On the night when Stad arrived, Ross's store began to evacuate at night. Escorted by thirty guards, Old Eric's family quietly boarded the ship with the cash box, sailors and other personnel.
Nine armed cargo ships fled that night! Only a few ordinary traditional rowing long boats belonging to Rus were still parked in the port.
Rose's shop became depressed overnight, and Blue Fox took away most of their belongings, taking most of their money with them.
The people he left behind were all rebellious old mercenaries, each of them had a high self-esteem and despised the Danish armed forces. Indeed, most of them had killed Danish soldiers.
As well as the thirty new Slavic warriors who joined the group, Vady Zdalovich and his men took up arms, and now they have become strong and powerful. Since the Russians regard themselves as brothers, everyone
They are also willing to fight for Ross. Most importantly, they hate the Danish army. The enemy of the enemy is a friend, not to mention that friends really treat themselves as brothers.
There are ninety armed guards under Blue Fox, neither too many nor too few. They are full of fighting spirit, and everyone wants to see what the new king of Denmark is.
He is also determined to die. If the other party insists on asking for tribute, he will definitely not give it. If he is going to be killed, there is no need to regret it. His death will definitely bring about the most terrifying revenge from the Ross army.
Maybe that kind of revenge will be a joint action between Sweden and Ross. In short, Ross cannot suffer a loss in Hedeby. The new king of Denmark must realize this, and must also recognize Ross's unique status in Denmark and stop all hostile actions against Ross.
.
The entire Hedeby fell into quite a chaos, with many vendors disappearing overnight. What's worse is that many people apparently took advantage of the chaos to escape.
Ordinary soldiers are just people who follow the crowd, just like the hierarchical relationship between ordinary wolves and the alpha wolf. Starken noticed this situation, and he was a little annoyed at what he preached during the day, although all this was done by his master Huo Huo.
What Rick asked to do, indeed, preached like this and the people in Hazelby were distrustful.
This was never what King Horik hoped for. The king needed to establish a new order in Hedebe, and he needed to restore his rule, especially his taxation rights.
This coastal trading market is known for its affluence. Ordinary traders can just run away, but those big businessmen will not escape overnight.
His estimate was correct. Many business families who are deeply involved in this area cannot escape because they are entangled in bottles and bottles. Businessmen are indeed not farmers and will not be entangled in an inherent land. But where can they go if they escape? Give up at sea.
With everything Zebi, will living in a new realm turn him into a big fat sheep at the mercy of others?
All the big merchant families are in a state of distress. They don't want to pay taxes to Horik's thing that suddenly appeared like a mushroom. What's more, is it considered a tax payment? It's simply collecting tribute, which is gangsterism.
The next day, the soft summer sunshine shone across the entire harbor. However, because of the uninvited guests who arrived yesterday, the prosperous Haizeby Port turned into a depression. The so-called city CBD was also desolate.
"Are these guys going on strike? Is this an open provocation?"
Stader, who was riding a tall horse, led his men around the empty market. When they saw a figure moving, they immediately sent troops to rush forward and catch them. They even caught a few children, but the children were timid and hurriedly told them the reason.
Co-Author All businessmen are scared?!
He sent someone to release the child and threw a few copper coins away. When the child saw it, he hurriedly bent down to pick it up, and then fled without a trace without a trace.
"Boss, is this place really rich?" Some soldiers couldn't help but wonder.
Stade was also helpless: "They are worried that we will use our methods to plunder all their wealth. It's really ridiculous. I just claimed to require them to pay tithe."
"What should we do? Boss, the king's fleet is about to arrive. If this is what he sees, we will be punished."
"It's a big trouble. It's okay! Let's go to those manors and gather the local big businessmen. As long as these people come up with the money, we will complete the task."
In terms of general rationality, there is not much money to be squeezed out of the hands of ordinary people. The only way is to squeeze the big businessmen like cows.
This is the life experience of Horik's group in Flanders. In addition to robbing everywhere and even crossing the sea to sneak attacks in Britain, their priority is to attack merchants' houses and monasteries. The looted property is in the port of Durist in Flanders.
