A large number of dragon-headed longships formed a lake fleet. They guarded a group of cargo ships and gradually drifted westward on the long and narrow Lake Mälaren.
Many years have passed, and the thirty-year-old Arik once again sat on the long boat and rowed the big oar himself.
Those cargo ships carried war horses and large amounts of supplies, and the warriors sitting in the longships also carried their own supplies on their backs.
The fleet was hoisted with Ross flags everywhere, and the mighty army seemed to be drifting away from the real attack target.
The soldiers were quite curious whether their marching path could really reach their target, because the inland areas of southern Scandinavia were extremely unfamiliar to everyone. Even for people who had immigrated for a long time, everything about their hometown became unfamiliar to them.
.
A humble-looking longship was transformed into a flagship. Here, Arik, the commander of the land portion of the Russian army, and Longstall, Duke of Hjärmalen, were in the same boat. The former was the commander-in-chief, and the latter was the guide.
News about Arik spread like wildfire. He is the cousin of King Rurik, and theoretically has the right to inherit the kingdom. If King Rurik had the nickname "The Butcher of Gotland" or other "butcher", could it be possible?
Among the many generals who contributed to the king's prestige, Arik was considered the greatest.
Longstall believed it, and he did not hesitate to believe that as long as Arik got the chance, he would massacre the Jotalan villages. This was of course something he was very happy to see, and anyone who invaded or threatened the Hjalmalen territory
Outsiders should all die!
But look at this Russian army!
If Arik, who was holding an elite army, suddenly went berserk, his Yermalen people would be unable to resist, because even the entire tribe of men over ten years old could not muster a thousand men.
He showed great humility to Arik, even though Arik has not yet had any title.
The king did not give his cousin a title. Not only is this not contempt, but it is probably inappropriate to give him any title now. Would it be an insult if a person who has the ability to become a king only has the title of duke?
"As long as the army arrives at Hjärmalen, I will mobilize the supplies to reward your army. Then we will make a plan on how to move south quickly." Longstall, who was paddling, said.
Aric was sitting next to Longstall. Unlike the latter, he didn't have many tricks.
As a self-proclaimed pure warrior, he is decisive and ruthless in killing the enemy, which is the true character of a warrior.
The two swords can't wait to drink blood. Since the Duke of the alliance intends to support them, it's really a good thing.
"After I went to Yermalen, I didn't need you to provide much supplies. Your tribe has a maximum population of three thousand people. When my people arrive, the rich will be eaten into poverty. Are you... really willing?
"
"Why are you so reluctant?" Longstall smiled helplessly: "After all, the king is supporting us in driving away the invading Jotalans, and you are the war chief who directly supports us. It is my duty to provide as much support as possible."
"Since you insist..."
Arik acquiesced in this.
The principle of cannibalism is the same in Northern Europe. By providing a batch of food, this land-based Russian army owes a favor. The more people like Arik value the "warrior principle", the more so. Longstall
I think so.
Sailing in the inner lake was more boring than marching on the ocean. Longstall deliberately chatted a lot with Arick, talking about trivial matters in life and his attitude towards his wives and concubines. His words became more and more vulgar, and everyone on the ship later felt that
Laughing at some vulgar jokes.
Longstall said with emotion: "Sigh! If both the Ostara and the Gran people participated in this battle, the war would be more meaningful. Carlotta has grown up?"
"Yes, they live well in the East. She gave birth to a boy for my brother, a boy with great potential."
"That's great. I heard that she is also a rebellious female warrior. If she can personally lead the army into Old Ostara or serve as a guide for our army, the king's march will be smoother."
"She is one of the wives of my king's brother, and she still has an important mission." Aric shrugged. Deep down in his heart, he really hoped that Carlotta could come to the west.
"If you don't mind telling me, what is that mission?"
"It's a warning. Ross also has brand-new enemies in the east. This world is very big. Just like we fought against the Jotalans this year, we will soon fight against an enemy called Smolensk in the east. Carlotta and her Austrian
Starla was on guard in the east on horseback, and Ross also mobilized 10,000 men in the east to guard against the enemy's sneak attack. Some outstanding warriors did not come, and this year's war is really a pity for them."
