Chapter 671 The monarch from Ross landed in Bear Festival Town
The grain in Novgorod has entered the harvest period, which is the time when labor is most needed. Harvesting, threshing, drying, and storage can even last a month.
Pine Needle Manor was destroyed. Since this manor can support more than 10,000 people, with this year's one-time plunder, the harvested food can theoretically support the lives of the people of the Principality of Ross for a whole year.
It happened that at this moment, the war against Karelia had begun.
My cousin's armed reconnaissance has made a breakthrough, and it seems that the decisive battle with the enemy is approaching.
However, reality is always unsatisfactory.
A messenger from Novgorod brought news to Medvet. As governor, he was indeed harvesting oats on a large scale. The problem was precisely this, because he was responsible for harvesting all the output of the old pine needle estate, and the entire white tree
All the men, women, and children in the manor went into battle with sickles.
Eight hundred Slavic warriors and dozens of old Russian warriors were cutting wheat and threshing grain on the shores of Lake Ilmen. They were the main labor force. Just like in previous years, engaging in this kind of farm work was always exhausting. As for sending a large army in a short time
Assembling at Fort New Rose, the matter encountered major difficulties.
"The labor force is so scarce!"
Rurik complained about Medvet. Maybe they were indeed facing major difficulties, but the war should not be delayed.
After considering realistic factors, the original crusade plan has reached the point where it has to be significantly reformed.
The wheat harvest in New Roseburg has ended, and men and women have joined forces to quickly complete the threshing.
According to the previous contract, Rurik collected additional agricultural taxes from local farm owners.
A batch of freshly threshed oats was still a little damp and had no time to be dried. Rurik had determined that these new wheat were military rations.
It was a cloudy morning, and Rurik and a group of soldiers had already assembled at the dock.
The main force of the Ross fleet has been assembled, and a large army is boarding the ship.
Kartenaka, the female leader of the Vips, clutched the wooden staff tightly in her old hands, and her grooved lips were trembling as she watched a large group of warriors stepping on the pedals to board the ship.
Rurik's face was solemn, and he shouted sternly in ancient Finnish: "Suomi people! Hurry up!"
A thousand Suomi warriors barely lined up, most of them carrying their own short bows and arrows and Russian-haired iron spears, and boarded the ship in a mess.
They were feeling uneasy. After all, they were going to attack the enemy's vital point, and there would be a fierce battle. Total war was terrifying, and the Russians' huge fleet was even more shocking.
Many people think the world is absurd. In the past, these large ships easily crushed the resistance of their Suomi tribe. Now we are all a family. They have become a member of the Russian army and have the right to use these giant ships.
They were excited, standing on the towering Class A and looking up at the huge city of New Roseburg. What would happen next?
On the dock pier, Rurik once again talked to his father, who was temporarily guarding New Roseburg: "I will win this time, but I'm afraid I can only win part of it."
Otto was slightly surprised: "Part of the victory? Why."
"I don't have enough troops. Now is not a good time to fight the Karelians."
However, Otto found it ridiculous. He covered his son's blond hair with his old and powerful hands: "How dare you say that you have insufficient troops? Those Slavs who cut wheat cannot come for the time being, so this is considered insufficient troops? You have more than a thousand men.
A warrior named Odin, and a thousand Finnish warriors. You have two thousand!"
"Two thousand people? But I heard there are ten thousand people in Karelia."
Otto shook his head deeply: "Why are you too cautious when you are obviously strong? Aric chopped off two thousand of their heads without any loss! You should really learn from your cousin and be more reckless in this battle."
"Okay... maybe I'm too cautious."
Rurik spoke again: "I have a hunch that the conquest of Karelia cannot depend on the victory of one or two battles. It might take us many years to conquer them."
"It doesn't matter." Otto slapped his son on the head again: "It's okay to drive them away. We have to bring back the trophies, especially the deer. This is a reward from God."
Otto and other old guys are obsessed with reindeer, and the Ross tribe still has many legends about deer.
Reindeer were originally a common animal in the area near Rossburg. Long-term hunting caused them to disappear, forcing hunters to go to distant places to hunt deer. When the Ross people tried to start raising deer, they once faced the unfortunate situation of having no deer to raise.
