The merchants who were waiting for the opportunity seized the opportunity. No, on the second day of Otto's arrival, the dock of Gould Island turned into a noisy floating market.
The island is so small that it is impossible for it to form a trading market on the shore. The trade between each other is that the ships meet, and then one hand takes the money and the other takes the goods.
Those merchants happily purchased the important commodities of the Rus, especially the various leathers, which were always the hard currency in trade. The merchants got a lot of squirrel skins, snow rabbit skins and mink skins, and a lot of silver coins fell into the pockets of the Russians with a clanging sound.
They were really feasting their eyes. For the first time in their lives, they stood under a huge sailing boat. They could row the small boat close to touch the thick planks of the big ship, but there was no way to board it directly.
Even though the Avora has a standard displacement of only fifty tons, its sides are so high that no one can climb it with bare hands. The transfer of materials and personnel relies on wooden boards extending from the deck, and even rope ladders are thrown down for people to climb.
Such a structure naturally means that after she enters the battlefield, she hardly has to worry about any form of gang-hopping. The fact that the enemy could not climb this floating fortress was her current tactical advantage, which no one except Rurik noticed.
Otto was awakened by the noise. He came here yesterday and fell asleep after taking a comfortable hot bath. Now he stood on the wooden fence full of energy and saw the bustle clearly. scene.
"It's good, the money is being recovered quickly..."
Now Gould's work is satisfactory, and the boat has sailed to the not-so-far Mälaren Pier. .
There are a large number of houses on the lakeside in the north. Standing at a high place, Otto can see the general outline and roughly estimate their huge size, but the settlement is immersed in the smoke, and he cannot see clearly. detail. Even so, Otto could estimate that Melalenburg was indeed much larger than Fort Ross.
"If they are big, they may look bloated and not very strong. No! There are many of them, and the number of people is a guarantee of strength."
In most cases, the bigger the size. The advantages are more obvious.
Otto envied Mellaren’s population, and he couldn’t help but feel fear and awe in his heart.
The messenger has already set off, and Otto just sent a little-known but brave warrior who could be said to be brave enough to fight. This man carried a wooden board with words engraved on it, which was his personal letter.
His plan is that he will not go to the Malaren Market unless necessary. Only after receiving a formal invitation from the leader of the alliance and being asked to enter the alliance site did he land with Rurik.
What is this called? This is called the card face.
But the development of some things always exceeds each other's expectations.
The Russian envoy successfully delivered Otto's letter to Origen. Who would have thought that the envoy's ship actually missed Origen's envoy.
A thin man wearing a velvet hat and beautiful feathers. This man looks like a businessman, but in fact he carries Olegin’s autograph.letter.
Gould Island is still bustling with activity. Within the wooden walls of the island, in a secluded wooden house, Otto, Rurik, Carlotta and others are sitting quietly on leather cushions. The messenger didn't waste any words and immediately handed over his letter.
Otto glanced at the letter. There was not much in it but it was very important. The leader of the alliance, Olegin, did not use any honorific words. In a completely commanding tone, he asked the three important people to arrive at a deserted island in the lake tomorrow morning and discuss some matters in secret.
Things are getting very good.
Otto frowned, as did Rurik. Even Carlotta noticed the conspiracy.
"What's going on? Are we going to have a secret conversation?"
The messenger's expression remained unchanged. This person's rigorous attitude really made Otto think that this person was a warrior. "Chief Ross, my master issued this order. According to the covenant, you must go to the meeting."
"Really? Since it is his order, of course I will go. Just..."
p>"What are you worried about?"
Otto felt that something was wrong with this matter, and Rurik suddenly felt like a banquet at Hongmen. No, it can't be that bad.
Otto did not dare to express his worries about the most extreme situation suddenly. He asked: "Where are the other leaders? Can they arrive?"
The messenger shook his head, as if I gave a negative answer, which is actually not the case. "Chief Ross, this is not my responsibility. I don't know, and even if I know, I don't have the right to answer."
