Chapter 1113 The down-and-out Robert and the rising black fox
A nobleman with a distinguished title, even an earl, can he rest easy in his personal life?
Count Robert of Lyingau and his family have experienced a magical time in the past two years. The powerful family had to choose sides in the civil war between the top Frankish nobles, and Robert sided with Ludwig.
Xi's stance, but instead of bringing prosperity to himself, the whole family is now in decline.
The noble earl even encountered an unprecedented food crisis!
Robert himself is still strong and can lead the remaining followers to hunt in the wild to satisfy their hunger.
He has an entire family and vassals. The so-called Fimilino concept is "the aggregation of noble families and all servants." Robert has many people to support, so he can abandon his servants, but abandoning them in times of crisis will make him more vulnerable.
He committed a crime of immorality and was despised by other nobles, so he may not have any chance of turning over again.
It stands to reason that he can collect tithes from all the fiefs and villages in the entire earldom. At the end of the official autumn harvest, each village must have sadly plundered surplus grain.
The strange thing is that such a crucial plunder of Robert was not realized, or from a practical point of view, someone more noble actually deprived him of this power.
Earl? The new life of the family is not as good as that of the knights...
If life was not unsustainable, who would humbly go to the neighbor's land to beg for food?
With this mentality, Robert took his wife and children with him. Under the protection of a small number of entourage, he maintained the last ground of the count's status. In this capacity, he arrived at the Baron of Nassau, an old vassal of the Russians' "pirate den" with a "high profile".
collar.
Yes, if Nassau had not always existed as a little follower of Lai Yingau, Robert, who was struggling to make ends meet, thought of going here to see the situation.
Some news is being passed among the nobles. Nassau has changed its owner, and a woman was suddenly made a baroness by King Ludwig. This woman is indeed named Nassau, and her aristocratic status is unquestionable, but her husband is a genuine Norman.
The Rus nobles in!
Robert was wearing his most gorgeous clothes - battle armor. His ten mounted followers were also dressed as cavalry, collectively guarding a small carriage.
The countess and her two children were wrapped in a wool felt and sitting cross-legged in a flat carriage. They were dressed to keep out the cold and kept a very low profile.
There are also two unladen small carriages, which are the vehicles Robert planned to transport goods after collecting grain.
The scenic Taunus Mountains in the Hesse region have a main peak of nearly 900 meters above sea level. To the southeast of the mountain is the plain beside the fertile Main River. It was also the richest fiefdom ever owned by the Robert family and the entire
The source of the comprehensive strength of the Earldom of Laingau.
The population and financial resources are highly concentrated in the Main River area from the southeast to the northeast of the mountainous area, while the northwest is a vast mountainous area with a limited population and poor agricultural standards.
Due to various reasons, the Robert family actually lost control over the rich areas in their fiefdom. What is even more tragic is that even the control over the villages in the mountainous areas was extremely weak due to the extremely poor traffic conditions.
The Taunus mountainous area is lush with birds singing and flowers fragrant in summer, and wild grapevines grow wildly in the gaps between the hills. Such geographical conditions are suitable for the development of a unique winemaking industry, but it is difficult to grow wheat. For ordinary mountainous farmers, making wine is just an addition to their lives.
The key is to create more wheat lakes in the barren land.
The towering main peak of Taunus served as a barrier for Robert's family. He used the village at the foot of the mountain, a knightly territory that was legally loyal to him, as a place to live in seclusion.
The village Etiches has been a small military stronghold since Roman times. Today, all Franks live here. With the suffix of the place name, it is a simple pronunciation of the local people, and the village has the name of Edenstein.
There is also a nearby village called Taunustein, and the two knights from these two villages are the closest nobles that the Robert family can contact.
The small village will not become glorious at all because of the Earl's stay. The lord knight of the village only has military assistance obligations to his Earl and Lord. In fact, this knight did fulfill his obligations.
The old knight had already joined the cavalry unit led by Robert himself and was defeated on the Elbe River in the summer of 840. The new knight was the son of the old knight. The young man was resentful of the count who lost his army. It stands to reason that he did not give any help to the down-and-out count.
The family had the obligation to provide food and supplies, and was happy to see him in decline. Out of his own conscience, the young knight still gave him some money and food.
It is true that loyalty shows in adversity, but it is a pity that how much can a little knight do? The money and food given by the knight were received by the village priest and then handed over to Robert. On the surface, it became a charity from the church, and objectively it also showed the arrogance of the knight.
"It's not a tribute, it's a pity for me! But, the surplus food you, a little knight, have, can it feed my family for a long time? Can it support my hope of revival?"
Living in seclusion in the Taunus Mountains was originally Robert's way of venting his anger. As a count, he "abandoned his career" and faced King Ludwig who was increasingly dominating his own territory and resorting to violence. The civil war was coming to Count Ingau.
The fiefdom is constantly trying to upgrade, and the king is frantically squeezing the manpower and material resources of this rich area.
