicity. They are also basically of the age to be mothers. Needless to say, the eldest High Priest Rumia, the remaining two should be saved.

The Queen Mary who died in childbirth is really a tragedy. Rurik blamed himself for her death, so for the safety of other wives and concubines, he should generally restrain his desires for about three to five years.

Even if there is more desire, turn it into a desire to build.

The summer solstice sacrifice has come to a great end. Thousands of people stayed up all night this night, precisely because the sun never set on the summer solstice in Roseburg.

They boarded the ship on the only day of extreme daylight, and prepared to go with great enthusiasm. The flags of Rus were roaring, and there were as many as 5,000 people of various colors, and as many as 200 ships of various sizes, either carrying people or carrying goods, especially a large amount of dry food and fresh water!

The huge immigrant fleet is also the mighty Ross Navy, and they set sail!

Rus left the Roseburg Fjord, where he lived for nearly 80 years, historically in 835. The main body of the Rus rushed to the warm land of Eastern Europe, and only a few technicians stayed in their homeland...