At first there were just a few bottles, then more and more.
The Kravassins had begun to use unique glassblowing techniques, and because they required much less raw material than pressed glass, the production of glass bottles completely exceeded Rurik's ideas.
By the night of August 19, Klavasen had made eighty small glass bottles. In the following days, Klavason could still find time to make five or six bottles, provided that the supply of materials was stable.
He even urged his son Kawei to take his valet Kamne to the mountains to collect quartz, gypsum, and other materials necessary for making glassware.
Clavarson stayed in the blacksmith shop. He had to continue his work of blacksmithing, and his daughter-in-law also took care of the work of distilling ale for the time being.
The entire family is busy with three businesses. Only at this moment can the importance of manpower be reflected.
After all, hard work can bring huge benefits.
Although his family already has a lot of money, how to spend it has become a problem. Klavason is a sensible man. He has prospered in the Ross tribe, so he has followed the right master?
Before it was Otto, now it is Rurik.
Is it possible to make glass bottles and distilled spirits just to make money from sales?
Rurik had his own ideas, which really made the Klavasen family find it very strange.
What are luxury goods? They are daily necessities sold by wealthy people. Because the users are wealthy, the goods they use have a very high premium.
These spirits must be affordable by wealthy households at this stage, and they must be able to pay the money to highlight their nobility.
When the money fell into his hands, what Rurik thought of was definitely not his own glory and wealth, or even the glory and wealth of this time and space concept. In his opinion, it was just that.
Money should be used for the benefit of one's own people, especially those who are poor.
In a sense, this is to use some high-value consumer goods as a medium to reasonably take money from wealthy households and subsidize the poor in the tribe.
Rurik felt that such an operation was very beneficial to him.
The strength of the Ross tribe must be based on internal stability. There must be something to unite the rich and the poor.
Rurik felt that to truly unite the Rus tribe, he must become a king that everyone would be happy to praise.
In order for all tribesmen to receive visible benefits, everyone's living standards must gradually improve.
To put it bluntly, Rurik never thought that creating a glass container was such a great initiative.
It is a tool, not even as good as a mild steel weapon. Tools are of greater significance. However, the Russians must also possess them. When the technological level is high enough, the power of glassware can explode.
What Rurik needs most now is food, clothing and people.
In the final analysis, it still requires a huge population, and food and clothing are the most critical things to maintain a huge population of an ethnic group. If one of them is lacking, the result will be a sudden and large-scale loss of population, even greater than that caused by war.
The destruction is a thousand times more horrific.
It’s not just Rurik. One of the problems before us is that the construction of New Roseburg requires a lot of materials, the most important of which is food for the winter. The leader Otto does not doubt the hunting and fishing abilities of his people.
, the first colonists of New Roseburg should be able to survive the first winter on their own by just fishing and catching seals.
Otto did not dare to be too optimistic. If the mother city of Roseburg did not provide direct assistance, it would still lose a lot of population in the first winter.
Although Otto Ryurik and his son had different ideas, they were surprisingly consistent in their willingness to obtain food.
They wished that Rossburg could build a hill made of wheat, so that the tribesmen could have enough food and clothing, and the rich food could also make wine.
Of course, Otto was most concerned about winemaking.
Ah! It can be said that whatever you think comes to you!
A huge fleet of ships is heading towards Fort Ross.
Completely different from warships that can ride waves at high speeds, those Viking cargo ships with huge and fat bellies already have a huge cargo carrying capacity in their thin bodies. The cargo presses on the hull and makes the ship sink.
It's in the sea.
Such a predicament made it impossible for Gould to move forward at high speed even though his large fleet was escorted by Ross fishermen.
From the port of Mälaren to the Rossberg Fjord, even a warship has to be maneuvered by oarsmen for more than three days on the sea. When it comes to Gould, the situation is even worse.
Five days! Five whole days have passed. Gould is still sailing on the route to Fort Ross.
It was already August 25th, and the noon sun illuminated the Rossberg Fjord clearly, and the world fell into a warm golden light.
At this time, on the sea surface outside the fjord, a bunch of trawlers formed an array of twos and threes, continuing to fish for herring.
There are also some larger fishing boats, the paddles in the rowing position are stowed away, and a large number of wooden sticks tied with hemp ropes are held by the oarsmen.
This group of people are masters of group fishing, and they are fishing for cod nesting in deep water areas.
During this time, the life atmosphere in Roseburg became more and more subtle. As usual, southern merchants began to go north on the largest scale of the year. They came with all kinds of goods and never left!
The merchants will have to wait until next spring to leave, so in the long winter that follows, Roseburg actually enters its busiest time.
In order to buy more useful daily necessities and to store food for winter, fishermen are particularly enthusiastic about fishing.
Suddenly, some fishing boats rushed towards the fjord without following the routine.
