How did Frank's civil war turn into? Blue Fox learned the names of a large number of nobles from Liudov. His head hurt when he heard it, but he couldn't help but feel pain.

He estimated that since this guy knew so much, he also knew a lot about the situation in Aachen?

Although the plan to attack Aachen is not kept secret, now is not the time to publicize it in a big way.

The Rus' army would not fly a flag with a Frankish note: "We will sack Aachen."

A detailed conversation is not enough; a private and confidential conversation is still needed.

An oil lamp is lit in a secret stone room, and the dark environment feels suitable for a conspiracy.

Liu Doufu felt that Blue Fox insisted on making such a move before the Ross army stationed at the river mouth was about to leave, so it was natural for him to engage in some conspiracy. He chose the room and ordered all the servants and clerks to avoid it. Similarly, Blue Fox himself also

Come in person.

"Why is it so? Even if you want to conspire, just tell it openly." Liu Duofu frowned, looking at the blue fox's unshaven old face that seemed to be smiling but not smiling under the oil lamp. It looked like a kind of wild beast, such as a fox.

"Haha, it's a conspiracy. Before I explain my intention, I want to hear your attitude."

"I?"

"Haha. Do you... hate Frank? Also, your ancestor is indeed the leader of Vidukind?"

"You?" Liu Duofu frowned with doubt on his face: "Why do you ask this?"

"Oh, I didn't mean any offense."

Liudov narrowed his eyes, "Yes, I am naturally a descendant of Vidukind. There is no doubt about it."

Even so, Lan Hu instantly estimated that this guy was not completely sure about his life experience. Maybe he was a true direct descendant, maybe a side relative, or just a spiritual successor. But these were not problems.

"I am a noble and a businessman." Blue Fox cleared his throat and reiterated.

"What can you say?"

"I am also a warrior. In the north, when your father and brother are killed, you must avenge tenfold. Your ancestors were persecuted by Charlemagne, and your people were killed by Charlemagne. How do you do it? Obviously, now you choose to rebel. As for continuing to be loyal to Ludwig

, it’s just a temporary measure.”

"This...what exactly do you want me to do when you say this?"

"Then." Blue Fox saw Liu Duofu's mental complexity, "Maybe you don't dare, but your son and grandson may dare. If given the chance, be completely independent! If, I mean if."

"What? You... look up to my son very much?"

"Bruno Otto? Your youngest son has the same name as our old king of Rus. Listen, if we attack Aachen secretly and humiliate the arrogant Charlemagne, wouldn't it be a happy revenge?"

"Ah?" It was like a boatload of rocks pressing down on his chest, which made Liudov bend over and retching, but nothing came out in the end.

"Are you okay?" Blue Fox still looked calm.

"I understand, you guys!" Liudov, with a tight mouth, pointed at the blue fox: "You want to rob Aachen!"

"How? I hope you support it. I can see that you want it!"

"I……"

"That's what you want!" Blue Fox slammed the wooden table: "If you don't want to take action, we will help you."

"That's it? I don't think it's simple."

"Oh, if you say that, it means you are willing to cooperate, which is good." Lan Hu no longer wanted to hide anything, "I want your help."

"But I won't send troops. This kind of thing... Even if I want to do it, I can't do it myself!"

"Hesitation is just thinking. Once you have an idea, you will definitely do it. I won't force you. I want information."

"What information?" Liu Doufu asked, covering his chest.

"Further information about Aachen. This time, I don't want to hear you talk about those nobles anymore. I just want to know about Aachen. If you know, be sure to tell me a road that can quickly reach Aachen. To be more

detailed!"

At this moment, Liudov was actually facing a lot of mental torture. He had learned that the expedition instigated by the Russians was personally ordered by Rurik himself, and preparations for the war had even begun last year.

Some of the nobles who came to Hamburg were old faces who fought two years ago. They came with the purpose of making a fortune. As for revenge and the like, they were just clumsy excuses to cover up their desire to plunder. They did not talk about revenge, but simply claimed:

We are here just to make a fortune.

What about yourself?

Facing Lan Hu's sullen face and the constant questioning. His clenched hands were about to burst his finger bones. Liu Dou thought about it carefully and finally completed the ideological struggle.

"Okay! How to reach Aachen, I'll teach you."

"You teach me? Very good. I'll give you a piece of paper, and be sure to draw as many pictures as possible, so that... I can understand it." Blue Fox finally said.

The Russian army's expedition brought with it some special supplies, especially paper.

The cost of making parchment paper is too high. On the other hand, the paper made from Ross's birch bark has a hard texture and a little gypsum powder is deliberately added. The color of the paper produced in this way is whiter and absorbs ink but not excessively, making it easier to use quill pens.

The writing feel is good.

Parchment had no market in Rus, but papyrus was also used in Eastern Rome due to geographical advantages.

It was Eskil's turn and his church organization in the north, and they needed some writing materials to keep a large number of office records.

Paper was not expensive in Rus due to production issues, so a small batch of paper was given to the Northern Church. Esquier gladly accepted the gift so that whatever content was written on the wooden board could be copied onto the paper.

