Chapter 344 Master Hotra, who has been focusing on shipbuilding for 30 years
Visitors saw the majesty of the Russian "honor guard". When they entered the wooden fort, they saw more armed men.
Gould is the owner of this island. The shipbuilders know this island. Everyone has always seen it from a distance. This is the first time they have entered its interior.
Fordegen has visited this place many times. He doesn't know whose attack Gould is worried about. Anyway, the core area is in a defensive mode like the main house of the alliance. A large number of wooden stakes are erected and tied into wooden walls. There is a flood coming.
defense.
But seeing a large number of people with weapons, Fo Degen really didn't know what use the wooden wall had with such armaments.
Inside the wooden walls, Gould's Ballroom.
The Russians welcomed distinguished guests and friends with a banquet with rich ingredients.
Although Gould didn't think there was anything noble about those shipbuilders who were busy working among sawdust all day long, since Rurik's professional requirements required him, he had no choice but to participate with a smile.
Spirits are blended into ordinary ale, and its rich aroma completely overpowers the aroma of roasted lamb and beef.
The guests are greeted with beef and mutton, dried fruits, and exquisite bread made from fine flour sifted through a fine mesh. The most delicious delicacy is the charming ale.
Of course, in Rurik, the so-called sumptuous meals are just that. But looking at the plainly dressed shipbuilders, it must be that in their daily lives, there are very few such feasts that end up with a hard stomach and a mouth full of oil.
the result of.
Rurik had not had a drink, and he did not want his weak body to be eroded and cause him to faint on the spot and delay the important event.
He didn't say anything for now. As the son of the leader of Ross, he invited the visitors to eat and drink first. After everyone felt happy, he would talk about important matters.
After three rounds of wine and five tastes of food, those guys who ate the barbecue from the glass plates looked at the beautifully dressed maids raised by Gould with greedy eyes, and kept eating from the cows.
The roast meat cut from the sheep was put on his empty dinner plate.
They only focused on eating, but did not notice that the truly noble people present obviously did not feel much hunger. They just happily chewed the meat carefully, or picked up the dried fruits and chewed them slowly.
A slightly drunk old man with a beard, his red face made his wrinkles more obvious.
"Lord Rurik, those promises made by you Russians seem to be true. You are entertaining us with the most beautiful food..."
"You..." Rurik smiled, maybe the negotiation is now? "Old man, I think you are the most experienced among all shipbuilders?"
"That's natural." The old man coughed twice suddenly and deeply, which made Rurik think that the old man was suffering from some disease. However, he saw that all the other shipbuilders had stopped their ferocious attempts to tear apart the fat.
The old man sat upright and swayed slightly; "I am Huotra, a senior shipbuilder. My little friend, maybe you have heard my story, but Master Gould knows me very well."
Know him? Of course Rurik has no idea at all.
At this moment, Gould explained: "Sir, he has been focusing on shipbuilding for thirty years. He started when he was able to build a fishing boat on his own, and he has never stopped until now."
"Wow!" Rurik stood up happily leaning on the low desk in front of him: "You are the person I need. Listen, we Russians really need the big ships you built. We need cargo ships and bigger ships.
!”
Rurik did not want to fully explain his purpose at the first opportunity.
Even when the messenger conveyed the news, the most he revealed was that the leader of Rus intended to ask them to move, and if they did so, they would be immediately rewarded with a big reward. This was of course unrealistic, and it was definitely not Rurik giving out a real sum of money.
Using silver as a temptation, the other party will move obediently.
Because the shipbuilding industry of the Mellaren tribe is a heavy industry in today's era. What they own is not a workshop, but a shipbuilding site! It is ridiculous to want to relocate quickly. Rurik, who knows the industry very well, originally
I don’t really expect them to take away the entire factory.
What Rurik needs is just talents, or the best among them. Because the Ross tribe has never lacked shipbuilders, what the tribe lacks is a key talent - engineers who can build large cargo ships.
If the people sitting in the banquet hall are all engineers, and they spend a lot of money to take them away, their purpose will basically be satisfied. If they decide to completely relocate their business, the Russian shipbuilding industry will be
A new take-off will be completed within a year, right?
