As expected, Otto's fleet was delayed again, and of course all this was within his expectation.
A very critical shipment of oats arrived at New Roseburg, which was under construction, but it had not been seen for more than three months. What was originally a barbaric land has now turned into a settlement.
Under the leadership of the old guy who was appointed as the local leader, the first batch of Russian immigrants not only built a settlement, they even reclaimed a little land.
Immigrants transformed their axes into hoes, or simply used forest axes to pound the earth.
They also set fire to wasteland, creating soft farmland in the dark grassland after the fire. The newly reclaimed farmland is not ready for planting, but most immigrants have prepared some wheat seeds and plan to sow spring wheat after the arrival of spring.
Seed.
A large number of traditional Russian longhouses have risen from the ground. They are naturally built with unfinished tree trunks, and then the wooden walls are covered with warm earth. The roofs are also naturally piled with a large amount of thatch on the wooden boards, and parts of them are fixed with earth.
.
During this time, immigrants in New Roseburg did more than just build homes.
They are a group of pioneers who are willing to take the initiative to explore in all directions with their settlement as the center.
Because the huge demand for overwintering food forced them to explore more boldly.
So the local leader Conuson told Otto about their adventures during their expedition.
It is said that in the north of the settlement, and even on the northern shore of the huge Ladoga Lake, there are unidentified settlers. Even the Russian fishing boats saw the phantom of a canoe in the distance on the lake.
There were strange settlers in the northern lands. When Otto arrived at New Roseburg, the veteran leader insisted that the unidentified people were all Finns.
Are we going to attack them? No. If we have to attack, it's not now.
Otto ordered his men to ban all adventure exploration before winter.
Of course, we still need to explore. After spring plowing is completed next year, it will be the so-called exploration season.
In the entire Baltic world, the traditional trade season, or the so-called war season, has also arrived. At this moment, Otto took the initiative to have the idea of continuing to expand revenge, and he had a perfect reason for organizing his own army to launch a war - to die.
The old leader of Ostara takes revenge.
Of course, the young tribesmen are eager for more money and even more female prisoners.
What about Otto? He thinks honor is more important. Using the banner of revenge for the allies can be said to be a deliberate overreach against the leader of the alliance, the Melalen tribe.
So what? The brave Mellarens became conservative, and the Rus were no longer a stone hiding in the north.
Otto revealed the idea of launching a war next year to the immigrants in New Roseburg, and also issued a magical decree to them.
"All the grain I bring is my property. You can rent my grain. As a price, you must hand over a certain amount of grain starting from next year's harvest season, and you will pay it forever."
At first, everyone was very surprised by the big leader's order. Everyone was shocked that the leader actually brought 50,000 pounds of grain! With this batch of grain, all the immigrants no longer had to worry about insufficient food.
Since the total number of immigrants is less than 700, if everyone can share the food, people can eat for more than three months just by eating wheat.
The leader's food was a real help in times of need, but many people felt that the leader was forcing his family to accept an unequal order.
Seeing people's mixed emotions of excitement and dissatisfaction, Otto immediately took out the so-called curved shaft plow and demonstrated in front of the police what high-speed and efficient land reclamation meant! In this era when the Nordics didn't even understand farmyard manure, how could it be reclaimed?
More land means more harvests.
One sow can yield up to five harvests. The Russians also believe this. Instead of using stored wheat as food, some people are also planning to reserve more grain. Want to harvest more? It seems that the only way is to cultivate more land.
Just sow more seeds.
Most of these colonists who left their homeland were people who did not do well in their homeland. They were a vulnerable group of the Ross tribe. In a deserted land, it was really difficult to expect to hunt and catch fish to store an astonishing amount of food. What's more,
, these families must also work hard to build their own winter houses.
It is necessary to build a house and store food to survive the long winter, but few families can complete it properly.
In fact, everyone hopes that the leader can give certain charity.
It's just that everyone didn't expect that the leader did give generous charity, but in return for this charity, it is the eternal feedback of the family.
It's the so-called tax, the so-called tax.
