Since the market price of food is low, large-scale purchases are made. It is estimated that the market situation in Lake Mälaren will be like this this year, and the food situation in Novgorod, which is warmer, will be more optimistic.
Novgorod is the largest granary in Russia. A group of local Slavic boyars organize people to sell the village's grain in exchange for more production materials. The material they can best obtain is grain.
Rurik's own private land is huge, and he pays to hire tenant farmers. Most of the royal fields are taken care of by the people of the White Tree Manor in the city. The employees themselves also have acres of land, and they also take care of the king fields while taking care of their own acres.
, in exchange for benefits, they will be exempted from taxes, the amount of which comes from the output of Wangtian.
He felt at ease with this model. One of the most important reasons was that the queen was the second lady of Baishu Manor, and the prince was half-blooded.
The food produced by the royal family's acres can meet the normal consumption of the current standing army. The royal family's mines and various handicraft workshops bring higher value-added products.
The basis of life is still food, oats and wheat can be used as currency.
The surplus grain in the market of Lake Mälaren is being purchased by White Fox on a large scale. According to the past contract, Rurik will get a proportion of the response and get them at the price of the original payment.
The scale of the grain trading market here is not large. Let's talk about Bai Hu. When he purchases a large amount of grain, his governor's palace and the guards he raises are unable to finish it. He will divide part of the remaining grain and sell it to Rossburg and Ai in the north.
Lomborg then allocates part of it to raise his beloved sheep and goats to satisfy his daily feasting, and the last part is used to brew flavored ale with strange additives such as raspberries and Nordic blackberries to earn added value in the wine shop.
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Rurik did not have to worry about his work. Now, Rurik organized his staff and set off for Uppsala next.
The autumn festival is the most important purpose of Rurik's trip.
The largest temple in Sweden is located in Uppsala, the northernmost part of the lake. A huge temple area stands on a mound. The nearby forest has long been cleared. Because it is a sacred area, the nearby
The flat area could have been used for grazing, and the people of the Uppsala tribe did not dare to cross the border without reason out of awe.
The huge cedar tree next to the temple building is too surprising. It is completely different from the surrounding trees.
This tree is so huge that people who know it call it the "World Tree". The Uppsala tribe has a saying that this tree is a branch of the World Tree located in the world. Therefore, it is not necessary to worship next to the big tree.
It needs to be connected to Asgard through Tianyu, but directly connected through tree veins.
The old priests of Uppsala had such a serious explanation. Since it was logical and self-consistent based on faith, Rurik recognized this idea and even described it in the manuscript of "Russian Saga" as an official author.
Endorsement. But the old priest group has been purged, just like Rus purged the past priest group of his tribe.
Rus does not allow the existence of a group of priests that are not directly controlled by the ruler. They will either disband or disappear physically.
Rurik still liked simple and crude solutions. The old priest was killed. The mood of the Uppsala people could not be said to be a mixture of sadness and anger, but it could only be said to be happy.
Although the new Uppsala priest has black hair, she is still a girl from the east.
Lumi, the daughter of the leader of the Wayu Lord tribe of the Kovin people of the Finnish tribe, was appointed as a priest.
She was one of King Rurik's concubines, and now she also gave birth to the king's daughter.
The leader of Uppsala, Swined, no longer needs to be controlled by the old priest group, the people do not pay tribute, and the Uppsala temple is actually managed by Swined himself under the king's orders.
Swinned changed from leader to governor, and the Uppsala tribe became a special existence in Sweden. Legally, this tribe has been absorbed by Rus, has broken away from the Swedish system, and has become the core jurisdiction of the principality of Rus in the kingdom.
.
The people's responsibility is to maintain the normal operation of the Great Temple of Uppsala. In addition, they almost don't have to pay taxes, and they don't even have to maintain an army that can protect themselves. Everyone can go all out to spend their energy on improving life,
The personal safety and economic security of the tribe are contracted and managed by the Governor of Stockholm.
This is a favor given to them by Rurik, which makes Uppsala completely different from other Swedish tribes. Objectively, this is also a method of differentiation and disintegration. In principle, Rurik just does not want the Mellaren tribe to grow bigger.
possibility.
The large ship entered the small waterway and ran the risk of the keel sinking deep into the mud. The fleet finally docked at the military fortress of Gould Island in the lake. Rurik replaced the traditional long ship here and temporarily transferred some young men raised by white foxes to form a large ship.
The mighty fleet of five hundred people floated northward with Ross's guard of honor and a large number of flags held high.
Twenty long boats were lined up in a long snake formation, the sails were all furled, and the rows of oars on both sides slid rhythmically. The strong men with rolled up sleeves ignored the north wind, sang chants, and kept twisting their bodies in order to
Maximize the paddling efficiency.
The Uppsala fishermen who met along the way watched the arrival of the Ross fleet in astonishment. They were first surprised, then surprised, and then became the guide.
Because Rurik himself stood up in a very high-profile manner and held the ferocious beast on the bow of the ship. He wanted the people to see his deep eyes and elegant beard clearly, and he wanted the golden laurel crown on his head to shine.
