Osborne was sleeping quietly. He didn't know anything. For the time being, he could only rely on the instinct of a baby to get close to his mother.
He has experienced long winter journeys since his birth. Although his powerful body has been protected by warm swaddling clothes, people say that the young prince has been able to overcome the severe cold like his father and grandfather.
He just slept quietly, unaware that the whole of Novgorod was cheering for his birth.
The Slavs on the shores of Lake Ilmen, especially the people of White Tree Manor, are simply not satisfied with a girl of their own race, Svetlana, seeking benefits for all Slavic people as a queen.
Now Osborn was born, and as his father Rurik got out of the sleigh before the eyes of the whole town, the identity of the baby was soon announced.
The spokesperson for all Slavs, or the bloodline of the Slavs on Lake Ilmen, was born, and it was him, Osborne Slav.
The joyful atmosphere in the whole city of Novgorod was like a grand festival, and people were talking about the prince.
Some people say that the child will stand on the side of the Slavs and seek more benefits for everyone.
Some people also said that the child was born extraordinary, and even swore that they had good eyesight and happened to see the child's appearance clearly, so they made a judgment.
People are full of kind words, especially since spring is really not far away. Who wouldn’t be happy to have such great joy more than a month before spring plowing?
Speaking of happiness, old Ligus was so happy to see his grandson Osborne that he passed out as Rurik expected. After the old guy barely regained consciousness, he took the initiative to tease his grandson. Of course, the old man
Because she loved her children, she was so frightened that Svetlana hurriedly took care of her to prevent her old father from accidentally hurting her children due to excessive intimacy.
Of course Osborne is not Rigus's first grandson, but he is the most distinguished grandchild.
Naturally, Slavs do not have the custom of confinement, but Svetlana has actually returned to her parents' home with her child in her arms, and there is no reason to leave here again for a long time to come. Her biggest task is naturally to take care of her son, and by the way, she also gives birth to her son.
The long-term cultivation of one's body is equivalent to confinement.
The family used the best resources to take care of the mother and son, and Rurik was completely relieved about this.
Because compared to themselves, out of purely political considerations, no force among the Ilmenslavs around the lake would oppose such a half-blood prince. The people of Novgorod were the most supportive and would use all kinds of resources to ensure that Oskar
Ben’s healthy growth.
But Rurik would not place all his hopes on one Osborne.
My wife is very young, and her extremely smooth childbirth process also proves that she is in excellent physical condition. She is such a healthy woman, and it is unreasonable not to have more children in the future.
The long journey of the sled team has come to an end, and nearly a thousand people who have been tired from traveling and traveling need to have a good life.
The selected young men were immediately incorporated into Rurik's cavalry, even though they had never even petted a horse?
The replacement members of the cavalry and mercenary guards entered the reserved houses in Novgorod city on the spot. From this day on, they were the emperor's emoluments and must be loyal to Rurik and the princely family.
They took a sauna, hot water and rain in the cold weather, and put on new uniform clothes after finishing. They were organized immediately, and the cavalry replacements stayed in the cavalry team's centralized dormitory, under the supervision of cavalry veterans.
.The fifty selected young mercenary replacements began to receive training from Captain Grund on the next day.
What awaits them is a beautiful and exciting future. This is a shortcut to becoming a brave warrior, but it also means that they are likely to die in a fierce battle. Everyone's life is short, and those who have a long life are those who are killed by others.
The saints chosen by God, such as the old priest Vilia of the Rus, after a long death, the soul directly becomes the Valkyrie.
They firmly believe in this, and they all figured it out during the long journey of ice and snow. Whether it is voluntarily or at the request of their parents, the brothers are now the confidants of Prince Rurik, and everyone must accept this fate and use it.
As a lifelong creed.
At night, the palace of Prince Rus in Novgorod is brilliantly lit!
"Here's to the prince! Here's to the heroes who conquered the Danish king!" The one cheering with a glass of wine in the air was none other than Governor Medved.
