Regarding what kind of Slavic people live in Kiev in this time and space, the Rus Principality will conquer and incorporate them sooner or later. Compared with those residents, nothing is more important than the land around Kiev!
That is a large area of black soil. Even without the use of farmyard fertilizer, it can still maintain high yields in the current time and space. As for the fact that it is a naturally easy-to-defend and difficult-to-attack place for the Four Wars, it is nothing compared to the unprecedented benefits that can be obtained.
Horses are not worth such a high price. Rurik can also understand that the so-called price depends entirely on the horses. These are indeed rare and good horses, but these merchants are from the Slavic people's groups in Kiev. They are naturally
Can reveal a huge amount of information about the people in the South.
They are just merchants. The South is the Slavs and the era of tribal alliances. There is no large national group in the South, so the merchants have nothing to be loyal to. In other words, the most loyal thing for merchants is money, promising big benefits, or
If they immediately feel that the trade is profitable, they will explain clearly what they know.
Holding a banquet to entertain the horse guests is also to stabilize them. If they really have the status of the season, then it is even more important to win over them. It is very necessary to take the opportunity to get some rewards to whet their appetite.
It is necessary to squeeze out all the information known to Ma Ke, and express the goodwill of the Rus Principality to the people in Kiev through their mouths.
After all, the strategy of making friends from far away and attacking closely is a great wisdom.
After all, the Rus' Principality wants to rule Kiev, and it would be great if it can finally win it through relatively peaceful means. At least there is probably a lack of strategic opportunities now and in the next ten years. In these years, it will naturally be necessary to trade with them safely, so that Rus can use this to engage in
It would be great to get a lot of Pecheneg horses.
Maksakye and the others turned into guests. They had the honor to enter the palace of the Prince of Rus and have dinner with the prince and many other principal elites.
Of course, Medvet and Old Otto really felt that Rurik's etiquette was too much. They were involved in the whole process, and they only cared about eating and drinking themselves, and didn't care about what the group of people who looked like they had come out of a pit felt.
All strange insects.
The floor is flat and the table is also flat. There are crystal plates and crystal bowls on the table in front of everyone. Such tableware can carry many delicacies!
In fact, it was just some dried fruits and cold meat slices at the beginning, which was enough to make the horsemen tremble all over.
Sakye stared at the glass plate, muttering crazily in his heart: "I'm afraid I can't replace such a plate with a horse. If I accidentally break a corner, my head will be chopped off by them."
Saki became wary of using too precious tableware.
He very carefully picked out the dark red dried raspberries from the glass bowl and put it in his mouth, enjoying the sweetness that was extremely difficult to enjoy on weekdays.
Wait a minute, the taste of this dried fruit is extraordinary. It has definitely been soaked in honey, making it an extremely sweet preserve.
There is also a large amount of dried meat on the plate, which seems to be beef or venison. They have just the right amount of salt. To be fair, this kind of dried meat is really an excellent dry food for traveling.
The transparent cup contained brown ale, and the other cup also contained dark, slightly sweet kvass.
I saw the guests starting to move their hands. This Indian way of eating is really indecent.
Rurik deliberately knocked on the table: "Everyone, you must follow my rules in my territory. You... stop!"
The last words stopped the horsemen's behavior.
Sakye quickly put on a smile and apologized: "Great prince, what kind of etiquette should we...have?"
"Of course..." Rurik thought for a while and then had an idea, "How about having dinner with guests from far away in your hometown of Kiev?"
"We'll serve roasted garlic and salt, and then gather around the campfire for a roasted sheep."
Bread and salt, this Slavic custom has been taking shape since the ninth century?
Rurik shrugged: "If it were just bread and salt, you are about to taste it. What is in front of you now is just some snacks before the meal, and the perfect meal is yet to come. Then follow our interests and hold high your
Goblet, drink the ale of us Russians, and the kvass that you Slavs like."
Rurik took the lead in raising the ale, implying that the Russians in Northern Europe were the real rulers. Otto, Medved and others raised their glasses with sullen faces.
