At the end of the meeting of the Tavastian people, the women brought by the three chiefs of Kewen and the children they brought were all shared by many villages, and the very few men were also completely absorbed.
Bakan, Hortai and Ojedo actually lost their tribes, but they did not really become ordinary people, nor did they encounter any humiliation. The reason for this is Because it's not a threat at all.
The displaced people finally found peace among the Tavastians.
The existence of these three people forms a great symbol, that is, Chief Watkard has enough power, and can already use this power to make the diggers actively attach themselves to him!
What leader doesn’t want flatterers? What's more, these three people obviously have a huge role in the journey to the north.
I heard from these three people that once winter comes, the active Rus people huddle in their hometowns west of the sea, and the camps they stay in the river become defenseless.
Winter became a major opportunity for assault. Watkard, who felt he had the opportunity, organized a real expeditionary force in the first winter after the three leaders surrendered.
He ordered his brother Vatyala (Strong Feet) to lead as many as five hundred carefully selected warriors, so-called shrewd winter hunters, and form an expeditionary force with his own full-metal weapons. , under the guidance of Bakan, Hortay and Ojedo, launched a surprise attack on the Oulu River Basin.
It can be said that the three defeated leaders finally got a chance to fight back. Didn’t the Tavastians they saw also have iron spears, iron arrow clusters, and strong bodies?
They naturally believed that their defeat was due to their lack of troops and insufficient preparation. Now it seems that the Tavastian warriors should be as fierce as the Russians. The expeditionary force has so many troops, and the Tavastians have more warriors. They naturally estimate that this force will wipe out the Rus' forces and end the grudges with the Salmon Man.
As for his own tribe, it was meant to be destroyed.
The three of them fled with the surviving women and children of the tribe. They lived for revenge. As long as the great revenge was avenged, what would happen if they died?
Now, the Tavastia expeditionary force is like a flying arrow, heading north in the ice and snow forest, aiming directly at the mountain fortress of the Salmon Lord tribe.
They killed as many as fifty people (and more than sixty people were injured to varying degrees), and finally won the victory through the tactics of fire and smoke. They became the masters of the Oulu River Basin and captured a large amount of iron tools. They just watched the other Covin people who were frantically escaping for their lives on deer-drawn sleighs on the vast sea ice and just watched them leave.
The hunters of the expeditionary force have already obtained their trophies of iron tools and immediately started hunting in winter.
The mountain fortress that was burned by the flames has been changed beyond recognition, and many leathers that could have been taken away were also turned into ashes in the fire.
The mountain fortress of the Salmon Lord tribe has basically lost its use value. The expedition to TavastiaPeople then began to take advantage of the mountain fort left by the gray squirrel tribe.
In order to plunder the loot, they dug up graves everywhere. Although they didn't find anything good, they were shocked by the astonishing number of highly decomposed corpses.
They are a large number of stacked bones, and there is always a thick layer of earth on them.
According to the three people who surrendered, these bones are probably the dead of their own tribe.
So many people died in the battle? Are the Russians really enemies?
Commander Vatyala captured a strange and elastic iron sword, and his soldiers brought in several strange corpses.
According to the surrenderers, these people who were stabbed with spears were Russians.
The Russians were killed like this. Maybe they were not strong in the first place. As for the huge number of skeletons produced, he did not understand what kind of fierce battles had occurred here, and he did not want to pay for them. Nothing to worry about.
Based on tradition, the Tavastians began to transform the old mountain fort of the Gray Squirrel tribe into a camp that could be maintained for a long time. Of course, the old camp of the Salmon Lord was also reused to a certain extent.
While sending a messenger back with the good news, Vateyala also announced that this river area would become Tavastia's new territory.
Hunters capture squirrels and ferrets, and explore until they reach the frozen coast.
Looking at the boundless sea of ice, the hunters in the mountains and forests all opened their mouths and sighed at the wonder of the world.
They discovered that they could reach an island ahead by walking on a path made of ice. There were already many wooden sheds there.
Is that also the camp of the Kovin people?
Some bold people put their arrows on their bows and touched them warily. After discovering that the place was empty again, I happily occupied it.
Isn’t this a treasure given by God? The Corvins fled, and all their camps were taken by the new conquerors!
The Tavastians also discovered five strange ships parked on the coast of the frozen island. They had upturned heads and a mast in the middle. The boat was securely secured by ropes and covered with snow.
It seems that the Corvin people fled for their lives and their ships were abandoned here.
Even though the Tavastia Tribal Alliance has many lakes in its territory, its shipbuilding technology is really primitive. They could only cut down big trees and use an ax to carve out canoes. For example, it was too difficult to make a Viking longship. This shipbuilding technology is really inferior to that of the Suomi people, their neighbors to the south. At least the latter can go to the Gulf of Finland to fish and meet the passing Ross fleet.
Life became stable for the conquerors of Tavastia, and Vatyala enjoyed roasted squirrel, mink, and even bear meat.
More than a hundred immigrants from their hometown came with their families in reindeer sleighs along the road explored by the expedition. The speed of their immigration also shocked the three surrenders.
