Chapter 328 Rurik visits Gould Island

After dusk, the Malaren market rests as usual, and some torches are lit as usual on Gould Island under night. The torches on the island are not to attract businessmen who are willing to do business at night. In fact, no one does this. The market Spontaneously entered into curfew state.

Torches must be burning all night long, and mercenaries with swords must patrol around the island that is as big as a football field.

The closer to the harvest season, the more Gould arranged for manpower to step up patrols. After all, he had already stocked up some goods that needed to be shipped to Fort Ross, as well as a large amount of silver coins, gold coins, and even slaves to be shipped away.

A large number of properties may attract bandits to attack.

Having been drifting in the world for most of his life, Gould's caution came from the depths of his soul. He trusted the effectiveness of the Melalen chief's iron fist against thieves and bandits in the market. Captured thieves were usually beheaded in public, and escaped slaves were also hanged.

It is difficult to see crimes in the Malaren Market during the day, but at night, who can guarantee that there will be no sneak attacks by bandits?

A large group of shadows approached the island with a strong sound of waves. The mercenaries who had started patrolling almost instinctively thought that this was a pirate attack. All the mercenaries immediately took action. Gould, who had nothing to do and was drinking and having fun with his newly bought Britton maid, was so shocked that after receiving the report from the mercenaries, he dropped the delicate glass directly on the sandy ground. .

He suddenly pulled out his dagger: "Are those bastards without eyes planning to attack my island? Inform the brothers to prepare for battle!"

Gould recruited and trained again He has as many as fifty mercenaries, and more than a hundred sailors under him are doing a variety of chores on the island.

What he was most worried about was that blind men would launch a sneak attack, so a sailor who seemed to lack combat effectiveness could quickly put on a layer of hardened cowhide, pick up a short spear and a wooden shield, and act as a sailor. warrior. In fact, such warriors are no different from ordinary warriors of the Melalen people. To put it bluntly, most of the sea warriors are armed civilians. Among them, those who are well-equipped and brave are regarded as warriors.

Gould wasted no time in setting up the array, but as the shadows got closer and closer, he felt that the situation had become very absurd.

"Sir, once the enemy attacks, the shore will be very dangerous. Please stay back." The newly promoted mercenary captain comforted.

"Back off? Why do I feel like something is wrong?"

"Sir, it's really dangerous here."

"Wait a minute!" Gould said consciously After seeing the dark shadows clearly, he didn't want to leave. "These ships are not warships at all. Damn it, could it be that my eldest son has come back early?"

Gould asked his men to be on alert. Unknown enemies would not attack, and he would not fight back.

The black shadow gradually approached, and Snoleva at the bow of the ship suddenly shouted: "Dad! We are back early."

That was the voice of the eldest son, his sudden return It's really unexpected.

"Quick! Take the weapons and equipment,Our brothers are back early, go and pull the boat. ”

A misunderstanding ended abruptly, and the sailors and mercenaries who went to pretend to be all turned into handymen.

Under the night, a large number of torches were lit, and a large number of ships The cables were thrown down and fixed to the trestle dock for the people on the shore. All the sails were furled, and the landing planks were lowered from the sturdy cargo ship.

Rurik opened his eyes and tried to see the night. Trying to see everything around him clearly, he looked left and right, and soon he was looking at the guy Gould in the crowd on the shore.

"Rurik! you! You're actually here! "

"Yes, I learned the news, and I came in person with some brothers. "Rurik, who was dressed in a costume, took the mentally ill Carlotta off the ship. For Carlotta, exactly one year later, she set foot on Gould Island again, but this time, she was a dignified Ostara. The female leader of the tribe is here.

Rurik's visit was a bit unexpected. Now that he is here, the subsequent work becomes very easy.

No, the girl Carlotta is here, and she intends to participate in the expected alliance event in the future as the leader of Ostara. .

Gould didn’t know how to judge the future: “Rurik, that Olegin has no reason to break his promise, he will keep his promise. The five hundred pounds of silver you brought can be exchanged for half a million pounds of wheat. As for the alliance, I can't guarantee that he will recognize Carlotta's identity. "

"He must admit it. "Rurik said firmly.

