When the fire tower turns into warm ashes, the new year has arrived.
The daylight hours are increasing rapidly. Although the whole world is covered with snow, the Slavs must take action because spring plowing is coming soon.
Winter is still going on, and the people in Novgorod are busy for the first time in winter.
The work of craftsmen is a supplement to daily life. The basic foundation of people's life is still farming. Once spring plowing begins, all male and female laborers must go to work in the fields.
In the first month of the new year, young Reglaf is growing rapidly. The chosen wet nurse will become prosperous because of this child, and her family will also ascend to heaven like chickens and dogs.
But he is not the eldest son.
Mary has passed away, and sometimes Rurik misses her gentleness. She is indeed a woman who knows how to play with men. In the past, this was her way of surviving in the Mercian court, but later his love for her came from the heart.
But she still died, and in a sense it was her fate. From any angle, she was an adult when she was alive. If her pelvis had been wider, she should have been able to avoid difficult labor, and she should still be alive and kicking now.
After all, Princess Mary was a captured slave, and Rurik's many wives and concubines had different attitudes towards her.
She gave birth to a baby boy at the cost of her life, and the vigilant woman sensed a crisis.
The wives and concubines had a job, and they were busy making paper.
Now that the papermaking work is on the right track, a group of local people have been enthusiastically involved in the related processes, which has resulted in thousands of big trees losing their bark. Birch bark is the best, and fir bark is also acceptable, with some added
Hemp cloth, hemp rope, the pulp made in this way makes the paper softer.
Rurik intended to build a paper mill in Novgorod. Since there were no chemical bleaching or pickling agents, there would be no ecological harm if papermaking wastewater was poured into the Volkhov River at will.
If the locals are just busy farming, how can they create more surplus wealth?
The Principality of Rus can make a fortune through the paper industry, and the people should also enjoy sufficient benefits. Of course, the bulk of it must be taken by the Duke.
This matter should be considered in the long term. What Rurik needs most now is a large amount of paper backup, so the wives and concubines worked hard.
He always stayed in the house to inspect and supervise, chat with his wives and concubines, and listen to their chatter.
It was a pity that Mary passed away. Everyone remained silent and fearful about giving birth.
Only Carlotta.
When others didn't want to mention this, Carlotta stopped what she was doing and whispered something into Rurik's ear: "You have to fulfill our agreement. God will never test me all the time."
"Then come tonight. I will prepare a small room..."
That night, there were gasps in the warm house. She was pressed on the blanket by Rurik, and she was saying: "I'm not afraid! I'm not afraid of anything. I want a boy, even if I die because of it, everything
It’s all worth it…”
Compared to Rurik, Carlotta fell into the ultimate joy. She was older than Rurik, and she was already an adult in a biological sense. Coupled with the dream of reviving the tribe, under the influence of psychological and physical factors,
She really wanted a son more than ever.
"I want a son! I don't want a territory but I want a son. As long as I give birth to a son and let my people live in peace, it's worth sacrificing my life for this! Freya! Give me a reward..." After that, he was already hesitating.
I am also in a trance.
Rurik, on the other hand, had a dull face. He was not only enjoying the excitement, but also completing the task.
Carlotta's physical fitness is very good, and she is not young either, but...
If this happens continuously this month, it's just because she is a little tired, and if she still can't conceive, it's not a matter of timing. It's because her body is suffering from a rare form of infertility, which is simply the biggest disaster for a woman in this era.
His son and Carlotta have been extremely close recently. At best, this is the deepening of their friendship between the two dukes. At worst, it is just an ordinary relationship between husband and wife. Otto hopes to have more grandchildren. If this Aosta
Finally, Duchess La is born, which is a great joy.
Otto boasted that he also detected another meaning: his son was venting his sorrow.
People have their own destinies, Velica and Reglaf, and their mothers each have their own misfortunes. Both children are growing vigorously. Children with the blood of the "son of God" will definitely avoid disasters.
Carlotta was not just begging for a child now. When Rurik lay on his side panting, she smiled and leaned over to blow the wind on the pillow.