This strong Slavic man named after the bear became more and more happy because of the birth of his nephew Osborne. He poured himself several glasses of strong wine, which made him blush.
He raised his head, and everyone else raised their glasses.
This is a feast that belongs to men. Since they are all relatives, in-laws, sworn brothers, and even distinguished guests who have come from thousands of miles away, their behavior is even more casual now that there is no red tape.
Rurik held the wine glass high, and the transparent glass was swaying with honey and fine wine. The room was warm enough due to the matrix of fireplaces and oil lamps, so he wore a plain white shirt and tied a few holes freely, leaving the golden chest hair on his chest.
Show some.
The behavior of others is quite similar. They are all men and now is a good time to have a drink.
"Cheers! The glory belongs to us! We will never stop getting drunk today!" Rurik said happily.
Barrels of hopless ale and kvass were brought into the house one after another, as well as carefully packaged spirits and mead for everyone to enjoy.
Rurik was so happy tonight. He blushed after drinking, talking and laughing to his old father and father-in-law, and winking at his old friends. Although he did not have the culture of persuading people to drink, Rurik, who was in high spirits, frequently raised his glass.
Everyone is asked to have a drink with the prince. Who dares not to give face to the prince? Even old Otto, he did not expect that his grown-up son can drink so much. This is one of the hallmarks of a real man. He must accompany his old bones.
Na.
Poor Kagan was forced to drink more than ten drinks in a row, some hard liquor but mainly ale.
Ale that is bitter and has an endless aftertaste is a delicacy on the grassland. As a son of the grassland, he also brought some grassland koumiss. Although most of it was sold, he specially kept a barrel for the current occasion.
The drunken Kagan had already had enough to drink. Although exquisite cakes and barbecue were served, he only ate some dried raspberries and sliced meat as an appetizer. He really couldn't eat other delicious meals.
Kagan's head was still half awake, but the people who were looking at all the supplies were really blushing, and many men took off their shirts due to the heat after drinking.
Look at this group of strong men from the north. Their fair skin has turned as red as cooked crabs. Everyone is laughing and drinking, chatting in Norse.
Kagan suddenly slapped the table, and the movement was quite large due to the strength of his drink.
Rurik had been paying attention to Kagan for a long time, and he felt quite happy to see him drinking with everyone.
Why is this guy banging the table now?
Kagan, who was naturally short in stature, slowly stood up and explained to everyone in extremely broken Norse: "I have brought the kumiss from my hometown. Now let my people offer it."
"Is it kumiss?! Hurry! Bring it up quickly." After saying that, Rurik also knocked on the table, and the others followed suit.
Some turbid and white kumiss also exudes a rich milk aroma in addition to the aroma of alcohol. Rurik poured a little honey into the cup and stirred it evenly to create a wonderful concoction. He slowly tasted the flavor and then
He saw Kagan already holding a wine glass and swaying towards him.
Kagan sat in front of Rurik's square table, raising the wine glass high with his single right arm as if performing a ritual.
"Rurik! He is my good brother! My father said that he will marry my little sister to my brother Rurik! Brother, what do you think?! My sister will be your wife and concubine! This year
, you can’t shirk it anymore!”
Kagan's movements were extremely wide, and because he knew a little bit about Norse, his words were barely put together with many words.
"Your sister? Okay! It's... an honor for me to marry your sister."
"Oh? You won't shirk anymore?"
"Since it is Pecheneg Khan's idea, why should I shirk it? Also, about the horse..."
"I was about to discuss with you. Come on!" After saying that, Kagan put down the wine glass and knocked three times on the table in front of Rurik: "Cheers to our friendship!"
This banquet to catch up with the wind and dust seems to be a simple friendship.
What was very strange about the meeting was that although King Bjorn of Sweden and other Swedish nobles participated, they had no chance to talk to each other.
