After all, Paul has been a serf all his life. It would be foolish to expect this guy to have any sense of shame.
Ryuri ordered Paul to stand aside, and someone scooped up a basin of sea water and directly washed the king's stinking face.
Now that things have happened, Rurik, who once had naive ideas about the whole world, has disappeared. He squatted on tiptoes next to Eynred, who was huddled up and wearing only cloth clothes and still showing his teeth. He held a little seasoned sea salt in his right hand. Seeing that the man was still angry, he deliberately sprinkled salt on the wound on his left arm.
The king opened his mouth and shouted during the move, full of words such as "Kill me", a phrase that Rurik understood.
In Eynred's opinion, squatting in front of him was a fair-skinned young man with blond hair and a whip. His clothes were indeed different from those of the barbarians. Considering the situation, is this young man the commander-in-chief of the entire barbarian army?
This young man is indeed handsome, but he is so vicious in his heart that he is simply a familiar of Satan.
"You... how dare you destroy our monastery on a holy day!"
Rurik listened attentively. He didn't care what the king shouted. . In his opinion, to kill a so-called nobleman, just pick up the dagger and stab him in.
The king’s name is Eynred? Oh, this Eynred is just a "voucher" now. How much this person is worth is what needs to be determined most at the moment.
Ryuri ordered Paul to translate his words.
Paul still had the evil smile on his face, and said sternly: "My master said that the Viking army will attack Bamburgh."
Just mentioning "Banburg" At the name "Fort", Eynred began to tremble all over.
"Bamburgh! It's Bamburgh. My master said that the only way to avoid war is for you to pay a tribute of one thousand pounds of silver coins. After we got the money, we gave up attacking Bamburgh and gave up killing The people in the city and the farmers in the villages will also be released."
To be honest, Aynred was a little tempted, and after thinking about it, he felt suspicious, and then shouted: "This is related to the situation. The devil’s contract is not trustworthy at all.”
“It looks like something is wrong.” Rurik shook his head and asked Paul: “What’s going on?”
"He...is seeking death."
"Must be a hero?!" Rurik not only pinched his chin, but then looked at Eynred, who bared his teeth and his eyes were filled with helplessness and grief. , shook his head: "It's scary, isn't it."
Geiger came with an ax in his hand: "Since this person is still seeking death and doesn't want to pay for his life with silver coins, why should we talk here? Brothers rush to that place Bamburg, kill all the locals, the treasure will be all ours."
"Don't be impulsive." Biyongni stepped forward, followed by more people. Everyone still feels that the idea of "exchanging prisoners for money" can be implemented, but now the king of Northumbria has a tough mouth.
Biyongni signaled Geiger to get out of the way, and he patted him for a while.Ke's shoulder: "Brother, you have to make this person submit. I'm afraid it won't work if you pee and wash this person's face again, you see."
"What's wrong."
"He His arm is already disabled, we just bandage him with cloth, but he will still die if we continue like this. We really can’t exchange him for money.”
Rurik nodded. Following Biyongni's train of thought, he came up with a plan.
"Then treat him, be cruel, and force him to cooperate."
The sun had just set, and the captured Northumbrian King Aynred, his current The situation is really like a sheep waiting to be slaughtered.
He was pushed down on the sandy beach by many people, and a Viking warrior pressed his knee against the upper arm of his injured left arm.
He held a ball of rags in his mouth and stared at the burning sword in the fire with horrified eyes.
Rurik sat cross-legged next to him, with a handsome and dull face under the soft light of the campfire.
Soon, Biyongni came over with the red-hot sword.
"Rurik, I'm going to do it."
"Do it!"
A moment later, a sizzling sound came, and Ainre De was trembling in severe pain, and big beads of sweat quickly wet his forehead and started to pour down like rain.
The air was filled with the burnt smell of barbecue, and Eynred's trembling became more and more like he was suffering from epilepsy.
The red-hot sword slowly cut along the root of Eynred's left arm. This barbaric treatment method might be able to save his life, but if he did nothing, this Eon Red will die from a wound infection.
Biyongni took the severed left arm and threw it into the bonfire.
At this moment, Eynred was so painful that he fainted, but the torture was not over yet.
A pottery jar and sea water poured him awake again.
Eynred woke up and felt that his left arm was in severe pain. He tried to raise his left hand and found that he had no intuition. What's even more terrifying is that he is facing the sky with his belly exposed? Even the last robe to hide shame is gone?
Rurik was still sitting next to him with a dull face, and gestured to Paul to say in the ancient Saxon language that was very Rurik: "This is the commander-in-chief of the Vikings and the Duke of the Principality of Rus. This is An inevitable war. You! King Aynred of Northumbria, you must pay a tribute of one thousand pounds of silver to buy your life back and prevent Bamburgh from being razed to the ground."
