Rurik could feel the enemy's malice, and Ludwig also felt the enemy's malice.
Ludwig simply wore a double-layered chainmail armor and leather-plated iron plate armor this time. The triple-layered armor buckled on his body, which was extremely heavy, and was covered by a cloth robe, which further showed that he was extremely strong.
Rurik strode forward with his "bear head, sunglasses, and heavy armor" berserker, wielding a steel sword with a gem-encrusted hilt.
He shouted in Latin: "I am Augustus of Rus! I am Augustus of all the north!"
Ludwig must be suppressed in terms of momentum. At this time, the name "Augustus" is above all else.
Ludwig was stunned when he heard this. He didn't expect that the enemy's chief could actually speak Latin. On the other hand, he only knew a few phrases. The humiliation of being uneducated aroused Ludwig's anger even more.
His entourage had a bad eye: "Your Majesty, it seems that the Count of Westphalia is also over there."
"It's the traitor, I saw it. Liudov is no longer a count, he is just a shameful traitor."
"Your Majesty, those Normans carry special weapons, and they will use those weapons to fire deadly arrows at us. Please be careful, Your Majesty."
"I understand! You don't have to remind me!"
Ludwig was very emotional. He had never suffered such a serious humiliation in his life. A barbarian chief dared to call himself Augustus, but it was outrageous that he could speak Latin. There was nothing even more bizarre than the chief and him.
The chieftain has huge dark eyes, such a strange sight is like a demon crawling out of hell.
Ludwig was not afraid, and the idea of a one-on-one challenge once occupied his mind.
Then, a force affected his head. The guy got off his horse uncontrollably, told his subordinates to stand by, opened his arms and walked straight towards the people with "big dark eyes".
He was still swearing: "You are all despicable dirt! I am the grandson of Charlemagne! I am the Duke of Saxony! I am the Duke of Bavaria! I am the ruler of Osteria! I am the king of East Frankia! I
He is the ruler of all of you! You dirty earthworms, why don’t you kneel down quickly..."
Liudov, who also dismounted, had no choice but to translate. He spoke tactfully for fear that Rurik would immediately get angry and start shooting.
Rurik was not furious. He stretched out his hand to signal his followers to calm down and temporarily put down the crossbow.
He looked at Liudov again: "What a coincidence. Originally this was a decisive battle between you Saxons and the Franks, and we Russians are guest troops. Maybe you should have a good chat with your former king."
"You are making fun of me." Liudov smiled helplessly, "My Saxony and you are in an alliance. You are the leader of the Northern Alliance, and you have the greatest say."
"Too."
After saying that, Rurik returned his sword to its sheath, took off his sunglasses and showed his true face.
Under the sun, his golden ponytail seemed to be shining, and its magnificent color even overshadowed the golden laurel crown. His beard was naturally a little curly like his biological father Otto, but now it is well taken care of and looks very manly.
charm.
Ludwig was shocked. He didn't expect that the black thing was actually a blinding prop. He had already seen the blue eyes of the barbarian chief, like the sky.
To be fair, this chief has none of the slovenliness and brutality of the Normans. He is tall and brave and at the same time too clean and tidy.
The other party sheathed his sword as if he showed no malice, so Ludwig put his sword into its sheath and opened his arms slightly to ensure that he was harmless. But he saw that the noble chief was accompanied by Liudov himself. This traitor was alive and well.
Just looking at it makes me angry.
Thus, the kings of the north and the south finally had a historic meeting, and if both sides decided to start a duel, the battle could take place on this ice.
Rurik did not even object to a king's duel. First of all, it was a Viking tradition. Secondly, he felt that if he had a life-and-death duel, he would definitely win. Otherwise, this majestic Nordic body and specially trained martial arts would be in vain.
Because, Rurik was indeed a whole head taller than Ludwig. He was young and energetic, and his deep eyes were ruthless beyond his years.
"Are you Charlemagne's grandson? Ludwig?"