To share the spoils, who is the big buyer? The real Count of Flanders is the real one, and so is the Capet family in the south. The gold, silver and jewels they grabbed are exchanged for grain, meat and salt. It's okay for everyone to cooperate.
Stade ended his camp in the woodland and led all his men around the city of Hedeby.
This small team raised the raven flag and tried to appease the local people. They searched for the big merchants one by one, and the army stood at the door of the mansion. This often led to confrontations with the merchants' guards, but the two sides did not want to break out a military conflict at all.
The big businessman came forward in person and looked up at Studd on horseback at the door of his house, and they made it clear to each other.
Although it was a tithe tax, the specific amount was very knowledgable. Horik had no idea how lucky the merchants in Hedebe were, and how many people could afford a large amount of money. He surrendered.
The tribal chief's exaggerated description said that each of the big businessmen living in Hedebe could give out a hundred pounds of silver.
Stade was ordered to pass on the news according to this amount. As for the specific tax collection, we have to wait for King Horik's navy to arrive in person.
He took the trouble to publicize the king's orders from door to door, informed them of the benefits and asked them to prepare their taxes early, and even drew a big cake: "Anyone who gives money will be rewarded by the king." As for what the reward is, he does not say.
Already.
Such behavior is clearly an act of armed tribute. Big businessmen often cannot afford to raise too many mercenaries due to cost reasons. They have expanded the number of their men in advance, which is generally only fifty or sixty people. Even so, a
The monthly comprehensive compensation must be at least five pounds of silver coins, which is really a huge expense.
Merchants are all good at calculations. When Stad left with his all-armored army and cavalry squad, the merchants had to think about it seriously. Because King Horik seemed to describe such a situation, as long as he paid a package of one hundred
You can continue to do business with pounds of silver coins. This tax is very high because everyone has not paid taxes in the past many years. The tax that Wang promised to start next year will not be like this.
The king also promised to ensure the business safety of all tax-paying merchants. If anyone dared to embezzle merchants' payments and endanger the safety of merchants and clerks, the king would personally send people to capture and execute the attackers.
If this is the case, why do merchants need to support a team of mercenaries? Maybe the taxes they will pay starting next year will be lower than the remuneration for raising mercenaries.
All this must be based on the fact that Horik will keep his promise. It would be foolish for businessmen to believe him naively.
Their hearts did begin to waver. After Stade left, they began to communicate quietly, vowing to have another meeting urgently.
Stade's precise propaganda seemed to be very effective. The businessmen showed no resistance, and some claimed that they would pay tribute on time, even though this might be a show of force.
He thought he would succeed until the army arrived at such a strange store.
The wooden wall is not surprising, and the stalls are empty, but the wooden wall at the front entrance is obviously hung with white cloth sewn with blue strips.
There are also guards at the door. They all wear chainmail and leather helmets. They wear a white cloth gown, a belt around their waist, and the white cloth on the chest is stitched with blue cloth strips.
What's going on? These people are too majestic, aren't they?!
Stade saw it. He was riding a tall horse, and behind him was a kind of armored soldier. Nothing could scare the people on guard. On the contrary, the people on guard had sharp eyes when they saw him. They were the arrogant ones.
!
Stade was furious. He held the riding crop in his left hand and pointed at someone casually: "Are you the merchant's bodyguard? Let your merchant come out! I am the envoy of the King of Denmark. Let your master come to see me quickly."
These Ross guards showed no expression of emotion. The brothers did not mind fighting with the new Danes. Unlike the Blue Fox, the guards were determined to fight to the death. They, the Danes, held their ravens high.
The behavior of the flag is disgusting, because Prince Rurik is the real "man blessed by Odin", and everyone is the real person who serves the "Son of God" and died to protect Rurik's interests. This is not to go to Val immediately after death.
Hala Report? This is a good thing.
Lan Hu had already had a premonition of what would happen today. Even though the shop was empty after a night of hard work, he didn't sleep all night because of it. He took a short nap in the morning and was awakened by the guard who sent a message.
"Finally the ultimatum has come down. Come here! Get me some good clothes and we'll go meet them."
