Chapter 491 A new plan, a new deal, a new ambition
Rurik really underestimated the strength and endurance of the reindeer, and also underestimated the smoothness of the glacier.
Humans are the endurance champions in the animal kingdom, and animals like reindeer are the endurance kings.
Rurik thought that most of the people would follow the sled and walk from Murmansk back to the stronghold of Fiskole Fort (Rovaniemi). This was a long march in the polar region, and it was a huge and terrifying challenge for even the strongest people.
But the reindeer seemed to be used to this kind of life. The reindeer chosen by Rurik were all good deer captured in the previous war against the Kovin tribe. Rurik forgot that those Kovin reinforcements came over on a sled.
Two strong and docile doe forcibly dragged twenty people forward across the frozen Oulu River.
The remaining wheat was all food for the reindeer. Each two deer pulled a sleigh carrying ten people, and behind the sleigh was a makeshift sleigh carrying cargo.
Driven and corrected by the whip, the reindeer ran towards the south at a leisurely pace.
Rurik and everyone did not want to ask too much of the reindeer. After all, the reindeer pulled the heavy sled and needed someone to push it when it started.
Under the sun, the reindeer move forward at a speed of about four kilometers per hour. This is their "leisure stroll", and the violent white mist they exhale proves that the deer are not relaxed.
The whole day was spent on the road, and at night everyone used the stars to estimate the time. Half of the day was spent on the road. Of course, the clever Saipolava focused on the reindeer's toileting situation.
"Reindeer peeing, what's there to see? Why are you paying attention to this?" Rurik rolled his eyes at Saipolava who suddenly spoke about it.
Saipolava was not embarrassed at all. She said proudly: "This is our wisdom. You... never knew?"
"Know what? You know deer urine? Why should I pay attention to this?"
"Yes, because reindeer... pee at a constant time."
"Constant?" Rurik on the sled suddenly tensed up, "Really? I've never heard of it before."
"Now you know." Saipolava continued with her head held high and a look of pride on her face, "The reindeer is ranked first when it completes its morning urination. When it completes its ninth pee, about half a day has passed. That's how it is in spring and autumn."
The current night time is still too long, and there is no clock reference for how long the team marches every day.
Everyone can only estimate through the stars. Saipolava's explanation made Rurik immediately give instructions. The so-called Saipolava is the master of time management.
She is not a pendant in the team, or in other words, she has been observing deer urine to calculate time from the beginning. Generally, no one in Russia pays attention to this. Rurik did not ask her and did not tell her. Until now, the team needs to manage time accurately.
Rurik decided to listen to Saipolava's advice. He stipulated that when the reindeer went to the toilet for the eighth time, it was when everyone set up camp and rested. This would be the way to design deer-drawn sleighs in the future.
Saipolava does provide the wisdom of the Kovin people, or perhaps all deer farmers know this.
The interval between reindeer's toilet breaks is usually about eighty minutes. Rurik's saying that he set up camp after the eighth toilet break meant that the team ran for ten hours.
In this way, the team was pulled by the reindeer for a distance that was a little more than a marathon every day. The daily journey was not short, and the animal power was not seriously wasted.
Every time we set up camp, we fed the reindeer a lot of wheat grains, and each deer dug through snowdrifts to eat dead grass by the glacier.
The Rus and Balmoks lit bonfires and grilled large quantities of pre-made meat skewers.
Rurik was making skewers in the pole? A large amount of seal meat skewered on the branches had been washed clean of blood, and everyone was very satisfied as he ate the oily roasted seal.
Seal oil can be absorbed by people in large amounts. Is it so cold? High blood lipids are an advantage. People rely on these oily barbecues to get powerful heat? Thick leather clothes isolate the cold air and even cause some heat.
After making sufficient preparations, there was no embarrassment on the way back. After six full days, people arrived at the key mountain? The polar tundra under the mountain is the water source of the Airon River (Kemi River).
It was while resting here that the reindeer were frantically munching on the hay under the snow everywhere, and the hunters also harvested something.
People still like steaming fresh meat, and arctic foxes and snowshoe hares come foraging uninvited!
These little creatures never imagined that they died inexplicably. They couldn't understand the sniper attack of the crossbow? They were shot from a so-called safe distance.
A fierce flame was lit in the camp, dispelling all the coldness. There were a lot of oily meat skewers beside the fire, as well as grilled foxes and rabbits with their heads and tails removed.
"Continue to the south and we will find the right river? According to me, at the current speed, we will have to walk for another twenty days." Biyongni, who was smoking string, was dissatisfied with the current speed.
"Let's go like this." Rurik shouted helplessly.
"We can go faster."
"No? The deer is exhausted? We can only go on foot. I don't want to be so tired."