Regarding the "Eastern Enemies Faced by Ross", Longstall knew this information. He sent his own messenger to the East, and the messenger brought back a large amount of first-hand information, which greatly broadened the Hjelmalen people's knowledge of the unknown East.
Even though this is the case, it is not as good as the Ross nobles speaking out from their own experience, and it is not as good as going to the eastern hinterland of Ross to have a good look at it in person.
Aric's words were filled with a huge amount of information. Longstall asked again and again to make sure that his friend Aric was not bragging.
Ross has mobilized 10,000 people to Sweden (so-called), and there are still 10,000 troops in the Eastern world! The 300 cavalry are not all their cavalry, there are still 1,000 cavalry in the East commanded by Carlotta!? This makes the Ross people
With such large-scale mobilization, how powerful is the enemy in the east they face?
The cavalry as a branch of arms was extremely unfamiliar to the Hjelmalen people, and they were both frightened and curious because of the unfamiliarity. Thanks to Arik, who was bored on the journey and explained it in detail, Longstall's fear was relieved by envy.
Because cavalry is a "long ship on land" and can move as fast as a ship, which brings unparalleled advantages.
Is this really the case? The battle will tell.
As the Duke of Hjärmalen, Longstall was the leader elected by his hometown elders. He was born unable to enjoy life. His goal in life was to make his people live a better life. If he suddenly lost such ambition and reality,
Action, the people will also organize a nodic meeting on their own to elect a new duke.
Today, the settlement of the Hjärmalen tribe overlaps with the advanced city of Eskilstuna.
Due to many reasons, the wheel of history has moved to this era, and some things have already shifted. Eskilstuna, close to Lake Hjälmalen, is destined not to exist, at least not as "Saints of the North Eskilstuna".
Skier Cemetery” factors exist.
Poor Eskil had already been expelled from Rus. He was originally ordered to be the Archbishop of Bremen. However, due to the crazy revenge of the Danish barbarians (essentially the Rus-Ragnar coalition), the wooden Peter Cathedral of Bremen was destroyed.
After a fire broke out, he lost his place of work and was depressed. Considering the turmoil in the north, he simply lived a life of asceticism in Reims, waiting for a change of fate. At least in recent years, he has not had the courage to cross Schleswig.
The Great Wall went to the Viking world.
Although Eskilstuna does not exist, the area is indeed suitable for settlement.
The Glan people who were originally fleeing the war were squeezed out by the Hjärmalen people who were worried about their farmland being invaded. After all, since both sides were of the same ethnic group as Svealan, the Glan people did not go too far, and the settlements of both sides bordered each other.
Now the Granites have left, and this time they went directly to a place in the far east that is said to be called Lake Ilmen, and completely became servants of the Rus Principality part of the kingdom.
Before leaving, the Granites sold all their houses at low prices, even throwing away the iron-smelting workshop.
Their departure greatly enriched the Hjärmalen people, and all the properties they left behind were taken over. Although a large sum of money was paid at the time, it now seems that this was a very smart investment by the Hjärmalen people.
There is no other reason than iron.
In terms of iron smelting, the Hjelmalen people are far inferior to the Russians. They occupy the small riverside iron mines opened by the Gran people. At best, they use the oldest traditional craftsmanship to burn sponge iron and then make iron blocks, and then make agricultural tools and
arms.
However, the Kingdom of Rus dumps a variety of iron tools ranging from cheap to extremely expensive in the loyal Stockholm shops. The cost-effectiveness of purchasing iron tools is much higher than that of the Yermalon people making their own. The latter are not fools, since they own a small iron mine.
, why take a boat to Stockholm when you can build a batch of decent iron tools nearby?
Arik's Neihu fleet entered the settlement of the Yelmalun tribe against the Zhangshui River.
The flagship washed up directly on the beach, and its hard keel carved deep marks on the soft lakeside.
Arik caressed the ship and jumped, standing on the land of the Yermalon people for the first time in his life.
He ignored the mud on his boots until he stood on the hard ground and stamped his feet vigorously.
