Gloomy and rainy weather enveloped Roseburg. A long and thorough rain spread over a wide area. While soaking the earth, it also brought a lot of inconvenience.
Fortunately, the tribe's first blast furnace, which made the contribution, was temporarily shut down because it ran out of raw materials. The wooden shed that covered it was quickly rebuilt, and the weatherboard made of wooden boards greatly protected it from being eroded by wind and rain.
The rain made the grass grow even more wildly, and the cool wind not only caused the temperature to drop sharply, but also really dampened the Russian people's enthusiasm for fishing.
The wind and waves in the sea area are really strong. Fishermen who have tried it all know that the herrings that have such plump weather take refuge in the deep sea in large numbers. Of course, fishermen still have the opportunity to catch cod, but the risks are really deadly.
For a time, there was an obstacle in the food supply of the entire Ross tribe.
What can we do?
The tribesmen will only stock up on food when winter is approaching. In August, no one is willing to stock up on food. Far from being lazy on their part, the biggest obstacle is that people rely heavily on salt to keep their catch fresh during the warmer months.
Oats cannot be grown in the area of Fort Ross. It has only been in the past two years that the tribesmen have been able to obtain a large amount of oats to eat at a relatively low cost.
Even Rurik had to consider the tribe’s food supply problem again.
This is obviously a commonplace question. However, Roseburg itself does not produce grains. Grains such as oats only need to be provided with a dry environment and there will be no problem in storing them for two to three years.
Storing the catch is really a technical job.
Perhaps it will be canned in the future, or even sealed in glass bottles, and its storage time will be extended to several years. Or bake it vigorously until it becomes a "dry stick", just like smoked bonito that you can't even chew with your teeth.
"I only have some smoked fish as dry food. I had the conditions to eat haese in the winter, but now I can only sigh while looking at the heavy rain?!"
Rurik was a little uneasy. The rainy weather has been going on for a week now and it shows no sign of stopping.
The whole world was cold, and Rurik could only stay at home with his family, burning some charcoal in the fireplace to try to keep his home dry and warm.
Rosberg became muddy, the cold wind blew on the sea, and the waves crashed on the sea.
The leader's family is living a hard life due to the rain, while the ordinary family can only endure in the cold.
Only some families have truly received Rurik's blessings, and their living conditions have been significantly improved.
A large number of families have at most added a few odd little objects to their lives. However, during difficult times, such as a glass that the husband of the family spent a huge sum of money to buy mainly for showing off, has now become a real thing. It's tasteless.
Only when the stomach growls and the door is opened to face the turbulent waves, does the family remember that they finally defeated the enemy and got it?Money, I should have bought more food and stored it to deal with the current troubles.
Rurik knows that the majority of his people are suffering, so what can he do?
According to the experience of normal years, it is mid-August, when merchants from the south should row their boats north to Fort Ross to sell their goods.
The two main ways for the Russians to obtain grain were from Sorgon and the other from southern merchants.
According to the current situation, the sea is rough, and the merchants will never dare to let their clumsy cargo ship break through the big waves. Besides, the climate this year is indeed very abnormal. Not to mention the long rain, the sea ice only started to loosen at the end of April. At that time, people estimated that this year would be abnormal.
The team of the big leader and Sorgon are still far away, and the news from the messenger is that they will definitely return during the Novgorod grain harvest.
Grain and vegetables from the south should be the first to enter Roseburg. Facing the waves, people gave up the idea of seeing the merchant ship team at the end of August.
Everyone’s most urgent hope is that the damn rain will stop, so that the skin and clothes that are getting moldy can see the sun.
If there was anything that made Rurik happy in the rainy weather, it was the birth of a child.
It was a boring afternoon. Rurik stayed at home with nothing to do. Facing the bonfire, he was forced to nestle in the arms of his biological mother Niya. Like a kitten, his head and The golden ponytail was constantly stroked by her mother.
In addition, sisters Carlotta and Kovin girl Saipolava, the three of them got together and played some stone-throwing games. The joyful laughter made the boredom a little more pleasure.
In the entire family, Rumia may be the only one who has become the hardest working person.
The tall high priest Vilia, her body is like a candle that can be extinguished at any time. She is using her last experience to order Rumia to turn the chief priest into a priest with strict requirements. He can memorize all the incantations stored in the house and carved in rune script, and he will also be asked questions afterward.
That was no longer just Rumia’s problem, but also the little Kewen girl named Lumi.
The rain did not seem to interfere with Rumia's study. She studied hard just to fulfill one promise - to be the new high priest and a good servant of Rurik.
There was a fierce sound of treading water outdoors, and an old man with a beard was stopped by two mercenaries who were ordered to stand guard under the eaves.
The person who came was none other than Klavasen.
"Sir, the blacksmith is here."
The mercenary shouted, which instantly cheered up Rurik who was about to fall asleep. He broke away from his mother's arms and looked at the closed wooden door.
"It's the blacksmith?!"
"It's me! Klavasen."
Just from this voice, Rurik heard an old guy He was in a happy mood, as if he had closed his eyes. Yes, good news should be coming to the Klavasen family in the near future.