Now, the Russians can finally raise deer on the banks of the Neva River. The prerequisite is to bring back the 3,000 trophy deer.
After chatting with his father for a while, Rurik boarded the flagship Aurora. Several large ships defended him, including four armed cargo ships.
Someone was ordered to blow the horn, the flagship raised its temperament, the Avrora lifted anchor and set sail, leading all the ships upstream to Lake Ladoga amid the cheers of thousands of people...
"Okay, he's right. I don't really need the support of the Slavic soldiers. The Karelia people are also strong, and they can't afford me to use all their best." Rurik thought about his father's statement and was deeply satisfied.
More than forty ships, large and small, finally sailed on the huge Lake Ladoga, including jibs, cruisers, destroyers, armed cargo ships and a group of traditional longships. Each ship formed a raindrop shape and headed north along the lake shoreline.
More troops is not always better. In the decisive battle, having more troops will naturally be an advantage. At other times, it will be a gluttonous beast.
Fortunately, the Rus, Balmoks, and Ostarans are marine peoples, and the Suomi and Vips servants are fishermen and hunters. Everyone can basically solve the food problem by relying on fishing, and Rurik is well prepared for this war.
, the new and old wheat and dried salted fish transported with the army can also solve a lot of problems.
There are no logistical problems for this Russian army until the weather turns cold.
The fleet first arrived at the Vips village, Kekisalmi.
The appearance of the mighty army frightened the residents for a time, but as sharp-eyed people saw those flying flags, the people's fear quickly dissipated.
The female leader is back!
No! A new leader is here.
Terravis officially declared the local to be the Earl of Vips, and changed his clan name to Vipsarava. The people could only accept it. It was a bit strange to add a "squirrel" suffix after the clan name, but everyone admired this young man very much.
As for those who came back with the trophy deer, they also recently returned on foot. The two hundred young female deer made the tribesmen ecstatic, and a batch of captured iron tools was shared by everyone.
These were all rewards from the Ross people, and the female leader also returned. This time, they saw for the first time the highest leader of the Ross people, a young blond warrior who was clean and noble, like an elf born in the forest.
Those who had been given the advantage to lead the way were completely unfazed. They knelt on the ground like deer, playfully begging Rurik for permission to lead the way again.
"You want to lead the way? Okay! I'm going to recruit a hundred soldiers here who bring their own dry food to fight for me. You have the right to grab the spoils of war."
The words were spoken in ancient Finnish, which the Vips people could basically understand.
They were shocked and ecstatic, and Terravis easily organized a hundred men.
A sheet of white linen was torn into a large pile of white strips.
The Russian army should be uniformly dressed to prevent critical attacks on friendly forces. However, it takes time to make white cloth and blue cloth. Rurik ordered all Finnish soldiers to join the army. They tied their foreheads with white cloth strips and restrained their fluffy hair, which was also the most obvious feature.
Prove identity.
The female leader Kartesaka gave way to Terravis, and her granddaughter had a husband. She naturally regarded this young man as her grandson, and watched with confidence and boldness as he took away all the elite Vips.
In this way, the Vips, who know the Karelia people best, joined the Russian army, and the strength of the troops was not simply increased by one hundred.
A huge fleet sailed on the huge Lake Ladoga for the first time, sailing from the south shore of the lake all the way to the north shore, which was the first time in this area.
The Russian army conquered the Karelia people with a force projection capability that surpassed the times. The huge fleet successfully arrived at the Bear Festival Town, and the fluttering flag caused all the residents to cheer.
The army no longer needed the Vips as guides on their final voyage. They encountered long boats that were guest fishing boats, and the garrisoned army was already casting large nets to catch fish.
The army arrived near the shore, and the soldiers took small boats and rushed directly to the beach.
The Avora-class sailing cruiser lowered all the side boats, released the anchor and set it on the lake. Rurik landed smoothly in the small boat without touching the water.
He successfully stood here. Looking at it, it was indeed an open space in the sea of forests. It was perfect to build a port here.