Those who really don’t have the time and energy to collect more food have to accept Otto’s food due to reality. As for the food that must be returned to the chief family every year in the future? We will talk about this later. The first thing that is placed in front of us is,
That's if you survive the coming winter.
Otto presented ten pairs of bent-shaft plows, and gave each family receiving food some necessary tools for farming. He even asked people not to sow seeds randomly during the spring plowing next year, and every seed must be put into the soil cultivated by the iron plow.
in the groove.
All the immigrants actually came from 233 families. They basically built their own longhouses, so a real village was formed at the mouth of the Neva River. If a large amount of farmland appears nearby, then
Use wood and soil to build low walls, and it can be said that a city was born.
Almost all immigrant families eventually accepted Otto's gift, and 50,000 pounds of grain were distributed to them. On average, one family received 200 pounds. The so-called price was the tax on wheat up to 200 pounds next year! Every year thereafter, if
The leader has no new decision and will pay taxes according to this amount.
As for this tax, the residents of Novgorod were also ordered to pay according to this standard. However, it was completely different. The local manor owner was responsible for collecting grain from the farmers. In the end, Otto only had to collect grain from the manor owner.
Just get the grain. The manor owner is the agent tax collector, and the Russian immigrants are the true yeoman farmers, small farmers with land.
After all, it was Rurik who proposed the rules, and his old father Otto implemented the new rules for his son. New Roseburg has become a testing area for the implementation of the tax system.
Rurik did not intend to engage in loss-making business. If his people borrowed their own grain, they would have to pay the principal and interest, as well as taxes.
In the end, the taxes they paid, Rurik did not need the wheat to expand his coffers. The wheat had to be consumed, and the taxes paid by the Russians would eventually benefit the children of Russia.
At least, the immigrant families received 200 pounds of wheat. As for tomorrow and next year, the tools are already there, and everything will be discussed next year.
The fleet unloaded a large amount of cargo, and the huge transport ship suddenly became very light.
The sailors raised by Gould helped Otto a lot, especially this time. The sailors on the transport ship relied on their sail control skills to row the boat without oarsmen. The ship took advantage of the north wind and sailed upstream on the Neva River.
And up.
Ships do not need oars at all and rely entirely on the wind to move forward? Otto originally thought that sailing could not rely entirely on the wind, but he never expected that a transport ship could achieve the speed of a rowing warship with just sails.
On this trip, Gould's large sail transport really stole the show.
"Would it be possible if we formed a fleet of pure sails? Rurik, my son, maybe you can do it all."
Otto had the idea of rewarding Gould.
His fleet arrived at White Tree Manor successfully, and the arrival date was far beyond the local harvest season.
The grain harvest in White Tree Manor and the entire Novgorod region has been completed in late September. Compared with the situation in previous years, due to the beautiful weather during the harvest season, the locals are happy to welcome a bumper harvest.
Of course, what they call a bumper harvest is when the yield per mu reaches one hundred and twenty kilograms.
There are still traces of the bonfires celebrating the harvest, and the White Tree Manor has already completed its tribe's priesthood to the Slavic god of agriculture and the god of Lake Ilmen.
The owner of the manor, Ligus, immediately called on people to bring out tributes to the Varyags after the sacrificial activities.
In previous years, people were resistant to this. Only this time, people's joy of the harvest has not faded. Everyone is even more looking forward to the arrival of the Russians and the Russians to fulfill their vows.
Otto's fleet entered the Volkhov River, and all the ships raised their sails and moved against the current driven by the strong and cold north wind.
Otto landed at his loyal White Tree Manor, and a group of warriors wearing bronze and iron helmets jumped off the ship. They did not mean any violence, and many young people hugged women, who were the villagers of White Tree Manor.
The long-lost hometown is right in front of her, and she hasn’t seen it for only a few months. Lilia feels like she has been away from her hometown for many years!
She naturally took her husband Kawei's arm and walked towards her father who was trembling with excitement.
Yes, when the huge Russian fleet suddenly appeared, everyone in White Tree Manor happily gathered at the riverside.