Biyongni sighed deeply. "I actually want to go back early. Maybe we Balmok people should take advantage of the ice and snow and walk the glacier home instead of waiting for the ice and snow to melt and walk the river."
"Going back to your hometown?" Rurik smiled, "Bringing a lot of goods back, let your tribe cheer as soon as possible!"
"Of course, who doesn't want to be a hero?"
When Biyoni mentioned this, Rurik had a strong desire to visit the Balmok tribe.
He tried, "I can visit your tribe, we are allies after all."
"You want to come with us?" Biyongni was really overjoyed when he heard this, and Floki was also extremely happy. "You come to my tribe, and we will treat you like family. So we'd better leave quickly, you
Look, we're moving very steadily on the glacier."
"No, let's go to the sea!"
Rurik's smiling answer raised questions.
Biyongni clicked his ears, "Going by sea? How is that possible? It's really strange."
"Yes. I have a great idea. I want to take a big ship and rush to the territory of the Danes, pass through the waters they control, then follow the coastline to what you call Bergen, and then continue north to reach your fjords.
."
Rurik's words challenged Biyongni's geographical concepts, so he built a simple sandbox with snow on the bonfire, "Look, this is our world, a world that has been explored."
Rurik piled up the entire Scandinavia Peninsula and the attached Kola Peninsula, and even the Danish Jutland Peninsula. Not only that, he simply piled up two snowballs to indicate that this was Britain and Ireland.
Even Iceland was piled up by him.
Compared with the huge world, people are indeed too small. Biyoni saw Rurik spreading the soot from the bonfire to blacken the so-called earth. He felt that he was overlooking the earth from the perspective of Asgard.
.
He couldn't believe it: "So if we go south from your Roseburg and cross the sea between the two peninsulas, can we really go home?"
Rurik patted the black hand and said, "Why not give it a try? Look, we have already seen the northernmost ocean, what dangers are there?"
"Could it be that the Danes are just going to let you walk by? They will try to collect tribute. I heard that there is such a thing."
"I've heard that too. I don't care. If we encounter any obstruction, our attitude is to fight!"
"Can you do it?" Biyongni's suspicion is not unreasonable. He doesn't want everyone to be in danger by themselves on the same boat.
But now, the Danish army is just that in Rurik's eyes. He has never been as afraid of Danish power as some people.
Why should we be afraid? In the vast Baltic Sea, every tribe should be afraid of the Russian army.
Based on this idea, Rurik beat his chest hard, "Sooner or later, we Russians will have a decisive battle with the Danes. I have no intention of annihilating them, I just hope that they will spit out most of their benefits and give them to me. If they don't agree,
Don’t blame me for being heartless.”
Hearing this, Biyongni could only put on an awkward smile. Isn't this considered arrogant?
However, Modgen, who knew it was not easy to interrupt, interrupted: "The Russians have ships as big as mountains, I have seen them! Such ships can ram any Danish ship, and any obstruction is courting death."
"Really?" Biyongni immediately stared at Rurik suspiciously, hoping to get an explanation.
"Indeed, what do you think the huge machine placed in Ironburg is for? It is a machine that can lift giant trees, and the giant trees are the masts of giant ships."
Biyongni was a good guy. His heart was beating wildly, and he broke into a cold sweat out of shock. He held back for a long time: "I want to see to believe."
"You are so lucky. Two big ships will be launched soon, and you will be a spectator."
Rurik's words were more exciting than Yongni's tossing and turning. He longed for all kinds of things that could show his strength. This is why he shaved off his hair and forcibly tattooed a picture of a ferocious beast. A crossbow made him
He became a madman who could easily kill walruses, and he began to plan to buy a huge Russian ship.
After they had eaten enough meat, they wrapped themselves in leather and fell asleep around the campfire. Only those who took turns standing guard, holding crossbows, stayed awake.
While resting, Rurik was a little worried. Did he reveal too much to them? Now the top nobles among the settlers in Narvik Port already know the fact that Britain, Ireland and even Iceland exist, as well as their geographical location.
It's not too far from the harbor.
If the Balmoks decide to go on an expedition to Britain, will they bring the Rus with them? It will definitely be like this, and it must be like this.
"Attack the kingdom of Britain? Northumbria? Then we really need to try whether the Aurora can sail across the Atlantic Ocean."
Rurik did not want to visit the Balmok tribe on a whim. There is no possibility of interest disputes between the two parties. What they have is the opportunity to make a lot of money together. Both sides face different military threats. It is good for everyone to strengthen the alliance.
Rurik did not preset a military action plan for 832. He did not want to use troops externally. He just wanted to quietly make a fortune in the next one or two years, accumulate strength, and then vigorously expand his power.
However, the twists and turns of the coast, complex waterways, and powerful enemies have strangled the throat from the Baltic Sea to the Atlantic Ocean.
Now Rurik wants to visit the Balmoks in Narvik Port by sea, but faces severe obstacles.
