Entering May, the roaring Oulu River is no longer violent. After the flood season caused by the melting of a large amount of winter ice and snow, the river basin is calm enough for the long boats of the Russians to drift freely.
In a sense, the Land of the East (Finland) is more like an island separated by rivers and lakes. The waterways extending in all directions can even allow ships from the Gulf of Bothnia to reach Lake Ladoga in the east.
The Tavastian people did not know the right time to migrate to the lakes in central Finland. Since they discovered a large lake in the north and the traces of the Koven people this year, they began to move north along the waterways.
There are thousands of lakes in the central lake group. This is a large group of natural reservoirs, and most of the derived rivers flow into the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga.
There are also many rivers that meander into Lake Oulu, and then the Oulu River flows into the sea known to the Russians.
Once they learned of the existence of a waterway that led directly to the heart of Tavastia's rule, all the Rus had to do was gather their forces and launch a quick raid directly into Huanglong.
The Duke's orders have reached Fort Ross.
Although Lord Rurik has long said that this year the brothers will sharpen their swords and go on an expedition to plunder Britain. Since there is unprecedented expansion in the east, there is no reason why the brothers should not cooperate.
The Ross fishermen cruising on the sea learned the news that when they arrived at Covinstad, which was under construction, they could find a large lake by tracing the source of the river. There were a lot of fish in this lake, which was comparable to the brothers filling the sea.
There is more hope in casting the net.
Rurik planned to recruit a hundred longships, and estimated that this would take some time.
The reality was far beyond his expectation, because a large ship was suddenly traveling upstream on the river.
It was the Mercury, the only ship with a human propeller as auxiliary power. Her name was hung on the side of the ship. In addition to the Russian flag, there was also a flag with the name stitched on the main mast of the bow sail.
How could she go upstream simply by relying on a few strong men to pedal continuously? The real core of power came from the two long boats that towed her, and the people on the long boats who had been ordered to reinforce were busy paddling.
The fully loaded longboats pulled two or three boats upstream with cables. Although this wasted some time, the boats gradually arrived at the Ross army's camp on the riverside outside the old Gray Squirrel Hill Fort.
For a time, the bend of the river was filled with long ships. With one hundred and twenty long ships and the sailing destroyer Mercury, the Russians launched a powerful inland river fleet in a surprise attack!
It was a very sunny day, and Rurik proudly boarded his temporary flagship.
He stood on the stern deck of the Mercury, overlooking the dragon-headed warships filling the river from this high point.
In this situation, who dares to say that the Russian army is not invincible?
At least in this Nordic world, the Rus are invincible in all directions.
Arik was affected by this grand occasion. He faced the warm south wind and shouted proudly: "We are not going to fight! We are easily occupying the entire Tavastia. They are all our slaves."
"Yes! We will make a fortune." Herriger also agreed.
At this point, it would be the purest hypocrisy for Rurik to say that he doesn't like excessive killing.
The main achievements in foreign wars are naturally attributed to the commander-in-chief. In everyone's mind, Rurik is a "human killer" and the hero that people are most proud of.
Rurik really doesn’t want the war to become more bloody. He needs Tavastia to become a new servant to replace the economic role of the Kovin people. With such a large army invading the enemy’s territory, the enemy should surrender, right? But right?
If this is the case, if the enemy wants to fight even though the beast is trapped, he will not show mercy.
The people of Kovin have been saying that Tavastia is unruly. In this case, Rurik had no choice but to fight to the death to prevent his opponent. He prepared more weapons and equipment, including fifty sets of "silver scale armor", which can defeat fifty strong men.
Han transformed into a ruthless man who was invulnerable and charged into battle.
Looking at the brothers again, each ship is waiting for the order from the flagship to set sail.
There was nothing left to hesitate. Rurik waved his hand, and the sailor standing at the bow shouted to the tugboat in front: "Let's go!"
Two thousand people and more than 300 prisoners of war took a total of 121 ships. The ships also carried some wheat and dried fish, as well as deliberately empty space for storing loot.
Terho, who had surrendered again, and the five Tavastia village chiefs, who were forced to surrender with very complicated emotions, became the guides of the Russian army, and they pointed out the correct river course.
Is this group of people worthy of trust? Rurik is not worried, he knows that there is a correct retreat. Because the end of the river in this area is the mouth of the river, which is the Gulf of Bothnia of the Russians.
The Russian soldiers were in high spirits and were followed by as many as 200 fishing boats. What was going on with them?
The fishermen are not there to fight, not to mention there are many female fishermen and elderly people among them.
The main reason is that the Covin people who fled to Roseburg said that the lakes upstream of the river in their hometown were rich in fish. Everyone believed it to be true. Originally, regardless of whether there was a war, everyone wanted to go to find out. Now it is up to the Duke
Your Excellency's expedition fleet leads the way, and the fishermen are full of confidence. Not only that, they have actually been given a new mission - logistics suppliers.
Not to mention that there are some special businessmen among the fishermen.
The merchants are all from Lake Mälaren, and in fact, almost all of them are dependents of the major families of the Mälaren tribe. The merchants are actually working as slave traders, and they are determined to try their luck closely with the Duke's fleet.
