Chapter 306 A Transaction

Generally speaking, the Ross and his servants live in extremely cold places close to the Arctic Circle. Due to the cold climate, everyone rarely sweats. In addition, there is a large amount of sea fish in the food, and a little sea salt will always be eaten when cooking fish. On the whole, the Rus people do not have the problem of salt shortage at all. They are completely different from the residents who farm in the interior.

The Balmoks also understand this truth, so Modgen’s plan is to sell the salt to the Kovin people in the interior, and then drag a large amount of leather back to the narrow land and barren mountains. The port of Narvik was sold to his own people to make a lot of money.

As long as there is no long-term strenuous physical exertion, residents in the northern coastal areas will not be short of salt, no matter what era.

Modgen realized that his big buyers were obviously heroes of the sea, so why were they so interested in salt?

He asked cautiously: "Maybe you are not very short of salt."

"Yes, we are indeed not short of salt. But boiling salt is a troublesome thing. If you We can provide a large amount of salt, so why should I separate my hands to boil the salt? Just like you and me, you boil the salt and I buy the salt with leather. Wouldn’t it be nice for everyone to get what they need?”

Maud. Gen couldn't help but smile awkwardly after hearing this explanation.

Rurik sucked his fingers clean. Based on the salt alone, he estimated that the Balmoks not only obtained salt by boiling Atlantic seawater, which has a much higher salt content than the Baltic Sea, but they must also know how to boil it. Some tips on salt.

The taste of this salt is really good. Rurik feels that they have good control over the temperature of salt precipitation. There is almost no bitter taste from magnesium chloride in your mouth. You know, the extremely pure taste of sodium chloride, when felt by the human tongue, will give rise to a particularly pleasant feeling. If bitter impurities are not removed during processing, the taste will be bad.

Rurik clapped his hands and said proudly: "I want all your salt. Don't you want fur? I have many kinds of leather here! I will exchange all the salt with you for leather." ”

Mo Degen was overjoyed and could not have imagined that the other party would be so happy.

“What other products do you have?” Rurik continued to ask, “If they are interesting things, I want them all.”

“And... there are also some iron tools. , I think you don’t need this.”

“Iron? Well, we don’t lack iron.” Rurik returned to his seat: “Let’s continue talking about salt. You bid me how much leather I need in exchange for your salt."

Modgen has actually been a little worried. He is surrounded by Ross warriors holding swords. Shuangfeng is doing business. , he always felt a sense of mental oppression. In order to safely leave the Russian fortress with the goods, Modgen did not dare to open his mouth. He was even willing to give a lower price for the smooth transaction. price.

Modgen looks atLook at the bear skin sitting under me and the bear head on the wall: "If you are willing, I am willing to use a pound of salt in exchange for your... two of your bear skins."

"That's it?"

"What? You don't want to." Modgen said hurriedly, "Our expedition once exchanged one pound of salt for the Corvin people for as many as fifty squirrel skins. Bear skins Although it is difficult to obtain, our salt is also valuable."

Rurik realized that the other party misinterpreted his meaning. According to Rurik's thinking, the price they offered was actually much lower than their own psychological expectations, as if they were deliberately showing weakness.

Actually, this is purely because Rurik is overly worried. In the port of Narvik, because the Atlantic seawater is more salty, the cost of boiling salt for the locals is much lower than that of the Russians.

Due to long trade routes and poor transportation, exchanging one pound of salt for two bear skins does not actually mean who wins and who loses. The actual transaction between the two parties is difficult to measure by the weight of silver coins. , after all, the Russians exist in the trading system of the Siiya Tribal Alliance. Only this year has the Russians come into contact with the Balmoks.

"Okay." Rurik said nothing more: "Since you are willing to buy my bear skins at this price, we will trade like this. I will trade sixty bears skins for your salt, I'm just worried that you won't have the strength to bring them back to your hometown."

Modgen smiled: "It doesn't matter, we are strong people, if you are willing to sell me some slaves. I am very happy to help us transport the goods."

"That's not possible." Rurik shook his head: "I also hope you can transport some slaves, you know. We Russians need a lot of slaves."

"Slaves? Maybe, if we can catch them." Modgen pinched his beard and said nothing more.

When we got here, Rurik didn’t want to make a big fuss about the slave issue, although he needed a lot of labor. Rather than asking business partners to capture unknown people as slaves, why not develop the local labor force in Novgorod? I am afraid that as long as a little favor is given, many people will rush to become servants. Or renting some metal farm tools can induce a large number of Novgorod people to cultivate land and become "tax residents."

Rurik continued to ask: "You seem to have brought other products?"

"It's some ironware. Sir, if you are willing to buy it."

Modgen immediately motioned to his men to open another linen bag, only to see that it was filled with axes that had not yet been installed with wooden handles. He took out all the axes one by one and showed them to everyone present.

"My lord, as you can see, if you are willing to buy these twenty axes."