Is this the etiquette of the Russian people? If they like drinking very much, they are very willing to accompany them. Sakhi happily drank a glass of wine, and then watched the Russian prince raise another glass.
A delicious meal requires some time to wait, and while waiting is the best time to chat.
As the wine entered my stomach, the alcohol eliminated a lot of restraints.
Rurik immediately asked about the people of Kiev, and even about the ethnic groups living nearby, as well as about Smolensk and Pskov.
Sakhi was in high spirits and had no idea that he had fallen into the scheme of the Prince of Rus. He completely ignored the existence of the beautiful and young Queen Svetlana of Rus. He only noticed the woman playing with a feather at the desk from the side of his eyes.
That's all.
In fact, it was not the case. Svetlana was not moved by the snacks now and the big meal later. She had a noble status, and it was normal for her to attend the banquet and sit next to her husband. There were papers, quills and ink in front of her, which was what she was ordered to do.
Key's eloquent words were written down as much as possible. Rurik's request was not extreme. He only asked his wife to record as much as possible. It was the prince's responsibility to sort out key information from a large number of salivating written records.
It is said that one speaks the truth after drinking. When Rurik listened, he did hear some interesting and detailed descriptions from Sakhi.
A very obvious fact lies before us: Kiev and Smolensk have a blood alliance in principle, but in the current era, this alliance has become quite fragile.
Kiev, Smolensk, and Pskov all belong to the huge Krivi tribe alliance, and its meaning is just as its name describes, with a strong meaning of "blood-based alliance".
The fraternal tribes allied by blood will gradually split up in the coming years due to scattered development, which is normal in Eastern Europe where transportation is quite difficult. Besides, when it comes to ancient history, aren't the Ilmenslavs also descended from the Krivics?
It was divided there.
Rurik had to suspect that it was because of this unauthorized division that the other party was jealous.
Couldn't a hundred years have eliminated the hatred? I'm afraid the hatred would have dissipated long ago, but this Marker conclusively described that the residents of Smolensk were not welcoming to the northern Ilmen.
The only thing Ma Ke is sure of is: "Our big leader wants to go to the north to do business, but no one dares to take the risk. Countless pairs of eyes are staring at the success or failure of our brothers. Once our deal with the prince is completed, there will be more
Kiev merchants are heading north. We are not afraid of the Smolensk people charging tolls, and our brothers have found another more difficult but safe route. If you need to sell goods, we are merchants you can trust.”
Rurik was excited, but he was still suppressing his excitement. He deliberately asked: "So you actually got the order from the leader."
"No. We acted spontaneously, but our actions were known to everyone."
"Very well. Now I declare your trade a success."
Sakye felt very happy after hearing this, and he said carelessly: "That's half the battle. We want to buy..." Under the influence of alcohol, he poured a glass bowl of raspberry preserves into the glass containing the meat.
On the plate, he held the bowl high and said: "I like this kind of tableware very much. It must be very expensive. Since we sold the horse, it would be a worthwhile trip to directly exchange for some of these crystal tableware."
"You...want this very much?" Rurik trembled with excitement, and his whole body leaned forward.
Upon seeing this, Sakhi misunderstood, thinking that the prince was unwilling to sell, and quickly persuaded him as a businessman: "We Kiev people often trade with the Pechenegs, exchanging wheat, linen, and slaves for their horses and iron. You are very welcome."
I like horses, and I also like this crystal utensil. If you can please my leader, you will also get more horses."
Rurik suddenly narrowed his eyes: "You can still catch slaves?"
"The Mickeys, the Drevlians, and so on. We capture their men and sell them, and the women, hehe, naturally keep them as wives."
"All the slaves were sold to those Pecheneg horsemen?"
"Exactly."
In fact, after hearing these names, Rurik could conclude that they were other Slavic tribes. Although they were all Slavs, it was normal for the major tribal alliances to constantly fight. They should have become a unified nation. Obviously, with their own
At best, it can create a bunch of small emirates.
If anyone can unify them, it's only Rose!
At this stage, the Rus' Principality lacks the strength to attack the Kiev Group. It has only today that we have a deeper understanding of their situation. As for its neighbor to the south, Smolensk, we still know very little. The Rus' Principality is already too big, like a python swallowing a cow.