The Oulu River has become the living space of the Tavastia people, and as they expand to the northThe momentum seems to be unstoppable.
Immigrants came with various production tools and started life immediately upon arrival.
Watyala lay comfortably on the newly peeled bear skin, his mouth full of delicious food grease, and his rough hands pointed at the three surrendered Kovin leaders.
"My eldest brother is the leader of the alliance, and I am now the leader of this flood (Oulu) river. This was originally your home, and I was your master. The old place of Kewen is now our tower The northern frontier of the Vastians ”
Awkward? have no choice? Embarrassing?
Bakan, Horthy and Ojedo, these three have become lonely, miserable and polished commanders, poor bastards who have no real power and have even been deprived of their names, but at least they are surviving. Come down.
The three of them all flattered and congratulated the old man Vatyala on his successful conquest.
They are willing to be loyal servants, and Vatyala laughed heartily and mentally after being complimented.
"You three are very smart. As my loyal subordinates, I will naturally give you rewards. I can find three women from my subordinates. We are all men, and men will not embarrass men."
After hearing this, the three of them all knelt down, danced and praised the wisdom of the leader of the expedition, Vatyala.
But, is this really wise?
Does this "hero" of the expedition really think that after the Covins escaped, the Russians, the masters behind them, abandoned this place?
Of course he knew that the Russians had a high probability of retaliation, but immersed in the first real victory in his life, Vatyala even felt that his achievements might be higher than those of his eldest brother Vatkader.
The eldest brother is the eldest brother after all, and he is older than himself. If the eldest brother suddenly dies of illness, he will have enough strength to fight for the position of alliance leader.
Then let the Russians rush over! The brothers waited for work, seized Ross's iron weapons, made military exploits, and gained new bargaining chips for future battles.
However, something unusual happened!
The small island at the mouth of the Oulu River that can only be reached through the ice sea is Hailuoto Island.
The island has a natural bay facing the river estuary, which is a unique anchorage for ships. Right in this tiny bay, Ross fishermen naturally built a summer camp. It is entirely because the winter climate here is so harsh that no fishermen have settled there for a long time. A small number of boats were thrown here. When the weather turned cold, the fishermen caught enough migratory salmon locally and happily returned to Roseburg on the other side of the sea to spend the winter.
Since the Rus conquered the Oulu River Basin, fishermen have begun to carve up the fishery resources here, but no one expected that the Tavastians, who only heard of them by name, would become a strong competitor. .
Maybe those guys are really powerful?
No!
In Arik's view, the strongest enemies were the Danes. But the feats of his younger brother Rurik fully illustrate that the current RossThe principality has been able to crush Denmark like an ant.
Aric has been sent to do some dangerous jobs over the years, and this is not the first time he has been a scout. He really enjoys it.
He naturally likes adventure and fighting unknown enemies. After performing such missions many times, his mind has become more flexible than a ferret sneaking in the snow.
Yes! Ferrets! Since the world is white, the fifty warriors should dress like ferrets.
They spent some time preparing. They all put on white cloth cloaks and then rode six reindeer sleighs on the ice sea.
How to get lost in the vast sea of ice? Just because many of these selected people are fishermen, they like to fish in the sea near the Oulu River in the summer, and then repair boat screens in the summer camp. They were not simply armed reconnaissance, but also had the task of restoring summer camps.
These fifty people all carried crossbows, including the surprisingly powerful but heavy steel-armed crossbows, and the very light wooden-armed crossbows converted from short wooden bows with low power.
They also carried shields, short spears, steel swords, and a few even carried slings.
After a day of running across the ice, they climbed over the ridge of ice on the ridge of the bay and spent the night on the ice.
People were eating pre-made wheat cakes, and even the reindeer were munching oats.
In terms of logistics, Arik's reconnaissance team does not have to worry at all.
The flames were beating, and he shouted to his brothers: "I guess those villains have occupied the river. We set up camp when we arrived at the summer camp, leaving some brothers to guard the camp, while others penetrated into the mountains and forests near the glacier. "
Someone shouted casually: "If we encounter the enemy, should we just wait and see what happens, or pursue him?"
"Of course we will kill him!" Aric didn't even think about it. Want to decide on this strategy.
Someone else mentioned: "But the Duke asked us to report the enemy's intelligence. If we really fight, the number of brothers will be too small."
"There is nothing to worry about. ? Are the crossbows in your hands just firewood? Some of you have followed me through the entire island of Gotland. We have experienced the most dangerous things. Who else is worried about a group of guys who are no better than the uncivilized people?"
When Aric said this, many young warriors who really killed everyone in Gotland deeply agreed.
He added: "Just follow my plan! We are all covered in white cloth and can hide in snowdrifts. We sneak up on the exposed enemy and shoot with crossbows, just like shooting a head. Wild deer or bear."
The plan has been made, and the first task is to successfully reach the summer camp.
Of course, Arik is no longer a completely reckless man. There are also terrible scars on his arms, which are the consequences of underestimating the enemy in Gotland.