"Open the door."
After giving the order, the loyal mercenary opened the wooden door.
Just when Klavasen was about to step on the floor of the leader's house with his leather boots, he was caught by the mercenaries again.
When he actually stood in front of Rurik, his feet were bare, and water droplets dripped from his wet leather clothes from time to time.
"Do you have something important? Or is it about iron?" Rurik actually asked knowingly.
Clavason said with a smile on his face: "Sir, it's Lilia, her big day has finally arrived."
"Now?!"
" Right now." Klavasen's smile made his wet beard fluffy again. "I'm here now to tell you this. I hope you can stay by Lilia's side when the child is born. If possible, maybe the priest..."
For a moment, Liuli Ke conjured up a very familiar picture.
"You want me to be a witness? You want the priest to pray for her, and you want me to pray for her?"
"Yes. I'm afraid this is a very presumptuous request, I very much hope..."
"You don't have to say anything. I will go immediately. Not only will I go back, but my family will also go." Rurik's decisiveness made Klavasen kneel down. Kneeling, he imitated the image of a warrior and paid tribute to the future great leader.
It was just this courtesy that made Rurik feel that Klavasen had become a stranger.
"Get up."
"As you command."
Rurik slapped his clothes, intending to follow Klavasen out, but unexpectedly He was grabbed by his mother Niya.
"My dear, do you have to go?" Niya's eyes clearly said that this trip was optional.
"Mom, you want to stop me?"
"I...oh, you have your own ideas, I won't stop you. It's just that the girl is the blacksmith's wife , you are obviously the leader of the tribe."
Niya said this bluntly, even though Klavason was still standing here.
Klavasen’s wrinkled brows turned into cracks. He did not dare to refute anything, because in the entire tribe, the woman with the second most powerful words was Otto’s wife Niya. A once young and beautiful woman has now become an old woman full of wrinkles. Time has changed many things, and the girl has also become arrogant.
"Mom, are you..." Rurik noticed the coldness of the atmosphere.
"Is it worth it?" Niya said with determination, "I would rather you stay in a warm home."
"I'd better go."
" Why? After all, Lilia is a woman from the blacksmith's family. I know you would say that she is that Svetalana's sister, but has your father's choice to break the contract been recognized by the priest? You are still so young? It’s like a newborn deer that needs to be cared for.”
For a moment, Rurik was speechless. He was quiet for a while and then asked: "Mom, do you always think of Lilia like this? I thought you liked all the women in Novgorod..."
"Become like them After all, Peravina gave birth to a son to your cousin. As for the rest, let’s forget about it now! , are you fooling around with beautiful local women? If you are smart, you should think carefully about whether your father will give you some brothers."
How could she say such vulgar words?
Rurik thought for a while and quickly guessed the reason.
For Niya, who she is now is everything in her life! The husband took a group of tribesmen to a distant place. The husband could have returned, but he found an excuse to stop it.
What did Niya think? When I think of Peravina, Lilia, and other married women from Novgorod, and even ten of my son's maids from there, they all have beautiful faces. What kind of beauty is that? The legs are longer but the strength is not small. She has the ability to do farm work and housework. After all, she is a woman who grew up eating wheat. They are naturally more delicate. This is the result of many bites of fish to develop strong jaw muscles and a smoother face. The square and square native Ross woman cannot compare.
It must be the instinct of any man to pursue beautiful girls.
Of course, in Roseburg's view, as long as a good man is capable, it doesn't matter how many women he marries. Niya could not deny that she was getting older, but her husband, who was in his fifties, still had great ambitions.
Niya cannot prevent her husband from betraying her. Even if he does have an affair with another woman, she must endure it. If it's just your own problem, it doesn't matter. The crux of the problem now is that if Rurik has an extra half-brother, wouldn't it threaten Rurik's power? Even though Otto has already said that he would not do such a thing, he is a man.
She couldn't help but think about it. She was really jealous of the beauty of those young women in Novgorod.
She didn’t want to say any more about what she was saying. Looking at her son’s eyes, she estimated that Rurik could guess some of her true meaning.
What does Rurik think? He thought Niya was going through menopause and was starting to become suspicious. As for her prejudice against Novgorod women, Rurik had nothing to say.
After all, if the high priest Vilia hadn't given the deer herder girl Rumia a noble status, Niya's discrimination against her would have continued.
Rurik said bluntly: "Mom, I have to be a witness. I will name the child who is about to be born. Lilia is my relative, and I have a reason to go. "
"You! Okay, okay."
Niya curled her lips and calmed down, and finally shouted to Rurik who had changed his clothes and left the room.
"Mom, they left." Carlotta said weaklyasked.
Niya couldn't find anyone to express her inner cry to. A sweet call of "Mom" made her feel strong warmth in her loss.
"Carlotta." Niya's face returned to smile.
"Huh?"
"Come here, into my arms."
In this way, Carlotta, who also has blond hair, looks like a kitten She usually snuggles into her adoptive mother's arms, as usual, with her beautiful blond hair being gently stroked by Niya, as if this can get rid of all the boredom.