The Ross fleet, which had high morale and was well rested, set out in the morning. It only took them the entire day to see the vast expanse ahead in the evening.
The gorgeous sunset dyed the mid-spring world into a lazy hue. The Ross Expeditionary Force naturally camped on the shore, while the two hundred ships following it occupied the river like crazy and just lit their oil lamps to prepare for night fishing.
Everything was simply a blessing from God. Those newly dropped baits quickly attracted fish to take the bait.
The Russians used the tools used to catch cod in the sea in the lakes, and large European seabass took the bait one after another.
The Kewen people who originally lived here have long known about the fish resources here, but they are unable to make more flexible fishing lines and high-quality barbed fishhooks. Facing the vast lake, they can only stare blankly most of the time.
We can only try our luck at offshore fishing.
The Ross Expeditionary Force camped and slept on the spot, and there were "stars shining brightly" on the lake.
The Russian fishermen gained a huge harvest after a night of night fishing. When Rurik woke up in the morning, the fishermen had spontaneously set up a fish market on the shore.
"They are really business-minded."
A market suddenly formed, Rurik was very happy, and he happily ate delicious grilled seabass this morning.
The best-selling fish in the market is actually freshwater cod. In fact, many people don’t know what name to use to call this fish, but its thick fish oil and huge size are really coveted.
A large freshwater cod can weigh up to twenty pounds! Who would refuse a fish sold at a low price of one silver coin? Several brothers bought it together and then divided it among themselves to eat this sizzling and oily feast. It was really a full meal.
Breakfast of power.
If there is no need to eat wheat, the Russian army reached such a consensus.
Thanks to the gift from Lake Oulu and the superb fishing skills of the Russians who were forced to develop during their long production life, Rurik was delighted to receive a crucial supply.
European seabass, freshwater cod, and white pike were piled directly on the boat. The Russians who were accustomed to eating fish were no longer sensitive to the smell of fish, but this was really uncomfortable for the prisoners of war.
Although it is May, the temperature throughout the day is relatively high at noon, and it is good to have 5℃ at night. The lower temperature allows the fish to be stored for a longer period of time, but the majority of Russians do not like lightly rotten fish.
I’m not picky, I can only say that these are all forced by life.
Lake Oulu is the limit of exploration by the Russians in the "Land of the East". The rivers and lakes ahead are all unfamiliar.
Rurik only knew the basic geographical structure of the wide world, and knew that if everyone insists on going east, they must reach Lake Ladoga, and then if they move along the lake, they can reach Novorossberg and Novgorod.
Now he relied heavily on the guidance of Terho and other surrenderers. The Ross expeditionary force raised its sails against the south wind on the wide sea surface, and spent a morning heading towards the river at the southernmost end of the lake.
Hukou.
All six surrenders were controlled on the Mercury. They pointed to the river and claimed that by going upstream from here, sticking to the widest river would avoid breaking into the wrong tributaries, and finally arrived at Tavasti.
Ya's worship center.
"Are your directions correct? Anyway, if you lie, I will just kill all the prisoners, including you. When I find your village, I will kill everyone in revenge."
Rurik's words were a threat, and he had the ability to do so.
Especially the five village leaders who still had families and tribes, they all knelt on the deck and begged the supreme ruler of the Russians to show mercy.
"Be merciful? It depends on your performance afterwards. You must hand over a batch of property and bring out some young women to prove your surrender."
Rurik left his words here. He was not afraid that these surrenders would not cooperate. If they really did not cooperate? At worst, the brothers would put in the effort to search for them themselves.
In this Ross expeditionary force advancing on the inland river, everyone really has their own thoughts.
The Russians, Melalens and Balmoks all have the common identity of "Vikings". Ordinary warriors are too lazy to care about the grand plans of the big shots. What they want to do most now is to rush to Tavasti.
In the hinterland of Asia, first shoot some leather, dried meat and so on, then kidnap a young woman to immediately satisfy the desire for the lower body, and then take her back to your home to be your second wife.
Kehas and Mechasta, the few Kovin people, are purely vengeful. Looking at these two guys who once led their respective tribesmen to a bloody battle, they are now "like father and son." These two
The man was sitting on a Russian dragon-headed warship, and he was dressed like a Viking. The two of them did not paddle, but held up a short spear, with a Guizhou head stuck on each spear head.
The heads of Tavastia's most powerful commander, Vatkad, and his younger brother, Vatyaala, were impaled on spearheads and became the trophies of the Kovin people.
Looking at the young warriors of Rurik, boys and girls, they once again experienced a cruel battle, and simply ensured that no one died in the battle.
Carlotta, the Duchess of Ostara. She wanted to talk to her man Ruric again, but due to her mission, she had to manage the "valkyries of the world" under her command, and then manage the bald Fisk.
young boy warrior keeping pace.
Their young age does not mean they lack strength. The long boat they are riding in is pulled by the ropes of the boat in front. The children continue to paddle, talking and laughing along the way.
On the other hand, the Dane John Invall still has a cross made of silver hanging on his chest. But is it still necessary to maintain this belief now?