Otto's steady steps, his deep eyes, flowing beard, and the posture of holding a sword in mail armor made him look like a deep old warrior.
Ligus, the head of the manor, knelt down on one knee with his family and saluted the strong man.
Even that Svetlana knelt down on one knee very rationally.
Seeing the girl's golden braids and cute appearance, suddenly, an impulse arose to take her back to Rossburg and keep her in his own home to raise her. This thought also flashed by, Otto
You know, there are already too many girls staying at our house.
"You all get up! Especially you, Rigus."
Ligus stood up slowly on crutches. He saw that right in front of him was the tall and mighty leader of Ross. Behind him, there was a large group of Ross warriors holding shields and leather armor and holding bright white swords.
Rigus even saw clearly the new appearance of his eldest daughter Lilia. She was already dressed in Varyag, and the huge amount of gems she wore on her chest completely subverted Rigus's cognition.
"Chief, we welcome you and I will be happy to work for you."
Otto opened his arms and said boldly: "I keep my word. You are the loyal hounds of our Russian people, so I will give you wonderful rewards. I want to explain the situation to you. Tell me now, the food is ready."
?"
"Everything is ready. I'll be happy to help you."
"Very good." Otto shook his neck, indicating that Kawei could take his wife to face his father-in-law.
In full view of the residents of White Tree Manor, Lilia excitedly rushed towards her old father, then hugged her mother, eldest brother, and even her lovely sister.
She even touched her belly and announced to her family that she was pregnant.
My daughter is pregnant? Doesn't that mean that my plan is half completed? My daughter's son will definitely become the blacksmith of White Tree Manor.
Ligus watched with secret pleasure as Kawei came carrying the sack.
As the tied hemp rope was opened, the old guy simply threw away his crutch and sat on the grass, his hands shaking crazily.
"It's iron! It's actually iron...could it be that...it's all a gift to me."
"It's just for you." Kawei said gently: "Lilia and I have already discussed it, and our leaders have also agreed. The wood-cutting ax in this sack is my personal gift to you."
Kawei still had a lot to say, so Otto stepped forward, put his big hand on Kawei's shoulder and told him to step back.
"Ligus, Kawei gave you a gift. Now, it's my turn to show you the gift."
Since most of the people in the manor had come to join in the fun, Otto simply showed off the powerful plowing ability of the curved shaft plow in public. A large number of gullies instantly appeared on the grassland of the river beach, and the depth of land it reclaimed completely overturned the local land reclamation with wood.
People’s understanding of reclamation.
Otto immediately announced that the ten sets of curved shaft plows were reclamation tools belonging to the White Tree Manor. Therefore, based on the local people's philosophy, these tools were actually shared by the entire manor.
Rigus, he is not completely freeloader. Everyone is eager for these magical iron plows to complete the most thorough transformation of their fields.
This autumn, some young Ross people came to the manor to look for a wife as usual. Those who brought their wives to visit relatives were also called the focus of the wife's family.
They didn't come empty-handed, they kept their word!
Those very poor ordinary families in White Tree Manor not only received salt as a reward from their son-in-law for marrying off their daughters, but they even received iron axes, daggers and other tools.
Baishu Manor instantly became lively, people started a new carnival, and a large number of bonfires were lit, just like a continuation of the previous Harvest Festival sacrifices.
Otto naturally became a guest at the welcome banquet.
He sat on the leather cushion, and within reach was Svetlana, a cute little girl who was sitting obediently. Although the child was not old enough to get married, her engagement to Rurik was settled.
It won't change. Because of this relationship, Otto seems to regard her as his daughter in the true sense.
There was also a plate beside Otto, with dried meat, soft black bread, and slightly sweet and sour kvass on it.
However, the spirit that Otto brought out once again exceeded Rigus's knowledge, and the entire ruling family of White Tree Manor had to accept a miracle.
Under the oil lamp, Otto displayed a batch of glass bottles. What he especially showed was the special glass bottles and the spirits inside.