Ludwig still understood these Latin words, so he asked in Latin: "Who are you?"
"I am Rurik, King of Rus, and I want to become a man comparable to Augustus. The entire north is under my control, all the way to the sea at the end of the world. Remember my name! I am Rurik."
For Ludwig, the tall man standing in front of him had no rough temperament like a barbarian. He was tall and handsome, with pure golden hair as a distinguishing feature, and the laurel crown made of gold was extremely wonderful.
Is Rurik, the leader of the Rus' people, actually this person? Those legends seem to be too conservative.
"Sure enough... you are Rurik. I heard your name many years ago, and finally, we met in this way. It's beyond my imagination."
Ludwig showed a little timidity, even if he shouted that he could have a duel between kings to vent his unhappiness. Now it seems that this may not be a good idea. If there is a duel, the probability of him winning... is not big
.
Now, it was Rurik's turn to ask a question.
"You didn't answer me. Tell me. Are you indeed Charlemagne's grandson, Ludwig of East Francia?"
"it's me!"
"Oh..." Rurik sighed meaningfully, and inadvertently raised his neck to look at the sun.
Although there was a distance between the two sides, his crossbow was faster even seven steps away. It was easy to snipe this reckless king.
The murderous intention in a moment was suppressed by reason, and Rurik's blue eyes ignited with fire: "So, we will meet on the battlefield after all. Don't worry, my people will not launch a sneak attack, and neither will your mounted entourage."
There will be a sudden attack."
"You are mocking me as a despicable person. It is true that you do not believe in God, but I admit that you and your army are worthy of admiration. Unfortunately, you Normans have completely invaded my territory, and it is my duty to expel you.
.I am in a good mood today. If you put down your arms and leave by boat and swear not to invade again, we can maintain peace."
Rurik did not find it strange to hear these remarks. The Franks had no intention of negotiating properly from the beginning. The king deliberately proposed humiliating and harsh conditions, which were essentially intended to intensify conflicts and fight.
Rurik curled his lips slightly, noticed Liudov who wanted to speak, and ordered him to calm down for the time being with his eyes.
Then he said: "King of the Franks! Your words are ridiculous! This is the territory of the Principality of Saxony. We Rus, Denmark, and all the northerners are allies with the Principality of Saxony. In order to protect our allies, we formed a coalition. This is not your territory.
And you! You must be responsible for destroying Denmark's peace and causing war."
"Does that mean you refuse my request? I gave you the opportunity to leave decently, but you don't appreciate it." Ludwig shook his head with feigned regret.
"Then choose war! Or, you and I, two kings, duel one on one on this ice. The soldiers don't have to die in large numbers. You and I take off our armor and fight with only our swords."
"Ridiculous! Rurik of Rus, you are just a northern chief who can speak Latin. How are you qualified to duel with me? Now I can see your face clearly. Today is the day of the decisive battle."
Rurik remained unmoved, staring with a sharp gaze like a beast: "You... are actually a coward. You let tens of thousands of people die for your desires, and you are still a noble. How do you have the face to lead your Eastern Franks?"
"It's a joke. Your desire is not even half as strong as mine."
"Okay." Rurik knew there was no need to stand on the ice and do oral gymnastics anymore. "I'll tell you a secret."
"What's the matter?"
"Horik Haraldsson is not dead. Unfortunately, I cut off his hands and feet, blinded his eyes, and pulled out his tongue. He is in Hamburg, and the King of Denmark you chose is this kind of thing.
"
"You!" Ludwig's face changed drastically: "Horik has converted! You barbarians are trying to do such cruel things to devout believers."
"Really? But you are also aggressively attacking the Principality of Saxony and the Saxons here. You obviously have the same beliefs. You are a hypocrite! But all of this is meaningless. We really need a decisive battle to solve the problem. Listen
! One king will not kill another king. I will capture you on the battlefield! Unless you abandon the army and flee as a coward. I have nothing more to say to you, and the battle will follow."
