With grain, vegetables, flax, and a large population in urgent need of immigration, the small Gould Island has almost reached the limit of what it can carry.
Almost all wooden houses have a large amount of supplies piled up. The number of orphans who have been collected has reached a hundred people.
What Rurik controls is not just 500,000 pounds of wheat. Since Gould has sent people to buy more from other tribes, the total amount of wheat has approached 600,000 pounds. This is just wheat, it needs
More than 300,000 pounds of vegetables were transported.
The total number of personnel and materials has completely exceeded the limit of Gould's ability to organize a fleet.
As early as the time of purchasing food, everyone was sure that there was no possibility of bringing all the supplies back to Rossburg at once. However, when the time came to set off, everyone felt even more stressed.
Neither Rurik nor Gould wanted to delay any more time, because the climate was getting colder day by day, and every day that passed was closer to winter than the previous day.
The only thing that makes everyone feel relieved is that the entire region has not yet been hit by the autumn rain. The Russians, who are holding a large amount of supplies, are facing an extremely critical transportation window period.
The planned return date is September 30th.
The day has not yet come, and a large number of ships are already densely crowded on Gould Island. At the busiest dock, sailors, mercenaries, and even Ross soldiers all turned into porters and began to move the goods like ants.
The sack of oats was thrown into the cabin of the cargo ship.
The cargo ships owned by the Russians are entirely models built by the shipbuilders of Mellaren. They have a thick spliced keel and a sturdy build.
According to its design, the safe load generally recognized by businessmen is around 8,000 pounds, which is equivalent to a little more than three tons. Of course, it can increase the load, that is, for every additional pound, the navigation risk will increase.
Excess weight brings a deeper draft, which also weakens the ship's speed and flexibility.
This is not the most fatal thing. When it drafts too deep, the risk of hitting the rocks is even greater.
All fishermen generally have a fear of the vast sea. Only those who are willing to take risks to hunt whales and form teams to catch herrings will resist the pressure and rush to the open sea. Merchant ships and fishing boats like to sail along the coastline, and they are happy to sail along the coastline.
Arrows fly across many islands, and it is said that every time you can see land, you feel a sense of security. As everyone knows, the more islands there are, the more reefs there are, and overweight ships have been prone to running aground since ancient times.
As a shopping mall veteran, Gould didn't know this, but he also knew that he had no choice.
Rurik is basically the owner of all the goods, and Gould's property only accounts for a small part of it. However, his own people have to bear the heavy responsibility of transportation and shoulder huge responsibilities. He wants to take risks, but also to ensure safety, which is a contradiction.
He could only hope that Rurik would come up with some plans.
In such a predicament, Gould believed that the best way to avoid liability was to let the owner of the cargo determine a route. He also intended to listen to the brave Aric's advice. After all, when it came to long-sea navigation, there was a man more experienced than this young man.
There are almost no people left.
Every year before returning home, Gould would routinely rush the main personnel of the returning fleet to gather together for a key meeting.
This year, it takes on added importance thanks to the involvement of two top Ross figures.
It was a cold evening, and the atmosphere in the Gould Island Assembly Hall was even more fiery amidst the aroma of barbecue.
The most distinguished people are undoubtedly Rurik and Arik. The girl Carlotta has aroused status and sits in a key position, even though she cannot speak.
Some technicians with low social status also came. They are the shipbuilder Hotla and the owner of the tailoring workshop Vodgen. These two and their families will also form a fleet and join the Russian fleet.
In the fleet.
The cheerful atmosphere could not dispel Gould's hatred.
Tonight, all the spirits in his inventory were completely moved out, and soon, the entire meeting hall was filled with the aroma of wine.
After eating some meat and drinking a bottle of strong wine, Gould was in high spirits. He slapped the table with his thick hands and said, "Everyone is paying attention. Listen to me."
The lively scene paused, including Arik, who was happily munching on a leg of lamb. He also put down the delicious food in his hand and wiped his grease-filled mouth with his sleeve very casually.
"Now, I would like to ask our Rurik, who is blessed by Odin, to explain to you the return journey."
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone looked at Rurik, who was already prepared for this.
