According to previous experience, in winter, you can take the frozen Volkhov River to Novorossiburg on the Neva River, and it can take up to a week of continuous travel to get there.
Perhaps horses are not suitable for advancing on glaciers in cold winter, just like Batu Khan gave up his plan to attack the Novgorod Republic because of the cold weather. But whether it was Batu or Subotai, the important means of attacking Eastern Europe was
Advancing rapidly along the frozen river, they even deliberately chose the glacier because it was the smoothest passage for horses in the forest area.
Although the times were different, was the march that Rurik decided to carry out fundamentally different from that of Batu and Subotai?
It is wise for the latter to give up. They have to fight from the forest-steppe junction in the south to Novgorod in winter. Unless a total force of 20,000 cavalry can plunder a large amount of food along the way, the war horses of the large army will inevitably be large-scale.
Death suddenly!
The pressure Rurik faces is much less. Although he is now in the city of Novgorod on the shores of Lake Ilmen, and the surrounding environment is so snowy that the grass under the snow that can be eaten by reindeer can be ignored. He has control over it.
There are a lot of wheat resources, which can be directly fed to reindeer and high-energy oats for horses, not to mention that there are only a small number of large animals to serve.
Rurik's principality cavalry and Pecheneg cavalry all assembled, plus Rurik, Kagan, Arik and other nobles, there were just over 130 horsemen.
Generally speaking, even if the frozen lakes and rivers provide convenient routes for mail delivery, the extremely cold weather forces ordinary people to be reluctant to run around. Even the group of crazy people who hunt in winter, they are in their own designated hunting areas.
Sweep away small animals, and you won't be in the traffic road meaninglessly.
The Maharaja will travel to New Roseburg to participate in Hanukkah worship!
This news was released early.
The ordinary people of Novgorod naturally hope that the prince himself can spend the festive season in Novgorod. It is obvious that the prince's heart is in the real royal city.
It was rare that the prince organized a mail team, and a small group of local Slavic merchants also planned to take advantage of this opportunity to transport the purchased linen and honey to New Roseburg in the hope of selling it at a high price.
The people of Ostara also organized a small caravan of reindeer under Carlotta's instructions, just to make a profit by selling a batch of the latest hard cheese and blocks of butter.
Even the boyars of those traditional farms, when they discovered the business opportunities, they spontaneously organized micro missions after receiving the news, transporting a batch of honey to earn excellent iron tools for production and life.
They didn't need to go in a group with great fanfare, because the journey was full of challenges, and only hundreds of people traveling together could eliminate risks.
Many people are pouring into the city of Novgorod, and the noise is getting louder and louder.
Before setting off, Rurik personally chatted with the gathered Ragnar troops, and also noticed the local businessmen who had gathered dressed like brown bears, and even Boyar's envoys.
"You guys, are you borrowing reindeer from the people at White Tree Manor? You pay your own travel expenses, and I have nothing to do with it."
Complaints are all complaints, but Rurik himself will organize a huge sled team.
This winter, the men and women of the down-and-out Danish Stonewall Tribe, who are engaged in various kinds of work, and the war survivors have all earned a fortune through their labor. Their enthusiastic expressions clearly indicate that they want to continue doing it. They are also ordinary people. Once
Once you get used to a stable life, maybe you won't be too obsessed with revenge?
It would be nice to take advantage of this opportunity to talk to Ragnar.
The Danes of the Stonewall tribe now welcome the prince of Rus, and Ragnar, as the leader, now also regards Rurik as a close relative.
The warm house was crowded with people, and Rurik and Ragnar met and talked.
"Brother, I know you are going to the north to participate in the Illuminati Meeting. Of course I want to go. This time, I plan to bring all the men there. Leave any physical work to me..."
Ragnar's words were very misleading, and there was no conspiracy in his eyes. His purpose was clear - to make more money during the festive season.
Rurik smiled frankly: "Why bring everyone with you? Your men have been working all the time. If not necessary, they will spend the holidays in Novgorod. You don't have to mind, the local Slavs are in the same place as us Vikings
It’s a holiday.”
"Oh, I still want to do more to help you."
"Just bring your brothers from the logging team with you. You can send twenty or thirty brothers. When you get to New Roseburg, I will arrange for you to go to the shipyard to have a look."