However, based on their professional sense, the craftsmen felt that the Russians mainly came to order large ships. Only by serving this big customer well can they make a lot of money.
The old Huotra happily praised himself: "Yes, my family and I are famous throughout Lake Mälaren. You all call me Huotra, but my real name is not it. Or maybe I
My real name is no longer worth mentioning. Only my nickname can represent everything about me."
Of course, people with status have nicknames. This is the norm in the entire Nordic world. Rurik has always known his nicknames of "Golden Ponytail" and "Son of God". His heroic cousin Arik is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people for his heroic appearance of juggling two swords on the battlefield.
, hence the nickname "The Man with Two Swords".
The original meaning of "Hotra" is "hard wood". The nickname is actually because his customers praised the ordered boats for their good resistance to some reefs.
General-purpose long boats, small fishing boats, and even expensive and stocky cargo ships are all extremely strong.
How to build a strong boat? In fact, there are two core technologies. First, choose the right wood; second, process the wood correctly. The specific technical secrets, Huotra went crazy to tell his peers.
Hotla took it for granted that the wealthy and virtuous Russians wanted to order a large number of heavy cargo ships, because in the face of the current situation, they must be in urgent need of such ships.
With the depth of an old man and the pride of a technical talent, he said to Rurik: "Dear Russians, you must order a large number of cargo ships. Tell me, how many ships do you need?"
"Huh?" Rurik was stunned for a moment, then calmly said a very huge number: "I want a lot! I want a hundred ships."
"Ah?!" Huotra opened his artificially hyperthyroid eyes wide, and he couldn't believe his ears.
The other craftsmen were also stunned on the spot.
Even Gould fell silent and asked Rurik in a low voice if he meant what he said.
The situation fell into a strange awkwardness, and Rurik still didn't know what his words meant.
"What? Are all of you looking at me? A hundred transport ships, what's so strange about it."
"This... my lord, a hundred ships..." Hotela really didn't know whether he was happy or anxious now.
"Do you have doubts? I tell you clearly that we Russians need a large number of transport ships. Do you think a hundred ships are enough? No! I want two hundred ships, three hundred ships, and one day, I want to have a thousand
Ship!"
Because the other party's clothes were too gorgeous, Huotra hurriedly wiped his sweaty forehead. He sat upright with the help of the accompanying craftsman.
Rurik continued; "Tell me! Can you make it?"
Hotla's mouth trembled: "One hundred ships... too many! If you hope to get the ship within a year, I am worried about all your family members and all the small workers. I will build you at most ten ships within a year."
Ship."
"Huh?! Why so few?!" Rurik was shocked this time.
"My lord, maybe for the rest of my life, my family will not be able to build you a hundred ships. It is a great undertaking that takes ten years to complete, and, my lord, you have to pay a huge sum of money for it.
"
"You want money? We are not short of money." Rurik's confident smile reassured Hotla.
"That's good. Sir, if you Russians really want me to come up with a hundred ships in a short time, I can't do it. Also, building a new ship now is much more expensive than before. I'm really a little bit
Worry."
If a ship becomes too expensive, Rurik estimates that he will have to develop new ways to make money. However, if he intends to acquire a large ship and even establish the top shipbuilding technology in the region that the Ross tribe can control, early investment is necessary.
, and this investment cannot be expected from businessmen at all, it must be personally supervised by the chief family who controls the tribe's finances.
"Well, let's not mention the matter of a hundred cargo ships. I want to buy a ship anyway. Tell me your price."
"Yes. According to the current voyage, I want five pounds of silver."
"Huh?!" Rurik was stunned again, and then a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"What? My lord, do you think it's too expensive? My lord, the prices of everything have been rising recently. Maybe there is more money in this world. In order to survive, those of us who rely on craftsmanship really have to rise in price.
What’s the price?”
"It doesn't matter." Rurik waved his hand, "It's just five pounds. I thought it was such a huge sum of money. Do you know? We Russians can spend five hundred pounds of silver just buying grain. This is more than buying grain."
Enough to order you a hundred large ships."
Rurik's words seriously impacted the outlook of all the shipbuilders present.
