On a very quiet night, Rurik invited Blue Fox into his palace bedroom. He even ordered all the servants to retreat, and only the two of them talked secretly by the oil lamp.
The Blue Fox really needed a private place to come back. He was a little reserved at first, but when Rurik asked the question first, he immediately spoke out in surprise.
"Prince! Our great enemy is indeed Denmark, but the Franks are a big fat sheep. We should plunder them."
"Huh?" Indeed, this kind of statement is indeed inappropriate to point out in the presence of Eskil.
"You don't have to be surprised. According to my observation, since our fleet can expedition to Britain, we will bypass the Jutland Peninsula and directly attack cities named Hamburg and Bremen along the river. Those are riverside cities, and our
The fleet can go straight in, and when we finish looting, we can leave quickly with the treasure."
Rurik was indeed tempted, his cautious forehead relaxed, and he asked quietly: "Have you done some investigation and know them well?"
"Of course! Even now we are facing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Their armies have all gone to attack Denmark. Bremen is already empty. There are only a group of honest farmers there and no army at all. Now is a good time to plunder."
"Oh? Are you encouraging me to fight?"
"Yes!" Blue Fox said resolutely, "I know Bremen very well. There is a very wealthy city surrounded by wooden walls, and a large amount of wool is traded in the city square. We should plunder the local area!"
"Is this so? All we can do is fight? I...have not arranged any war operations this year."
Blue Fox shook his head: "They have also put forward very harsh conditions. We must believe in their gods and pay high taxes in order to do business with the Earl of Frank. As for Prince Ludwig, he
They don't even bother to see me. Eskil said that their prince thinks that we are just a small tribe, as humble as ants."
"Absurd!" Rurik punched the ground with all his strength, and laughed again for a moment: "Okay, Blue Fox, you are using the provoking method. Listen, I am the prince, and I am the only one who has the right to arrange whether to send troops."
"But their provocation is real. They are also very rich...don't you hope to get a lot of wool?"
These words really stopped Rurik. War cannot be done hastily, let alone dive into it as soon as you get good news.
Rurik thought for a moment, and it was unreasonable for him not to be tempted. For practical reasons, if he could obtain a large amount of wool, his garment factory would be able to produce clothes and felt products with a more stable efficiency.
It is unrealistic to expect the Ostara people to provide a large amount of wool in a short period of time. After all, it was not long after Carlotta gave birth to her child, and her Ostara people did not breed a large flock of sheep.
The arrogance of the Franks was not a major reason for the crusade, but looting of supplies was. Of course, their provocation and arrogance could be very legitimate reasons.
Blue Fox saw the prince's shaky mentality and immediately pointed out: "I learned a lot in Frank. The expelled Danish King Harald Clark was a mercenary of that prince, and the prince also arranged for Horik to be the new king of Denmark.
Our shops were destroyed, and there was a Frankish conspiracy behind it. As for the Danes fighting with the Franks again, that is another matter. You are the greatest prince, and your interests in Denmark have been damaged. Considering your authority,
, even if we send two hundred men, we must take advantage of the empty space behind the Franks to attack them."
In an instant, Rurik suddenly understood.
He slapped his thigh: "That's right! How could I forget that I can send out small troops for action? What I always think of is to send out six flag troops to fight the war to destroy the country!"
Blue Fox immediately laughed out loud: "So, you are determined to take revenge this year? The time is still in our favor."
"You..." Looking at the blue fox again, Rurik shook his head with a smile: "You have become thinner and your mentality is crazy. Do you want to be a warrior? Okay, I will give you this opportunity. It was you who proposed As for the crusade, I will give you this opportunity. You must join the crusade, and you must be responsible for your words."
"Absolutely. I'm even willing to be a warrior and go through fire and water for the prince." Blue Fox replied decisively.
Regarding the fact that the Franks were extremely arrogant towards the Principality of Rus, Rurik wanted to believe that this was a fact.
How can a great country look down on a foreign country?
Frank knew almost nothing about Rus, but as a prince, Rurik knew a lot about Frank. Not to mention the well-known Charlemagne, who has passed away, after the division of this big country, two main bodies were formed, France and Germany. Now Frank and Germany does not exist. It cannot be said that the two brand-new countries do not exist at all. They are like twins in the belly of a pregnant woman, developing rapidly.
In other words, it is the East Frankish part that adopts an arrogant attitude towards the Principality of Rus. To be fair, Rurik prefers to call these guys Germans.