The fishing people came back one after another, because the Duke is here. This is the main force of the Rus. The decisive battle against the Karelia people is probably going to happen in the next few days. The fishermen came ashore and returned to the team, and the most effective ones were the first.
All the members of the flag team have arrived.
Rurik was walking on the dry lakeshore. There was a lot of construction going on here, and the ground beneath his feet was black soil. It was a pity that the rich soil here blocked the possibility of growing wheat here.
He looked up at his arrogant cousin: "Brother, did you really kill many people here? All just twenty days ago?"
"That's true." Arik pointed with his big hand: "In that direction, I made a big tomb there, and the two thousand dead are there."
"Okay...I can't smell murder now."
Rurik felt sorry for the dead for a second, but as the mastermind behind the scenes, he knew that he was not qualified to feel sorry for the dead. This is the fate of the Karelia people. It is said that the mantis stalks the cicada and the oriole stalks the cicada, and they fight fiercely with their neighbors.
The prosperous and brave Principality of Rus is not yet ready to surrender. It’s just that the Karelia people are not worthy of being vassals now. They are a tool. Killing them will deter other servants. As the saying goes, "As long as Rus is willing, he will be killed no matter how far away he is."
”.
The army had just arrived. Thousands of soldiers not only saw deer roaming everywhere, but also noticed that a walled town was rising from the ground.
The walls here can't be said to be strong. Some areas are clearly just temporary measures. The so-called logs are stacked randomly to create a short and fat barrier. Instead, several towers rise from the ground. Soldiers can perform lookouts, see the approaching enemy, and also
A bird's eye view of the deer roaming freely.
When he first arrived at Xiongji Town, Rurik admired the fishery resources in this area. The town is located near a large lake and has excellent hydrological conditions. It is obvious that a permanent trestle system and a good dock can be built.
The army began to gather, and they did not rush to fight the Karelians as soon as they landed.
Where is the main force of the enemy? In fact, some people already have a clear answer.
Rurik didn't have time to think about this for the time being. The army assembled according to their respective flags and tried their best to form an orderly array.
There were soldiers shouting majestic chants, the soldiers lined up, and the first flag team was assembled. The soldiers held their shields against their chests and held the hilts of their swords in their right hands. Each of them carried a linen backpack, and the leather blanket was rolled up and then folded and hung on the
On the backpack, their clothes are uniform, their shields all have blue and white patterns, and they all wear white cloth robes outside their chainmails, although many parts are marked with white pudding.
The flag bearer holds the team flag tightly, standing upright like a red pine.
The first flag team is like this, and the Balmok people of the third flag team are now in similar formation, which is really gratifying.
The Shooting Flag Team is another powerful force, but its team composition is complicated. There are promising young warriors, mercenaries, and surrenders. They also have something in common, that is, they participated in all the battles after Ross became a principality. During the battle
They became a powerful force. Today, as many as twenty small two-wheeled carts are equipped with torsion slingshots, and thirty torsion trebuchets are also unloaded. They are a powerful force in formation battles.
Duchess Carlotta stood here with her fifty Ostara warriors as a de jure ally.
The Suomi army had as many as a thousand men, while the Vipus army had only a hundred men.
Even though the planned Slav army failed to arrive due to busy farming, the Russian army still assembled a team of 2,700 people.
Such an army could also run rampant in the Frankish Kingdom.
An army of 2,700 people is a terrifying army in the eyes of the people of Northern Europe and Eastern Europe in this time and space. However, in Rurik's eyes, the army's strength is not large, and he can easily complete it if it is allowed to assemble in a small area.
review.
The first thing Rurik did after landing was to review his troops. He was dressed in a costume, gorgeous and yet brave. The original delicate face was losing its childishness, and the face shape became more and more like his biological father Otto, and the golden beard made him look more like his biological father Otto.
The entire chin began to become hairy, the eye sockets became deep, and the eyes began to exude irresistible dignity and kingly domineering.
The thirteen-year-old Rurik is close to an adult in terms of body shape, but his arm muscles are not strong enough and he is still far from becoming burly.
He personally inspected all the soldiers, and then stood on the wooden platform and preached loudly.
"Karelia! It must be destroyed! They attack our servants and dare to collect tribute on the land of Rus! They must be destroyed..."