He saw it with hatred in his heart, imagining that Ludwig was defeated in the civil war, and it would be best to let that militaristic guy experience the feeling of losing power, such as that man losing the title of Duke of Bavaria.
The top priority is to solve the expenses for winter and next spring at home, and even make a long-term plan for the future.
At least, he saw in the north that the Ross people, who were once enemies, were by no means unreasonable villains. They were a group of Norman forces that could be reasoned with. The King of Ross had even always flaunted that he was very particular about the spirit of contract.
"Since they are willing to do business, they can have a good talk. To do business, anything can be done! I... can use some special chips."
A conspiracy sprouted in Robert's mind. After some calculations, he estimated that as long as he negotiated this deal with the Russians who controlled Nassau, the one who would be unlucky in the future would be the militaristic Ludwig. As for himself, there was nothing left to miss.
?
Along the small dirt road in the gaps between the hills, the small convoy ran towards the Lan River along the valley stream, then wandered and finally arrived at the village of Nassau.
A Russian wooden fortress stood on the riverside, and the dock appeared like magic.
What once surprised Robert was that although there were extraordinary defense facilities here, and the fortress was obviously flying the flag of the Russians, where had the Russians gone? There was only a long boat moored alone at the pier, and there was no Russian flag anywhere.
shadow.
After all, Robert and his entourage came on horseback, holding cross flags to declare their faith and existence.
In the previous attack and annexation of Coblenz, the armed villagers of Nassau Village objectively participated in the war. Although they were only responsible for waving the flag and shouting, they also had a share of the victory. For the first time, ordinary farmers had the glory of victory.
This honor allowed them to be exempted from this year's tithe tax. The villagers supported their new baron and naturally safeguarded the baron's interests.
The armed farmer approached the unexpectedly visiting cavalry, and when he learned that the visitor was actually the Count of Ingol himself, the arrogance of victory disappeared in an instant.
No matter how stupid an ordinary farmer is, he knows that the long-standing nobles in this area are the Robert family who came to Ingau. The farmers retreated, and Father Conrad, with a lot of pressure, pulled Baroness Sophia to meet the noble family in person.
Your Majesty.
But the latter did not have the slightest arrogance. Robert, who had been suffering from the shadow of defeat in his heart, did not dare to exercise power in the area actually controlled by the Russians, not to mention that he had no power to show off now.
Robert quickly dismounted and negotiated with Father Conrad, who rushed over.
"I know that the Russians are building shops in Nassau, and I also learned that they recently took away Coblenz. Now, where are they?"
Conrad answered lightly: "They launched another expedition."
"Expedition? Where to go?"
"It's Trier. I don't know the specifics, but they will be back soon."
Trier is a sacred ancient city. Are the Russians so arrogant that they dare to go deep into the heart of the Middle Kingdom? As Conrad revealed that the commander of the Russians who actually fought in this operation was Joseph Blue Fox, Robert was relieved about everything. After all,
That man was no stranger, not even a Norman nobleman that King Ludwig himself both loved and hated.
The Robert family had to respect the little girl Sofia. She was indeed a baroness, with a nominal status lower than hers, but her husband was Black Fox, Blue Fox's biological brother. Behind her was the powerful strength of the Russian people. Now she is seeking help from
They have to keep a low profile.
Father Conrad was kind-hearted and was willing to provide food and accommodation for the visiting Robert and his entourage. However, the food was plain bread, and the accommodation was a temporary house found by the monastery. The earl had to live in a shabby room and eat nothing every day.
Robert was not in a hurry. He silently discovered that the villagers here continued to live their normal lives without any objection to the occupation by the Ross forces. Why was this? He quickly understood everything - the Ross occupiers exempted the villagers from taxes and granted them certain benefits.
War dividends, ordinary farmers will support it.
"Are you being kind? Joseph Blue Fox? If you give them benefits, it means others lose benefits. Your army can only make a living by robbing others to show your kindness in Nassau..." Robert hit the nail on the head.
Determine the real intention of the Russians to attack Trier.
In fact, the means for the great nobles to make a fortune do not require any intrigues. They often only need the simplest means, which is to send troops to rob the enemy completely and live off other people's granaries. Those Normans have no religious concerns.
They are just a large group of pirates who make a living by robbing people. Even if they convert, they will remain wild.
The Robert family waited in the village of Nassau, and then they met Father Bachbert of the Koblenz Abbey who personally escorted the tithe. They chatted with the clergyman and learned about the current situation in the Koblenz area.
After all, across the Rhine River from the Count of Leingau is Koblenz. Of course, the Robert family intends to expand its territory. The family covets Coblenz, but unfortunately they cannot legally occupy it. It was the Russians who used rough methods to seize it by force.
Leaving Koblenz must have Ludwig's tacit approval, and he will definitely encounter King Lothair's revenge in the future.
"No, Nassau will also be a place of right and wrong in the future. There are not many Russian troops left here. I'm afraid that King Lothair's army will retaliate and the whole of Nassau will be destroyed in the future. I can only use this place for a short time. I have to serve my family.