Today, during the day, Bjorn saw the huge city of Novgorod and a large number of people in the city. He also really noticed a huge lake area, and subconsciously felt that this place was indeed quite similar to his hometown of Lake Mälaren.
But night fell so quickly that he and other Swedish nobles or envoys had no chance to take a closer look at the city.
But everyone was so proud of this banquet that they stared at Otto's face.
"The warrior of the past is now old. Your son is now a real man. He has taken your place and done better." Sadness floated in Bjorn's heart.
But when it comes to sadness, isn't Ungreave of Unclas even more sad? Otto is no longer the heroic warrior of the past, but an old man covered in white hair and unable to hide his age spots. Otto is about to die, and his
The condition is just as bad.
Also present were the eldest and second eldest son of the Gould family, who were born in Oncras. Not to mention the big white fat man White Fox, the other man who was only slightly fat was actually the second son Blue Fox? It is said that the Gould family even slept with him.
The slave girl, bought as a skinny person, can become a fat woman within a few months. The statement is certainly an exaggeration. Everyone in their family should be as fat as an elephant seal. How can there be a strong and not fat person?
King Bjorn of Sweden did not dare to say anything, and others were busy echoing the Russian nobles and drinking heavily. They were all observing quietly, such as watching the nobleman from the distant southern grasslands.
Kagan wanted to seize the opportunity and negotiated the horse purchase with Rurik without any hesitation. As a result, everyone was busy drinking and eating meat. In the end, they all drank to pieces, and the matter could only be put on hold for the time being.
A luxurious and enjoyable banquet really allowed everyone to vent their anger. Rurik slept through the whole day the next day. When he really planned to do something, it was already the third day after his return.
The rulers of the north and the great heroes of the southern grasslands gathered together.
After experiencing a fun banquet, Kagan vented the pain of waiting. Both he and Rurik's spirits recovered, and both men stopped procrastinating. They gathered today just to properly handle the horse transaction.
First, it was Kagan who acted as a guide, taking his sworn brothers to visit the dense herd of horses that were temporarily kept in captivity.
Before he reached the place, Rurik heard the neighing of horses.
"Haha, this is one of the pens where I keep reindeer, and now they are all housed with horses?!"
The attendant of the deer herder who was accompanying him hurriedly introduced to the prince the skills of the horses sent by the Pechenegs and the breeding conditions during this period.
"No need to report in detail, you did a good job." He signaled to his subordinates to be quiet for now.
The entourage reported the key information. The people of the steppes and Kiev sent a total of over 600 horses, of which the largest number were mares. The horses to be sold had already been assigned to the treasury of the Principality of Rus, so they were already in accordance with the regulations set by the prince himself.
Give the horses a daily dose of oats and feed them well.
Suddenly there are 600 more horses. They are not like reindeer that can be grazed in winter. They are a huge appetite for consuming wheat. But everything will be fine during the Spring Festival, because the prairie people are either out of wit or goodwill or even
It is political flattery, and a large number of mares are driven here to become pregnant in the spring, and can then be grazed freely.
The fence was opened, and Rurik, who entered the fence, stroked the steppe horses one by one.
"Very good, they are all good horses."
Kagan took the opportunity to speak: "These are horses carefully selected by our tribal alliance. The nobles have discussed it. The female horse has ten pounds of silver coins and the male horse has five pounds of silver coins."
Rurik nodded: "I completely accept it."
"Oh? I was worried that you would think it was a bit expensive. But I have seen the prosperity of the Principality of Ross. Anyone who doubts your financial strength is stupid."
"Of course." Rurik shrugged. The price was within his expectations, and there was no need to bargain.
Because silver coins are a natural trading medium after removing the precious metal properties. It is the pricing standard for commodities, so as long as the pricing is negotiated, the transaction parties can bypass the real silver coins and use the actual virtual silver coins as the medium.
Bartering completes the transaction.
Just exchange goods of equal value for the six hundred horses.
