After the Spring Festival, it is what the Russians call the Fishing Festival.
Nearly a thousand wooden boats of various types poured into the thawing sea. Even if there are still a lot of ice floes on the sea, it cannot stop people's enthusiasm for fishing.
Silver is a good thing, but it cannot be used as food. Many people saw the priests personally dissecting two big fish on the altar, which was an auspicious omen.
The ice floes are the largest near the coast. When the ship is rowed out of the fjord, things become different.
Cod play a very important role in the entire Baltic Sea ecological chain. They are also a kind of fish with a very expansion spirit, so that they can be found in the entire huge sea area. The Gulf of Bothnia has a large number of cod resources, but they are not suitable for fishing by the Russians dragging fishing nets.
After nearly half a year of fishing moratorium, the cod, which has become fat and strong, does not mind the sudden appearance of bait at all.
A large amount of hemp rope fishing line was thrown into the sea, and a lump of herring meat was hung on the barbed iron fish hook to lure the herring at the bottom of the Gulf of Bothnia to eat.
In one afternoon, at least three thousand fishing lines were thrown into the sea, starting a large-scale catch of cod.
Everyone spontaneously dispersed the boats, so that some fishermen were destined to wait until the next day to return to port.
All the efforts have been well rewarded. When the soft light of the evening sun shines on the entire Roseburg, a large number of fishing boats have returned with full catches.
Half of the ships are still working, and they are just waiting for nightfall.
The geographical location of the Ross tribe determines that few of the southern allies are willing to go to the northern waters to fish. In fact, due to technical limitations, all tribes cannot imagine the grand occasion of catching thirty tons of nets at a time.
If a successful trawl with a large net can catch five hundred pounds of herring, then it is a blessing from Odin!
Cod fishing is different. With luck and the hemp rope is strong enough, it is possible to catch cod as long as two stikas (nearly two meters).
On the night of the big festival, the residents of Fort Ross spontaneously lit an astonishing number of bonfires, and the quiet world was filled with people.
People grilled fresh fish around the bonfire, and Rurik also participated in this gluttonous feast!
Grilled fish, just sprinkle with a little salt can bring the simplest deliciousness. Cod is very different from other fish. The fat content of fish meat is very low, and the cod liver is full of cod liver oil.
Rurik could not only eat fish steaks without bones, but also eat fish livers and make his mouth full of oil.
Oil? Can fish oil be used to make soap?
Forget it, fish oil soap must be fishy, and you don’t want to use it to wash clothes with a fishy smell.
Surrounding the campfire, Rurik couldn't help but think about it. The most efficient way to catch a seal is to dig a hole in the frozen sea. When the seal comes up to breathe, the harpoon will directly hook it and kill it on the spot. at present,All soaps are made from seal oil, and its fat has no odor. Its best substitutes are butter and mutton fat.
Soap can indeed bring a lot of wealth. Without high-quality oils, everything is empty talk.
"Damn it, if I want to make more soap, do I have to start by raising cattle and sheep? I'm so convinced."
Rurik's eyes noticed his father, This old guy has become a kind of close friend of him, holding his own horn cup or oak cup, drinking the remaining ale and laughing.
All the young people were caught up in the carnival. Their stomachs were filled with fish and meat and various drinks.
According to general custom, tonight, the entire tribe drank all the wine they brewed last year, and if they want to drink new ones, they have to start over.
The carnival lasted only one night, and the next day, the Ross tribe officially entered the most active period of the year.
It is like a big tree waiting for spring. It feels that the time has come, and it tries its best to protrude new buds. Soon, the dry trunk returns to the lushness of summer.
The entire tribe has become busy, and the new busyness is indeed very different from previous years.
Everyone is telling the story that there are several powerful young people in the tribe who have won the support of other young people and continue to seek revenge against the Gotlanders.
Another major event is proceeding in an orderly manner with everyone paying attention, and that is the tax collection operation of the Russian army traveling eastward after the fishing season every year.
The trip will not be too long, but participants still need to prepare some dry food.
The amount of cod caught yesterday was huge. People are not luxurious enough to intentionally waste food, and there is a continuous supply of new catches.
Women began to make salted fish and dry fish again. They also processed the little wheat left at home into hard wheat cakes to serve as food for their husbands or sons during expeditions.