The concept of Germany has existed since ancient times, but it is not used as an official country name now.
Since Bremen is a commercial city, it is feasible to take advantage of the opportunity to plunder.
Have a heart-to-heart talk with the thinning Blue Fox. Although the senses are very strange, the reward emotion revealed by that guy is easy to sense.
After some logical derivation, the man behind the destruction of Ross's shop in Hedeby was Prince Ludwig of East Francia. As for why that man started fighting with the Danes, why should the Ross pay attention? Ross's interests were damaged. Once the masterminds behind the scenes are identified, they should be bled!
Rurik tossed and turned on the bed. He ordered Svetlana not to sleep with her tonight, and he occupied the entire bed by himself to think quietly about important matters.
He made a major decision and began to gather men the next day, announcing an ocean mission that would combine plunder and conquest.
These days, Spuyut and his gang are living a comfortable life in Novgorod. They eat wheat cakes, drink ale, put on new clothes, and live in a very comfortable place. If not There are still plans to rob, brothers, please continue to enjoy it.
On the other hand, the Salmon Chief also underwent some maintenance, and the torsion slingshots were inspected. Worn parts were replaced, and consumed weapons were replenished.
As for the old guy Eskil, he came to the small monastery settled in Novgorod. Look at John Invar, this boy was moved to tears when he saw his teacher.
It was in this monastery that John Invall obtained people from the Archbishop of Reims, who became a legal priest and qualified to baptize people.
A young priest was promoted and became a grassroots member of the Holy See management system. He became a priest at a young age. Then, with his qualifications and missionary achievements, he could gradually rise in rank. In theory, it is also possible to become a cardinal. Therefore, he got the position because the Principality of Rus was full of confused lambs. Naturally, this was in the context of the priests. John Invar was young and had a lot of time to spread the faith. As a teacher, Esquier could only Stay here for the winter.
The Christians who gathered in the Novgorod region for various reasons welcomed the Northern Saint, and everything was full of hope for them.
However, Rurik always remained vigilant, and they were watched by spies. As for the missionary behavior, they were immediately arrested as soon as they were discovered. As early as the meeting, Eskil was "vaccinated" against the so-called detection of any missionary behavior.
Although there will be no punishment of physical pain, he can only spend this winter in prison and be expelled the following year. This law has already existed. It was originally restricted to real clergymen like John Ingvar, but now there is an additional "
"Northern Sage", let us follow this set of forms.
It was also here that Eskil finally met the young Reglaf. The child who had inherited the throne of Mercia was as golden as his biological father. The boy always pestered his grandfather and grandmother.
The old couple were the old leaders of the Russian people and the first generation of princes. Esquier maintained the greatest restraint. He did not dare to tease the child. He explained respectfully that the child had a noble status recognized by the Vatican and treated the child in a dignified manner.
After giving some instructions in Latin, he left on his own.
Eskil's actions are so bad that he can travel inside and outside Novgorod under the escort of mercenaries and see the local life in the principality. He can write a report, and Rurik is also willing to provide paper and feathers.
Pen and ink.
Because Rurik never denied the possibility of peaceful trade with the Franks. Crusade to combat their arrogance was one thing, trade was another. Based on his understanding of the Hanseatic League, that commercial alliance could not be
Popping out of the cracks in the stones, it represents the inherent merchant class in the Frankish Kingdom. Merchants and small industry owners even resisted the king for trade privileges and succeeded. Arrogance belongs to the nobility, and Frankish merchants will never refuse goods from Rus and make a fortune.
What a chance! After all, Novgorod is on the list of the Hanseatic League.
Esquier was authorized to write some records of his experiences on paper. This person saw that writing on cloth and wood was extremely convenient, but it was definitely not a parchment material. His excited attitude could only be imagined by Rurik. This old guy's several days of travel
He felt itchy all over because here he saw an idyllic scene that resembled the Frankish interior.
The Rus among the Normans are actually working as farmers? The stereotype of the sea hero has been greatly rewritten.
Of course, the records written by this person can only be taken away after Rurik personally reviews them. If there are fields that slander the principality, they must be deleted. Those fields that may involve major secrets of the principality must also be deleted.
Eskil remains under a sort of house arrest.
In recent days, Spyut has always seen Eskil, dressed in black robes, walking on roads full of gravel and clay, and even running on the main road that was made of bricks.
