Chapter 1016 Opportunity for Black Fox and Red Fox
The Ross fleet was heading north rapidly, and Rurik deliberately ordered the fleet to sail close to the east coast of the cucumber-like slender island of Oland, using the island as a landmark to avoid deviation.
As they passed this long island, another piece of coastline appeared due east.
This is another extremely important landmark, Gotland.
The vast sea is extremely empty, and the fleet, which was originally a giant, now looks extremely small.
This sea area has witnessed too many disputes, and the waters that should have been prosperous have become lonely.
Ten years have passed since the war destroyed Gotland's inherent economic activity and killed ten thousand people, and the island has never recovered.
On the other hand, Visby remains the same. It is no longer the coastal trading town of the old Gotlanders, but has become a colony of some Swedes. The most important people here are the Swedish immigrants from Mälaren.
These people are legally subjects living in the Kingdom of Rus. The trip was in a hurry, and Rurik, as the king, undoubtedly visited this city.
But the sails of the fleet were too conspicuous. The triangular sails of the huge fleet were entirely white, with a large number of blue stripes mixed in. The white sails were extremely conspicuous in the early spring sunshine and could be seen clearly by the fishermen preparing to go to sea.
Is late March a good time to go overseas?
Fishermen who are well versed in the hydrological data of the Central Baltic Sea have determined that there is no fishing season here yet, but just waiting for another half month is a good time to plunder the catch!
They spread out the old nets on the shore and sewed and repaired the damage with their bare hands. Women and children also joined in the work of making new nets. This was a very time-consuming task and the labor force had to participate as much as possible.
Men have a more important job, which is to carry tools to mend their boats, repair them, and make tools such as harpoons and iron hooks.
They would deliberately make some harpoons with huge barbs, and iron rings hung at the end of the wooden handles to tie the ropes.
This is a whaling spear, used to kill belugas, minke whales, porpoises, and seals.
However, these Mälaren fishermen did not deliberately hunt whales. As the Russians' demand for whale oil increased, it became profitable to sell whale blubber and whale brain oil after whaling.
This is because they don’t know what the Ross people want for the whale blubber. They only know that whale meat and internal organs can be eaten for a long time (even if the smell is very fishy), and they can get a lot of it by selling the whale blubber to the Ross people’s Tombstone Island coastal market.
nice one.
As long as it is fat, you can make soap. Eventually, the fat will be transported to New Roseburg, and the kingdom's state-run workshops will produce ordinary consumer soap. It smells slightly but is very decontaminating. It is a consumer product that the people can afford, and it continues to
Filling the treasury.
Those fishermen made an accurate judgment—the king and his huge fleet from the expedition were back.
The remaining voyage only lasted three days, and those soldiers who sat in the cabin and endured the unpleasant smell became angry.
People were so willing to stay on the deck and look around that the overcrowding required sailors to drive them back to their cabins so they wouldn't interfere with their work.
The strong south wind seems to be driving away the cold, but the sea water is still bitingly cold.
In the distance, a huge amount of sparkling objects appeared on the sea. It was not the waves reflecting sunlight, but broken ice covering the entire sea surface.
Large ships are completely disdainful of these broken ice, but the traditional longships behind need to consider the risks.
"It won't happen at home, right?"
Rurik, who was taking the lead with his flagship, out of caution, ordered the semaphores to stand on the bow deck and issue orders to the entire fleet behind.
After some body language, all ships, large and small, understood the risks.
The Åland Islands are ahead, and the further north we go, the more ice floes there are.
The hard oak hull creaked, and the people in the cabin groaned endlessly despite the boring noise. The ice floes were constantly being pushed away, and only large ships could withstand the resistance of the densely packed ice floes. The major ships lined up in a triangle to attack.
The array, like a giant shield, constantly smashes the ice floes to protect the longships behind.
It is such a fleet that no one can ignore their existence!
The old guard post placed by Bjorn, the leader of the Mellaren tribe, at the mouth of the lake still exists today. The guard post has a very obvious wooden building erected on the bare land. It is also an obvious sign unlike the lighthouse. The guard post is still there, but now it is completely
Under the orders of the governor-general White Fox Gouldson appointed by Rurik.
The sentries clearly saw the huge fleet and the unified flag on the mast. They immediately rowed into Lake Mälaren, which was also full of ice floes, and went straight to Stockholm, a city close to the mouth of the sea, to explain the matter to any people they could meet, especially
Report to the Governor.
Rurik did not have time to enter Lake Mälaren yet, he was eager to anchor at the anchorage of Tombstone Island.
Now, the entire fleet entered a deep water channel full of ice floes. It was surrounded by densely packed sandbars of various sizes, and several large islands came into view.
This place should be very familiar, but after returning today, an indescribable feeling of alienation arises spontaneously.