"Huh?" Otto suddenly made a tactical retreat: "Then what else do you want? What? You can go back and tell the leader to hold the meeting openly. Leader Ostara and I will attend the meeting openly. There is no need to be so mysterious."
"You are worried about the leader and other leaders. Is there a secret agreement? This is impossible!"
The messenger seems to be unable to laugh or be surprised. It seems that this person can still put on such a serious face if he is punched. People who lie have a guilty conscience, and Otto does not think that this person is lying.
"So it really is a secret agreement?"
The messenger immediately looked left and right vigilantly to make sure he was not eavesdropping before laughing and saying: "Yes, my master said, The Rus are his most respected allies. With this alliance, we will form a deeper alliance, and some things should not be known to other tribes."
The atmosphere became more tense, Otto. He stretched out his hand to put the wooden board away and murmured: "Food, weapons and silver coins. You can go back. You can tell your master in advance that we Russians have brought all the weapons. We will go to that desert island tomorrow. , I hope he can ensure that no idle personnel will notice this."
The messenger stood up, neatly knelt down on one knee and raised his head, completely proving that this person was actually a sophisticated person. warrior.
Good thing now, the Rus people will plot something with the Melalen people before the formal alliance. Is it just a deeper official bilateralCooperation, things must not be that simple.
After Gould pointed out the name of the so-called desert island, both Rurik and Otto knew its name - Leg of Lamb Island.
What a strange and funny name. Of course, it has such a name because there are shepherds on the island. On the contrary, the island is full of white sand and small trees. The overall shape is like a roasted lamb leg, nothing more.
Is there anything special about this island?
Gould, who knew the hydrology and climate of the place well, gave some guidance.
It is indeed somewhat special. The so-called special is that it is far away from the main trade channel of the lake. The island is located deep in the west of Lake Mälaren, and it is a half-day boating trip from Mälarenborg.
Look, in the letter Olegin asked the Russians to keep a low profile, and he himself would also keep a low profile. The letter did not mention any restrictions on carrying guards. The biggest restriction was that ships on both sides were not allowed to display obvious flags.
Going to the meeting?
The messenger left, and at night, several people still gathered together to communicate quietly.
Otto and Rurik immediately agreed, and they undoubtedly regarded this matter as an opportunity.
Rurik gave his father a reminder: "I think that man just can't save face. He wants to be honored, but he is old. His son Karl is not a smart man. I always feel that this time Conversation in secret, Olegin hopes to get our public support."
"Support for what?" Otto felt that his son had realized something.
"Just to support him and even his son to do something..."
"For what?"
"The new alliance leader, or the king. He I hope Karl can inherit all the power, even if I think that man lacks the qualifications." "Why do you need to quietly find us for support? Oh! I understand..." Otto laughed. , he deliberately asked Rurik: "So, are you willing to surrender to that fool?"
"Bah!"
Rurik's answer was decisive, but Otto Considering his son's temperament, this matter will definitely not be that simple. He deliberately smiled and said: "We can openly support it. As long as we can get benefits, there is no problem in supporting them as alliance leaders. In my opinion, your kid is no longer so enthusiastic about the entire alliance. Tell you, do you think so?"< /p>
When it came to this person, Rurik had no intention of deceiving his relatives. He raised his head and said: "I am a fish in the sea, not in the lake. We Russians are now Novgorod The actual leader of the Kovin people. What about the Svea Alliance? It doesn’t matter if we break away when we become stronger. Dad, those wooden documents record it very clearly. It was the ancestors of these people who expelled us seventy years ago. , especially the Uppsala and Mälaren people, we don’t have to be angry about these things now, because seventy years after we conquered the East, these guys are still here.Still fishing in this lake area. "
"Okay, you are good at talking. Let's prepare. If there is any big event tomorrow, I authorize you to speak for me. Ha ha! "Otto rubbed his son's head affectionately, quite a bit; "As a leader, it's best for you to render Olegin speechless. ”
If the Russians no longer value the Svia Tribe Alliance so much, as long as the alliance’s resolution will not harm the Russian economy, conditional support for those things that are not available will obviously be helpful. The Rosses were in an advantage.