A clerk asked Spuyut: "Boss, I'm worried that this guy is a craftsman. He's too flamboyant."
"Careful work? There are armed brothers behind, so this person doesn't dare to mess around. This is an old guy. He may not be able to walk in a few years."
Spuyut was busy buying Novgorod's specialty Slavic loaf, which is a loaf of bread deliberately added with oak wood chips. After it is baked, it will become extremely dry very quickly and become a loaf that can kill people.
Silly "stone", this kind of extremely storable food is very suitable for long-term sailing life.
Just as they were busy buying supplies, the prince's summons suddenly came down.
The Spuyut pirate gang gathered urgently, and at the same time, Arik from the First Flag Team and what seemed like a hundred capable soldiers came to attend the meeting.
The men of the First Flag Team turned into fishing madmen, and the guys recruited this time were all the guys who went boating on the nearby Lake Ilmen.
Arik and his men were very excited because they learned that the gathering was related to a special expedition, and they decisively put aside the prince's statement that "no troops will be sent out this year."
"Boy, even if you don't fight, your hands will feel itchy. I like it very much." Arik sighed secretly.
A group of troops entered the city, causing a stir among the people. Some remarks about the war spread like wildfire. Especially the Slavic people, the most populous, generally supported the war. However, according to rumors, the prince would not convene this time.
Any Slavic warrior?
After all, this is a battle that only belongs to the Varangians? Who is their enemy?
The Rosduma parliament chamber was very long, so Rurik simply led all 150 people in total into the long room of the parliament.
This rectangular closed space is suitable for preaching. Rurik stood on the podium and pointed out the "truth" when he opened his mouth.
He shouted with anger and pointed out that the Franks were behind everything: "Our Ross shop was destroyed by the Frank army, and the Danes are their lackeys. The Franks have said that it is okay to do business with them, but they must pay a huge tribute.
You must also believe in their gods. I used to think that the Danes were the biggest enemies, but now it seems that the Franks are the most insidious..."
He even used provocation to cross-talk a Frankish nobleman's rhetoric, pointing out that the Russians were regarded as barbarians from the north, as humble as ants.
As expected, the people were irritated, and Arik roared at the top of his lungs: "We should really cut off their heads for talking nonsense!" He just stamped his feet crazily to make noise.
They are angry and hateful, and they still have to find ways to elicit their desire for plunder.
Rurik pointed directly at the first target of this operation-Bremen.
According to his words, it was a Frankish city that stored a lot of silver coins, and also had granaries and wool warehouses. The First Banner Squadron had robbed Lindisfarne Abbey, and all the gold and silverware inside was swept away. Good.
Coincidentally, there is also a cathedral in Bremen. Blue Fox visited and stayed in the church, and the first-hand information he obtained pointed out that there was indeed a large amount of gold and silverware inside.
Anger and greed are intertwined, and this long-distance robbery must be carried out.
The people who were selected by Prince Rurik and sat in the Rusduman were very fortunate that a good opportunity to make a fortune was in front of them. Although there were some risks, they could be ignored in the face of a large amount of wealth.
A plan to sack Bremen was written down on paper.
According to the plan, the principality will dispatch a hundred-man team of local elites, led by the first flag captain Arik himself.
Businessman Blue Fox was incorporated into the army as a soldier. Rather than fighting, his main job was to serve as a combat advisor, guiding the army to siege cities and plunder.
Spuyut led the current pirate gang to fight and brought another group of people on Saaremaa Island.
The Finns in Finland must also participate in the war. Count Javlo must bring out no less than fifty archers to participate in the war, and they must participate in person.
Since the purpose of the operation is pure plunder, the number of troops should not be too large, and they should not be entangled after encountering the Frank army.
The size of the team must be between 300 and 400 people. If the city of Bremen cannot be captured well, their wheat will be harvested on a large scale around the city and the village granaries will be looted.
Arik is a fierce general, and his overall performance is that bravery is better than wisdom, so Javlo, who stays in Finland, needs to lead the troops to check and balance. And Javlo's existence is also very important. As a de facto vassal, he
No longer serving as a mercenary captain, as a noble, he must fulfill his obligation to send troops to help the prince, which is also a means of monitoring him.
Rurik was still not at ease with his cousin, and he had to warn him again: "Brother! Most of the brothers listened to you this time. You are very good at leading two to three hundred people to plunder a stronghold with thousands of people.