As if he was making a report, Rurik raised his voice twice, raised his chin with both hands, and sat upright with a serious face.
"Everyone, it stands to reason that I don't need to dictate the return route. We can just follow the previous route and lead the huge team of merchants back. It's just that this time is unusual! Last year, we transported 230,000 pounds
As for wheat, as many as 600,000 pounds of wheat need to be transported this year alone.
Part of us still follows last year's plan to hire some people who own ships and a group of physically strong people to help us transport various supplies.
But the amount of cargo this year is really too much, and I don’t have full confidence in those outsiders. I’m afraid that if they transport it, they will steal the wheat of us Russians. Listen, I plan to arrange this wheat for every Russian.
Three hundred and sixty-five days a year, you can eat wheat porridge every day!”
Rurik's words were sonorous and forceful, and he was mainly speaking to the sailors present. According to common sense, the sailors raised by Gould did not belong to the Ross tribe, and the Ross leader would not recognize them. Rurik suddenly made
The promise is that all the family members and employees under Gould's command will be protected by the Ross people if they remain loyal, and after working for a few more years, they can officially join the Ross tribe.
The sailors' eyes were all trembling, and their slight smiles made the ravine-like wrinkles on their faces even more exaggerated.
"The most critical wheat must be transported by our own people, and the rest must be transported by other people's ships. Now, we have a lot of money on our hands, with twenty-five cargo ships, thirty ordinary long boats, and my twenty inferior fishing boats.
I know you think that a cargo ship becomes dangerous if its load exceeds 8,000 pounds. I’m sorry that we have no choice. I now order that the load of all cargo ships be increased to 12,000 pounds.”
Many people actually have a very vague concept of load capacity. They know that the risk becomes greater when they are overweight. No one pays attention to where the critical point of this risk is.
Rurik expected to receive a burst of exclamations, but he really didn't expect that only Hotla, who was good at shipbuilding, raised objections.
"My little master, you are taking a risk!"
"Oh? My craftsman, I know I am taking a risk, but what can I do?"
Huotra has the best say in this matter: "Many of the cargo ships you control now are made by me. No one knows these ships better than me. I have tested its maximum load, and it basically reaches what you said.
Twelve thousand pounds, but it hit a reef and sank while sailing in the lake. Boy, do you want the wheat to become food for herrings?"
Rurik was not angry at all. He stretched his head and never thought that this Hotla was quite scientific in shipbuilding.
"Even so, I still have to do it. If we are afraid of running aground, we will go far out to sea."
"The risk is still very high." Hotela said cautiously. "Once there is a storm, because your ship's draft becomes too deep and several big waves hit, the ship will undoubtedly sink."
"But what can I do?" Rurik smiled bitterly and said: "I hope to transport the supplies twice. For the purpose, I can only do this. Even my inferior fishing boats have to participate in the transportation of supplies. I
Now we are using all the ships we can mobilize."
Hotla managed his old bones: "Since you are short of ships, I can naturally lend you the two cargo ships I have."
"Ah? Really? Why didn't you tell me earlier that you still had a big boat?"
"You never asked me. It is impossible for my family to complete a complete move this fall. My people can go in batches in small boats. Since you need big boats, I will give them to you. Since you insist on overweight, I just
May we always have good luck. Oh, it’s best to invite the priestesses of Melalen on the day of departure and kill a cow to be the priest.”
Rurik nodded: "Forget it about the priest, I am favored by Odin. Now let's face reality, our problem is that there are too few big ships. Hotla, I also hope to order bigger ships from you.
It should be huge. Just transporting 12,000 pounds is nothing, I hope it can transport 100,000 pounds at a time."
"Ah?! Are you serious? A bigger ship?!" Hortra said in surprise.
"I never break my promise. Listen, next spring at the latest, I want you to build a big ship for me. If possible, your family will come to Rossburg, even if it is winter, the shipbuilding work will begin. I have some skills in shipbuilding.
If you make it according to my ideas, your wealth and status will naturally be indispensable."
Hotela hurriedly covered his heart: "Oh, that's really my honor. Now in my lifetime, I can personally build a giant ship that can transport 100,000 pounds."