Axes? Rurik stretched out his little head to take a look, but after just a brief glance, he lost interest.

"These axes of yours are obviously rusty. They look like they are of poor quality.ah. "

"This..." Modgen felt a little unhappy. He was helpless under the roof, and he said mockingly: "Obviously, our blacksmithing skills are not excellent. These axes look very bad to you, if..."

"Oh. Do you mean to say that if you sell it to the Kewen people, you will make another fortune? Say, how many pieces of leather are you planning to exchange for an axe? ”

Modgen did not hesitate: “An ax is equivalent to a pound of salt, and I am willing to price it this way.” My lord, if you are willing to buy, we speak the same language and presumably use silver coins. I am willing to buy you all of them for ten silver coins per axe. "

Modgen proposed a price, which he thought was reasonable, but the Ross warriors on both sides couldn't help but sneer.

"What? Is my pricing a bit ridiculous? "

"No! "Rurik stretched out his right hand to stop everyone's ridicule, and then stared into Modgen's eyes: "Friends from afar, you value your own products too highly. Your ax is obviously the worst, how dare you price it at ten silver coins? ! "

"You..."

Modgen raised his chest. He felt the humiliation from a child. This unprecedented feeling made him resentful.

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The anger was just suppressed in his heart. He tried his best to suppress the tremors in his skin and said deliberately: "So your ax is better? ”

“Of course! Can easily destroy your axe. "

"Huh? ! "

"What, you don't believe it? "Rurik deliberately provoked.

"No! I just..."

"Just what? "

Modgen guessed what the other party probably wanted to do, "Sir, the two axes collided, and the blade that was finally polished was damaged. It doesn't matter if my ax is damaged, I'm just worried about damaging your ax. "

Hearing this, Rurik was stunned for a moment, and then laughed slowly: "Why do I think you are mocking me? "

"No, I never meant that. "

"It doesn't matter, the only thing that will be damaged in the end is your axe. Now that you're confident with your axe, let's give it a try. Just in time, I can also show you our Russian axes! "Rurik ordered a mercenary to stand up with a confident look, then picked up his chrome steel hand ax and approached Modgen.

A warrior wearing chainmail stood in front of him. The strong force pressure made Modgen panic.

What surprised him even more was the color of the ax in the opponent's hand.

More The black color does not look like simple iron.

Rurik’s last question was: “Your ax will be destroyed, so don’t regret it. ”

“Yes, I don’t regret it. ”

“Then let’s get started. ”

Rurik gave the order, and the mercenary holding the ax opened his eyes angrily. He clenched the ax handle with his right hand, pointed at the back of Modgen’s ax, and struck hard.Cut it down.

After all, they are completely off-duty mercenaries. Their daily tasks are either cutting down big trees with axes or doing combat training. They became very strong beings, especially the strength of their arms was the most amazing.

The chrome steel hand ax chopped down at an extremely fast speed. In a flash of lightning, there was only a snap, and something amazing happened!

After all, it is a Nordic-style axe. The ax brought by Modgen has a slender back, but now the back of the ax has been split into two sections.

The mercenaries were not surprised at all when things turned out like this. Because most of them broke their old swords after getting their own chrome steel hand axes for celebration or as a sacrificial act.

The mercenary played with his axe. He checked the axe blade and muttered proudly: "Sure enough, my axe has no scratches at all."

At the same time, everyone watched. All the outsiders saw were shocked faces.

Mo Degen just didn’t know what happened. His mouth kept trembling. Looking back on his memories in this life, he had never seen such a magical thing.

In his concept, the collision of two axes would definitely cause deep dents in the ax blades of both sides.

The ending completely exceeded his cognition. The Russian ax was actually safe? !

Everything was as expected by Rurik, and he secretly congratulated himself: "Your axes must still be processed in the same old way."

Based on Rurik's understanding of the current smelting technology in the Nordic world , except for the two regions under the rule of the Russians, the rest of Europe not only did not know how to make low carbon steel, they did not even understand the heat treatment process of quenching.

So although outsiders know how to smelt iron, their axes are just a piece of wrought iron that was beaten into the shape of an ax during the gradual cooling process. When it is basically formed, the metal becomes difficult to smelt because it is not hot enough. wake. They are just some naturally cooled pure iron. Their hardness can only be said to be pretty good, at least enough for logging. The only trouble is that it requires regular maintenance.

Chrome steel is a completely different existence! Ferrochromium alloy is naturally hard. After carbon is infiltrated into the surface, its hardness is further increased. After quenching, its hardness and rigidity reach a peak. Used to make swords, it is extremely lacking in malleability and can easily break. However, as an axe, it is an indestructible treasure.

Rurik looked proud: "Now I win. My distant friends, this is the ax of our Russian people, what do you think?"

"This... is simply Is it... a magical weapon that only exists in Asgard?"