I just hope that you won’t be too impulsive and learn to stop when it’s time. Let’s rob the wealth, fill up the transport ship and then retreat. The most you can do is burn Bremen with a fire, and you must not resist the Frankish main force.”
"Really?" Arik stood up and punched his chest with a smile: "I should kill many Franks to let them know the cost of humiliating Ross. I really hope to fight with their main force."
Rurik suddenly frowned, slapped him on the face, and continued to instruct: "They have a lot of cavalry! Maybe a thousand! This is what Blue Fox saw with his own eyes! Think about what we encountered in Northumbria
The Frankish cavalry is more ferocious than theirs. You don't want to fight head-on. We have to fight smartly."
The encounter with the cavalry in Britain made Arik feel uncomfortable all over, and the Ross-Balmok coalition at that time suffered a lot as a result.
My brother mentioned the businessman Blue Fox, but this person actually fights as a warrior?
Arik couldn't help but ask: "Is Blue Fox's reconnaissance information reliable? He has been traveling in Frank for a whole year, and he has seen a lot. Will he exaggerate to them? Besides, why didn't I see him there?"
In fact, the blue fox was always present.
I saw a man who could only be described as having a slightly chubby face who had just started to grow a beard stood up. He was wrapped in a smart brown leather jacket and had a belt tied around his waist. He looked like a warrior no matter what.
"I am Blue Fox. I swear to Odin, Frey, and the gods that what I saw is the truth."
"You? Are you Blue Fox? Isn't Blue Fox a fat man like a seal?" Arik smiled rudely, and others also looked at the thin man who called himself Fat Boy Blue Fox.
What else could Blue Fox do? He could only apologize, then sternly said: "I have killed Danish soldiers, and even almost met the Frankish prince. I was greatly humiliated in Denmark, and I wanted to kill him with my own hands at the cost of my life.
I killed that prince to avenge the ninety brothers who died in battle. Now that I am thinner, I can kill the enemy better. Arik, I am not much weaker than you."
Such arrogance aroused Arik's curiosity: "Oh? It seems that you are indeed a blue fox. Are you very confident? Why don't we go outside and compete to see who is better at hitting people."
"Fight? I'm not good at fighting. My strength lies in my understanding of the Franks." Blue Fox said with a sullen face: "No one understands the Franks better than me, and no one understands their army better than me. Only I can tell
Where are your and their warehouses, where are their gold and silver hidden, and which villages can best solve our military food problem."
"Oh! You are indeed better than me in this aspect." Arik didn't want to quarrel. He shrugged and borrowed the donkey from Poxia. After all, he would win in a real fight. Even the reputation spread was not good. He killed countless enemies.
Is it outrageous for a madman to bully a professional businessman who aspires to be a warrior?
The Rus' Principality started preparations in Novgorod. Considering that Bremen has a very strong wooden wall, it should prepare some siege tools in advance. Rurik wanted to build a large counterweight trebuchet.
Taking into account the actual time cost, that is very unrealistic. The focus is still on making a siege ram that was born by hitting the door. It is impossible for a siege ram to be completely transported on a large ship. Just transport the key parts.
You can just find lumber locally and assemble it together. There is also a very violent and simple method, which is to use steel logging axes and dozens of people working together to cut down part of the city wall alive. After all, the wooden city wall is not indestructible.
The number of people in the plundering fleet was fixed, and the number of ships was also arranged by Rurik.
Considering that there is a high probability of encountering the Frankish regular army, especially the cavalry, the principality needs to focus on leveraging its naval superiority and use enough ships to transport the various supplies it has grabbed.
The sailing cruisers Salmon Chief and Gray Squirrel were recruited, along with the four planet-class sailing destroyers Venus, Mars, Saturn, and Eubit, as well as four standard armed cargo ships launched in recent years.
Accompanied by No. 4. There are ten ships participating, and the scale of the operation is already quite large. If the simple sailors recruited are also brought along, the number of people can be gathered to 500.
However, this was the only military operation in which Rurik was not provided with military rations or fresh water.
The expedition personnel were able to collect supplies in Novgorod with their own money, and finally completed the naval assembly on Tombstone Island, as well as the weapons for use.
In exchange, the wealth they looted was divided 50-50 with the prince, which was enough to stimulate the brothers' fanatical will to fight.
It is as if Bremen, as the target, is already a big fat sheep that has been tied up.