"But she is a child, and more importantly a girl. ”

“Just because of that, she lacks qualifications? ”

“That’s probably the case. ”

Rurik thought for a moment. It is not surprising that powerful men in this era discriminate against women, but as the leader, Carlotta can no longer simply regard her as a woman, because her essence is The leader who represents the will of the Ostara tribe

“It doesn’t matter, at least we Rus recognize them. In my opinion, if Olegin believes that Ostara is dead, it proves that Olegin just sat back and watched the destruction of an ally after last year's incident. "

"Huh? Interesting. Gould pinched his braided beard, and then subconsciously stretched out his hand to pinch Carlotta's chubby little face: "My dear, it seems that your man is really wise and even knows how to understand." trickery. ”

Carlotta forced out a smile. She was in a very complicated mood, and was even a little timid to see that Olegin. Similarly, she also complained in her heart that the leader of the alliance actually destroyed Ostara. For the sake of the souls of his clan members, he had reason to question the alliance leader face to face.

The soldiers disembarked one after another, and Ah was extremely vigilant.Rick stood proudly on the island. He noticed that almost all the people on the island who gathered were wearing leather armor, and many of them had swords on their waists. The chainmail they wore shone in the firelight.

He subconsciously became vigilant, holding the hilt of his sword with his right hand at all times, approaching Gould with stubborn steps, and asked rudely: "I saw that your people are all armed." ! What's going on?"

"Ah! It's the heroic Arik." Gould hurriedly bowed to the young talent of this tribe.

"Answer me."

"Oh, that's right. I almost thought you were the thieves in the sneak attack." As he said, Gould looked at Rurik, " My dear, the safety of Melalen is only during the day. Pirates are likely to attack at night. Thank God, the response mechanism I arranged is very fast, so that if there is a pirate attack, I can immediately organize troops to attack the enemies who land on the island. Kill them all."

"That's it." What Gould described was something Rurik had never thought of. He had to admire Gould's high vigilance. "You have done a good job, and now you don't have to worry. My coming to the south has made the people very worried. No, I have fifty of the best warriors to protect me, including your Yevro. Now let's land on the island Your island will become safer."

"Oh, that's great."

"When can I see Olegin?" The sudden and urgent question surprised Gould.

"He... of course you will meet him. When do you want to meet? Tomorrow? Oh, that is a man who is more guarded. I will take care of this matter, and I will arrange a messenger Go ahead and contact me. I'm even worried that he will reject you because you are a child." "He dares! I came with money," Rurik said. The already bad impression of Olegin became even worse.

Gould blamed himself for saying this casually. He hurriedly started talking: "You must be tired and hungry. You should have come a few days later. It is incredible. From my island to Roseburg, Is it enough in just five days?"

Snoleva looked proud, but Rurik was not very happy. He complained: "We sailed day and night, and now is the first time we sail by sea. Shore. I am tired and hungry, and so are my brothers. Gould, I am the most distinguished guest, and my cousin is a great hero of the tribe. Please provide me with some roasted sheep."< /p>

"Okay! Just a few sheep are not a problem."

The intense fatigue of the journey made Rurik indifferent to the deliciousness of the barbecue. He ate some roast mutton with some spicy food on the side. After eating thick salty wheat porridge, I shouted that we would talk about any important things tomorrow and find a room to rest quickly. As for his cousin Arik and the brothers he brought over, how they drank the Gould family's ale in large gulps, or how they opened their bellies to eat the sheep raised by the Gould family, were all the same as Rurik's. It doesn't matter anymore.

This night, Rurik was forced to sleep inon the ground.

He was really a little puzzled. Did Gould know how to enjoy it? He built a house with wooden floors in Fort Ross, but it was still a traditional Viking residence on the island? Does he not care much about the construction of the island?

Although he slept on the ground, the gravel floor was covered with a lot of leather. The sleeping shack was soft and warm, like a baby's cradle for tired Rurik and Carlotta.

Rurik was somewhat thankful that the climate in the Nordic world was cold and there would be no annoying bugs crawling around, so he didn’t have to worry about having his ears pierced by bugs while sleeping on the ground.

A sudden banquet made Gould a little exhausted. The banquet did not consume much of his wealth. He just needed to serve the two Rurik brothers and even a group of elite Russian soldiers who landed on the island. It takes a lot of energy.

After the stormy banquet, there was another debris on the ground.