"What do you mean?" Ragnar's keen nerves were provoked.
Rurik calmed down and stared at him with a pair of alert eyes: "Don't you want revenge? Aren't you like the villain who attacked the King of Denmark? I can give you a chance."
"Ah! Can I say a few words to myself?"
"Speaking."
"I still want to think of Gotland, where I set up a stronghold. This is a shortcut to attack my Danish enemies."
"Okay." Rurik answered simply.
"so……"
Ragna could feel that the person in front of him was holding back a lot of words.
"I've thought about it." Rurik said, "Just like my Spyut, you can help you organize a powerful fleet. I authorize you to plunder in the name of Ross, and the supplies you grab will be divided into parts."
Just give me half."
"Ah? Can I use your big ship?"
"Yes! No. The shipbuilding factory in New Roseburg is already manufacturing large ships, and I am the owner of the ship. You take your brothers to the war and fight together with the Saaremaa Islanders under Spuyut.
The women and children of your tribe, and all those wounded in the battle, stay here in Novgorod. I! I will help you take care of them."
Ragnar's nerves were deeply touched. What is this if not a hostage? According to his plan, he would stay in Ross for the whole winter and evacuate next spring to find a new settlement to build a village. This plan seems to be in ruins?
Rurik had anticipated this smart man's hesitation. This man didn't seem to have been caught and didn't want to be restricted.
However, there is a price to pay for safe shelter. The development of the matter can no longer be controlled by this man.
Rurik deliberately showed a smile and whispered seductively: "Don't you want to be the new king of Denmark? A new Denmark that lives in peace and trade with the Principality of Rus and is prosperous, a new king named Ragnar."
Ragnar has ambitions, but his ambition to become king has not yet been firmed up. Rurik took the initiative to mention this matter, and he was really moved.
An exiled nobleman finally made his choice.
"Okay. It seems there is no better plan than this. I can continue to work for you, but you must help me overthrow Horik's rule of Denmark. I want to pay with blood! There are also Franks who are behind it, I want
Further revenge.”
"Can."
In this way, Ragnar himself participating in the festival is to vote for Rurikna. The so-called Hanukkah in New Roseburg is naturally political. Although the principality does not have a pilgrimage system and calendar, Hanukkah has actually become a servant of various forces.
An opportunity for local nobles to go on pilgrimage.
Of course, it is very realistic to say that Hanukkah will make the winter market in New Roseburg more lively. Everyone needs a trading base to exchange for daily necessities. However, New Roseburg is a distribution center for materials and an ever-expanding production city. Those who live
People who are extremely short of materials can sell large animals, small animals, leather, etc. they raise in exchange for iron tools that are beneficial to production, etc.
For Ragnar to go in person is a certain form of surrender.
Therefore, the Pechenegs also rode there, which also showed their respect for the principality.
Who doesn't want to show off? As a prince, if you don't deliberately show your gorgeous side, the people will find it inappropriate.
Rurik knew that he had to set an example and interpret a lifestyle that nobility should have, such as wearing fine clothes and being hygienic, speaking calmly and behaving appropriately, and especially having a wise mind.
A fairly large reindeer sleigh team has been formed. Except for the ones dedicated to seating people, the largest sleigh can pull a full load of oats and a small amount of hay.
Old Otto was older, and he was already in his final years. Niya's condition was better, and countless ravines caused by aging were also engraved on his face.
As the prince, Rurik participated in the event. Queen Svetlana, Countess Carlotta of Ostara, and Countess Nolen of Narvik also had to go. They are all Rurik's concubines and are obliged to attend the event.
.
They were beautifully dressed, wrapped in white polar bear skins and exuding a hint of dominance.
Svetlana held the three-and-a-half-year-old princess Velika of the principality, and Carlotta held her half-year-old son Karl, even though she could have done otherwise.
The two children were born noble, and it was their duty to participate in the event. Even though Carl was only half a year old, participating in the event took huge risks.
Only the poor two-year-old Reglaf continued to stay in Novgorod, staying with his grandparents, and guarding the grave of his biological mother, spending the third Hanukkah he had experienced, and he was also two years old.
Birthday and death anniversary of my biological mother, Queen Mary.