What if describing the Karelians as trespassers can arouse the anger of the soldiers? Can it arouse their fighting spirit?
Rurik knew what the brothers needed. He deliberately poked his head and described the beautiful scene to everyone: "They have a lot of deer, a lot of leather, a lot of women, and a lot of interesting things. You can rely on your skills."
Go plunder, I declare to you! I! Duke of Ross! I will only take half of the loot, and the rest will be for you to rob, and you will divide it equally. You will all become rich, and you will all rob one or two women. They
I will give you many children, and your wealth will be enough to support ten more children. Don’t worry! Fight for me, fight for Ross. If you die in the battle, your soul will immediately arrive in the Asgard sanctuary, and you will have
There is a high probability of entering Valhalla. I will raise your children in this world according to the rules, and your wealth in this world will also be inherited by your eldest son."
The Rus, the Balmoks, the Melalens, the Ostarans, all the Viking warriors roared in excitement.
In this warm atmosphere, Suomi and the Vips warriors also roared.
The latter generally did not understand what Asgard was and what Valhalla was. Rurik preached some important information in ancient Finnish, which aroused their ecstasy. Because as a servant army, fighting for the monarch will naturally earn
The spoils of war. There are as many as two Suomis in the standard group. In fact, they have no unforgettable hatred towards the Karelia people. It is the Tavastians who have enmity with them. So, once they win, the Suomis hope to take them away.
A group of young women in Karelia give birth to their own children.
The mood of the army was completely aroused, and the army built a military camp on this flat land near the coast. At night, the bonfires on the lakeside looked like stars. Rurik did not let his men practice the "bonfire to confuse the enemy" tactic. There were really many people landing, and they lit fires everywhere.
need.
Rurik did not want to live outdoors. Some old Karelian buildings were preserved, so he and a group of generals sat in the big house that was originally the residence of the priests.
People scooped the cooked new wheat into their mouths and praised the delicious taste of the wheat from the newly cultivated land near New Roseburg.
The Bear Altar is not the core of the Karelia people. Where is the core of the enemy?
Rurik had just finished his meal, and he could clearly see the eager faces of the three flag captains who were left behind under the oil lamp.
It turns out that the three flag captains' stay was not as simple as building a city, catching fish, and repelling a handful of enemies.
Since a group of enemy armed men suddenly appeared and launched an attack, where did the enemy come from? The Ross soldiers who followed up later found a relatively wide river, and even obvious traces of ships running over the mud on the lakeside. The enemy was actually riding a
There are a lot of indentations here. Considering the condition of the opponent's ships, a group of canoes must have landed here.
Following this clue, the stationed team quickly found the mouth of the river, which is not far to the east of Bear Festival Town. So the question arises, why didn't the Karelia people build the priest center at the mouth of the river?
The soldiers stationed at the garrison had no intention of thinking about this. With their years of combat experience, they were sure that they would be able to find a large settlement by going upstream. Only large settlements could send teams of hundreds of people to challenge at once, and based on their experience
, everyone later believed that this was actually the enemy’s armed reconnaissance team.
The fighting might have alerted the enemy, and a Ross longship soon arrived at the mouth of the river and headed upstream.
The three centurions proudly reported their major discovery to Duke Rurik, which immediately aroused everyone's emotions.
It was a very large residential area, with an inland lake surrounded by tents and deer roaming in groups...
These things were unexpected by Arik. He could not have imagined that during the period of his absence, his brothers would make such amazing discoveries.
"There is no need to hesitate!" Arik shouted excitedly, "In my opinion, that is the core of the Karelia people. Let's rush straight to the inner lake as a fleet, directly seize the beach and land to catch them off guard!"
As soon as this statement came out, many people said that this should be done. After all, the enemy was probably already preparing. If he wasted any more time, Ross might not be able to take advantage.
Rurik looked at everyone's eyes that seemed to be on fire. Things were developing at an unexpected speed. He understood the importance of speed in fighting. He could not give up when a huge fighter plane was in front of him.
"Fight! Let's play tonight and take action tomorrow! We have to reach the inland lake before tomorrow evening and seize everything you want!"