A large number of lamb bones, half-eaten fish, and some scattered wooden bowls were discarded beside the open-air bonfire on the shore.

If there is anything that makes Gould very happy, it is that the elite Ross warriors have landed on the island, and the island's defense strength has been strengthened. This incident also has symbolic significance. It clearly represents that the power of the Russians has officially penetrated into Lake Malaren.

A new day and the cool north wind indicate that winter is not far away.

After sleeping for a night, Rurik regained his energy. He got out of the warm shack, put on his coat to keep out the cold, and stood outside a little abruptly, witnessing a large and organic group.

This is Gould Island. A large number of people are wandering around, and they obviously have their own purposes.

Some children dressed in simple gray clothes, with rosy faces signifying their health, were mostly walking past him carrying buckets, and some were holding bundles of yellow and dry thatch. They are both male and female, and their identities are very clear.

"Gould, you have indeed kept your promise to collect the beggars of Melalen for me."

They must be some poor beggars who will eventually be transported to Rus The forts became Rus' people, although of course their status was still that of servants.

Rurik had no intention of striking up a conversation with these busy children.

He wears a beautiful snow fox hat and a ferret fur coat. The girl Carlotta standing next to him was also dressed in this way, but when she saw the children passing by, the girl's eyes became more ambiguous.

"Ah...these children are all rescued beggars." Carlotta sighed softly.

"Huh? Do you know them?"

"I know. Alas, let's not talk about it..."

Carlotta doesn't want to mention the sad things , she was quiet for a while and then asked calmly: "These children will definitely be transported back. According to the agreement, I will still be the leader of all the girls?"

"The Valkyrie Legion? Of course. But..."

"What?" Carlotta suddenly grabbed Rurik's arm and looked at Rurik's little face who turned around expectantly.

"Okay, your Ostara tribe's population is too small. I think those rescued boys will be assigned to you. They are all your tribe. What do you think? Under my rule , your tribe must be rebuilt.”

“Oh, you are so kind.” Carlotta smiled and rubbed Rurik’s clothes, as if the two were biological siblings. .

Carlotta is indeed one year older than Rurik, but most of the time she behaves more like a younger sister.

In the early morning, the living room where business was discussed on Gould Island suddenly turned into a restaurant.

Green smoke is also curling up on the island. Those who ate meat last night are now starting to gnaw on grilled fish. After all, he was the one who was still domineering in the vast sea area south of the mouth of Lake Mälaren a few months ago. Arik's brothers gnawed on the fish meat and talked about their previous great achievements. They also felt deeply about the Mälaren people immersed in the fresh water. many.

Look! Under the golden light of the morning sun, the lake was full of boats with sails flying, and there were also a large number of rowing boats, netting fish or fishing on the lake.

Arik and Rurik, two brothers, sat in the island's meeting hall as honored guests. In front of them were sizzling grilled meat and sticky wheat porridge, which was even rare. raspberry preserves and mead with an intoxicating aroma.

Aric is the kind of bold and unrestrained person, he is a martial artist. Faced with such a rich breakfast, he ignores the etiquette that does not exist and eats wantonly.

"Uh, you really don't see anyone outside." Rurik glanced at his cousin a few times speechlessly, and then awkwardly looked at the Goulds and his son who were sitting upright but also with a big belly.

Oh, this time Gould’s former mercenary captain Yevlo has now become a completely honored guest.

Being able to achieve today’s status depends on a pair of discerning eyes. Gould realized that his Jevro had transformed into a general who was becoming more and more comfortable with the two generations of Ross leaders. Jevlo is still very young and will definitely be Rurik's right-hand man in the future. slave? Pooh! Perhaps after taking power, Rurik will give him the position of "war chief" to represent the leader's authority in all directions.

So, Gould entertained the girl Carlotta in accordance with the standards of facing a tribal leader, just as he suddenly realized the girl's extraordinary identity a year ago.

"Rurik, I didn't expect you to come anyway. I saw that you brought a batch of precious goods that needed to be sold, and a huge sum of money..."

Eat After taking a few pieces of extremely sweet plum preserves, Rurik raised his little head and said, "Stop being polite. Your eldest son has told me everything. Now I solemnly tell you my attitude. I am very willing to talk to Austria." Li Jin is doing business. Now I have only one question: "Meet him to seal the deal?"