When Hotla was getting older, he felt a pulse of blood hitting his head. A wave of dizziness made him cover his head, and then he stumbled and said: "You are really too rich, even richer than our leader of Melalen. Those rumors are true
Yes, you really want to buy food."
"Of course! But we are also poor." Rurik smiled and deliberately played off.
"Ah? I know your rumors. You are known as the boy blessed by Odin, Rurik! You and your Rose are so rich, you must have dug gold and silver mines in the north!"
"Gold or silver mine? Oh, it would be good if we could dig it. We are still poor because we lack a group of skilled talents. You shipbuilders, you can build large cargo ships, I not only need your supply
Ship, now..."
With that said, Rurik left his position and stood in front of all the shipbuilders: "I invite you to go to Rus, and your family will build ships for me. As long as you decide to immigrate, your safety and wealth will be obtained by our Rus warriors.
Protection. You think five pounds of silver is enough for a big ship, but I think it’s not enough. I’ll give you another pound.”
Here, Rurik gave Hordttra a new name of "master", which is surprisingly similar in pronunciation to "hordttra", which means to make people happy. That is "expert master"
Meaning, it represents Rurik's respect for them.
"Master Hotla, I hope that all of your family members will be transferred to Ross, and you will gain a new identity as a Ross clan member. You will build a big ship for me, and I will give you more rewards. From now on, you can accumulate a lot of wealth, and you will
Your children will be treated well, and you...you can often eat the delicacies you can taste today, as well as the best wine. You can also dress your children in the most beautiful and warm clothes like me.
Come to my Roseburg and you will get everything you want. As long as you are willing to work for me."
Rurik opened his arms and sketched a perfect picture of life.
Those young shipbuilders have already captured their souls with barbecue and fine wine. In fact, this is also part of Rurik's calculation. Living a prosperous life and having a strong military to ensure safety, ordinary people have nothing more than these aspirations.
Huotra can't believe that there are still people who can make such a magical promise. You must know that in Mälaren, shipbuilding is one of the most profitable among many non-agricultural jobs. The more large cargo ships are ordered, the more profit will be made.
The more profit there was, the shipbuilder also became the target of exploitation by the leader of Mellaren.
The tribute is paid every year, plus the material expenses and labor costs of shipbuilding. The final profit is actually not much, but it cannot be said to be small. The more skilled the craftsmen are, their lives are at least much better than ordinary farmers.
.
Hotla looked at Rurik with a hint of doubt: "Can all these promises become reality?"
"Are you doubting me? How dare you doubt me?" Rurik deliberately showed a trace of displeasure, "Don't you know my identity? I tell you, I am the only son of the leader of Ross, and there is no other person in the entire tribe who can compare with me.
I am more noble. Do you think the person standing in front of you is just a beautifully dressed boy? No! I am the leader of Ross! Today, as the leader of Ross, I invite you humble craftsmen. But I don’t think you are humble.
Yes, as long as you follow me and work for me, you will become noble!"
"Ah? You are actually..."
Hotla simply threw away the support, staggered out of his seat, and knelt down in front of Rurik.
Of course, this extreme behavior was caused by strong alcohol eroding the brain, but Hotla was just confused and acted a little exaggeratedly. He was willing to believe the Russians, and everything he saw today made him conclude that those rumors were true.
The once mysterious Russians were not only wealthy, but also full of martial virtue.
The most important thing is that the leader of Mellaren, Olegin, never said how much reward he would give to the shipbuilders.
The Russians are unusual. First they are rewarded with fat meat and fine wine, and then they put forward a huge order that will keep their family busy for ten or even twenty years, or even for several generations to come. Now, it seems that the Russians have finally made their final promise.
.
Huotra, who was supposed to be a stubborn and somewhat home-loving man, didn't care about the surprised looks from his family and friends. He lay down desperately and raised his head, looking up at the noble and beautiful boy. "Ah!
You are like an elf in the forest, trying to bring wealth to me who is poor?!"
"Yes. Join me. You see, Gould is a friend of mine, and he's become extremely wealthy. And there's Vodgen sitting over there. He lived in Roseburg for a winter, and he knows very well that we're really
Wealthy and powerful. Master Hotra, why do you think we need a large number of cargo ships?"