The trick of lighting the strong liquor seemed to Rigus to be magic, and Otto had no doubt about it.
He rubbed Svetalana's blond little head, and in a daze he felt that the person he was touching was clearly his son Rurik. The two of them were already a couple.
"All of these are Rurik's masterpieces, including those iron plows, the glassware you see, and many more things, all created by Rurik."
Ligus trembled when he heard this: "Has your son Rurik really received the favor of your great god?"
"Are you still doubting?" Otto asked back: "Look at these objects! Svetlana must be Rurik's wife, and her children will also inherit my family's power in the tribe. Rigus, you
You should thank Rurik, and you should also thank your Svetlana."
Of course Rigus wanted to thank him. After the banquet, he didn't even have the heart to talk to his daughter and son-in-law, but was focused on studying the exquisite glassware.
It was only later that he learned from his wife that most of the glassware came from Lilia's hands. But this did not mean that Lilia had magical powers. Rurik was still the god who created all of this.
The Russians planned not to stay in Novgorod for a long time, and Otto planned to withdraw immediately after collecting the food.
However, Otto never expected that the abominable Pine Needle Manor would actually resort to procrastination!
After his wife died and his daughter was kidnapped, the surrender of the owner of Pine Needle Manor was just superficial.
The reckless Vadim felt that his life had an important meaning, which was to resist the brutality of the Russians. If Vadim suppressed the desire for revenge in his heart, his father had already taken action.
Pine Needle Manor deliberately delayed the delivery of wheat, either because the amount of tribute was too large, or because people were uncooperative.
Despite warnings, Pine Needle Manor was still delaying, and Otto resorted to violent measures as a last resort.
"You idiots have healed your scars and forgotten the pain. Now, some of you are destined to freeze to death in the winter."
Otto burned down some houses, expelled some people, and killed all the resisters. What was even crazier was that Otto personally beheaded the manor owner's newly married wife and threatened: "Next year, you dare to neglect me."
, your eldest son will undoubtedly die."
Pine Needle Manor finally delivered a huge amount of tribute as scheduled. The Russians had a great harvest in the area around Lake Ilmen, and all the transport ships were full.
However, Pine Needle Manor's conspiracy still worked.
A snowfall hit the Lake Ilmen area, and the entire land became covered with silver. In fact, the people of Baishu Manor had already started to reclaim the land on the second day after receiving the curved shaft plow. The speed of plowing overturned the locals.
Cognition. However, snow has covered the ground. Some villagers expected to renovate their fields during the snowfall. Now it seems that they have to wait until spring.
Can the wind and snow affect the Russian people?
The stubborn people in Pine Needle Manor believe that the Varangians are weird people who emerged from the snow in the north. They are a group of people who are not afraid of the cold. However, their ships cannot sail on the ice.
Otto clearly saw this, but he had no time to retaliate against the Pine Needles Manor who insisted on resisting.
The Russians once again delayed their trip. They came to Novgorod in a mighty force, put on a grand display, gained a lot of popularity in the White Tree Manor, and left more notoriety in the Pine Needle Manor.
The Russians withdrew, even somewhat suddenly.
Lilia had already told her mother what she had seen, especially everything about Rurik. Thanks to these apt words, Rigus realized that Rurik was by no means a god-like existence, and that the child did have divine power.
But aside from these magical powers, he is a lovely boy. He seems to be much gentler than his father.
Lilia gave her sister a beautiful necklace of glass beads mixed with amber, and hurriedly boarded the huge Russian fleet returning.
The arduous return journey became full of dangers. The fleet rode the waves in the icy sea wind. The broken ice that began to appear on the sea aroused people's nerves at any time, but the huge amount of tribute they carried suppressed the speed.
Otto felt that this was the craziest voyage in his life. Perhaps when he arrived at his hometown, it was already a freezing cold November. Although the fleet had already crashed through small pieces of ice, it was not a big problem to get home safely.
However, everyone must be aware that soon after the fleet arrives, the entire sea area will be covered by thick ice.
The Russians had a hard time returning home, and Otto wished he could go home early.