"Yes! I want to meet him as soon as possible." Okay."

"Huh? You were just as anxious when you got off the boat last night. I thought you would wait quietly.a few days. "

"Why? Don't you know that time is money? "

Gould couldn't help but applaud when he heard this golden sentence: "Oh, precious time is indeed money. My dear, do you plan to see him today? "

"Isn't it possible? I came with the money and I was ready for anything. Maybe after we finish eating and tidy up, we should paddle to the market not far away. I want to see Olegin immediately. "

Gould looked embarrassed: "It's too sudden. My dear, I am afraid that only the big leader who comes in person is qualified to see the leader of the alliance directly. "

"Huh? Am I not the leader? The position of Chief Ross must be mine. ”

“That’s true, but that Olegin only recognized Otto. "

Rurik felt that Gould was perfunctory for him inexplicably. He stood up suddenly and was so frightened that Arik, who was busy chewing meat, hurriedly put down the leg of lamb. "Gould, isn't that guy? Going to do business. "

Gould's expression became even worse, and the murderous look in Aric's eyes made him frightened.

He hurriedly said: "My dear Owner. If it's just business, you just need to give me the money, and I can complete the business with that man. But now that you are here, if you go to see him, it is not just doing business. You are the successor of the Ross tribe. When you go to see him, you are actually going to see the leader of the alliance. Ah, I wish you could understand. "

Hearing Rurik sit down slowly, his mood stabilized a little, and he roughly understood Gould's specious words.

If the alliance leader is similar to the king's concept, then are the tribes that have formed an alliance equivalent to the concept of a duke?

In this era, the more noble a person is, the more ostentatious they are. A kind of normal situation.

Rurik asked tentatively: "You mean, you have to send someone or go to that person in person to report to him that I'm here? "

Gould hurriedly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, "Exactly. My dear, I will send someone to report to the leader. You don’t have to worry about us buying half a million pounds of wheat. However, whether he will meet you depends on his attitude. Oh, I hope Olegin is happy to see you, and..." Gould's eyes glanced at Carlotta, who was sitting quietly and was obviously only interested in preserves: "And the female leader of Ostara. Hopefully he will call you both. "

Rurik shrugged: "I hope so. It doesn't matter to me if he doesn't see me. Listen, we Rus are not servants of the Mellarens, and I have never been afraid of him. ”

Rurik and his cousin had firm eyes, as did Carlotta’s attitude. Gould secretly admired the courage of the Russians to challenge the leader, not to mention that the Russians did have a big challenge. Feeling inferior and considering his own interests, Gould wished that the Ross people would become the new leader tribe instead.

Gould took a sip of the spicy "Ross Vodka"., the spicy taste made him very refreshed: "Ah! I have sold out the flammable spirits long ago, and I kept some for myself. The spirits made me a lot of money, and I don't expect them to recognize you on the glass bottle. What's the name of the engraving? Oh, it's called Roman writing. Maybe the name of the Russian people has spread through these wines, and Olegin bought a lot of them. I hope that guy will have a strong interest in you because of the strong wine."

"Wine is a good thing. We have made a lot of money, so we should buy a lot of goods during the harvest season. You know my attitude!" Rurik's eyes were determined, "Silver coins are not important, they can be used How much daily necessities can be purchased with silver coins is the most important thing.”

Rurik is indeed not a money-grubber, he is very pragmatic! Gould continued following Rurik's words: "Okay, although the harvest season is late, it will arrive soon. Now the market has also reached the last lively period of the year. Rurik, I will arrange a messenger Go and report to Olegin. This will take some time. In the meantime, you can log into the Melalen Market and buy some interesting things."

Go to the market? Rurik suddenly became interested and went to visit the largest market in Scandinavia in the ninth century. It would be an interesting adventure.

"Okay! Then go to the market! Prepare the boat, and after dinner I will go to the market to have a look."

Gould chuckled and said: "Then let Jevro is your guide. And the heroic Arik, it is your first time to come to Melalen. You two brothers are interested in challenging the power of the Melalen people, so go to their market and see Melalen. I think this is important to you. "They? I'm still interested in buying something interesting."

Rurik agreed with Gould’s words. Knowing yourself and your enemy means you can win a hundred battles.