I was not killed, and the other party's actions were obviously healing.
A thousand pounds of silver? !
Eynred gasped with a haggard face: "Too much! One thousand pounds of silver coins."
Rurik stepped forward and asked again: "Still don't want to give it? "
"..."
Rurik shook his head and said with hatred: "In that case, I will turn you into a eunuch."
Although Eynred didn't quite understand what the young man said, he understood everything immediately.
With his belly exposed, he looked like a stallion waiting to be gelded. There is oneA shaggy-haired barbarian has already approached his vital point with a red-hot knife. This operation is clearly that of a gelding.
This is the greatest humiliation for a man. Eynred didn’t care so much and shouted loudly: "I will give you money! Give me money!"
This does not go out of the way. As expected, Ke ordered his men to stop and asked: "A thousand pounds of silver coins? Give them?"
"A thousand pounds...a thousand pounds is too much. There is no gold and silver in Bamburgh." One thousand pounds.”
“You still don’t cooperate?”
“No!” Ayn Red shouted in fear, “Two hundred pounds!” "Two hundred pounds."
This number has been very clear. It has been reduced from one thousand pounds to two hundred pounds. The heads of the various families of the Balmok tribe present have various thoughts.
One thousand pounds, a silver coin of this magnitude challenges everyone’s view of wealth.
That is two hundred pounds of silver coins. If this money can really be collected, the brothers will be very happy.
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Biyongni took everyone’s attitude into consideration and pulled Rurik aside for a moment. At this moment, a few more people gathered to discuss quietly.
Biyongni bluntly stated his satisfaction: "Two hundred pounds is already a lot. Based on our previous looting experience, I'm afraid we won't be able to squeeze a lot out of this kingdom."
More others People echoed, their short-sightedness and easy satisfaction really gave Rurik a headache.
"That's it? Are you satisfied?"
"What else? This guy has been so stubborn that I think it will be difficult for us to squeeze any more benefits. I'm afraid it's Bamburgh, It is indeed very poor."
The speechless Rurik shook his head and went back to sit next to Aynred: "Then give me another hundred thousand pounds of wheat. I know you have just finished the wheat harvest. It is said that Fort is a big town in your north, and it must have a lot of wheat."
"Are you thinking of harvesting wheat?"
"Say, one hundred thousand pounds of wheat. , give or not."
"One hundred thousand pounds is too much. I...can only give you fifty thousand. If you loot all the wheat, our people will starve."
"You...are you begging us? Are you actually begging now? Do you think I am so kind?" As he spoke, Rurik, who drew his dagger, motioned to Paul to completely translate his words. .
That’s all, the dagger was pressed directly against Eynred’s ear: “One hundred thousand pounds! No negotiation.”
“…”
It seems that this king is not unwilling to cooperate, but is trapped in substantive negotiations, and he wants to try his best to reduce his losses. This shows that this person is not a fool, but any efforts he makes are useless.
Paul immediately began to translate another of Rurik's words, and it was truly horrifying that this sentence was spoken by the leader of a powerful barbarian tribe from afar.
“You are proudThe proud cavalry suffered huge losses and the huge army was completely wiped out. Edinburgh and Lindisfarne were both destroyed, what would Mercia and Wessex think if Bamburgh was destroyed again? We Vikings want silver coins and food! But those people always hope to annex your kingdom. They will kill your family completely, even more brutally than we did. "
Ernred was silent for a while, then sighed and murmured: "You actually know Mercia and Wessex. You are obviously barbarians, and you are well prepared for this attack. ”
“Of course. We are here for wealth. Are you willing to use silver coins and wheat to buy our safe lives? "Rurik asked deliberately.
"Haha, do you have such good intentions? Even if I take the money, you will still break the promise. "
Rurik naturally agrees with what the king said. The so-called peace commitment in any form is essentially a truce commitment for a period of time.
The Viking Age The tide has begun, and the Russians are not just a brave leader in this tide. Other brave people include Danes and Norwegians from all walks of life.
Rurik cannot guarantee his so-called promise. He said bluntly: “At least you can trust us now. I'll take you to Bamburgh, I'm afraid you'll arrive tomorrow. I know that's also a town that sits on a cove by the sea, and the army will surround the town and you'll be on display. When we have the required tribute, we will release you and withdraw the entire army. "
Go home! Reunite with your wife and children! Just straighten out the internal affairs, recruit new soldiers to train the army, strengthen coastal defense, and strengthen land border defense.
In a few seconds, Enre De has devised multiple strategies to avoid the recurrence of tragedy.