A small batch of paper was also given to Liudov as a gift so that he could record some things and even use it as a toy - a paper airplane.

No, the blue fox did not hesitate to play with the little toy invented by King Ross, folding a piece of white paper into a special shape, as if it had wings and was really gliding in the air.

After some fun, the game diluted the tension of the secret meeting. Now equipped with an oil lamp, Liudov simply drew the "Roadmap Plan for the Attack on Aachen" on a piece of white paper.

Now, even if Rurik himself drew a rough map of Western Europe, Liudov's limited geographical knowledge would still be difficult to understand the structure of the coastline, and it would be difficult to understand the geographical relationship between his own Hamburg and those cities in the south.

He only knows the approximate locations of cities such as Cologne, Aachen, Paris, and Mainz. Of course, there is no problem with the positional relationship between cities. The distance between each other and the specific directions require Blue Fox to understand it abstractly.

.

Liudov once again emphasized the Maas River, a tributary of the Rhine River at its mouth, and clearly pointed out its relationship with the County of Flanders.

He places special emphasis on the town of Maastricht and its corresponding churches, describing the split between Liège and Maastricht.

He described another name for Aachen, "New Rome", emphasizing that the cathedral of "New Rome" was splendid because it contained the huge wealth plundered by the Franks when they defeated the Avar Khanate.

These descriptions confirm that there is indeed a lot of wealth in Aachen and the surrounding areas, but there are no powerful vassals there, or that these areas are the territories directly ruled by King Lothair.

He particularly emphasized a repaired and widened Roman road, which was the road from Maastricht to Aachen. Some people called it the "Emperor's Road". This infrastructure was one of Charlemagne's achievements.

However, according to Liudov's understanding, due to Flanders' open rebellion, a group of Lothair's troops were stationed in lowland areas such as Brussels and Liege to confront the Count of Flanders.

"If your army wants to attack Aachen, it can only capture Maastricht first, but if you do so, it will probably lead to a bloody battle with the Franks. Do you really want to fight them?"

Liu Doufu had already named the route of robbery and the hidden risks. Blue Fox was a little confused: "How did you know that there was a large army stationed? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"You didn't ask me, so I think you don't care. Anyway, your army comes and goes without a trace, and you are so arrogant that you don't care." Liudof shrugged: "It's not that I don't do anything, I am an old man after all.

The nobles have always been in contact with some nobles in the south. Otherwise, how could I tell you other news about the Earl of Tours?"

Blue Fox narrowed his fox-like eyes and tsked: "You are a smart person, you know how to reveal information slowly, so as to continue to gain benefits."

"This is human nature."

"That's fine. I'm a businessman. If you help me, I will give you a rebate, and we will still cooperate in the future. You can rest assured that after the matter is completed, I will help you put in a good word in front of King Rus, and our alliance will only become stronger in the future.

"

"Oh. It's all your fault."

A rough drawing was drawn on a white paper, and underneath it Liudov wrote a large number of detailed descriptions in Saxon. Compared to his poor drawings, the written description was more important.

Now, Blue Fox, who has important information in hand, thinks he has completely figured out the route, and needs to re-formulate a combat plan based on it.

Because he never thought that Lothair actually deployed a strong standing army on the west bank of the Meuse River. Of course they were ordered to defend Flanders. If Aachen was attacked, this group of troops would definitely return to defend in large numbers.

!

Fortunately, Liudov was a really good man, and he focused on describing several ferries on the Maas River and even the pontoon bridge in the town of Liège.

The army of the Middle Kingdom was stationed on the west bank of the Maas River. Simply crossing the river by boat was laborious and laborious. He was not sure whether Maastricht had built a new pontoon bridge, but he was sure that there had always been a small bridge on the Maas River in the town of Liege.

pontoon.

The kingdom's army is not good at water warfare, and the ability of cavalry to make surprise attacks cannot be underestimated.

"Try to find bridges and destroy them. Try to find various Frankish ships and destroy them on the spot. Send people to patrol the Meuse River to force enemies who may return to defend to stop on the river bank." Blue Fox confirmed his knowledge again.

Satisfied with Liudov's information.

It is no problem to walk through the so-called "Emperor's Avenue", but Blue Fox hopes to use the local waterways to promote the advantages of the Russian army.

Liudov mentioned a river called Geul. Although this river does not lead to Aachen, it is very close to the city.

The Hel River is an extremely important source of domestic water for Aachen, but the aqueduct dug by the kingdom is not navigable at all, and even the Hel River itself is not conducive to navigation.

Liu Doufu lacked confidence in this, but in Blue Fox's view, the longship's extremely low draft would allow it to brave even creeks and swamps. Although he did not know the specific conditions of the Hull River, he felt that forced passage was not a big problem.

He even mentioned a village that must be passed through on the way to advance - sageul

What does the village mean? There is a mine near the village, which produces a silver-gray ore from which lead can be extracted, hence the village's name.

But it is not ordinary lead. The lead produced is brighter than that produced in other places. Even its ore is more shiny, and the bronze utensils made from it have a different color.
To be continued...