Think long-term! I have to leave this place of right and wrong..." Robert thought silently, thinking that staying in the peak area of the civil war would definitely lead to the destruction of the entire family. For the sake of future prosperity and wealth, it would not be a shame to escape from this place.
The Robert family continued to wait until the Russian fleet arrived.
The Fox Brothers made a triumphant return. The longships were about to sink under the weight of the gold, silver, ironware, and grain they had plundered from Trier. Thanks to the traditional longships' low draft and the always gentle flow of the Lan River, a tributary of the Inn River, the fleet returned to Trier calmly.
Sao Village. Since they had already learned that Count Lai Yingao had come uninvited, the black fox was angry and the blue fox was surprised. When the two brothers were about to land, they saw a nobleman wearing a Frankish armor at the dock and raising his head.
Hope.
"Damn it. This place is his territory! It's as if we are the guests." Black Fox himself is the de jure steward and has the right to exercise all the powers of a baron. He is angry when he sees that a noble has stolen his limelight.
Lan Hu comforted his younger brother: "Boy, this Robert is our defeated general. What is a count? Your brother, I am also a count. My strength is far better than this guy, and even you are much stronger than him. Don't be polite to him for a while.
, and don’t be arrogant to him. Remember, let’s listen to what this guy thinks first. I’ll go and meet him first.”
They are all earls, and some earls are more noble.
In principle, Blue Fox can mobilize the military power of Gothenburg. The local Viking Jotalans are still in a military state. They have a strong desire for sailing and plundering, and are very much looking forward to a noble leader making a fortune. In fact, Blue Fox has already
I thought of measures to make a fortune in my own land. After all, Gothenburg is at the mouth of the Göta River. It faces the Strait of Great Denmark. There are some rocky islands as barriers at the mouth of the sea, which can protect the port and prevent sea tides. It is really possible to develop.
It is a good trading port. Wine produced in the Nassau region is continuously shipped to the north. Gothenburg can be used as a distribution center, and you can make a lot of money by reselling wine.
Rich and powerful, the blue fox who landed aroused Robert's fear. Of course, only a few of the Russian troops behind him were real Russians. Most of the guys came from various backgrounds. With such a bond, Robert did not dare to underestimate it. Because every member of this army was
A warrior is a ruthless man who fought in the battle on the frozen Elbe last year and survived, and now returns with riches stolen from Trier.
To be honest, Robert really admires this army, which is more ferocious than hungry wolves. If he had such a strong army under his command, I'm afraid he wouldn't have such a miserable life.
Blue Fox first looked at the nobleman and said sternly: "Count Robert, you shouldn't be here! We didn't invite you. I can think of you as threatening us."
Robert was shocked. He had no strength and could only lower his head: "Joseph Blue Fox..."
"Shut up! I am the Count of Gothenburg of the Kingdom of Ross. I have the strength to easily mobilize a Norman army of three thousand people to rush to Nassau by ship. You have no right to call me by my name!"
"Okay. The distinguished Earl of Gothenburg... I really do not pose a threat to you. I come with a peaceful attitude."
"That's pretty much it." Blue Fox nodded with satisfaction: "Remember, you are a defeated person. Are you peaceful? Indeed, I have no ill intentions towards you. I knew you were coming in Coblenz.
I also know your intentions. I can’t believe that you, who once had the ability to lead three thousand cavalry, are now so depressed that you have to borrow food from us. How miserable!”
Joseph Blue Fox actually had a sympathetic attitude? No! It was clearly a mockery. Robert gritted his teeth and felt uncomfortable all over. As a man, he wanted to duel with this Blue Fox. He only considered his family and the ideal of reviving the family.
, and imagined revenge against King Ludwig, but now he can only endure the ridicule.
"Indeed, I am so poor that I am starving. Where is the real Baron of Nassau? Oh, it must be you." Robert's eyes looked at the young fat man next to Blue Fox.
"It's me. I'm Paul Black Fox." Black Fox curled his lips and looked arrogant. His understanding of Robert was that this guy was the defeated general. Since this guy came uninvited, his first impression of Robert was
The first contact felt quite bad.
"Oh! A young and promising nobleman, you will have a great future." Robert could only compliment a young nobleman who was much younger than himself with a wry smile.
It was this humble attitude that made the black fox feel a little better, "Of course I will have a future! I am the Baron of Nassau, even your King Ludwig has to respect me."
"Of course. I have learned that you have plundered Trier, and now even King Lothair is afraid of you. Noble Baron of Nassau, I salute you."
Robert had to say some compliments without conscience. After all, every noble was brave and ambitious when he was young. This black fox was at this barbaric age and was in urgent need of recognition and compliments from others.
The black fox was happy with Robert's cowardice, and the blue fox was also happy with his peacefulness.
"I know you came here to ask for some food." Black Fox pinched his waist and said in a high-key manner like a local owner: "We can have a good chat. Of course I can give you some food, but you still have to pay some price. For example, with
Silver coins, leather purchase, transferring some fiefs to me, anything can be discussed, now we admit you are a guest."