First of all, he must return alive, even if he pays a serious price.
"I agree. Two hundred pounds of silver coins, one hundred thousand pounds of wheat. You send me to Bamburgh, and I will order the local garrison to do what you ask. All I ask is that you don't attack Bamburgh. "
Rurik nodded: "I can make a promise, but I have to add terms now. "
"Huh? ! You..." Eynred was so angry that he felt that he was being played by this brat.
"Don't be nervous, I have already estimated your strength, it is already like this, and I won't rush you. Do the impossible. "
"What do you want to do? "
Rurik simply didn't care, and pointed at Eynred's vitals casually: "We are all men, and as men we have men's needs. My brothers have been sailing on the sea for a month and have come to your territory to ask for silver coins, food, and your women. Provide me with a hundred young women, a hundred pure women. You cannot implement the requirements that are too high. A hundred pure women must come up. "
"This...am I going to use a woman to buy peace? "
"Do you have a choice? ”
Eynred just raised his head and drooped when he heard it.go. He really had no choice.
"Okay! Okay...they will accuse me of being a tyrant."
"It doesn't matter." Rurik shrugged and pointed to the dark sea: "The sea's What's on the other side? They're all enemies! Do you think Northumbria's enemies are all on land? No! You kingdoms are just sheep fighting for fodder, and we've got wolves on the other side of the sea. The money and women will be withdrawn, but more people will come to kill us. We are not the same group as the newcomers. Even if we don't come, they will come back, and they won't even give you a chance to negotiate."
"So, I even have to thank you?"
"Of course you have to thank me." Rurik took back his sword and ordered his men to cover the king with a fig leaf, " We set off tomorrow morning and expect to arrive at Bamburgh at noon tomorrow. Look, the stone walls of Lindisfarne can't stop them. Whether we attack Bamburgh or not depends on you. Is the tribute provided quickly? You can't die now, you can rest for now."
After that, Rurik stood up and glared at Eynred: "You are indeed a stupid king. Not even a warship. I expected a naval battle, but nothing happened. Your cavalry caused me a little trouble, which gave my victory some glory. Let me show you the Vikings tomorrow. The charm of a big ship."
Rather than taking the captured enemy king to demand tribute, ordinary Balmok Viking warriors would rather grab their battle axes and break Bamburg by their own abilities.
With the loss of a group of brothers, and the continuous expedition in the past month, even if everyone seems to be still as energetic as the loot exchange, their violent snoring at night cannot fool Rurik's ears. .
The Balmoqs and the Bergen immigrants in Shetland do not need to receive any moral inspiration from the cross at all. What they all believe in is Odin, that is, belief in gaining glory in fighting, barbaric reality An ode to the berserker. But their physical fitness as a whole cannot satisfy Rurik. The real Russian warriors have been eating wheat and meat for many years. Their strong physical fitness has shown a strong advantage in many battles where honor and the future are on the line.
If the Balmoks were allowed to storm Bamburg, Rurik would still be confident of taking the city in one fell swoop.
The price is naturally another 200 casualties. Logically, those who died were not Russians, so he didn’t need to care.
But wait! When he returns, he has to cross the waters controlled by the Bergen people. In accordance with everyone's "maritime etiquette", the fleet carrying a large amount of loot must move slowly. Will the Bergen people suddenly gather and launch a momentum? A vast orgy of plunder?
The rule of the sea is that the strong is king. The ruling family leaders of the Balmok tribe, or the children of the leaders, were all in the army. Rurik found that they would not complain about their command due to the large loss of personnel, but would only complain about not getting enough treasures.
Think againThis trip to Bamburgh is very likely to bring in a lot of loot. If a large number of Balmoks are killed in the battle, who will row the large number of longships directly on the return voyage? You can't let the Avora pull multiple ships.
The key to obtaining a large amount of tribute in a peaceful way is that the captured enemy king must be alive and well.
That night, Eynred's legs were tied up, and his surviving right arm was also tied to the rope around his heel with a rope. A piece of wood was thrown into his mouth to prevent him from biting his tongue.
Rurik was wrong, and all the Vikings were wrong. They really thought that Aynred had a high probability of trying to commit suicide. At least they thought about it. The Vikings couldn't stand this kind of insult. , either died fighting or committed suicide.
Eynred never thought about committing suicide. Compared with the fear of death, he was more afraid of the consequences of committing suicide and going to hell. He faced the new day in an extremely awkward manner, everything seemed like a dream, as if everything was a nightmare.
It wasn’t until someone kicked the wound on his broken arm, causing him to scream in pain, that he realized that there was no nightmare at all and that he was facing the darkest moment of his life.