Afraid that he would stir up a hornet's nest with limited troops, he ordered his brothers to stay on guard and arrived in Xia by default.There will be a battle with the enemy in the quarter camp.
They ran wildly on the ice for more than two days. It was a sunny afternoon. The Ross scouts on the sled saw the frozen coast in the distance and even the island.
The island has no name and is known as "Eastern Summer Camp".
They had already seen the straw huts left by their own people on the island, and were very alert to spy on the curling smoke.
"Oops! There are enemies!" Someone on the sled was shocked.
Arik raised his head, and his whole face immediately turned into a cracked earth.
He bared his teeth and said ferociously: "It seems that the enemy has occupied our camp. Brothers, prepare to fight, we will kill them all!"
Everyone wants to go on a long journey. I was so depressed that I suddenly had the opportunity to kill the enemy and make meritorious deeds. Who wants to be left behind by the guys?
Look at this sunny weather. The great sun, the incarnation of Odin, is in the sky, and the eyes of God are watching the fighting heroes.
What warrior doesn’t want to show bravery in front of God?
There are more than twenty Tavastians staying on Hailuoto Island at the moment. At first they discovered the strange camp and wonderful ships here, and now the camp serves as an outpost.
Watyala was arrogant enough to ignore the possibility of a Russian attack, so he left such an informant.
But for this group of people who saw the vast sea of ice for the first time, their initial awe has turned into boredom.
These twenty people stay in the summer camp left by the Russians. They like to stay warm in the shed, or light firewood to roast squirrel meat, or even bear meat and wolf meat.
Compared to the Corvin people, this group of Tavastians has stronger hunting capabilities. In addition to being good at archery, they also dare to gather together to hunt black bears.
Now the Russians are coming!
Arik and his men landed, and the reindeer sleigh stopped on the frozen coast.
"Brothers, follow me."
"Arrows are unstrung, everyone spreads out, we surround the camp."
"Remember, wooden crossbowmen , after shooting the arrow, immediately string it up and shoot again. Steel crossbowman, throw it away after shooting the arrow, draw your sword and charge me!"
Hailuoto Island is not a small island, Arik and others! Landing from the north of the island, it is only three kilometers away from the summer camp.
This distance seems very far, but it is not so when you look at it.
The Russians climbed onto the snow hill with their crossbows in hand, and sure enough they saw someone moving.
They lay down one after another and hid themselves in white cloth cloaks.
After a while, I squinted my eyes and observed in Arik, and determined that there were not many moving figures, so I simply made a quick surprise attack.
He stood up and called on his brothers: "All stand up. Charge with me! Kill them all."
The Russians were moved by the surprise attack, and no one shouted any slogans, just The natural composition is relativelyA wide line of skirmishers rushed towards the camp.
When the Tavastia garrison spotted the attacker covered in white, they thought it was a monster jumping out of the snow.
No! Suddenly, Xue actually spoke.
When the two sides were close enough, the Rus began a spontaneous Viking war cry, accompanied by angry arrows.
The Tavastians were caught off guard. They tried to fight back by drawing their bows and shooting arrows, but it was of no use.
An arrow whizzed past Arik's ear, but he, who had experienced many battles, ignored it at all.
With their advanced weapons and superior strength, the Russians quickly rushed to the summer camp.
The warrior who threw away his crossbow began to slash with his sword. The stunned Tavastians suddenly realized that they had lost even the chance to fight back.
Only one person hurriedly sat on a reindeer sleigh and tried to rush back to the river area to inform the boss.
What is very helpless is that this unlucky guy has become the target of public criticism.
The reindeer pulling the sled were also hit by many arrows and fell to death. The man was hit by three heavy crossbow arrows in the back and died miserably.
But no one in Russia suffered any casualties.
The brothers gasped with smiles, and some began to check the wooden bows and scattered arrows of the dead bodies.
Someone showed Arik the captured arrows with a contemptuous attitude: "Boss, are these their arrows? Look at the arrow clusters, which are all rusty and so small, like a small piece of iron. Nail."
Another person came with arrows: "Look, there are still bone arrow clusters here. I checked the corpses, and no one was wearing armor. It seems that these corpses are much smaller than us. The enemies are all without armor. Many of our brothers are also wearing chainmail armor reinforced with thin iron sheets. They are really over-prepared."
Arik looked at the arrows brought by his men. He broke it in disdain and looked at Binghe again: "We won this battle too easily. In my opinion, Kejas is exaggerating. We are actually dealing with these guys with the same attitude as the Danish warriors."
< p>"Boss, what should we do? Rush into the glacier now?"Arik shook his head: "We'll spend the night first, we'll eat well and move on tomorrow. Listen!" He asked everyone to gather around, The order was given: "Leave twenty brothers to guard the camp, and the other thirty people will follow me into the forest. Let's go hunting!"
Hunting? What is hunting? Hunting bears?
Arik’s simple explanation made all the brothers happy. He indeed regarded attacking Tavastia invaders as hunting wild beasts, so he naturally formed a group of hunters to keep an eye on the lone enemies and attack them in large numbers, exploring and killing them all along the way.