These fishing boats are very big, and the oarsmen row hard, which attracts the admiration of the fishermen who work quietly.
They are a group of messengers, and their mission is to rush into the fjord and announce the good news of the arrival of the huge fleet.
Moreover, Gould also sent his mercenaries and his eldest son to board the fishing boat riding the waves.
For Otto, today seems to be another quiet and normal day.
He knew that even though the businessmen represented by Gould could all come, he would lose something to look forward to.
As a big leader, he has nothing to entertain himself, and it is also because he is too old to be lazy with women. In recent days, he is more willing to sit with his lifelong friends and share the spirits brewed by his son, as well as cheap
of ale.
Suddenly, some young children from the tribe broke into Harozosson's house, because the leader Otto stayed here chatting with the guys.
"Chief! They are coming!" the young man shouted loudly. After entering the longhouse, he approached the old and red-faced Otto in a half-crawling posture.
"What's going on? Is it possible that there are still enemies attacking?"
At this time, Harold Zuosen, who deliberately hugged the two captured women, also said with a red face: "There are actually enemies? They are old and good, I just want to try my steel sword."
"What's going on?" Otto asked the young man with a dull face.
"The leaders are businessmen. They are here."
"Finally here?" Otto was a little surprised, then calmed down.
Businessmen, they come every year, it's not surprising at all.
Otto continued to ask: "Is it possible that merchant ships have begun to enter the fjord?"
"No. But a messenger came, sent by the businessman named Gould. The messenger said that he was Gould's eldest son."
Hearing this, Otto got excited: "Oh? Where is the messenger?"
"Just outside."
"Let him in quickly!"
Immediately afterwards, the young man who had received the order rushed out.
Currently, Gould's eldest son Snoleva, a fat man in his thirties, dressed in expensive furs, has been waiting outside Harold Johnson's obviously relatively simple longhouse for a long time.
Just this longhouse? It’s actually the home of the leader of the Rus people? My father does business with them?
It can be said that due to misunderstanding, Snoleva did not have a good feeling towards the leader of Ross.
When he entered the room, he saw a large group of strong men wearing various leathers and burlap sitting under the dim oil lamp. The sharp looks cast by many strong men shocked the fat man.
It stands to reason that Snoleva has been selling his own goods on Gould Island for many years, and he is already a business veteran in his own right.
Now, he feels that his life is under great threat.
Because this was indeed the first time Snoleva came to Roseburg, Otto had never seen him.
However, Otto really had too much dealings with Gould.
Otto's face was still the rosy color of alcohol, even close to a cooked lobster. Coupled with his golden-white beard and hair, his image was indeed very novel.
Otto was scrutinized by Snoleva and vice versa.
"Sit down." Otto casually patted the leather cushion under him.
Snoleva bowed lightly first, then twisted his beer belly, lightly lifted his expensive mink coat, and then moved to sit on the leather cushion. He recognized that he was sitting on deerskin and cowhide. If possible,
He would rather sit on a bearskin.
It was precisely this action that, without any explanation, made Otto completely believe in the identity of the visitor.
"It looks like! It does look like Gould! Even the way he sits down is the same."
"Are you the great leader of the Rus' people?" Snoreva cautiously complimented him. He put his hands on the ground while speaking to show his humbleness.
"It's me. I'm Otto, the leader of Rus. As for greatness, I'm glad you can say that. Now tell me, who are you?"
Snoleva continued to bow and reported his identity in detail.
"Are you Gould's eldest son? I believe you. Look at your belly and your clothes. The moment I saw you, I thought of the Gould I met about twenty years ago.
, which is also what you look like now."
After all, father and son look very similar, not to mention they both have a rare chubby appearance, and they have very similar beards. To Otto, the guy in front of him is the young Gould.
"Young man, I have never met you. I only learned some news about you from your father. You are here, where is your father?"
"Great leader, my father's huge fleet is still on its way."
"When will they arrive?!" Otto asked impatiently.
"Yes! Chief! I arrived early just to inform you about this matter. I have more things to report to you, and even...get some permission from you."
"Oh? Tell me one by one."
"Yes! The first thing I want to say is that our fleet has been sailing slowly for five days, and we will arrive at Fort Ross tomorrow."
"It's so slow?" Otto was quite surprised. "My fleet will rush towards the mouth of your lake. It may take two days."
"We are a merchant ship! My leader! We can only sail during the day and stay ashore at night. Besides, this year is the relocation of our family as a whole, and the cargo we carry is unprecedentedly huge. Our speed is very slow, and those who are attached to
Our small caravan seeks safety and we dare not act rashly."
It's easy to understand when he talks about Otto like this.
After all, merchant ships are different from warships. The construction models of the two are different. Merchants are not warriors. It is crazy to expect merchants to continue sailing at night.