"Rurik, I heard that spring comes early in this place. I saw that the Slavs are already preparing for spring plowing. We..."
"It's...it's about surveying and mapping the fields. It needs to be done! We also need to prepare."
"It's not just this."
"What else is going on? Your belly must be getting bigger. You know, your other sisters will be jealous when they see us like this."
"That's not the case." She continued to smile.
"What's going on?"
"I...I have made a big decision, I just need your approval."
Rurik was a little impatient: "Speak quickly, I support all reasonable requests."
Carlotta rested her head on Rurik's shoulder and stroked the soft beard of her beloved man with one hand. "Okay. I...I really don't care about territory. I am your woman, and all my people are yours."
subjects."
She said that Rurik felt sleepy all of a sudden. What she said had nothing to do with love talk, it was clearly the most important matter.
"What... do you want?"
"When the glacier thaws, I plan to move all the people here. I think all the Ostara people will settle in this lake area. The scenery here is so similar to my hometown. It is also warmer and farther away from disputes."
"you……"
"I don't want a territory. If you insist on a territory, I just want a small piece of land. I want to farm and raise cattle there, and I will pay taxes to you. How great is this! There is no point in Ostara being a principality. I
I am not worthy of being a duchess. I am a knighthood granted by the King of Sweden, and if you don’t recognize the new king Bjorn now, there is no reason for me to be a duke."
"Are you serious?" Rurik asked with a stern face under the night sky.
"seriously."
"Indeed, your title is just the product of compromise between all parties. Olegin united everyone under the banner of Ostara's revenge, but unfortunately he was defeated. Now the whole of Sweden knows that you are my woman, Ostara
It no longer exists in Sweden either.”
"So, will you agree that the people of Ostara are all your subjects?"
"Yes! No. Because they are all Russians."
This word explained everything, and Carlotta continued to smile: "I have also inquired about some things these days. I learned that there is a large swamp area to the south of the lake, and the nearby farms were destroyed by you because of rebellion. That land was given to me.
, I want the farmland there for farming, and I want the swampland for grazing cattle. Do you... agree? I will pay the tithe. If I don’t become a duke, I will be your boyar."
Rurik didn't expect that she would make a decision from this. It must not be a whim for her to say this, but a decision made after some thought.
"Okay! I agree." Rurik said casually.
"Are you perfunctory with me?"
"I understand everything. Let all the people from Ostara in New Roseburg move here? That's okay. You want to take the title of Duke, but that's not okay!"
"But……"
"Come again." Rurik suddenly turned over: "I am not an ordinary duke, I am Augustus, a nobler existence than a duke. Of course I have to appoint a new duke to guard me. Come on, keep going.
.I want to seal a good place for the new Duke of Ostara. Carlotta, this world is very big, and we will continue to expand."
Rurik really needed to think carefully about Carlotta's plan afterwards. Is it simply an immigration of Ostara people? No! It's time to call on the people in his hometown to start a large-scale immigration!
January is the coldest month of the year, and two snowfalls fell on Lake Ilmen during this period.
Time has quietly entered February, and everyone begins to feel an indescribable warmth, because the wind is no longer cold.
Rurik has been thinking about the "Great Immigration" for more than ten days, and he finally made the final decision.
Reglaf was one month old, and he was well taken care of. His golden hair was the most striking feature, and Ottonia was boasting that the child looked exactly like his father in infancy.
However, this child did not receive explicit care from God. Otto could sense that Reglaf was just an ordinary child, with indescribable innocence in his eyes rather than infinite wisdom.
Entering February, Rurik's intimate relationship with Carlotta Musa and others was suspended. An indescribable feeling occupied her mind. Carlotta longed for a child, and this longing was more intense than before.
It was a quiet noon. Rurik took advantage of the opportunity to eat and explained his decision to his father, Otto, without leaving his chopsticks.
"Our goal is to get out of the Rossberg Fjord, and now the time is ripe. Dad, I want to order a large-scale immigration of the people this year. This is no longer a small-scale operation, I want most of the people to move."