The big businessman Gould began to reorganize his fleet, and he hired some people from Fort Ross as temporary sailors. Under Otto's personal supervision, Gould personally led his men, pulled a two-wheeled wooden cart, and began to transport the yellow sulfur soap to the fleet. A large amount of processed deerskin has been bundled and thrown on board the ship.
Gould is going to make a lot of money. For blacksmith Clavarson, he has already made a lot of money, but his body is seriously exhausted. The huge demand for steel swords led him to greedily sign a huge order to produce two hundred of them? It's crazy.
What’s more, the kid Rurik now has a new idea. Burning shiny sand and mixing in some quicklime can make a transparent cup. It sounds very tempting and worth trying. one time. However, how can I have the time and energy to help him now?
Children are children. When spring comes, the child will continue to lead more children to the hillside for training. Not to mention, what Rurik does is very interesting. These children will definitely grow up. Better than their fathers.
That’s how Klavasen feels.
Otto did not know that some things were beyond his knowledge, which was something Rurik did not expect.
The five blacksmith families in the tribe all believe in Thor, the God of Thunder and the patron saint of craftsmen. Therefore, they naturally maintain a relatively close relationship. Although there is inevitable competition, the intensity of competition can be completely ignored.
If it weren’t for the huge orders that made it an impossible task, Klavasen would not have thought of spreading the technology to his friends. What's more, his son Kawei has already made himself a steel sword and easily completed the "cutting the iron sword" test. A few days after the big festival, Kawei will inevitably follow the leader and bring his own steel sword. Expedition to Novgorod.
There is one less outstanding blacksmith, and Klavason, who doesn’t even have an assistant, even thought of asking his wife to help him.
Is that possible? Trapped in impossibility. He found it incredible that a woman would work as a blacksmith.
The four blacksmiths knelt down and longed for the full set of steel-making techniques. They even pointed out the friendship between generations and made it clear that they would pay a sum of money as a reward.
Essentially, Klavason is a craftsman and a businessman. Since Rurik negotiated a share with him, the child would not have to work because he could get 10% of the profit from each sword by selling the technology. Why couldn't he follow suit?
Klavason also understood that as long as there were more orders, Rurik would quickly accumulate wealth because of the "agreement". He knew that he was fully capable of taking away the share that should be given to Rurik. Considering that the child would be the next leader without any accident, which fool would dare to take his money?
But your colleagues and friends need special treatment.
Klavasen and his four colleagues also made a formal agreement engraved on the wooden board, that is, the proliferation of technology with a price, and the price is a thousand silver coins.
Admittedly, it seems that this is an agreement that they cannot accept at all. After Klavason explains it, how can his colleagues not agree?
It turns out that the agreement he signed with each of his peers was that after providing the technology, he would make twenty steel swords free of charge, and the performance test must be successfully completed.
Twenty pieces were sold for a thousand silver coins.
While others were immersed in the warm night after the big festival, feasting on fish and meat, the blacksmiths gathered together to complete the signing of all the terms of the agreement. Here, the deeper agreement is that since everyone can manufacture steel products, everyone must make changes in doing business in the future.
The pricing power of any metal smelting products is no longer owned by individuals, but five families of blacksmiths gather together to discuss. No one is allowed to raise or lower prices without authorization. All prices must be negotiated by everyone and cannot be changed.
They discussed many things for this purpose, such as how to prevent uncoordinated production due to laziness of one company and excessive diligence of another, and furtherResulting in sales inconsistency. In order to avoid being too poor and too rich, all professional blacksmiths must distribute their orders equally. That is, if a company receives too many orders and reaches the point where it cannot be completed at all, the orders must be diverted to others.
The blacksmiths took advantage of the festive atmosphere to successfully complete the signing of the agreement and formed an alliance for this purpose.
The five families of Russian blacksmiths made a great attempt.
In the ninth century AD, Europe completely returned to the agricultural age. The trade network in Western Europe almost completely collapsed, with only the Viking tribes keen on trade.
Five blacksmiths from the Ross tribe, one of the Viking tribes, got together and decided to form a cartel organization, also known as the Price Alliance.
Since ordinary people don't bother to convert Toll to become a blacksmith, the remaining blacksmiths have the motivation to unite.
The blacksmiths all know their own nation's rune script, and they also know a lot of practical mathematics and physics experience. They are more knowledgeable than others, and are naturally more intelligent.