"I feel like I have been away from here for many years. What a bad illusion. Gould, how are you, old guy? Don't die." Rurik couldn't help but worry about the fat old man who had spent most of his life in fine clothes.
It has to be said that Gould made a great contribution to the rise of Ross, and his descendants are continuing to write brilliant stories.
So this return is not just as simple as taking a rest.
Blue Fox played the most important role in the war, and it was more reasonable for him to support his two younger brothers. As expected, Red Fox and Black Fox were on Gould Island. They were two cubs whose ages were only in single digits.
, now at least sixteen years old.
The fleet appeared like thousands of heavenly soldiers descending from Asgard, and the entire Tombstone Island was shocked!
Just like the fleet passing by from Gotland to the town of Visby, the people of Tombstone Island are making important preparations for setting sail for fishing.
Ice and snow have forced most production and life work to suspend, but this island is a warm nest in the ice and snow.
Leather tanning work can also be carried out in tall wooden walls, and fishermen can repair and devalue their fishing nets in open areas everywhere.
There are many people who have settled on Tombstone Island for a long time, and people are still accustomed to the Nordic system from ancient times. Many things are discussed by everyone, but there is a governor arranged by Rurik.
The towering watchtower observed the arrival of the fleet, and the sudden return of the huge fleet was unexpected.
For a moment, the entire Tombstone Island was boiling. People stopped what they were doing and rushed to the dock. They made various noises or simply shouted to cheer for the returning troops.
Governor Harald Harald, who was also old, led everyone to gather in the dock area.
The old Gould, who was still fat, was even more aged. His eyes were blurred, his hair and beard were pale, and his face was covered with age spots. Even so, the old man who suddenly had difficulty walking even had to walk with the help of his attendants.
Go straight to the dock.
"My blue fox is back. The blue fox is back..."
He kept chanting the name of his second son, wanting to take a good look at how this son who had made great contributions was doing now. Because everyone who came back last year said that Lan Hu was canonized as a hereditary noble by the king because of his great contributions.
The two little fat men were dressed gorgeously, with emerald green peacock feathers on their white velvet hats. They were not too young, but the age gap between them and their father, Old Gould, was really outrageous.
After all, Bai Hu's daughter and these two brothers are only three or four years younger.
They are the Red Fox and Black Fox brothers. Although they were born with good clothes and good food, they have not made any achievements. They are by no means mediocre. With their two elder brothers as role models, they also aspire to achieve something.
Because Tombstone Island's two natural small bays are now densely packed with longships and cargo ships, the fleet can only anchor offshore.
The warships were lined up in a line, and they were majestic. The good guys were busy counting the number of ships, and found that they could not be counted with one pair of hands.
Some goods can be unloaded directly on Tombstone Island, such as partially captured iron weapons, tools, and horse hides (stripped from Frankish horses).
The army's horses also had to be unloaded and rested here. For this purpose, the cargo ships carrying the horses had to force their way into the harbor, and the longships occupying the berths had to give way.
Rurik was in a great mood with the people roaring everywhere on the shore. The soldiers had now returned to their hometowns, and the large-scale landings began now.
The landing operation was chaotic at first. The soldiers who came ashore were eager for good food and wine, and the people who gathered around them couldn't wait to ask them about their war experiences.
To hell with the messy landing! Large-scale unloading is not here anyway! The soldiers and horses landed only for rest and recuperation. The landing soldiers did not cause any trouble, but immediately arrived at the old camp to rest.
Rurik landed in a small boat with his cronies and nobles, while Noren and Beyathil each held their sons in their arms.
They stepped onto the hard soil. As the king, Rurik showed his majesty as a king in a high-profile way. He wore a golden laurel crown and accepted the half-kneeling salute of the people on the island.
"Everyone, get up! Brothers! The glory belongs to Ross! We have won!"
The happiest thing for people is to hear the word "victory".
The governor-general, Old Harald, had an old face full of enthusiasm and hurriedly took his cronies to further congratulate the king on the victory.
Therefore, a key question was raised impatiently: "How much loot will the king unload and sell on Tombstone Island?"
The question was abrupt and serious. Rurik didn't think much and said casually: "Are the merchants from Melalen ready to make a move? I can come up with a thousand pieces of horse leather and some iron tools. You can sell them. Remember to pay the tax when the time comes.
Give me."
Ma Ge? This made the people present very depressed.
An old man's ears were still intact. Old Gould chirped a few times, and the attendants quickly helped the old man squeeze out of the crowd and appeared in front of Rurik.
When I saw him today, old Gould seemed to be a completely different person. Rurik recognized him at a glance and was surprised by the decline of his old friend.
"You?!" He pointed with his big hand: "Gould! It's you!"
"Yes! It's me..." Old Gould's voice was very hoarse, and then he coughed for a while.
"you are sick?"
"At least he won't die this year. Your Majesty, where is my son Lan Hu? Oh... let's talk about the horse leather first. A thousand horse leather were given to Tombstone Island, thank you, Your Majesty!"