Most of the remaining guards had put on Russian robes. After all, they were made of white cloth, so just sew blue strips of cloth on them. Blue Fox easily unified the clothes of his subordinates, except for the chainmail and other defensive tools.
There are still no brothers.
Blue Fox put on a coat sewn with ferret fur. It was afternoon, and it was a bit hot to wear such a suit in Denmark in the warmest season. Blue Fox didn't mind, as he had long and white swan flight feathers inserted into his velvet hat.
, his hat and clothes were dotted with amber and glass beads. His belt was wrapped with gold threads and hung with gold and silver pieces. A short sword hung on his waist, and the ruby (actually a piece of red glass) at the end of the hilt was even more eye-catching.
He walked out of the shop in such a noble outfit, with his deliberately combed mustache trembling in the wind. He squinted his eyes and looked up at the visitor, but there was no cowardice at all.
Seeing that the other party has sent out a flag, we can't just stand there in a daze!
Stade was a little confused by what the big businessman said, and what happened for a moment really shocked him.
I saw a type of men dressed almost exactly the same walking out of the main entrance. They carried round shields on their backs to show that they had no intention of fighting, but they were actually standing in line, each of them showing the swords and axes on their waists.
There is also a wooden pole holding up a flag, and the pattern is almost the same as what each of them is wearing.
A very strange feeling arose spontaneously. Stade felt that he was facing Frankish merchants, and these armed men dressed as classic Danish warriors were probably subordinates of some Frankish noble.
Stade was at a loss for a moment. If he were really a Frankish noble, and if an untimely conflict broke out, he would be causing chaos for King Horik.
What was very subtle was that Starken himself dismounted quickly and became respectful.
"Who...are you?"
"We are Russians!" Blue Fox realized that he could obviously take the opportunity to lie, but that would violate his junior high school policy. He could change his name or surname, but he could just say that he was Russian.
"You are actually Russians?!" Stad instantly put away his respectful attitude, and couldn't help but hold the hilt of the sword with his right hand. From the corner of his eyes, he also noticed the armed men in robes, who also held the sword.
handle.
Even though he has a big head and hundreds of brothers, the other party is clearly not easy to mess with.
The reputation of the Russian people is actually infamous. Legend has it that the prince of Russia killed the Danish king Hafgen. Although Hafgen was a militaristic and reckless man, his own death was a spiritual blow to the heroes of Denmark.
It was as if everyone's honor had been tarnished by an outsider.
They are obviously from Russia, but they can do business openly in Hedeby. How can they have such a huge garrison?
Seeing such a neatly arranged team, Stade suddenly realized that the Danish army's previous defeat against the Ross was not without reason. Although he did not know the reason, the Ross army in front of him did remind him of the Frankish army.
army.
The blue fox deliberately paused for a while, then raised his fat belly, pinched his waist and threatened: "This is the shop of the Principality of Ross! I am doing business here on the order of the Duke of Ross! You are the envoy of the new King of Denmark, I understand.
I fully understand what you hope to gain from your speech yesterday."
Seemingly borrowing the words of Donkey Poxia? Stade asked hurriedly: "Since you all know, you Russians must give out one hundred pounds of silver coins. But you are Russians, and your presence here is illegal. Maybe Huo
King Rick will forgive you..."
"Are you threatening me?"
"Yes. This is a threat! In principle, Denmark does not allow you Russians to do trade. Hedeby is Denmark's Hedeby. Whether you have the right to do trade in the future depends entirely on the wishes of our King Horik. Maybe
…The more tribute you bring, the king will grant you trading rights.”
Originally, Blue Fox planned to negotiate with this person to meet Horik in person and personally convince the new King of Denmark to grant Ross trading rights. Of course, the premise was that it would be completely tax-free.
The other party's messenger was so arrogant that his plan had completely failed.
Blue Fox didn't want to lose his momentum, so he threatened: "Hedeby is a free city-state, and it cannot be occupied by a person claiming to be the King of Denmark. Our Prince Rus originally intended to reconcile with Denmark, since the new Danish leader is greedy
, it seems that we can only give up the idea. I tell you clearly that the Principality of Rus will not pay you even one copper coin in tax. If you dare to ban our trade here, you are choosing war."