At this time Longstall came up to meet him, and the same large number of people who had already begun spring plowing operations also stopped their work and came to watch the excitement with a mixture of vigilance and curiosity.
"We are here, this is my territory. You see, the people coming around are all my people."
Arik nodded, and looked at the sun again to determine the correct directions. "I heard that there are no suitable rivers leading to the south?"
"Exactly. From now on, if we go south, we can only go by land. As long as we continue to go south, we will encounter the pioneering villages of the Yotalan people that give us a headache. Brother Arik, we..."
"In this case, all my troops have landed. I don't want to stay in your territory any longer. I can only rest for a day at most, and then our troops will set off immediately."
"Hello!"
Longstall was extremely happy with Aric's decisiveness. He did intend to reward this army, and he also hoped that they would quickly join the war. As Aric said during the voyage, if the army stays too long, it will eat up the appetite of the strong man.
It can impoverish the locals.
To a large extent, the old cargo ship is an enlarged and improved version of the long ship. Its side is built very high and relies on the sail of a main mast to sail. In tight places, it needs a traditional rowing long ship to tow it.
There are movable planks on the side of the ship that can be removed. After the planks are removed, wooden planks are erected as a plank road. A large number of horses get off the ship with their neighing, leaving only a large amount of horse manure in the cabin.
The horses that had been overcrowded for a while were jumping happily as soon as they stepped on the hard ground. Thanks to the personal control of the cavalry owners, their restless hearts were calmed down.
All the troops have landed, and these ships will not be needed for the subsequent march. Regardless of whether the ships belong to Rus or Hjälmalun, they are now parked on the shore, and local people help take care of them as ship managers during the war.
Now Arik is bent on fighting, and he gathered his troops as soon as he landed.
The two flag troops formed a square formation on the deserted beach, and the cavalry were all mounted, showing their majestic nature.
This also includes Pecheneg Princess Beyakhir. Although she has learned some Norse phrases now, it is still impossible to chat and laugh with various Varyags such as Rus or Sweden. But among the cavalry team
But there are the king's cavalry slaves. These cavalry slaves were originally the slaves of his eldest brother Kagan, and now they have become the captains of the Russian cavalry. These junior officers still speak Pecheneg, and thanks to them as a translation medium,
Beyathil doesn't feel embarrassed.
Arik ignored the crowds of Yermalen people who came to watch. He mounted his horse and lectured at the top of his voice.
"Brothers! The war has begun! As long as we go south, we will encounter the enemy. Any village you see, the people there are enemies! I want you to plunder them, kill the rebels, and take their women
, and took away their wealth. In this battle, you will get slaves, whether you will continue to be slaves or become new wives, it all depends on your personal wishes. What you have to do now is to follow the command of my double sword Arik to attack!"
Arik said a lot more, in fact, he was repeating the opinions of his brother the king.
Killing was necessary, and Luos Dang followed the ancient strategy of raiding the enemy. This so-called strategy was also full of barbaric cruelty.
"They want to kill the men and keep the women, like me, kill all the men who are taller than the wheel?" Beyathil couldn't help but sigh after listening to the translation of the riding slaves of the same race.
The cavalry slaves who were junior officers maintained deep respect for the little princess. One person explained: "The Russians will do it crazier than us."
"how?"
"They don't want a man. Any man..."
Qinu didn't say any more. Bayahir already understood completely, "Ah. Their strategy is to eradicate the roots. They are all very tall. Are all battles in the Western world like this?"
With emotion, Bayahir learned that she could only stay in the village chief at the southernmost point in the west of the Kingdom of Rus for one day. What she needed to focus on was arranging her weapons and equipment, and then attacking with the army.
Tonight, Longstall fulfilled his promise and gave a batch of oats, a few slaughtered old cattle, and newly caught seabass to the Ross army as a reward. And his own army was also feasting, preparing for the upcoming battle.
Prepare for war.
After landing, the entire army rested and reorganized the next day.
The Russian army arrived, and the Hjelmalen people, who were worried about the attack, were happy to find that those people were camped outside the village honestly, and they did not even interfere with the normal spring plowing.