"Peter the Great at that time must have faced the exact same predicament as me! I at least had to get free navigation rights into the Atlantic Ocean."
Rurik has no intention of attacking Denmark now. The so-called revenge for the dead Swedish King Olegkin is not the son of this dead king. Revenge is Karl's business. Instead, he goes to the Danish waters and straits to provoke and act as a pirate.
Rurik was willing to attack local merchant ships in Denmark. Anyway, any form of revenge by the Danes could not bypass the power of the Swedish Mälaren. With Mälaren as a human shield, wouldn't he be able to do whatever he wanted?
Thinking of some points, Rurik actually laughed in his sleep. His laughter in his sleep shocked Saipolava, who was leaning next to him, and she didn't understand why. She was even a little scared.
Once the plan was made, Rurik didn't want to deny it easily. On the way back, everyone had new things to talk about.
Rurik began to describe to all the Balmoks present the beauty of visiting by sea.
Everyone is in high spirits!
Rurik threatened that a large Russian ship could transport a hundred, one thousand pounds, so-called one hundred thousand pounds of various goods. This order of magnitude was tantamount to an astronomical figure for the Balmok people.
What is Biyoni's mission? I found the Russians, established the trade relationship after forming an alliance, and transported the exchanged materials back, which was his last mission.
Since the ultimate goal is for the tribe to obtain the goods, how is the most suitable way to deliver them? Obviously, the best result is for a huge Russian merchant ship to arrive safely loaded with goods.
In any era, the arrival of merchant ships from afar is the most exciting thing for the people. The Balmoks have a strong desire to trade. Biyoni is sitting on the sleigh, and he is shouting that the Russians will leave with a lot of salt.
But is salt really priceless?
Biyongni gushed, "We can buy you a thousand pounds of good salt every year, and some leather. We need your high-quality iron."
"However, we don't need too much salt. You need to bring out more goods, so that our trade will be more prosperous." Rurik's words immediately stabilized Biyongni.
The maritime trade in the Nordic world is just one level behind that of the Mediterranean.
That's the Mediterranean! A prosperous area for trade in various materials in Europe, Asia and Africa. In comparison, the Baltic Sea is too small, and the types of so-called commodities are too few.
Everyone was bored during the long march. Rurik simply said to Biyongni: "I will sell you the best iron tools, and you will take the Balmok warriors to attack the British Island. There is a lot of gold and silver there, as well as slaves.
Wheat, all kinds of precious leather, cloth, and even some magical things. There are several kingdoms there, and their armies are very weak. The guys in Bergen are there to grab gold and silver and slaves. You can do the same thing.
..”
Biyoni certainly knew about the British Isles. Over the years, the news about the Bergen madman who returned with the plundered treasures and became a great hero deeply stimulated all the children. He told the truth: "I have had the idea of going to sea to attack.
, but I have a lot of worries. Sometimes the sea is very violent and our ship will capsize. So, I... need your big ship. With a big ship, I can withstand any storm."
Biyony took the opportunity to test Rurik's attitude.
"You want a big ship? Okay, is it still a problem if you can buy it with money?"
Biyongni was overjoyed, "Great! How much does it cost? When can I get it?"
"At least two hundred pounds of silver."
"Ah! So much? You...sell me a favor, less..." Biyongni was startled, and what he said was also straightforward.
"No." Rurik said with a sullen face, "Brothers have settled accounts. We are brothers. If I sell you at a low price, everyone will think that you are bullying my younger brother. Besides, you are really expensive.
?Maybe so. Don’t you claim that the Balmok tribe has no problem producing a thousand pounds of salt a year? You only need to continue to produce it for two years, and two thousand pounds of salt is equivalent to two hundred pounds of silver coins, and you can get a big ship.”
When Rurik described it like this, Biyoni felt that he had hope again.
"Besides, if you get a big ship, you can go on expeditions at will. You can make more profits without having to worry about enemies. We are allies. Please call me brother when you go on expeditions in the future."
What Rurik said made Biyoni feel that this man was really his brother. Also, who would look down on a beggar?
Biyongni solemnly expressed his position, "Give me two years, or less, and we Balmok people will work hard to make salt. Then please sell me the big ship."
"I will build your ship in a year. Maybe the hull can be started this year. By the way, I don't make any money from this deal. The cost of building the big ship is two hundred pounds of silver coins. You won't owe me anything.
Favor, when you really take action against Britain, you must call me and we will fight together."
"Okay, so wait until the ice and snow melt..."
"Of course we will go to Balmok by sea." Rurik said solemnly: "I have to let you quietly understand the seaworthiness and combat effectiveness of the big ship, otherwise you won't be able to completely rest assured when you buy the ship."
"That's true. I think my father, the elders of the tribe, and everyone will be satisfied with this deal."