When he thought that this man had a big ship hidden, Rurik immediately turned to look at Fodegen: "Friend, do you have a big ship?"
"Me? I'm sorry, I really don't."
Fo Degen's expression was quite timid. He did not have a cargo ship at hand, but there were quite a few ordinary rowing long boats.
Since the other party did not have a cargo ship, Rurik did not force it. He began to formally explain the return route, and this route was also discussed with his cousin Arik.
"This time, after we left the Great Lakes, we did not simply go north. Our entire fleet had to head northeast. There is an archipelago there, which is now the sphere of influence of our Ross people. The settlement of Tombstone Island is there, and the local area is
There are hundreds of brothers settled there! Tombstone Island will be our frontline base for our future crusade against the Gotlanders. We have to manage it well, and naturally we have to provide enough supplies to the brothers who are left behind to help them survive the winter safely.
I decided that this time the fleet would pass through the archipelago. I didn’t care about the danger, because under the leadership of the pilot Arik, we would avoid all the reefs and go straight to Tombstone Island.
I just want to show those brothers that our Russian transport fleet, the fleet led by me, is not inferior to my father's Sorgon fleet.
I just want to show them that I, Rurick, am indeed a trustworthy person.
Oh, by the way, we can also borrow the ships there to share our load pressure."
Rurik's previous words were filled with indignation, and everyone listened to him with great effort. By the last sentence, everyone couldn't help but laugh.
Regarding this route, Arik had a great say. He took over what his brother said and said: "Brothers, have you ever known about the islands northeast of Malaren? In my opinion, it was originally inaccessible, but now it is
The settlement of the Rus. Listen, whether you like it or not, this year's fleet must reach the islands first.
This year is not a special case. Every year in the future, our fleet departing from Mälaren must pass through the archipelago, and it is best to rest and recuperate at Tombstone Island. This is not only my intention, but also Rurik's intention.
."
Arik did not get to the bottom of his words. Rurik simply stood up and said loudly to everyone: "Everyone, for us in Ross, Tombstone Island has an extremely key strategic position. The inaccessible archipelago has given rise to our settlement.
Point, it is our territory! With Tombstone Island, the ships coming out of Lake Mälaren have a resting point, and the fleets going to and from Coward Gorod also have a resting point. Even our fishermen, they go south to fish.
There is no need to go back to Fort Ross directly. They can rest on Tombstone Island. Also, when we start to take action against the enemy, Tombstone Island is the best gathering point for our Ross soldiers. With it, our soldiers no longer need
Continue sailing for four days before launching an attack..."
Everyone present had somewhat understood the importance of Tombstone Island. As for its astonishing strategic value, they could not relate to it, so everyone watched Rurik being filled with indignation while passively expressing their support.
The so-called meeting was, to put it bluntly, an out-and-out report meeting. Others could only agree with Rurik's decision.
Gould, Rurik and Arik had already discussed the details of the entire route.
The only thing that particularly surprised everyone at the meeting was Rurik's regulations on the load of cargo ships. Anyway, the property rights of the ship belong to either Rurik or Gould. What the captain wants to do, others can only follow.
In fact, there is a practical problem that has been plaguing Tombstone Island under Ross-it is really inaccessible.
The Mälaren people are under pressure from competition from Gotland fishermen, and most of them will not risk leaving the lake and entering the sea, even if their leader Olegin has sent people to build several strongholds that function as guard posts on the islands at the mouth of the sea.
Olegin is getting older, and he very much hopes that the alliance under his rule will be stable, so his long-term policy is to passively defend against the enemy. Only now, many internal and external pressures have come, making him intend to do something, but not
Now.
Only a few people dared to enter the sea on a single Malaren fishing boat. They soon saw the strange fishing boat from a distance and thought it was a Gotlander. In fact, it was a Ross fishing boat going south to seize the living space.
As for the Gotland fishing boats, more than forty of them were sunk by Arik! In the huge sea area, the figures of the Gotlanders have become rare. Even if they appear, they are not fishing boats operating, but the Gotland
Even with the armed patrol boats dispatched by the wealthy families, they did not dare to head north rashly.