Snoleva emphasized: "I heard that you need a lot of food this year and a group of slaves. My father completed this task."
"Oh, have you finished it?" Although these plans were all made by his son Rurik, looking at it now, the above plans are really very beneficial to the future of the Russian people.
The situation has indeed changed, and the Russians really need food now.
"How much grain did your father get?" Otto asked.
"Including all the new wheat harvested this year and last year's old wheat, there are 230,000 pounds."
Shocked! What else is there to say?!
Otto opened his mouth in shock, and his old friends were also doubting their ears. Because the number was so huge!
Seeing that they were all surprised, Snoreva hurriedly said: "Chief, I learned from my father that you will spend double the market price to buy our wheat. I think you will fulfill this promise."
"This..." Otto was in trouble. He calculated with his fingers and estimated the so-called purchase price.
Although his son proposed to buy double the grain that Guldera brought back, Otto didn't take it seriously because his son had so much money at hand.
Food, how much more expensive can it be?
But isn’t the market price always stable at ten pounds of wheat and one silver coin? As a Viking, Otto’s math skills are pretty good. He calculated with just a few fingers that he would have to pay 40,000 silver coins no matter what.
This huge amount of food.
There is no doubt about the importance of food, as is Roseburg's money now...
Seeing that Otto was in trouble, Snoleva guessed that the Russians might also have wealth problems.
Yes! The purchase price was double the market price. Snoleva did not believe that the Russians would fulfill this promise.
Are they a bunch of fools?
Snoreva hurriedly complimented: "Great chief, I heard that the great Russian people have been taking good care of our family's business for so many years. Especially Rurik, the heir to the chief, he must be sent by the business people
Messenger to the mortal world. I tell you the truth, because of your kindness, my family’s summer income is equal to the previous three or four years! Since you are in great need of food and now a huge amount of food has arrived, everything is easy for us."
Businessmen always pursue fair transactions, while warriors pursue integrity. Both parties share a common pursuit, which is integrity.
Of course Otto could afford 40,000 silver coins to buy food, but even this operation was too crazy.
In any case, if the tribe bought Gould's grain, the amount would probably be as much as the Novgorod people's autumn tribute. Is it just Gould's grain transportation? Definitely not.
Thinking about it this way, Otto felt that the tribe could buy 300,000 pounds of wheat just by purchasing it. By now, this wheat would be greatly beneficial to the New Roseburg colonists' wintering.
Otto was generally very happy. He tried to remain calm, but his drunken red face made him look a little weird.
"Is there food, leather, and a large group of slaves now?"
"Exactly, this is exactly what I want to explain in particular." Snoleva said solemnly, "Perhaps I should immediately inform the distinguished Rurik personally and inform him that my father has completed the task of collecting slaves."
"Slaves? Are they all strong men?" Otto asked without thinking.
"No! It's a bunch of kids."
"A bunch of kids? Sigh..."
"What? Chief, aren't these what you need?"
"You and my son Rurik need it. Alas... I really can't understand him." Otto was really helpless. According to his concept, an excellent slave must be a strong man. Slaves? They are kept just for work.
Servant. How good is a son? The so-called slave or servant does not matter whether he is male or female. A rigid standard is that he must be a child of his own age.
Raising loyal servants since childhood? Otto didn’t think this was wrong, but he felt that what his son Rurik needed at this stage was a large group of strong people to carry out tedious and tiring work.
Snoleva continued: "There are women, children, and a group of Britons. We completed the task very well, and now there are more than a hundred slaves."
"So many?!" Otto was startled.
"Yes..." At this point, Snoleva's eyes started to jump unconsciously, "There is another very important thing. I..."
"Are you hesitating?"
"Yes! The matter is not trivial. Maybe a humble person like me shouldn't explain the situation."
"It doesn't matter if you say so," Otto ordered.
Snoleva knew how to get along with strong men, especially when facing a room full of strong men with sharp eyes. He was really smart, and he could tell from his eyes that these people must have killed two people.
For heads above the number, you must maintain extreme respect.
He put his hands on the ground and arched his back and said: "Great leader, we have very bad news. Our allies, the camp of the Ostara people, have been completely destroyed by the Danish army."
"Huh? What did you say?" Otto couldn't react for a moment.
"It's the people of Ostara, whose homeland was destroyed by the Danes."
Suddenly, the tough men in this room who were extremely sensitive to war straightened their backs instantly. No matter what everyone's attitude towards the businessman was, everyone couldn't help but be alert when they smelled the smell of war.
In response, Snoleva relayed to Otto what his father had said.
That was what Gould learned about the ins and outs of the attack on the Ostara people, and even the more detailed changes in the situation in the south.
Otto was really shocked. To describe it as shocked is no exaggeration.
"Gould's analysis is that our revenge against Gotland indirectly triggered the destruction of the Ostara people?" Otto asked rhetorically.