When Klavasen further explained his thoughts, others thought for a moment and realized that the signed "agreement" also established the existence of the alliance.
It is like the relationship between the Ross tribe and those tribes in the south, that is, the basic principle is that if one side is in trouble, the allies must rescue them.
The same must be true for the blacksmiths' covenant. The fundamental purpose is for everyone to make money together.
Each family carved their name on the wooden board, and then performed a small ceremony under the stars, as if this would be affirmed by Thor, whom the blacksmiths believed in.
Rurik had no idea that the blacksmiths had spontaneously organized a price alliance. On the new day, he took one of his young subordinates and ran to the hillside, continuing to hold wooden shields and Wooden Sword is doing purely military training. In the eyes of adults, it is a good thing that Rurik can train his children in an orderly manner.
Boys will soon grow into warriors and make great achievements.
Rurik has some tricks up his sleeve, and he can actually make the children change into complex formations through verbal slogans. From now on, all their children will follow Rurik. They have established a good relationship now, and they will easily become warriors in the future.
In fact, the child's parents are happier because they don't have to worry about their lively son trying something particularly dangerous and losing his life. The leader's two previous sons died because of dangerous games, and children died in accidents every year. However, it was not advisable to confine the son at home because of danger.
The future leader will bring young children together to train tactics, so that the children’s father and brothers can boldly and boldly make greater attempts.
What people fear most is having worries about their future. Even the Russian men who are willing to open up new lands are worried about the miserable situation of their wives and children after they die in battle.
Although, many women are deeplyIf they love their husbands, they will bury their husbands if they die in battle, but what about their sons? Young children are usually raised by relatives and friends. Can they really get good care?
Rurik’s actions reassured many people. They all believe that as long as their youngest son builds a close relationship with them from an early age, they will never have to worry about their youngest son having a bad life. On the contrary, those little children have become the lucky ones.
Three days have passed since the big festival. When Rurik personally visited Klavassen’s blacksmith shop, he saw a large group of people hammering iron blocks.
Who are they? They were actually Klavasen's colleagues.
The main purpose of Rurik's visit was to collect the 10% of the profits that belonged to him, and to continue discussing glass making. He never imagined that he would end up like this after not seeing each other for three days.
"You are actually teaching the skills I gave you to others?" At this moment, everyone can see Rurik's childish expression of obvious anger.
Clavason quickly explained carefully: "Ah, my child. The tribe gave me an order for two hundred swords. I have been working hard for a long time, but I still only made thirty. With that, My son and I still can’t complete this order by next spring.”
“So you will pass on the technology to others?”
“Yes.” Klavason actually didn’t think there was anything wrong with this and continued: “We are all brothers from the same tribe, so I can’t make a lot of money alone, right? So we also signed an agreement. From now on, we are an alliance. , we work together, only in this way can we complete the order of two hundred swords on that dark night (referring to the summer solstice)."
"You!" In an instant, a man named Cartel. The words appeared in Rurik's mind. "You actually... a cartel."
"What's wrong?"
"You actually formed an alliance."
"You..." Clark Wasen was stunned for a moment, and the other blacksmiths also stopped what they were doing. "Rurik, don't you like it? Don't worry, we have made an agreement, and we will fulfill that agreement. It is your money. We swore to Thor in the sky that we will never covet even a copper coin from you. "
Hearing this, Rurik felt a little relieved, but the shock and uneasiness in his heart still lingered.
Rurik muttered in a low voice: "It seems that even if I am not involved, you will spontaneously become different. Okay, you continue to do it."
Klava Sen couldn't hear the meaning of these words at all, so Rurik did not object and continued: "Don't worry, I know you came here to ask for money today, Kawei, take out the money."
Soon, Kawei came with a linen bag and handed it all to Rurik. There were heavy silver coins in them, and Rurik counted thirty of them, which was the profit he should get from the production of six swords.
Undoubtedly, Klavasen’s move left manyRick was very surprised. He did not stay any longer and left hastily with his servant Rumia. He didn't even continue to persuade Klavason to lobby for glass production, and he withdrew after taking the money.
Looking at his hurried back, Klavason shook his head and couldn't help but blame himself: "Is it really wrong for us to form an alliance? We are all blacksmiths, so it is strange to form a covenant?"
p>Perhaps only by looking at it from the perspective of future generations can we understand the progressive nature of the blacksmiths' actions.