Thousands of people gathered on the banks of the frozen Volkhov River, and the reindeer sleigh and horse teams were ready to go. People who lived in more remote areas also came to watch the show and admire the heroic appearance of the equestrians.
Otto steeled himself, put on his beloved chainmail, put a piece of deerskin on his body, put a gold-inlaid leather helmet on his gray head, and his white beard was swaying in the north wind. He was aging rapidly.
Surprisingly, the old soldier who knew he was about to die would rather die on the battlefield. Obviously the gods would not give him such a fate, but rather spend the last days of his old age in happiness.
He still looked like an old warrior. He didn't allow anyone to support him, so he just stood on the snow, holding on to his patterned steel sword.
He was like a sculpture, staring at his son who was about to leave, his eyes full of words that no longer need to be elaborated.
Only the old lady Niya carefully touched her only son Rurik, kept kissing his son's face, and wished him a perfect success in participating in and hosting the festival.
"Mom, there is one more thing you should think of." Rurik suddenly mentioned.
"What's the matter?" Niya let go of her hand temporarily.
"It's Rumia. Her second child is about to be born."
"Ah! I remembered. Time flies so fast. Velica also has a new brother or sister."
Rurik nodded: "After the ceremony is completed, I will bring her back. At that time, you will still have to help me take care of the child."
"That's natural. Having more grandchildren is my happiness..."
This old woman had two sons who died prematurely, and she gave all her love to her third son, Rurik. Can the pain of losing a child in the early years really be smoothed away by time? The fact is that the number of grandchildren under her knees is getting worse and worse.
Only when the pain of the past is really smoothed away. Niya would rather spend all her old age taking care of her grandchildren. She is looking forward to the youngest of all her son's wives also giving birth to children, so that she can live in as many as twenty
It is also an honor to leave the human world surrounded by grandchildren.
The prince had a close relationship with his wife and his wife. Kagan, who was riding a horse, looked sideways at him, feeling envious but also suspicious.
Could it be that an old couple has a son because of their old age? This couple is the original "Khan" of the Russian people. Their Rurik brothers are too young. Is there any hidden secret in this?
Could it be that all of that is true? Was it a blessing from the gods of the Rus’ people? A boy fell like a meteor and became the new khan of the Rus’ people?
Kagan did not dare to belittle himself. He covered his face, and even covered his horse with a layer of cloth to keep it warm as much as possible. A wool scarf was wrapped around his fox fur hat, and wooden-framed sunglasses covered the final exposure.
The skin around the eyes. The Prince of Pecheneg has become a "man in a condom". Not only does his personal means of protecting himself from the cold go to extremes, but his mount and other family members are also similar.
Naturally, the sleigh used by the prince of Rurik was the most outrageous. It was simply a walking tent, covered with a large amount of leather to form a warm nest. Many wives and concubines and two children accompanied Rurik, the most noble man in the principality.
The wind and cold were avoided along the way.
The final greetings ended here, and amid the cheers of thousands of people, the sled team headed north along the Volkhov Glacier.
Ragnar and his brothers sat on the sleigh dressed thickly and talked about the interesting things they encountered in New Roseburg.
The extremely covered-up Pecheneg warriors, carrying the crossbows and other weapons they had just exchanged, rode on the left and right as the escort of the team.
Rurik's cavalry team is the most flamboyant. Each person wears extremely thick clothing. At the same time, the coat must be a Ross tabard, and the iconic coat of arms of the principality must be clearly displayed.
Every principal cavalryman carries a lance with a hook on the shaft, which is directly attached to the back end of the saddle. The lance has a carbon steel spearhead with a cold light, and the Ross flag hangs below.
Even each sleigh is equipped with a flag, so that the entire team is filled with Ross's white and blue markings.
This was truly a graceful scene that satisfied everyone's need for grandeur. The Slavs who submitted to the Principality of Rus also felt glorious at this moment.
Obviously, the benefits of planting flags everywhere are huge. Teams can maintain stability by identifying the flags, and they will not fall behind for hundreds of years. The color of the white world flag is also quite eye-catching, making it easier to return to the team quickly.
There were as many as 400 people of all kinds! If it weren't for a group of merchants selling local specialties from Lake Ilmen, there wouldn't have been such a large team.