"Ah? Transporting food?"
"It's not just that." Rurik raised his proud head, "Most people in the world thought that we Russians had disappeared. No! We conquered the north and saw the sea at the end of the world. We conquered the east, and the people there became
Our slaves. We Rus are more powerful than the Mellarens, so in order to maintain the construction of our dotted new settlements, we need a large number of cargo ships to continuously transport a large amount of materials. This is a great undertaking.
, your family joins us, so that my family will always remember your contribution, and your descendants will inherit your contribution from generation to generation."
This is definitely not what a young boy can say. This promise is too tempting!
Hotla stood up slowly. He looked at the cheerful Fordegen who was sitting quietly on the side, and no longer wanted to have any more doubts.
Most of the remaining shipbuilders are Huotra's family members, nephews and grandchildren.
Seeing that the situation was developing extremely smoothly, Rurik became cruel. He was most afraid of the other party's hesitation, so it would be best to simply cut off their retreat.
Rurik made a serious statement: "Today, right now, before the roast sheep gets cold, you must make up your mind. They brought their family and their own supplies and followed us back to Roseburg after the harvest season.
. Or make a decision and lose the favor of us Russians forever. Make your choice, Master."
Undecided?
If he was really hesitant, Hotla would not have knelt down just now. After all, he had already talked with the senior tailor Fodegen, and he had learned about the real Russians, the magical Rurik, and more
Knowing the kindness of the Rus people, for example, they really saved the survivors of the destroyed Ostara people and treated these people who had nothing as their own people.
In fact, the beautifully dressed little girl sitting at the table at today's banquet is the new female leader of Ostara.
It is this girl that Fordegen is most proud of. Because, in fact, it was Fordegen who helped the girl escape.
Hortra made it clear: "We are moving! This year! We are going to Ross!"
"Ah! But father." His youngest son asked: "Although we should be able to live a good life in Ross, what will we do with our current jobs?"
"Those half-built ships? Work quickly! Or transfer them to others. We work for the Russians and make big profits, so we still care about this."
Rurik suddenly understood that the problem was actually very simple, that is, some ships were still under construction. In this situation, customers did not want the "factory" to run away instantly. Even if it ran away, at least they would have to lose money. Shameless craftsmen pay attention to their own
Credibility, it is not good to break trust of others.
Rurik intervened directly: "Master, I admire your decisiveness. How much are those ships worth?"
"They are all fishing boats." Huotra shrugged, "the total amount is only three hundred silver coins. The customer will only pay the balance when the boat is delivered."
“How much deposit did they give?”
"There is a pound of silver."
"That's it?" Rurik motioned to Gould, "Give them two pounds of silver. Those unfortunate fishing boats will not be built. No, give them three pounds! We can't treat them badly."
Gould then snapped his fingers, and his eldest son Snoleva quickly took out a heavy bag of money and threw it over.
He took out three pounds of silver so readily. Although there was no scale, based on the skills he had practiced in his daily work, Hotla knew that this must be three pounds. The "huge sum" easily thrown out by the Russians solved their problem in one go.
No worries.
"Are you satisfied now?" Rurik asked.
"Yes! From now on, we..." Hotela hurriedly signaled, and his family, and even the shipbuilders from other families who cooperated in shipbuilding, half-knelt on the ground, "From now on, we are your servants, my leader.
"
Rurik nodded with satisfaction, and then saw Fordgen, who kept glancing at the beautifully dressed Carlotta. Maybe this guy also considered himself the girl's savior?
Rurik coughed twice and said, "Fordgen, what's your attitude?"
"ah!"
"Go? Or stay?!"
Fo Degen hurriedly knelt on the ground and complimented: "I have already prepared, my leader. As long as you give the order, my family and servants will follow your fleet with all the supplies.
And the mercenaries I raised, I don’t need them anymore. I think they can all become your soldiers.”
"Well, you are very smart. From now on, your workshop will be built in my Roseburg, and you can make clothes with peace of mind. I will give you enough money as soon as possible. You and your family will live a prosperous life in the future.