The barren land became unusual. A large amount of green grass came out with great effort, and the horses loved to nibble on the tender and delicious grass buds.
The horses were well fed, and the Hjermalen people were amazed. The Russians not only rode horses, but also gave the horses a lot of boiled oats sprinkled with salt.
The camp of Ross soldiers looked very orderly. They were busy eating and recuperating, and seemed to have no intention of paying attention to the village. Because Ross maintained the most basic discipline, everyone did not want to harm the allies, but they were worried about the king's sanctions.
.Discipline is one thing. There is no need to harass the local Hjelmalen people because of supply issues. The Russian army has brought enough supplies and eats and drinks better than the locals.
That evening, the generals held a military meeting around a bonfire.
As the commander-in-chief of the army, Arik decided to divide the land forces again.
"I have made up my mind. If I go south on two legs, I will definitely be slower than the king. I will personally lead the cavalry south and win the first victory against an enemy."
Longstall was shocked: "Brother, if you...are so determined, what will your infantry do?"
"Isn't this still you? My infantry has its own commander. They can be self-contained, but their speed is simply too slow. You take your army, and my two flag troops will go with you.
.You can even temporarily lead my people, which is a very honorable thing."
Glory? Where is the glory? Longstall is self-aware. He cannot really lead two Ross Banners. At best, he and his troops are the guide of the Ross Banners.
He had to lament that this Arik was really a reckless man, but he also had to admit that the strength of the cavalry alone surpassed the strength of Yermalen, and Arik had the capital to be reckless.
"So you have to give me a few guides to help me advance quickly." Arik ordered.
"Okay. Since you are so determined."
It's a new day, the morning dew has not gone away, and Lake Hjärmalen is filled with moist mist.
The soldiers felt wet all over, and Aric's hair was soaked with the dew. The humidity in the Western world really made Beyathil a little uncomfortable, but considering that today was the day the cavalry set off for the expedition, her mind was completely focused on the march.
There was no time for another parade, the cavalry began to assemble, and the commotion they caused woke the whole army.
The soldiers were ready last night, and now they only need to eat another meal before attacking.
Still finishing, Aric made some internal arrangements. He appointed a centurion from the two banners to temporarily lead the banner captain, and then accepted Longstall, Duke of Hjärmalen as his guide to march.
Arik's actions reminded some old guys of the past on Gotland ten years ago. At that time, Arik was only twenty years old. He led an armed expedition with fifty people as a scout, but ended up having the recklessness to break into Gotland.
The Lan army fought with revenge and ended up being defeated. At that time, Arik's frustration was that he had too few troops. Now this guy has three hundred cavalry, and even more Pechenegs who are experts in cavalry.
This will allow you to be reckless all the way to the end.
The soldiers of the First Flag Team all trusted their boss, and the soldiers of the Sixth Flag Team were all young boys, and no one questioned Arik.
Although it was a reckless man's mentality, no one thought that Arik was reckless, but all praised this as a heroic act.
The cavalry had finished reorganizing, and the golden light of the sun made the world a holy place. Accompanied by the morning fog, the lake area was like a mythical sanctuary, as if elves were about to walk out of the forest and lake.
As a result, a group of cavalrymen carrying lances and carrying a large amount of supplies walked toward the forest area with high spirits.
Arik officially launched the attack in the early morning. He personally led the cavalry and began to push south quickly along the flat ground at the junction of the forest clusters. Under the guidance of the Hjärmalen herdsman guide, he rushed towards Lake Wettern.
The cavalry march is destined to be short-lived. After all, several small Swedish tribes settled on the shores of Lake Vättern ten years ago. Now they have all moved north to Lake Mälaren for refuge. The refuge behavior has evolved into permanent settlement, and their freed-up survival
The space was immediately occupied by the Jotalans rowing boats. The cavalry marched in the opposite direction along the road of the small tribe's northward migration. This road was not long and tortuous. The marching distance was only equivalent to the distance from Novgorod along the road to Iraq.
The journey from Lake Ermen to Ostara is just a two-day journey.
In this regard, the Ghotalan villages on the north shore of Lake Wettern were completely unaware of the approaching danger.