Feeling that he was at a disadvantage in the "negotiation", Ludwig did not forget to use his words at the last moment: "But you are not a king, you are just a chief. When I capture you, I will tie you up."
Burn at the stake. Just as my grandfather Charlemagne did, your barbarian soldiers will be crucified."
"madness."
There was no need for Liudov to translate in detail. Rurik thought that it would not be good to continue charging the steel-armed crossbow, so he immediately gave the order.
He pointed at several of Liudov's entourage on horseback and ordered his men to shoot immediately. In an instant, the short and thick armor-piercing crossbow arrow hit the horse's weakly defended side ribs, knocking down two heavy armored cavalry immediately, and immediately attracted
The other cavalrymen were in chaos. At the same time, other Russian berserkers drew their swords one after another, and Rurik himself resolutely drew out his own sword.
He shouted loudly: "Stupid provocation! Ludwig! It seems that it is better for us to duel in person! I will chop off your head and use your skull to make a wine bowl! Use your intestines to make a bowstring! Use you
skin for a carpet!”
That's all, Rurik took the berserker and made a menacing charge.
The two cavalrymen who had just been attacked at close range had already fallen heavily, and the soldiers were so pressed by the horses that they could not move. This also proves that the ice on the Elbe River is extremely thick now.
Ludwig's entourage was already in chaos. He was afraid that he would be shot by the sharp and strange arrows of the Russians. He instantly lost his previous vigor and fled in a hurry. However, during this clumsy escape, he slipped and fell three times in a row on the ice before touching
until his war horse quickly retreats.
Seeing this, Rurik stopped pursuing him.
"Your Majesty, are you going to let them escape like this?" a mad warrior asked unwillingly.
"That's right! This man bullied others too much. We can't kill him immediately. The brothers can't bear it."
Rurik shook his head, looked at the back of Ludwig who was escaping, and sighed: "You all saw just now that the man slipped and fell many times. This shows that except for the cavalry, they are asking for trouble if they advance on this ice. I will
We are afraid that they will realize that the ice battlefield is not good for them unless... we provoke them."
He thought of a barbaric method, "Aren't you very resentful that you can't kill that Ludwig? Look, there are two unlucky cavalry on the ice. You go and cut the cavalry into pieces. You must do your best.
Savage. Cut off the enemy's head and swing it on a sword to anger the enemy in front."
All the bear-headed heavily armored berserkers took the order and immediately began the barbaric "provoking method".
Rurik also withdrew amidst the cheers of the soldiers in the rear, telling his generals that the battle was about to break out.
Ludwig fled in embarrassment. He was extremely dissatisfied with himself today. Unfortunately, this body simply didn't listen to the wisdom of his head and fled. When he returned to his Frank array, at this moment, because of his relationship with King Ross,
The fierce greetings bought some time, and most of the arrays were in place, basically meeting the needs of launching an attack.
But he soon heard the boos and roars of the soldiers.
Look!
Those enemies dressed as white bears were holding up the body parts of the dead to show off! Those were the stumps of two cavalry soldiers who had not returned. How barbaric this move was!
The Frankish warriors gritted their teeth and were surprised that their king had withdrawn in such a hurry.
As soon as Ludwig returned, he comforted the Archbishop of Cologne who had just finished his congratulations: "My king, everything is well with you."
"Bah! I have never been insulted like this before! Even my grandfather, my father, and my brother have never humiliated me like this! I want..." Then there was a lot of rubbish, and I was surprised.
The archbishop retreated continuously.
After cursing enough, the enemies stood densely and openly. The enemies were all in the open area, and their clothing had obvious and surprising colors. It was obvious that they were the Norman barbarian army with mainly blue and white tones, and the Saxon farmers with mainly gray tones.
soldiers.
Such enemies have obvious differences in strength. Those Norman troops with blue and white colors and a large number of flying unified flags are the elites who must be killed. Ludwig gained something this time. He noticed that the traitor Liudov had already prepared for the enemy.