Hui, let yourself show off your elegant and luxurious clothes to the fullest.
Soon, the fleet arrived at the small lake owned by the Uppsala tribe. The boats rushed onto the soft lakeside mud one after another, and everyone jumped in to complete the landing.
As long as you stand here, you can clearly see the beautiful appearance of the big tree on the mound in the distance.
Velika looked at the novelty: "Dad, we are here again. We saw the tree again, why is it so big."
"Because it's connected to the World Tree. That's a holy tree."
"Oh. I remember. Sometimes I wonder, what if we move this tree to New Roseburg? Transplant it to the square. Such a great tree must be next to our great temple."
Is this really a child's talk? Rurik glanced at his daughter who was laughing and joking, and thought that maybe this was not her daughter's nonsense. He sighed softly, thinking that his daughter was also a person with ideas and was not mediocre.
"Forget it, just let this tree stay here. We will be doing a ceremony there soon, and you are the deputy priest! It is really fate, and it was right for me to bring you here. You will be participating in the autumn ceremony this year.
"
"Oh, okay." Velika nodded.
"And your Aunt Lumi. You are all priests, so the ceremony is up to you."
"Is that her? Great, I really want to see her."
Velika's face flushed with joy. Although his father had many wives and concubines, he also had many aunts. As for which one Velika liked the most, based on his own blood, he liked Lumi more. That aunt was different from him.
Their mother's name is essentially the same, and their appearance is very similar. To a large extent, they are from the same clan.
The high priest Rumia is a Lapp, and Rumia is a Kovin. They are branches of the Finnish tribes, and their languages are very similar. It’s just that Velika was deliberately educated, and some bad things were completely
Erased as if it never existed, she had no idea that the Kovin people would capture Lapps as slaves in the past, and now she only cares about family ties.
People watching the excitement flocked to the lakeside. Lumi, who was already busy preparing for this year's autumn festival, also held her child and led her priest team, which was composed entirely of Uppsala girls, to the lake happily.
Governor Swynedd arrived just in time. He recognized the noble king at a glance and immediately led his guards to salute the king on their knees.
"Get back on your feet! My governor, everything is well. Haha, I haven't seen you for two years, and you have gained weight. I see that your people are also enthusiastic, which means you are a very good governor."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. You... have become more handsome and stronger, and you are a king respected by everyone."
After some concerned greetings, the governor ordered the people to leave for the time being, and the guards brought by Rurik gathered to camp in the lakeside area.
Two years ago, Rurik built a military camp by the lake. After the enthronement ceremony that year, the camp was turned into a public building for the locals. The good houses were converted into public granaries, and a group of tribesmen settled here, so that they could
There is no need to build new buildings.
As the walls of the temple were demolished and the sense of sanctity in the past was broken, any sacrificial activities in the past two years have been open to the public. Uppsala civilians will participate in any sacrificial activities on a large scale, and the event will also attract some nearby people.
The public participated and even attracted small traders to row boats and take advantage of the excitement to sell some goods.
In addition to maintaining order, the guards organized by Governor Swined are also responsible for catching pickpockets and punishing injustices, and will transfer the captured criminals to the Governor of Stockholm for his disposal.
The Governor's Palace has nothing to do with luxury. It was originally Swined's mansion. The house was expanded and some new wooden houses were built.
Rurik and the queen chatted with the governor and the mansion as usual. The governor met the prince and the future high priest, and Rurik also met the governor's sons.
There was another exchange of high-profile praises. Swinned fully supported Crown Prince Osborne and the next high priest Velika, and Rurik once again reiterated that Swinned's eldest son would succeed to the position of governor.
From this man's description, Uppsala lived a peaceful life. A few people participated in the war of 840, and the tribe's losses were minimal. Although the spoils brought back were not much, the gains far exceeded the costs.
If the peaceful life gets better and better, they don't want to go out and wander. Vikings are a way of life. If they don't plunder, they are just ordinary Uppsala farmers, fishermen and herdsmen.
Rurik doesn't want the people here to go out. It's best for them to stay in this place forever and devote all their body and mind to maintaining the operation of the temple.
However, if necessary, it is possible to recruit 500 warriors from Uppsala.
There were originally four thousand people here. When they landed in Rurik, they saw many women wearing furs and holding children in their arms. They wanted to come here because life began to improve and the population began to increase rapidly.
He and the governor had already talked a lot. Just as they finished talking about what kind of meal they would eat tonight and decided to slaughter a goat for roasting, the priest Lumi made a grand appearance with her team.
Queen Svetlana was present, and she did not dare to show intimacy to the king.
Rumi could even keep a distance from Rurik. Her daughter was about to turn one year old. Has the good news reached the king's ears? She tried her best to suppress her excitement, but her eyes were not live up to expectations. When she saw Rurik, she still shed tears.
Can't stop staying.
"Why are you crying? Lumi, the great priest of Uppsala. I am here to participate in this year's autumn festival. Wipe away your tears! You are here just in time. Let's discuss this year's festival."