Rurik was at a loss to continue. Before the war started, he was worried that Old Gould would suddenly have a stroke and die. After thinking about it, he continued: "It seems that God Frey has blessed you with a clear mind. You are a big businessman, how can I
I can forget you and your family. I will discuss some things with you in detail. Now, I want to go to the city. You..." Rurik pointed at the governor, "You go and gather the merchants stationed on the island, and return
There are those leather craftsmen. I will have a good chat with you tomorrow. I am tired now and I want to go to the island to rest."
The governor was well aware of what rest the king himself required.
The exhaustion of the boat trip caused Rurik's iron-like body to collapse. He had been holding on to his spirit, and now he finally soaked comfortably in a huge wooden barrel. This not only removed the mud and sweat stains all over his body, but also washed them away.
The murderous spirit of a whole year of war gave his tense muscles a rest, and finally he lay on a regular bed and fell asleep heartlessly.
The outdoor carnival was no match for the king, and the soldiers who landed were paying crazily for drinking.
The use of hops to transform ale into beer is still a feature of some parts of southern Frankfurt, and it has not spread. However, simple ale always becomes sour due to slight deterioration, so-called aceticization. Therefore, flower petals, pine buds, and tree branches are added during brewing.
Improving the smell of ale with aromatics such as berries is a traditional method, but people who indulge in heavy drinking always ignore all this.
Thousands of soldiers each have money. They land just because they want to feast and drink. But where are there so many supplies on the island for them to squander?
Rurik and most of his trusted nobles did not need to join in the rush to buy scarce supplies. The governor did not have the guts to neglect these nobles. They were well fed and drunk and slept soundly.
Nolen and Beyahil lived in a quiet and warm place with their children, and slept peacefully with their children.
After some panic buying outdoors, the merchants who stayed behind discovered that the returning soldiers had made a fortune. After selling some of the ale in stock, they immediately raised the price of the remaining liquor, but even so, the soldiers were still looting frantically.
Are they crazy? Maybe they are!
Senior and smart businessmen can always discern the weaknesses of human nature, and those nouveau riche will always spend a lot of money for temporary pleasure. What's more, when the businessmen found out that these soldiers had been floating on the sea intermittently for a month, the torture of such a voyage was no less than that of war. They
You will consume in a revengeful manner, and now is the opportunity to make money.
Therefore, old Gould, who had always been obsessed with money, could not ignore this opportunity. Completely out of instinct, he ordered that the wine he had hoarded must be sold.
Waiting for it to arrive in Stockholm for sale in the spring? It would be far better to sell it to the victorious soldiers and make a lot of money.
After a crazy night, the drunken and tired soldiers fell asleep in the old camp built when they set off for another expedition.
Gould's two youngest sons, Black Fox and Red Fox, have made a great achievement.
The Gould family made a fortune again, and the ale in stock, even some vinegar-based wine, was sold out. However, in today's era, ale is no longer a luxury. The family deliberately raised the price, so abruptly one hundred and fifty
Pounds of silver coins were entered into the account. If you look carefully, each silver coin has Charlemagne's face engraved in inscriptions. These are actually the highest quality coins from Frank?!
Old Gould was very old and did not have Alzheimer's disease. He summoned his two sons and cheered up after a crazy night. He said this: "The king will definitely win a great victory in the south. I am already old. You brothers will hold a meeting tomorrow."
Help me go. I won't talk much, you two are my mouth. This is the biggest opportunity for you two in this life, and maybe, this is the last thing I can do to you..."
He didn't need to explain it too thoroughly. The Gould family was both fat and smart, so they naturally understood the meaning.
The second brother Lan Hu did not return with the army, but the news he heard was that Lan Hu took hundreds of soldiers to the hinterland of Frankia to open up new industries. The son of a businessman not only had the title of earl, but also actually had 500 people.
Armed supporters.
Ask yourself, Old Gould had at most more than 50 private soldiers in his life. He armed the sailors he supported, and at his best, he could assemble 200 armed men.
Because of tradition, the eldest White Fox is qualified to inherit the main family business. Gould does not regret that he may have mistreated the second eldest son. He feels that Blue Fox is not only his physical successor, but also a complete spiritual successor. He dreams of entering.
He went to the Frankish hinterland to look for business opportunities, and finally only the second oldest boy, Lan Hu, fulfilled his lifelong dream for his father.
Although Old Gould was very disappointed when he was unable to see his second son for the first time, he felt relieved when he thought that this son had gone crazy enough to expand his business to the unknown far south. He was really the hero of the entire family.
At another level, the entourage also completely proves that the king attaches great importance to the entire Gould family, so all family members who have a pioneering spirit will have development opportunities.
The king is going to convene a meeting of all wealthy merchants and craftsmen on the island. This is a huge opportunity.