On a new day, when the sky had just turned blue, the two longships quietly left Gould Island.
The phantom of the Aurora was in the scenery of the lake and mountains. Still just a dark shadow, she stands in the port more like a symbol of the leader of Ross, proving to the merchants that the mysterious Otto has not left.
In fact, Otto is wearing chainmail and leather. A, sitting on the boat with the appearance of an old soldier. He was wrapped in a burlap robe. At first glance, he looked like a fisherman returning from fishing at night.
and Carlotta were also named. The two of them were wrapped in thick deerskin and resisted the cold lake breeze at dawn.
On this trip, the fat Gould actually worked as the navigator. , he sat on the bow, relying on his seal-like figure, and he did not participate in paddling.
There were nearly fifty people in the two boats, except for the important people who were attending the appointment. Among the men sent by Gould to do the chores, there were as many as forty armed men who had participated in many wars, especially Jevlo, the Finnish mercenary captain, who was the commander of the guards used on this trip.
They are small in number, and there is no doubt about their strong combat effectiveness.
When they think about what happened yesterday, Otto and Rurik do not think there is any risk in this trip, so the significance of carrying a large number of guards is probably. It is to show the opponent that the strength of the Ross people cannot be underestimated.
The name "Sheep Leg Island" is indeed a bit funny.
There are many islands in Lake Malaren, most of which are small sandbars. Mainly, the larger islands actually have strange names. There are only a few people living on these islands. For safety reasons, the residents on the lakeside spontaneously formed large and small tribes. Mela has the best location. The Lun tribe has naturally absorbed the largest population. Therefore, except for the main settlements, the other areas are essentially no-man’s land.
"The front is Sheep Leg Island. "Gould's big, stubby hand reached forward.
Otto squinted his eyes and took a closer look. He noticed that there were indeed some people hanging on the sandy beach of the island in the distance. When he looked carefully, there were There were more than ten people, all carrying a spear or a wooden stick, with some white strips of cloth tied on it as some kind of signal.
As a veteran soldier, Otto was against anything sharp. All the objects were instinctively vigilant. He turned around and ordered the people who had been rowing for a long time to cheer up: "Brothers, be prepared! Check your weapons to ensure they are capable of handling any eventuality. Now row faster! ”
At this moment, Olegin took his guard of one hundred people and landed on the island while it was still dark.
He attached great importance to this secret meeting, because the Russian messengers had always conveyed the goodwill of the Russian people, which relieved his nervous heart a lot. Olegin indeed wanted something from the Russians. As you can see, Olegin attached great importance to some honorable things. For example, he braved the cold in the early morning and arrived at the Island of Mutton Legs in the dark. What he pictured was a "Welcome guests as a host."
Finally, the guests are here!
A little embarrassed, Olegin took a swig of Russian strong wine. Not to mention, it is said that this precious glass bottle has the name of the wine printed on it, which makes it much more noble than ordinary ale. After one sip, the feeling of malaise is gone.
Olegin was dressed as a warrior, but his gold-inlaid belt, more than ten pieces of amber and sapphire chainmail, and even the gold crown on his head that looked like a ring, fully proved his nobility. .
More and more Melalen warriors came out of the woods, which made Otto, who was about to rush to the beach, instinctively vigilant. < /p>
"Dad?" Rurik asked in confusion.
"Rurik, look, Origen has brought many armed men. What do they want to do?"
Rurik squinted and saw those people dressed in black. Lord: "They seem to be Olegin's private soldiers."
"Are they enemies?"
"Probably not. At least not now."
< p>Otto gritted his teeth and decided not to change the order.The two ships washed up on the beach, and now the armed men were standing behind Olegin. They stood in a dense formation, but the team seemed a bit scattered. Their battle axes and swords were still hanging on the belts around their waists, and some of the warriors carrying spears looked even more casual.