"Oh, the leader of the Ross tribe has run away now. You, the leader of the Ostara tribe, my daughter, you will never leave me."
Intense immersion With a sense of happiness, Carlotta's closed eyes were tightly locked in tears, and the family love she longed for was back.
On the other side, Rurik was riding on the shoulders of a mercenary so that his beautiful boots would not get any mud. In fact, the Klavason family is not so particular. Even if they live in a wooden house, the whole family follows Lilia's request and keeps the bedroom as clean as possible.
Clavason was a little surprised by Rurik's particularity and the fact that the mercenary had become a servile deer.
Rurik was wearing a piece of leather, which was well insulated from the rain. He came to Klavasen's house, and soon after he entered the door, he heard a woman's painful howl.
"Difficult childbirth?!" A terrible thought came to Rurik's mind, and he exclaimed casually.
At this moment, Klavason frowned: "Sir, she is indeed in a bit of trouble. I am a man, how can I understand? My wife said that Lilia is in a bit of trouble now, maybe she needs a prayer."
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"Damn. Damn dystocia!" Little Rurik frowned deeply, he was afraid that something might happen to Lilia.
For a long time, women in Roseburg have often had tragedies involving one person and two people due to difficult childbirth. In the past two years, although there were reports of suspected dystocia among the married Novgorod women, they all gave birth successfully. Some people say this is God's favor, and some pragmatists believe that simply those women are in good health.
In terms of health, isn’t Lilia healthier?
Hearing the sound, Rurik broke into the bedroom and saw Lilia, whose face was covered in sweat, and her husband Kawei, who was waiting anxiously.
The Klavason family is not that particular. Kawei, the husband, not only cannot avoid her, but also has to stay by his wife's side at all times to provide her with spiritual comfort.
Lilika, who was in pain, felt as if her savior had arrived when she saw Rurik, and she forced a smile.
"Lilia, you..."
Rurik walked over in a hurry. As soon as he sat down, his arm was tightly grasped by Lilia's right arm. "Rurik, I'm in pain. I beg you, pray for me."
"This..."
"Please, maybe I'm going to die! Ah! "The strong contraction pain forced Lilia to scream suddenly, which frightened the mother-in-law who delivered the baby and didn't know what was happening.
"I...LuMia came soon. Maybe she's more suitable. "
"I beg you! Lilia tried her best to squeeze out her desire from the gap between her teeth, "Is this a test for me by your god?" Rurik, I beg you to pray to God to end my current pain and allow my child to be born safely. ”
Rurik was panicking, fearing that Lilia would faint in pain, so he knelt beside her and clasped his hands together as if praying. After a while, Rumia arrived late. Finally arrived. She stepped into the bedroom barefoot, and the first thing she saw was the strange behavior of the owner.
After a while, Rumia also joined the praying team, which was completely different from Rurik's pretense. Rumia recited the prayers vividly, which made the whole room feel more solemn.
Maybe Lilia could avoid this crime if she waits for another two years and watches in Rurik. It was too early for Lilia to become a mother despite being well-off in her hometown.
However, Ryurik made a small mistake.
The crux of the problem was not that Lilia was too young at all. , after a whole day of tossing, just when Lilia was almost exhausted, the cry of the baby finally turned the tense atmosphere into a carnival of welcoming a new life.
The moment she looked at her grandson, Lilia’s mother-in-law finally saw the problem: “Ah! This child is too big! oh! It turned out to be a boy. oh! What a strong boy and the best blacksmith! "
"A giant baby? ! "Rurik immediately came over and looked at the crying baby. He was really not small.
Lilia's pain disappeared instantly. Seeing her mother-in-law holding her son, she felt a strong The mother's instinct to snatch her away from her arms tried to make her weak body move.
At this moment, Kawei sat down and gently supported his wife.
The child's umbilical cord was quickly cut, he was scrubbed clean with prepared hot water, then wrapped in a piece of sheepskin that had been sterilized by boiling water, and delivered to the mother's arms.
All the pain turned into instant joy, Lilia hugged the child: "His name is Kuzneslav, that's the name. ”
“I understand. Kawei nodded deeply: "I'll call him Kudya, and give him a Novgorod-style name. I don't care." ”
The matter finally came to a perfect end. The Klavason family recognized that Lilia’s mother and child were safe as a result of Rurik and Rumia’s prayers.
Leave a comment on this Rick didn't want to say much, they were willing to flatter him, and there was nothing wrong with him taking advantage of the situation.
But the newly born Kuzneslav was a giant baby. He was so big that he looked like Lily. After marrying into Roseburg, Ya still maintained a very good quality of life. No, not long after the birth of the child, breastfeeding began.
Maybe this child is really an auspicious person, the first one after his birth. During the day, the continuous rainy weather finally improved.
The rain became lighter in the evening.The rain has almost stopped.
At the evening of the third day, the haze gradually dissipated and the sea calmed down. A large number of dormant fishing boats rushed to the sea like crazy to resume fishing, and magnificent fire clouds appeared in the west. of fishermen believe that there will be no more prolonged rainfall in the coming period.