"You!" Studd, who was instantly furious, drew his sword directly. This move also forced the Ross mercenaries to draw their swords collectively, and many of them even removed their shields, looking like they were about to fight fiercely.
The two sides were instantly at war with each other. If a fight really broke out, it would not end well.
The two sides faced off. The Ross mercenaries surrounded the Blue Fox and formed a shield wall in front of it. Each cold light sword was attached to the shield. They must have received training in such an orderly manner. Stade noticed this, not to mention it.
He dared to act rashly. He also saw that a group of spectators had gathered nearby. If a fight suddenly broke out, they would be indistinguishable and might injure the onlookers. The worst thing would be that it would cause unfavorable public opinion. The so-called King Horik
If you use merchants to rob everything, that would be bad.
Stade hurriedly ordered his men to sheath their swords. He hurriedly sheathed the weapon, laughed maliciously, and asked: "What is your purpose? Just to do business in Hedeby without paying taxes at all?"
The blue fox poked his furry head out of the shield wall and stared at it with disdain with a dull face like a Tibetan fox: "I would like to meet your king. We Ross just want to do business in Hedeby, but there is a matter of paying taxes.
Impossible. Since your king is coming soon, I can wait. Don’t worry, we are not afraid of death. Even if your army has thousands of people, we will not be afraid."
It is impossible to pay taxes, it is impossible to compromise, and a group of people are not afraid of death. How can such stubborn people have the slightest sense of being businessmen?
Stade felt that he had met the toughest person in his life. With such an attitude, his heart was like a volcano erupting. He relied on his willpower to suppress the fire in his heart and wanted to chop off this fat man's head.
He still endured it. After all, he could chew this tough nut with his own strength, and his teeth would eventually break. As for making King Horik surrender? Ridiculous!
The king has long told his brothers that when Denmark is completely conquered, he will change the relationship with Prince Ludwig, and strive to achieve the same level of country-to-country relations between Denmark and East Francia. If not, it will be a war. Horik does not think that Ludwig
He will accept this new situation and recognize Denmark's independence. It doesn't matter. With Denmark's real power and a strong army, Horik also wants to do whatever he wants.
If it were not forced by the situation, who of the unruly Danes would be dogs to outsiders? The exiled sea wolf has returned to his hometown. If everyone wins Denmark, they will no longer be Ludwig's eagle dogs. When the internal affairs are stabilized, they can let go of sneak attacks.
East Francia.
A group of arrogant Russians are like fishbones piercing their flesh. This group of armed businessmen should be eradicated. Are they not afraid of death? Then let them die!
Stade firmly believed that King Horik would continue to maintain a hostile attitude towards Ross for the sake of his authority, and would first attack these armed merchants.
He led his men to evacuate, and before leaving, he threatened: "Arrogant Russians, you can leave, I will give you time so that you can survive."
Blue Fox choked back: "We won't leave! I won't leave without permission from Prince Ross."
Stade didn't speak anymore. In fact, everyone knew it well. It was like the dry river bed was shaking, and everyone expected that the flood was on its way...
Blue Fox immediately informed his subordinates: "Hurry up and transform our shop into a fortress. Be careful of what that bastard on horseback does."
Everyone said in unison that they would obey the order, and some people couldn't help but ask Lan Hu. Is the purpose of everyone's persistence just to obey the prince's order? Indeed, if persistence itself has no significance, the brothers are looking for death.
The Blue Fox quickly explained his arrangement: "We must express Rose's attitude to Horik. If they attack, they will choose war. If they choose negotiation, we will naturally escape unscathed. We transformed the shop into a fortress in case of any eventuality.
, if we die, the prince will avenge us. If we complete our defense or achieve negotiation results with the Danes, all of you will have a prosperous future."
To die is glorious, to live is not only glorious but also to make a fortune. These old mercenaries are no longer just working for Ross for glory and wealth. They have their own arrogance. Everyone can see the contemptuous look in the eyes of the guys on horseback just now.
When the time comes, everyone's self-esteem does not allow themselves to be cowards who run away, even if the opponent has given everyone a window period to escape.