The chief of Rus, Rurik, followed suit. Obviously, there would be no victory unless these Norman armies were defeated, and it would not be helpful to solve the defense problem in the north.
Having said that, as long as Rurik is killed and the Norman army is annihilated, the entire Norman world will suffer heavy losses. Presumably there will be no border troubles in the north for many years, and the Saxons will not dare to move again.
Rebellious thoughts. As for the traitor Liudolf, this person is no longer useful. Ludwig even complained about his grandfather Charlemagne's appeasement of this family. The entire Widukind family tree should be killed! Since grandpa can't do it anymore
, you have the obligation to get things done.
"Attack! I want to arrange for people to attack!"
Ludwig muttered for a while and decisively pushed the "dead soldiers" he had prepared to the front line.
A large group of Sorbian slave soldiers accompanying the army numbered five thousand when they set out. However, due to sneak attacks, road damage, and the severe damage caused by the recent cold snap, only one thousand and five slave soldiers can hold out until now.
A hundred people can still fight.
After their baggage horses were viciously killed by mysterious enemy cavalry, they turned into "two-legged oxen and horses". They were treated as livestock and suffered unspeakably.
Now, they all know that they will face an extremely cruel fate - launching the first round of attack.
Perhaps dying in battle early will end the pain, and living in this extremely cold environment will not last long. Either the Norman army will be defeated and a good opportunity will be created for the large army to advance, or it will be killed by the enemy...
At least the Sorbian slave soldiers are blessed by the spiritual buff of the Archbishop of Cologne.
"You are fighting against the barbarians, and your feats will offset your original sin. Your souls will ascend to heaven, and everything will be beautiful..."
Death in battle is no longer scary.
These 1,500 slave soldiers were gathered, and they distributed a large number of short spears and axes, and most of them used simple wooden boards as shields.
They have no armor at all, and their clothes are very slovenly. Most of them look bloated, but this is actually because they are tied with all kinds of cloth strips, which can only keep out the cold and do not pay attention to dignity. After all, they are conquered people. In the Franks
In their eyes, they are despicable people who can only serve as slaves. Their shabby appearance is very suitable for their status.
A large group of gray and black people were gathering, and Rurik was convinced with his eyes that the enemy's first round of attacks was about to launch. However, it was unexpected that they did not send heavy armored troops to launch a fierce attack.
The dark enemies in a wide formation, like a linear array, began to take action! They were moving in a relatively dense formation, cautiously moving on the ice, because of their inner fear and the fact that the ice was really slippery, they could not attack quickly. But.
Seeing the Ross Army, many long-range heavy weapons and shooters were ready to launch.
Rurik felt that just one or two shots would be enough to break up the enemy's ranks and force them to retreat.
It's just that they don't understand what Ludwig's conspiracy is.
Or was it because he was overly worried and Ludwig just arranged for a group of militiamen to die, depleting the strength of the Russian army and then launching a general attack?
Wait!
I'm afraid this is their purpose!
"No! The Saxons must be the first to defeat these enemies."
Rurik then sent a messenger with bright feathers on his head to quickly run to the rear of the array and notify Liudov to send a group of spearmen, giving priority to the Saxon army to launch a counterattack.
So Liudov didn't even think about it, and led a thousand of his carefully selected best to escape from the rear array with spears on their backs.
Rurik saw Liudov's resolute face as he dismounted to fight, and for a moment he admired this man's courage, as the Duke of Saxony dared to fight in person.
Because this is really important to Liudov.
In Ross, the Danish army will leave after the war, and the territory will be managed by its own family. To maintain legitimacy, the ducal family must set an example for all local nobles. Most of the small local Saxon lords have already sent troops to join the war and are in the army.
They had to witness Liudov personally participating in the battle, just like the great hero Vidukind half a century ago, so that they would really fight for it.
There is no doubt that Liudov knew this very well, and he wanted nothing more than to fight in person.