Modgen looked stunned, and the arrogant mercenary announced on behalf of his master: "You are right, this is the ax owned by the people of Asgard. My master has indeed been blessed by God, otherwise he would not be able to create such a tool with the ores of the world."

Mo Degen held his own two-section axe, and he suddenly realized that his axe-head was broken.The surface is actually very smooth. It was not broken by impact. What the Russian ax did was as easy as a meat-cutting knife cutting through a fish.

A bold idea immediately came to his mind: "My lord, I have a strong request now!"

"Request? Just say it."

Seeing that the other party's attitude became friendly, Modgen said boldly: "I am eager to buy one of your axes, and I also long for tools that only Asgard has. I am willing to exchange thirty pounds of salt for you. "

Rurik couldn't believe his ears. If the other party had such an attitude, wouldn't he be able to kill these businessmen who traveled across mountains and rivers? Although it is commercial trade, commerce has not believed in tears since ancient times, and it does not require too many favors. The other party is willing to sell at a low price, the seller is willing to snap up, and everyone gets what they need.

Rurik still tested it: "Don't you still want the bear skin? And why did you ask me if you can use all your inferior axes in exchange for one of my best axes?" ."

"How is that possible?" Modgen said humbly, "Compared to your axes, these are worthless things."

In fact, as long as these so-called wastes are smoldering and carburized for one to two days, and then forged and quenched, although they are not as good as chromium steel, they are still magical as low carbon steel. tool.

Rurik just didn’t expect that they would go through all kinds of difficulties and dangers, and in order to get a magical ax, they would exchange all the goods regardless of the cost?

If this deal is completed, they will really lose a lot of money.

Of course Rurik can finalize this business deal at once and let the other party be kind and be kind.

But if he really did this, Rurik couldn't help but worry that this would be a short-sighted behavior. By default, friends and potential competitors can be stupid and deceived, so you are the only one who is stupid for thinking this way!

Now that the Russians and the residents of Narvik are finally in contact, both sides must build better bilateral relations. Since the geographical distance is far enough, the strength of both sides is not weak. Rurik has no intention to invade them. Presumably they see that they have powerful weapons, and they dare not be ambitious.

Give profit? At this time, perhaps giving up a little benefit can win a potential ally for the Russians. Ah, not to mention an ally, it is also a trading partner.

Rurik realized that the Balmoks in Narvik Port had great strategic value at this stage - they could provide fine sea salt.

Rurik cleared his throat and became enthusiastic.

"Distant friends, you have come from afar to let us know that there is a friend we can make in the west of the distant mountains. I am willing to make friends with you on behalf of the Russian people. We can trade with each other. Let us They all become stronger."

Modgen's mind is a little confused, and it seems that the situation is always the same.After getting better, "Are you willing to accept my terms of transaction?"

"No." Rurik shook his finger.

“Oh, do I have to pay a little more?”

“No. You and your people will get an excellent ax from our Russians. Before you My leather trade is terminated, and I will exchange ten axes for all your goods. What do you think?"

Modgen couldn't believe what he heard: "My lord, are you sure?"

"I'm sure!"

"Oh! Then you are really a child blessed by God." Modegan's eyes lit up when he spoke, and his guys felt that they had earned Big.

"But there is another condition." Rurik continued.

"What conditions? Just say it."

"I invite you to our mother city of Roseburg. We are very interested in you Balmok people and we are eager to go further in the future trade. I will arrange for you to meet with our real big leader to formally discuss your future. I may also ask you to bring the greetings of our Rus to the leader of Balmok.”

"Okay! I also want to see the world. But, are you really not the leader of the Ross people?" Modgen said in surprise.

"I am, but I am not."

"Then who are you? Distinguished friend, from the moment we met until now, I have not even stated my name. I am guilty. ”

The names are mostly code names. Rurik has no intention of knowing more about the names of these outsiders whose usefulness to him is still relatively unknown.

"Okay. What's your name?" Rurik asked.

"Modgen."

"Okay, Modgen." Rurik shrugged, then straightened his back: "I am Rurik, Ross's surname." Rick, the son of the leader Otto, I have received the favor of Odin and am the future leader of Ross. You may have thought that I lacked credibility since I was a child from the beginning. Now I tell you, I am worthy of you.

I will buy all your goods immediately and give you the ax now. I also ask that you continue to live in my settlement until a few days before the summer solstice. Take the boat back to Fort Ross.

You will live in our territory for a while, and you will be treated well. I will not break my promise. ”

"It is the peaceful trade between our two tribes! For example, we sell you leather and the best weapons, and you sell us the best salt or something else. In the end, you will be escorted by us on the return journey as my messenger. You must let. Your leader knows about the existence of our Rus people, our great strength, and our hope for trade.”

At this point, Modgen has understood everything. He spinsThat is to say, he was half kneeling, making a fist with his right hand and beating his heart: "Sir, we are willing to serve you."