Rurik carefully inspected the goods, and every horse he touched looked docile. There were also some obviously inferior horses here, with shorter statures. Over there were horses sold by the Kiev people. Because of their relative disadvantage, the Kiev people
The price quoted is a 20% discount.
The Kiev horse dealer is a horse seller appointed by the people of Kiev with full authority. He follows Kagan. When it comes to selling horses, this steppe nobleman is better at trading.
"They are all good horses. I want to trade them immediately." Rurik looked down at Kagan. Not only had he been taller for a year, he made Kagan smaller. "I know that in addition to horses, you also brought other horses.
What about the stuff I need for a recurve bow?”
"There are a hundred."
"Well, it's a little less."
"It's a little missing. Brother, it takes some time for our grassland to make good bows. Every bow is very good, so it's just the right thing to exchange for your crossbow."
Rurik nodded: "That's true." Someone asked deliberately: "You bought our country's crossbow. I'm sure that when you bring it back to the grassland, you will immediately remove the bow arm and replace it with your recurve bow. Brothers
, we are all men, and the pursuit of excellent weapons is innate."
Kagan realized that there was no need to hide it, so he laughed naively. He confessed: "It is true, we Pechenegs face too many enemies, and we have a small population and we need good weapons. In the future, we will have you."
With assistance, we will be safe."
"So you need to buy more goods. The goods you exchange with me are naturally not limited to horses and recurve bows, as well as some kumiss and cheese."
"There are still some prisoners." Kagan spoke with obvious pride.
"Prisoner? What is going on? Are you going to sell me a slave?"
"Already sold. If those women are slaves..."
"Oh? What's going on?"
As soon as Rurik had questions, Maksakye, who kept quiet, immediately explained: "When we came, we attacked several Smolensk villages and captured some women."
"They were all bought by people here?"
"Exactly. I heard that the Ilmen people are coming to have friction with the Smolensk people. Once the men from both sides come into contact, there will be a fight. I am a Kiev and I don't care about their fight, but you Varangians rule the Ilmen people.
, I think you are also hostile to Smolensk. Those female prisoners were all bought by the Ilmen nobles."
Things had become quite complicated, and Rurik asked again: "What's your price?"
Kagan hurriedly explained: "I have inquired about your slave market, even though it seems that there is no slave trade here. Those female prisoners are all young, and each has half a pound of silver coins, which is very cost-effective."
"It's indeed cost-effective. But... you are provoking the Smolensk people by doing this." Thinking of this, Rurik sighed: "I'm a little worried that you are making yourself uncomfortable. They may send troops to intercept and kill you.
"
Hearing this, Kagan looked up to the sky and laughed fearlessly: "Even those farmers are no match for my cavalry. Brother, I brought 200 cavalry this time, each of them is our Pecheneg elite.
.In my opinion, those Smolensk people are very weak, you... you should be able to defeat them easily if you send troops."
Listening to Kagan's words, it seems that he is encouraging Ross to send troops to the south.
Sending troops to conquer Smolensk was already in Rurik's plan, but he just put it on hold because he felt that the time was not ripe. Because there had long been rumors that the rebels in the Ilmen Lake area had not been completely eliminated, and some people fled to Smolensk.
Sk. Continuing to go south to eliminate the remnants is the perfect excuse to conquer Smolensk, and most of the local Ilmen people are not emotionally opposed to going south to fight. This is because the Smolensk people covet the lakeside of the Ilmen Lake area.
Fertile soil for farming, they have always intended to go north to annex it. Now that they can go north, the Ilmen can go south.
This matter can be discussed in detail, but Rurik had this intention: "Kagan, and you, Sakhi. Please tell me carefully about your encounters in Smolensk, and we can get together to discuss everything."
Let’s have a small meeting. Now come with me and show you the goods I brought. Please wipe your eyes well and stay calm. Don’t be so happy that you faint..."