Hearing this, Otto stopped feeding his granddaughter. He handed the spoon to Niya and said with a sullen face, "Have you finally decided?"
"Decided."
"Really decided?"
"Yes!" Rurik's voice increased. He was a little curious as to why his father asked twice in a row. There must be something hidden.
As expected, Otto did hold back some words.
An old soldier stroked his beard: "Child, now the barren Fort Ross is no longer barren, we have become rich and powerful. We have built a lot, especially palaces and temples. There are also iron factories and shipyards there. Do we have to give up?
These?"
"I thought of it a long time ago. I'm not giving up on Roseburg."
"Then you ordered the large-scale immigration, and the population of Roseburg was withered. I was a little reluctant to leave it, haha." Otto couldn't help but think back to the past. Speaking of the large-scale immigration, he was the one who presided over the initial immigration project. It should be fully implemented this year.
, even if I really implement it, I feel a little empty in my heart.
Rurik nodded: "I will issue an order. The people of our old tribe, men, women, old and children, will immigrate here. Our people cultivate the land of the old Pine Needle Manor. This is the best land. Whatever you plant can produce anything."
."
"Of course, they must carry out your orders. I still have some concerns. Many people have built houses. Do you want them to give up their houses?"
"It doesn't matter if those properties are abandoned. At worst, I will buy the properties! Our people must settle in Novorosberg and Novgorod on a large scale. We can eat home-grown wheat this autumn. Hehe, the fields of the old Pine Needle Manor have been explored
When it's over, I will distribute the land to the clan members, and the price will be to pay me tithe every year. This is fair."
"It's indeed fair. But our hometown won't thaw until the end of April, and the fields here will thaw at the end of February. You need to plow the land quickly, and the land can't be left to waste," Otto reminded.
"That's natural. There are some veterans of the Second Banner Corps here. They also have their own sons and grandsons. Many of them are actually young people from the First Banner Corps. I will give them priority in allocating land. Each family will allocate one hectare to them first.
I am hiring local Slavic farmers to plant the land and paying them for their labor. Don’t worry, I don’t dare to miss the farming season.”
His son was clearly confident, and Otto, who had actually retired for many years, was focused on his son and naturally fully agreed with his son's decision.
Otto still has great influence, and more than a hundred veterans of the Second Banner are currently stranded in Novgorod. They were happily summoned by Otto.
A large group of men with gray beards wearing deerskin coats gathered together. Their average age was over forty-five, and their prime years were gone. Although they could still continue to fight, they just lost the infinite strength of their youth.
No, there are more than a dozen widowed veteran soldiers who directly married local widows, and naturally they also have step-sons and step-daughters. Even the veteran warriors who were widowed and not too old actually welcomed us in Novgorod
newborn.
The Duke is going to announce the issue of farmland distribution. The Duke really respects the old soldiers!
In fact, in traditional Viking society, those who lost their labor force were a burden and deserved to die. This is very cruel and realistic. Limited resources were given priority to men because it was precisely young men who had the ability to ensure the survival of the tribe.
This is not the case in Novgorod's agricultural society. The elderly represent wisdom and the most experienced farmers. Young people need to be taught how to farm by the elderly at home. The two ethnic groups are different due to different production methods. Now
They blend into one.
Rurik is not a Viking at heart, he is an old warrior who respects his tribe. Because supplies are becoming more and more abundant, he can single-handedly support the livelihood of the entire Ross family.
It's a charity, but the old guy also has to contribute to the Duke again.
The scene was a bit chaotic. These people gathered in a large wooden house. Seeing Rurik, a shining young boy, leave the factory, they all uttered a Viking war cry full of vicissitudes of life in unison with great tacit understanding.
There was a stove in the room and the air was very warm. Rurik simply took off his shirt and showed off his arms with obvious muscle texture.
Lord Rurik stretched out his hand to signal for silence. When he spoke, his voice was like a grown-up's, rich and penetrating.
Indeed, Rurik's physiological voice-changing period has come to an end, and his height is astonishing.