Rurik was shocked! He simply retreated to his home to calm down.
On the way home, Rumia couldn't help but ask: "Masta, why did you leave so quickly? Didn't you still have something to say..."
"What do you know!" Ruri K said loudly.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Master."
"No! Keep calling me masta. Rumia."
"Yes, masta?" Lu Mia replied weakly.
"You still have to continue studying. You still can't understand what the blacksmiths are doing now. They just want to break away from the control of the leader. I don't like this. When I become the leader, the blacksmiths must be under my control." "Under his control."
Rumia really didn't understand. The only thing she understood was that her master had a strong desire to dominate at a "young age". Why did some blacksmiths have to be controlled by him?
She didn’t say anything and just followed Rurik closely.
In Rurik's concept, cartel price alliances are always hated by a country. But it cannot be denied that it is actually a product that will inevitably appear when commercial civilization develops to a certain extent.
Businessmen are the first group of real bourgeoisie to appear, and such businessmen often take care of both production and sales. In order to compete in an increasingly competitive market, monopolistic organizations will emerge. Without him, an individual businessman is fragile. If he makes too much, he will be a fat sheep in the eyes of others. If he makes too little, he will naturally starve to death. If he becomes an organization, it will be completely different.
The Hanseatic League is such an organization. First, it was a city formed by merchant markets in Western Europe due to the recovery of trade. The merchants gained control of the city and formed a free city. Multiple free cities were formed. Form alliances for the sake of wealth. The merchants recruited their own mercenaries to resist the attacks of the lords, and formulated their own business rules to coordinate various industries within the alliance.
Their origins are not aristocratic, but are filled with the desire for wealth and the determination to protect their wealth.
If you don’t want to be a fat sheep slaughtered by the lords at will, then unite. Since everyone is so poor and all they have left is money, use money to build a position of power.
The Hanseatic League is a classic cartel alliance. This alliance was eventually destroyed in the increasingly fierce wars between the European powers, but it did not really disappear. As long as the business culture reaches a certain level, businessmen will definitely try to form an alliance in order to maximize their profits.
Some businessmen went to NewMainland China, they did not want to be controlled by the European powers, so they established a new type of country purely dominated by big businessmen and big landowners. They found that their own way of operating a business alliance was also possible, even better than that of monarchs and lords. It's so efficient that it's so shocking that even the monarch doesn't want it anymore.
But the times have also entered the modern era.
Big changes often start from small things. Originally, Rurik thought that his people generally lacked knowledge. Although they all have strong learning abilities, it is not difficult to change their concepts. .
Now, Rurik really feels that he has some tricks up his sleeve.
Are they just a spontaneous alliance of five blacksmiths? I'm afraid that when the Hanseatic League began, it was just a few big businessmen in Hamburg who got together to hold a meeting to form a small alliance. Then more and more businessmen and industry experts joined in, and quantitative changes turned into qualitative changes.
After all, Klavasen and other five blacksmiths have taken the lead in mastering the technology of block-smelting low-carbon steel in Europe. As long as their alliance has a chance to continue to develop, it will not be as simple as making a lot of money.
"This is a danger. I must control them. I must form my own team of blacksmiths and obey my own orders. Yes. The salt and iron monopoly has never been because of its huge profits. If businessmen in these industries form After the alliance develops, will they still listen to the king? Bah! They will try to depose the king, and even the king will not want it. After all, they are Europeans!"
Think so! , Rurik increasingly needed his father to go all the way to Novgorod to get him some servants, and he also needed the servants and mercenaries that the great businessman Gould got from the south.
Rurik’s ideas have changed a lot.
Klavason and the others are very smart, and Gould is even smarter. As a time traveler, I can regret that they do not understand what advanced means. It is stupid to despise their IQ!
To control them, we must first compete with this group of businessmen and industrialists, and win with an overwhelming advantage. Only by establishing your own industrial chain and sales chain can you prevent future wealth from being controlled by them.
Isn’t that so?
When Rurik thought about it, a shocking reality appeared here. If the blacksmiths run away collectively and the great businessman Gould no longer lives in Roseburg, where will his wealth come from? Although the industry can still be rebuilt, without these ready-made powerful producers and sellers, it will definitely suffer from the northwest wind for several years.
The lifeline of our wealth is actually controlled by people like them. no! Must change! Must completely change within a few years!