His identity is that of a clergyman. If he had not experienced what he experienced now, his destiny would have been to become a priest in a monastery and even have the qualifications to become a regional bishop.
A cleric must not touch the blood of others with his hands! Unfortunately, he has already broken this commandment on the battlefield.
As he walked around the smelly, muddy and terrifying battlefield, he subconsciously wanted to say a last prayer for the dying, and suddenly thought about what these barbarians in the forest believed in.
The war dead were everywhere. Lord Rurik gave an order, and the burly warriors chopped off the heads of the dead just to make statistics to calculate their merits, while the corpses drifted with the tide...
John Invall's mind was deeply stimulated. Now he was just paddling hard, and he really didn't want to get involved with the fact that others were joking about killing enemies.
Another break at the shore. Now the river has become relatively narrow. Fortunately, the water depth of the river is still satisfactory, and the Mercury, which has a shallow draft, can still drift smoothly.
Rurik knew that it was okay to drive the Avora into the river. Just imagine that a large ship appeared in the enemy's hinterland. What kind of forceful oppression would this be?
They camped on both sides of the river, and people ate the last of the raw fish. Even though the fish meat was no longer fresh, it was burnt black and oily by the fire and sprinkled with salt, everyone still ate happily.
Sitting by the campfire, Rurik talked to his cronies: "I heard that the enemy walked for six or seven days before arriving at the battlefield along the same road as us. They rely on a pair of feet, we have a boat, we
The speed is faster.”
Arik took advantage of the situation and said: "You can't just think about arriving tomorrow?"
"If that's the best. In my opinion, we're already there in the next three days."
The brothers once again had wonderful fantasies about occupying the enemy's hinterland, imagining how much benefit they would each gain, and how many captured women could be crammed into the empty space on the ship.
When it comes to women's issues, the men talk about it without reservation or even at the lowest level. Unsurprisingly, Aric deliberately started the conversation and took advantage of Carlotta's presence to praise his brother for becoming a real man before he reached adulthood.
The brothers laughed, and Arik also expressed his best wishes: "Carlotta, you have to give birth to many sons for Rurik. Your tribe needs your sons to inherit, so you have to please your Rurik."
After saying this, Carlotta blushed, but she didn't shy away from anything. Instead, she insisted on raising her chest and claiming that she could do it, and then she held Rurik's arm.
The women of the Rus, or all Viking tribes, are the same. They fight on the battlefield just like men, and they also take on the responsibility of taking care of their families. It is their duty to safeguard the interests of the tribe. They are naturally proactive.
Carlotta took the initiative, and Rurik was not passive. Carlotta's accumulated pressure needed to be released, and Arik's words really stimulated her heart.
This night, the two of them...
The next morning, the sun came out. Rurik was very happy, and so was Carlotta.
As the saying goes, deeds lead to deeds, among the large group of young warriors in Rurik, men and women work together in daily training and work, and they cooperate to defend against the enemy on the battlefield. It would be strange if this did not produce feelings.
Rurik wanted the same effect. Just like a Spartan culture, a resolute mother and a brave father would naturally give birth to the strongest warriors to defend the tribe. To put it bluntly, Carlotta was ordered to lead the "Valkyrie"
The girls of the "Legion" are all destined to be the wives of the new generation of Russian male soldiers.
The Ross Army's voyage continued, and it seemed that they were not far from their destination.
Now that things have happened, the leaders of the five surrendered villages increasingly feel that they have to perform well. They try their best to prove that they are loyal dogs. The alliance has collapsed anyway, and each village can only show its unique abilities if it wants to save its life.
They were all pointing out that since the river had become wider, not far ahead was the Tavastia Sacrifice Center, which was also the core of the rule.
This is indeed the case. Rurik, who was standing on the stern deck of the Mercury, saw a lakeside of this long and narrow lake from a distance. There were a large number of wooden houses and thatched houses there. Look at the style of building the houses, which is similar to the Kovin people.
The old villages are quite similar.
The destination is like this, and the entire fleet is boiling.
The Rus, the Balmoks, the Melalens, and the Kovans all cheered and shouted that they could make a fortune and kidnap women.
On the other hand, those prisoners of war who were still tied with ropes had ignored the pain of having their fingers cut off, and all of them lowered their heads and shed tears.
Without him, this was the gathering place for their troops more than ten days ago. Who would have thought that more than half a month had passed, and when everyone returned here, the owner had changed hands.
The Tavastians on the shore and the people paddling canoes on the lake retreated almost out of instinctive fear.
They had never seen such a scene before. A large number of large ships were traveling on the lake. The raised sails and fluttering flags seemed to have other meanings. The people left behind were basically women, especially the people who lived in the sacrificial center.
The woman instinctively began to flee, while the Tavastian warriors who stayed behind also took up arms to at least set up their positions to guard against any eventuality.
"Look! Sir, they still have troops, and it looks like they are going to fight us." Yevro pointed his hand very vigilantly, and the implication was to urge Rurik to launch an attack.
"They are seeking death, Yevlo, you have a loud voice! Send me an order to let the brothers land on the beach! Remember, try to catch as many people as possible."