Because he had eaten and drank well, and his body had undergone too much exercise, he had not yet reached the peak of his strength. His current condition was already very alarming. Maybe Rurik could not grow into a two-meter giant, but could only grow to one meter.
Nine is no problem.
It is normal for a Nordic man to grow into a little giant as long as he has no worries about food and drink. Looking at Ross's first flag team of warriors, their average per capita is more than 185㎜, so they can easily suppress Karelia in terms of momentum.
Those dwarfs.
Not only do they eat a lot of meat but also a lot of bread, and the Russians can get even taller! It’s just that Rurik doesn’t like being too tall. He does know that the young people in Russia are destined to marry Slavic women on a large scale, and the height of their offspring will of course shrink, but
It is impossible to become shorter.
In full view of everyone, Rurik first praised the veteran warriors for their efforts in the rise of Ross, and then began to read out his resolution.
He can give impromptu speeches, and today he deliberately took out a piece of paper and recited a document he had written.
He was clearly announcing the decree in person, and a sense of solemnity arose. Of course, the old guys were all paying attention to the paper in Rurik's hand. There was indeed a lot of words written on it. It was the legendary "cork board", which was really wonderful and convenient.
Woolen cloth.
Behind the more than a hundred old guys are more than a hundred families. Rurik announced that each family will get one hectare (Russian system, equivalent to 980 meters in length and width) of mature land.
Based on Rurik's investigation, a Swedish farmer can only take care of one hectare of farmland. The land is actually not small. Their method is to scatter seeds roughly and randomly. Rurik estimates that if they cultivate more intensively, the wheat yield may be as high as
Four thousand Roman pounds were broken.
The scene began to become extremely lively. Everyone knew that the property rights of those lands belonged to the Duke. Now the Duke announced that he had given up his property rights.
Of course it comes with a price, which is the tithe from generation to generation. How difficult is it? The old guys all dream of getting fertile land. They were fishermen when they were young. It’s not that they don’t want to grow wheat because they don’t have the opportunity. Now they have the opportunity, children.
It will also be inherited from generation to generation.
So what's the point of tithing? Everyone can see what the Duke did. Rurik is a saint, and the taxes and tributes collected will eventually become the benefit of everyone. After all, the tax burden turns into labor remuneration and becomes the defense of Rus.
weapons, and a proud fleet.
The hooting couldn't stop, and Rurik and Otto were enjoying it.
They were happy and satisfied, and Rurik continued to announce some detailed terms and conditions. Agriculture will be related to the future of the development of Russia. For farmers, Rurik just wants to persuade farmers to grow mulberry trees, and all the detailed rules are also encouraging.
The core of the so-called detailed rules and clauses is that "the farmer will have his own land, and the lazy will still be taxed if they do not produce."
Rurik also encouraged everyone to open up wasteland, and there would be no tax on the land opened up for one year. There were also other incentives. This was generally consistent with the strategy of New Roseburg.
The contract must be in writing, otherwise it will be empty and anything that goes wrong will weaken the Duke's credibility.
No, everyone was surprised to see Rurik's first wife panting into the room holding a stack of papers. Hundreds of "kraft papers" stacked together were indeed very heavy.
The papers were all written in rune letters. This traditional writing form of Norse was actually understood by the old guys. For this meeting, Rurik worked tirelessly to write nearly 400 copies himself. He was so tired that he shouted that it must be done quickly.
Release of movable type printing.
The paper and the words written on it greatly shocked everyone, and old Otto was also shocked. The carrier for writing used to be rare, but everyone just didn't expect that there were so many papers, and writing became random.
Documents were issued one after another, and the documents were also made in duplicate. Rurik signed a contract with everyone present, and both parties signed their names, patronyms, and nicknames in rune script.
This is the so-called land title contract, and it is also the earliest paper contract in the Principality of Ross!
Rurik knew that he was making history, and the next step was to wait for the snow to melt and take them to demarcate the farmland of each family, so that when their children immigrated, they could immediately start the agricultural life they dreamed of. People from Ross
The good life will be lived on a massive scale, but Ross won't give up on the ocean.