, it takes a long time to digest the prey. Reality forced the principality to seize the time to rectify its internal affairs, and for a period of time it would have to hide its capabilities and bide its time.
An extremely vicious situation was clearly placed before the principality.
The principality's goods dumping station in Denmark has been taken over by the enemy. How can we deal with it without a stronghold to make money? If there are no big buyers, it will become "the unsaleable squirrel skin help us" every spring. Who will come to help in the end?
What? Who has the financial resources to help?
I am afraid that the Slavs in Kiev will be the big savior. Because the residents of Kiev themselves are not big buyers, they can transport the goods to the Pechenegs and even resell them to Eastern Rome. As long as they can make money as middlemen, they will
Ross purchased the goods willingly.
Rurik immediately slammed the table, and the sound really shocked everyone. Old Otto, who was shaking his head, also raised his head and looked at his son, complaining: "Why are you making such a loud noise!"
Rurik put on a serious face, stretched out his right hand and pointed directly at the confused Maxaky, and laughed for a moment: "I like you! You want to do business with us, and I also want to trade with you.
I appreciate that your leader has such a desire. You can rest assured that you will return with a lot of goods, and as for these glassware, I will sell them to you."
"Ah! So what's the price?"
"The price of glassware? It won't be so expensive that you'll faint. If you're not satisfied after two glasses of wine, we'll continue drinking."
According to Sakhi's self-report, gathering people to drink in Kiev was a way to build relationships. If this behavior is a means of friendship, it is obvious that this routine has been discovered all over the world.
The per capita grain storage in Russia is extremely high due to special reasons, and the cost of brewing has dropped. Every household has a jar to brew low-alcohol ale. Slavic families can't help but brew ale, and they also brew kvass.
Since there is an opportunity to drink and drink together, one should drink deeply, so the wine is offered.
Rurik was slightly drunk, and he had already thought about the grand event of selling goods to Kiev to earn a lot of horses, so he drank too much for the first time. Looking at Otto and Medved, they talked about drinking.
All the sullen faces were happy.
Rurik held up the small glass bottle, motioned to the ten horsemen whose eyes were shining, and shouted very loudly: "You! Look at what this is! Open the lid, this is water of life! It is the most perfect wine! Here it is!
I drink!"
Her husband was already drunk, and Svetlana felt a little uncomfortable. She frowned but did not dare to stop him.
Rurik was in a state of excitement due to his drunkenness, so he simply poured the wine into a special glass goblet. The wine looked as clear as water. It seemed like it was really water? The air was filled with a strange smell of alcohol that wouldn't lie.
Thackeray had never seen a scene where "the room was overflowing with wine", and the scene that followed had surpassed his understanding of the world.
The eyes of the ten horsemen were as wide as bells, and their eyeballs were just one step away from exploding.
Look at Prince Rurik of Rus, this young man’s wine glass has become a torch!
Holding the burning goblet high, Rurik muttered in a ritualistic manner: "Life is like a fire. In our limited life, we should all beat like flames. Slavs worship flames. Take a look, in my hand
The strong wine is burning, I will drink it. I dare say that Peron, the god of fire you believe in, will protect me. I am indeed a great man."
His words were actually a bit arbitrary, and Rurik was indeed incoherent because he was in the mood.
A bottle of vodka is poured into a tall glass, about two ounces, and the degree actually exceeds 50°. This is an Eastern European Erguotou brewed with wheat and oats, and the taste is naturally very exciting.
Rurik held the flaming liquor high and drank it in public. From the perspective of Sakhi and other horsemen, he undoubtedly saw a kind of magic.
That's all, Rurik burped deeply...
"Sir, are you... okay?" Sakhi said in shock.
"It's okay, I feel warm in my stomach. You...you should try it too. If you want to do business with me, just follow my rules and don't live up to my expectations of you."
Goblets were handed over one after another, the caps of the spirits were pulled out, and the liquid lit the flames of the oil lamps on the table.
The ten horsemen all resisted at first. Do they want to eat a ball of fire in their stomachs? Without the blessing of the God of Fire, wouldn't they be burned alive?