What Jevlo, who has experienced this situation for a long time, clearly saw was a group of lambs waiting to be slaughtered. They had no fighting spirit at all, and they did not want to fight at all.
On the other hand, among the Russians, Yevlo reacted extremely well on the spot. He did not ask the soldiers to draw the steel sword (it actually only takes a second or two to draw the sword), but lined up in two rows in an arc. The human wall at the bow of the ship faced the Melalen people's shields painted with various patterns. The nobles, such as Otto and Rurik, were closely guarded by the warriors.
Look at this well-trained formation, it instantly changed Olegin’s previous ideas about the Russians. He never thought that the Russian soldiers were actually well-organized! On the other hand, my own people, despite their flabby appearance, are said to be brave warriors.
Olegin gritted his teeth. He felt that he had come earlier and brought more people with him, so he was still overwhelmed by the Russians in terms of momentum.
"Otto! My brother, are you in the crowd?" Olegin suddenly shouted loudly.
At this moment, Otto could not even dream ofWould you think that the so-called "great leader" whom you haven't seen for ten years would actually come close to you in such a tone? Otto didn't feel any warmth at all, he thought it was ridiculous. Rurik and Carlotta were so shocked by these words that they had goosebumps all over their bodies.
Because in this world, except for his brother Ogier, no one else would affectionately call Otto "brother". Unfortunately, it has been almost ten years since Ogier died.
"Jevro, let the brothers put away their shields."
No, Otto gave an order, and all the Russian warriors put their shields on their backs and neatly folded their chests. Chain mail is shown to the opponent. Their movements of closing the shields were also neat, and they once again attacked Olegin.
The Ross warrior stepped aside, and an old guy with blond hair, a tall and strong figure, a huge beard, and extremely deep eyes walked out with arrogant steps.
He was Otto. Seeing this man, Olegin subconsciously took a step back. After realizing Lu Qie, he hurriedly took a step forward, even though he was still a little nervous.
After all, they hadn’t seen each other for more than ten years, and Origen had almost forgotten what Otto looked like. If you take a closer look at this person, this look even has a feeling of the legendary "Great God Odin".
That’s right! Next to this old guy is a beautiful boy Rurik who is calm and full of wisdom. At least since Rurik was born, a legend has spread throughout the league. Olegin didn't want to pay attention to those legends at all, but Rurik was really a magical child. Olegin wished that this was his son, thus completely stabilizing the hegemony of the Mellaren people. Unfortunately, everything backfired...
"You...really Otto?"
"Exactly!" Otto stood like a sculpture.
Olegin, who originally regarded himself as his master, actually lowered his body, spread his arms and walked over. He even smiled and said: "My old friend, my good brother, ten years. ! Let’s meet again.”
He wants to show etiquette, and Otto shouldn’t be rude here.
The two old men hugged each other and patted each other on the back. Olegin felt Otto's hardness, and Otto felt Olegin's strength on the outside but on the inside. People are different. Olegin is indeed a little older than Otto. The difference in age can explain very limited things. Olegin is naturally weaker than Otto, which was reflected when the two were young.
In those days, Olegin of Mellaren used his tactics to become the leader and even the leader of the alliance. Although Otto had wisdom, he actually mainly relied on swords and fists to gain his status.
The hug between the two eliminated mutual suspicion to a great extent.
Olegin let go of his hand and looked arrogantly at Rurik and Carlotta, who were also visiting: "It's a good thing that you all attended the meeting. Come on, let the soldiers guard the island , I won't let anything interfere with us, and we..." Olegin looked at Gould again. He actually didn't want a businessman to visit, so he said very nervously: "I just want to talk to you in secret. catchThis is just a secret conversation between the three of you and me. "
Otto looked left and right again. He pointed to the edge of the beach and the woods: "It's right there. Lay out some fur rugs and we talk things over as leaders. Look, uh, I need to see that my soldiers are actually keeping us safe. ”
“That’s fine. As you wish. ”