Rurik also knew how to measure his emotions, and he downplayed his excitement with absolutely formal words. This was because he saw a junior priest standing next to Lumi. The girl was holding a leather sleeping bag with a child sleeping inside.
Whose child is this? The answer is obvious.
Governor Swinede cleaned up the wooden restaurant and ordered the waiters to leave. Only the waiters passing the dishes could enter.
Roast lamb is a great meal tonight, along with local grilled fish, stews and traditional salted oats.
It was because of the sudden arrival of the royal family that the governor deliberately slaughtered the sheep. Otherwise, the governor would spend more time eating grilled fish.
There were no crowds waiting here, and in a sense it was more like a royal family banquet. Governor Swinede clearly took part in it with his eldest son as a close minister.
Everyone resumed their journey. Rurik was only wearing linen lining, rolled up his sleeves to reveal his hairy arms, and easily broke off a lamb leg. He shaved off the meat along the bones of the lamb and gave it to the queen first.
, and then to Velika and Osborne. Then, the last pieces of meat were placed in Lumi's glass plate.
Swynedd waited and marveled. He was embarrassed to say anything. It seemed that the king really loved his family, so he greeted him with a smile: "The king is really a good man. A king who cherishes his family must also cherish the people.
.There is a reason why everyone admires you.”
"This is flattery. But I like it. Hehe, of course my woman and my child must be doted on by this king." After saying that, Rurik cut off another piece of mutton.
We had dinner together and talked about a lot of things. Swined was very interested in hearing about the king’s conquests in the Frankish world. This was not a problem for Rurik. The articles about the Frankish wars were printed. In the past, due to the limited technology of printing workshops, printing
The efficiency is not good, and the proofreading of the article is also flawed. After all, it is posted publicly in the square so that everyone can understand it.
How could he miss the opportunity to promote his glorious deeds? Rurik brought the old printed documents of "War Chronicles" with him this time. The papers were all folded and the contents were also rune text versions. He estimated that he would put them in Uppsa.
The natives of La can understand it. He has also thrown a copy of the same document to the Melalen tribe. It seems that the nobles have already circulated it.
Taking advantage of the opportunity to have dinner together, Rurik wanted to know more about this year's football festival.
It was also at this opportunity that he welcomed his second daughter, Sarah.
"I thought it was a boy." After taking the swaddling clothes, Rurik saw the child's brown-black hair with braids, and immediately confirmed the gender.
Lumi looked at her man lovingly. She couldn't hold back anymore and started crying again.
"It's just a girl. Maybe, it's better to be a boy."
"Isn't it better to be a girl? Being a priest is perfect. It's really unfair to put you here."
"This is my destiny." Lumi said this from the bottom of her heart, and now she had to consider the queen's thoughts.
"What's the name of the child? Have you named her?"
"Call Sarah."
"Sarah? God of the Sun."
"What? You are a hero favored by Odin. Of course your daughter must have a great and noble name." Lumi wiped her tears and said.
"Oh, that's right."
Sara is commonly used as a girl's name. Sarafin is the name of Seraph, and its most original image only refers to the sun. In the Frankish world, some girls enjoy such names. In the Nordic tribes, Sara has always been
The name of the sun. This name is extended to warmth, and further extended to good images such as maternal love and kindness.
Naming one's own children was really nerve-wracking, and Rurik was glad that his woman could name the children herself.
Sara was not even a year old yet, so Rurik counted the time and hit the target for the last time he and Lumi had a close relationship two years ago.
This year's autumn sacrifice was originally carried out step by step and according to old traditions. Since Rurik brought the royal family to participate, the scale of this festival was even larger.
Considering that there were not enough local cattle and sheep, the king himself brought a hundred selected reindeer as sacrifices for the coronation ceremony. This time, he will use two local cattle.
Completely different from the Stone Ship Altar, the sacrificial point of the Uppsala Great Temple is under the shade of the sacred tree. The same thing is that the blood of the sacrifice must flow on the altar.
Shortly after Rurik arrived in Uppsala, there was a light rain. Fortunately, this autumn rain did not last long, at least in the Lake Mälaren area.
There was a slight haze on the autumnal equinox day, but it still did not affect the sacrificial activities.
Lumi put on a replica of the Rus' antlered helmet and performed the ceremony according to local rules. Velika continued to participate as a deputy priest, so the thousands of people watching noticed this woman holding the broken blade given to her by the king's father.
, this little girl really stabbed the sharp blade into the neck of the sacrificed bull with precision. The bull was held down tightly by ten strong men, and the blood of the bull was sprayed everywhere on the big tree trunk.
Velika was not afraid of such a barbaric sacrificial activity. She herself was sprayed with cow blood, her face was bright red, and the sword in her right hand was dripping with cow blood.
Does she look scary? On the contrary! Valkyries are also gods bathed in blood, and such deputy priests have a different style.
The autumn festival ended with thousands of people cheering and kneeling down to worship the sacred tree.
Only the royal family of Rurik did not have to kneel to the sacred tree. It was because he was blessed by the gods.