Wait a minute! The blond Prince Rurik of Russia is clearly a Varangian, but he himself has been blessed by the God of Fire. Isn’t he a natural king? If he has a good relationship with him, will the God of Fire also bless him?
Rurik took advantage of the situation and made the horsemen drink a glass of fire liquor as a sign of surrender.
Sakye did it with all his might. The fire liquor went into his stomach, but he didn't seem to feel crazy.
As for some people, they were quite unlucky. The burning wine burned off some of their beards, but luckily the fire was extinguished in time without causing any serious consequences.
Rurik nodded and said deliberately: "This is the most perfect wine in the world. It has the power of the God of Fire. It is a enjoyment that even your leader cannot experience. I am a kind prince. Since you have drank the fire,
The wine has passed the test of the God of Fire, and the goblet and bottle will be rewarded to you!"
Why was Prince Rus so generous? Sakhi's head had not yet been eroded by the excessive amount of alcohol and he was drunk. He hurriedly shouted that the prince was a great saint, and even threatened to return to his hometown in Kiev to introduce Prince Rus' kindness to the people in his hometown.
Indeed, Rurik's oriental soul can't help but pay attention to courtesy. On the surface, this is the case, but in fact, he still establishes his status as a patriarch. Under this philosophical system, the subjects are all children, and the prince is everyone.
As a father, the father will naturally reward his son more, even if he may cultivate a rebellious son.
These horsemen are unofficial envoys of the Kiev people, and they can even become official envoys of the Rus' Principality.
Rurik could not be so radical as to send a direct regiment of his own people to Kiev. After all, it was only a day to see the Kiev horsemen. In the future, they still need to live in Novgorod for a while and observe them carefully, and even in the spring plowing.
Later, they made an agreement about trade. Because spring plowing is also a good show, let the horse take a good look at the plowing technology of the Rus Principality. As a Slavic people from the Kiev community who are a purely agricultural people, Rurik was sure that they would be familiar with the curved plow.
I was very attentive, and then it was a peaceful sale.
Finally, the real hard dish completed all the complicated processing procedures.
This is a roasted deer. The venison is brushed with a layer of honey before being simmered, but the process of brushing the honey is time-consuming and laborious.
The staple food is also baked large bread with Slavic characteristics. It is not used for rye bread. What is served are toasted bread slices made from high-gluten wheat from British cold-resistant varieties.
It is vulgar to tear meat and take bread with your hands. At least here in the Principality of Rus, Rurik ordered all the boys who eat the king's salary to observe and implement the three tableware principles of chopsticks, spoons and knives. He described eating with bare hands as stiff hands, and by extension
Because they are stupid. Those who love to compete naturally don't want to be defeated by their partners, so they eat with chopsticks honestly. As a result, one or two people have extremely flexible fingers after training for a while. As for eating with knives, nothing else, this is the ancestor of the Russian people.
The truth is that the law is immutable and cannot be changed.
Everyone was busy drinking, and the final amount of spirits was about four taels, which was equivalent to a hundred milliliters of pure alcohol.
For this group of horse riders who could only drink a small amount of low-alcohol ale on weekdays, they drank such a large amount of alcohol in one go and quickly became addicted.
They ate the barbecue in a daze, tearing into large pieces of soft bread like crazy, and even fell down one by one while swaying.
Looking at Otto and Medved, they were also slowly lying on the floor with silly smiles on their faces.
"Can I still continue to eat like this? I drank all the pieces!" Rurik thought subjectively, but his body didn't obey his orders.
He muttered to his wife beside him: "I...really drank too much this time. Don't be afraid, I'm just drunk. Go...call someone and take everyone back to sleep."
That's all, he just lay on his wife's lap. After a while, he started snoring, which made Svetlana speechless. She patted her husband's face vigorously. Seeing that the snoring continued, she had to stand up and hurriedly ran to the door of the palace to say hello.
The guards moved the people away. At the same time, as the queen, they also ordered the guards present: "I don't care whether you have eaten dinner or not. I will reward you with this partially eaten roast deer. Remember not to waste food."