Thanks to the large number of reindeer captured by the principality in past wars, this kind of creature is the only large livestock that can push through the snow and chew grass roots on its own in winter. They are even better at winter migration in the frozen soil. Horses are not.
.
At first, the Pecheneg people were very confident, but with the snow all over the world and the cold wind that could be felt like a knife when the back clothes were removed, even Kagan felt that something was wrong.
Kagan didn't know that the Volkhov River ran in a rather strict north-south direction, and there were tall red pine and spruce forests on both sides of the river. The whole formed a lane, and the cold from the Arctic could traverse it.
Thanks to the measures taken to keep out the cold, the team will not suffer from frostbite.
On the first rest day, the entire team rested close to the forest. The bonfire that was quickly lit gave those who were afraid of the cold strong confidence.
This is the first time in history for the Pecheneg people to go deep into the far north. Kagan is observing carefully and intends to tell his hometown elders on the grassland what he has seen.
Ragnar was also marching on the glacier for the first time. The reindeer sleigh was really new to his people. Now the huge sleigh team of the Prince of Rus was even more novel, not to mention that the team was guarded by cavalry.
The two were delighted to see Rurik implementing his perfect plan. It turned out that the brothers never had to spend the night in the snow. A large number of wooden poles and linen were unloaded from the sled, and a large number of tents suddenly appeared in the forest.
The horses and reindeer ate the oats and then gathered them together, relying on the big trees that could be seen everywhere. They used linen to make windproof curtains to protect the sleeping horses and deer from the wind and cold.
This was true on the first day, and so on the second day.
Even though the daylight hours are getting shorter and shorter, approaching that extreme point, as long as there is light, the entire team will form a tight formation and move forward.
It was a dawn march, the team had just moved, and the scraps of firewood in the camp fire that had just been dismantled were still burning slowly.
Kagan was sleepy-eyed and inadvertently saw a large number of green ribbons appearing in the sky.
When he saw it, he cheered loudly, causing all the Pechenegs to raise their heads and scream.
Their unusual behavior caused everyone to look up to the sky. Unlike the Pechenegs who made a fuss, the Russians, Danes, Finns, and Slavs in the team all raised their heads to admire the beautiful scenery.
The surprised Kagan rode up to the prince's tent sleigh and talked with Rurik, who was enjoying the aurora with his wife and concubines.
He pointed his horsewhip to the sky: "Is this a sign from your god? Is it a good omen? Or a bad omen?"
"You!" Rurik wanted to laugh. "You don't have this in your culture?"
Kagan looked confused.
Rurik shrugged: "Of course it's a good omen. Do you know about the parade of Valkyries? Odin's descendants Valkyrie will parade in winter, and the streamers you see are the traces they leave. They will choose the heroes on the earth.
, when a hero dies in battle, his soul can enter the temple, which is endless glory. By the way, let me tell you, the soul of the deceased high priest of our Rus people went to heaven, and she became the new Valkyrie, her eyes
Looking at us!"
Kagan seemed to understand, but at least he could understand that the so-called Russians may also believe that the souls of their deceased relatives can go to heaven and merge with Tengger.
However, he was completely convinced by one thing. It was said that this place was indeed a holy land, and the Russians were truly protected by their gods. The brilliant streamers in the sky were the best proof of this.
Many visitors from foreign countries will think that it is evidence of the gods when they see the aurora in the sky of the far north country. Rurik does not want to expose the scientific principles inside. Not only is it unnecessary, but this matter can also be used by the principality, right?
The country illuminated by the aurora is truly the Principality of Rus! It is a testament to the glory of the principality!
Now a group of warriors have rushed to the boundless frozen Lake Ladoga, and have passed the town of Ladoga where winter fishermen gather. They met another group of fishermen at the present-day Walnut Fort.
There was no need for any further delay, the team had already entered the frozen channel of the Neva River, and all that was left was the final rush to enter New Rossburg, the real royal city of the Principality of Ross.
They had already seen the towering wooden city walls, and even the forest-like forest of masts that anchored the entire huge fleet frozen on the river.
Rurik was lucky enough to stand in the cold wind. He couldn't help but draw out his sword: "Brothers! We are finally here! Speed up! Back to Fort Ross!"
Horses and deer began a rare gallop on the glacier, with more than 300 flags flying...