"Absurd!" Harold Zuosen couldn't stand hearing it anymore and shouted with righteous indignation: "The Danes and Gotlanders have committed such heinous crimes. Didn't the Danes launch enough wars? Are we Russians the sinners who caused the war?"
Snoreva suddenly panicked: "Chief, our family definitely doesn't mean this."
"No!" Otto raised his right hand to stop the discussion of his subordinates. "This matter does have something to do with us. At the moment we set off for the expedition, we thought of the possible revenge of the Danes. But who would have thought that they would not attack us?
Instead, attack our weaker allies."
"It was still a surprise attack," Snoleva added.
"Didn't they attack the Mellarens?"
"No. The enemy completely destroyed Ostara and killed almost all the locals. Some survivors said that the Danes said something..."
Seeing that the fat man began to speak vaguely, Otto asked: "What exactly are you talking about?"
"Those enemies said that because the Rus destroyed a settlement on the island of Gotland, the Danes must retaliate, so only a few people of the Ostara tribe survived."
"Oh! What a tragedy. What have the people of Mellaren done? I didn't know about these things."
It is indeed difficult for Otto to know what is going on in the south, and this is also the choice of the Ross people. The Ross people have expressed through actions that they intend to break away from the Siya tribe alliance. In this way, the powerful Melalen people do not need to consider Ross
In a sense, the alliance between people will exist in name only.
As Snoleva explained, although Otto found it difficult to believe it, he was still willing to trust the fat man's words.
Finally, Snoleva came to a very crucial point.
"The Ostara tribe was destroyed, and the only refugees fled in all directions. The Melalen people refused to take in these poor refugees, and the Yelmalen people took some in. As for our family, we heard that the Rus needed a large number of slaves.
He took in more than a hundred Ostara refugees. Because almost all the men died in the battle with the Danish army, and almost all the survivors were women and children. My father could not bear the pitiful death of these people. It is said that the Russians are kind.
, my father brought them together.
I am just a businessman, and I boldly suggest to you that you take in these people."
"Is there such a thing? Are there many young women among the refugees?" Otto's words made Snoleva somewhat misunderstood.
"There are indeed many women, even..."
Without letting him speak, Otto slapped his thigh and said without even thinking: "Take them in! Of course you have to take them in! Those women are so good! My people are longing for wives. We already have to go to the East to find foreigners as wives. They are here.
Yes, I will take them in, and those children. I want all the refugees in Ostara."
"Oh! Russian people are really kind."
Otto laughed, and so did his men.
After all, refugees are different from hard work. These refugees are all members of the Alliance. Now it seems that the Malaren people's refusal to accept them is a vicious betrayal. The Russians will definitely become bigger and stronger, Otto is keenly aware that,
The benefit of taking in refugees is not only to enhance your strength, but also to earn reputation and credibility.
To become an alliance leader, you must have both force and credibility.
Snoreva hadn't finished his words yet: "Chief, not all the chief family of the Ostara people died in the battle. Only two children have escaped so far."
"A survivor?"
"Yes. Not only the survivors, but now the refugees have elected the eldest child among them as the leader of Ostara."
"A little boy?" Otto pinched his beard and couldn't help thinking about the future: "Let him come over and I will take them in. That boy will be my son's friend, and I will reward the people of Ostar with new life. In the future, Ostar
The La people must accept the leadership of us Russians."
Snoleva didn't care about anything else. He especially corrected Otto's estimate: "Chief, let me explain. Those are two girls, one is nine years old and the other is seven years old. They are very beautiful."
"Huh? Beautiful little girl? Did they elect the little girl to be the leader? It's amazing." Otto's mind couldn't react for a while, it seemed that this was a fact.
"Yes, the refugees have no choice. My father also means to recognize the girl's new identity. After all, Ostara needs a reasonable new leader to negotiate with the Rus. Even if it is surrender, there must be a leader.
Kneel down on behalf of the people of Ostara.”
"Kneel down?" Otto laughed: "What did you just say? Two very beautiful girls? Oh, they don't have to kneel down, just lie down for me! My only son Rurik is also eight
At nine years old, my son will grow into a real man in a few years. He will always be in need of a wife. Haha, I also long to have more grandchildren in my lifetime."
"So? Chief, are you even willing to take in those two girls?"
"Did I say that?" Otto denied with a smile, then raised his right index finger and pointed to the sky: "God will bear witness, I will take in the Ostara people. But those two girls will be the leaders. Before seeing the girl
I can't decide yet. If they are beautiful, then I admit that I still want them as my son's wives. I will also adopt them and allow them to live with my family. I can treat them like my own daughters.
.The premise is that they are really beautiful as you said."
Snoreva smiled: "Oh, my dear chief, I dare not lie. They are really beautiful!"