A light snow came unexpectedly, and its power seemed to only make the temperature slightly colder.
Spring has arrived in essence. In the Mediterranean Sea in the south, flowers are blooming, while the Gulf of Bothnia and the pure Arctic Circle in the far north are still covered in ice and snow.
Elenburg is already within the Arctic Circle, and the Port of Narvik is simply deeper.
The hazy world keeps raining down dense ice crystals, which adds a little worry to the team about to travel far.
Rurik took a nap and ate local grilled salmon around noon.
The fish was presented by Mechasta, who himself also entered Rurik's palace.
"Sir, did you sleep well yesterday?" he asked flatteringly.
"It's so comfortable. My woman Nolen hasn't gotten up yet."
"Then this meal..."
"It won't be a problem." Rurik waved his hand and said, "There is almost no chance of sleeping peacefully in the next few days. Mechasta, how did you finish the task you were told?"
"I organized people overnight to move the stored dry grass for you. The bundles of grass have been placed on the new sled, but the grass may not be enough for the deer to eat."
"I know it's snowing, but it doesn't matter. My Tavastia women, how are they?”
“They are very good, I have given orders, and my people do not dare to provoke them. But there is another thing I want to ask. You report it."
"Is it a good thing?" Rurik asked.
"It's a good thing."
"But it doesn't matter."
"It's about free deer farmers, some of whom are temporarily staying in our Ellon Fort, maybe you already knew about this. They are here to do business, since they are all your servants..."
Rurik's mind was originally filled with my trip to Balmok. Man, suddenly remembered this: "Then go and have a look."
After a while, a small group of dwarfs who looked like ragged clothes stood in front of him.
That was Rumia's very distant uncle. When this person gave an order, all the "dwarves" knelt down on the ground.
Are they all so-called free rein deer farmers? Indeed. Listening to the ancient Finnish dialect they speak, it is indeed the same accent as Rumia.
They kept saying they were going to meet their master.
But why are they so respectful? He must be seeking wealth.
"You all get up." Rurik used the same language to level him up. He stood on a high place and opened his arms to show his broad mind.
"I am indeed your master! Your life is protected by Ross, but when you do business in my territory, you must pay tribute."
They told themselves one after another" A few reindeer were handed over as tribute, and this was the only thing they could offer.
They were deer herders, also known as Lapps or Sami.people.
The "wooden wooden documents" owned by the Ross people clearly remember that Ross has had a deep connection with them since ancient times, and ruling them is actually a destiny.
Perhaps he was a little rough with them at first, but seeing them being so respectful today, Rurik was extremely happy.
He casually ordered Yevro: "Bring the money bag."
After a moment, Rurik threw some silver coins at them.
There are not many shiny silver coins. How dazzling are they on the snow? !
Rumia’s old uncle had a very active mind and immediately shouted: "Guys, what are you doing standing still? Thank Duke Ross for his kindness!"
They immediately got down and picked it up. Silver Coin happily praised the Duke as a good man.
This may be an insult and a way to show power.
"These guys... Canglin knows etiquette. You are really poor, but you are very smart and know how to commit yourself to a strong person." Rurik thought this way.
Up to now, Ross’s policy towards the free-living deer herders from the depths of the Gulf of Bothnia to the Kola Peninsula in the west is basically restrictive.
As long as they pay physical tribute, they can do transactions in Ironburg and be protected, and can buy useful things safely, which was impossible in the past.
Is there any more high-pressure governance for them? The population of free deer farmers is still too small, and the Kra Peninsula alone is an extremely huge place. Although they were unable to resist, they still had the ability to run away if the pressure was too severe.
Conquering the area where the deer farmers are located is considered a success, but the deer farmers themselves are dispensable to Ross. Better make good use of them! For example, they come uninvited every year and trade reindeer, which can prevent Ross's own reindeer population from falling into the abyss of inbreeding.
Even in some extreme situations in the future, free deer herders can provide men to serve as sleigh drivers for the Russian army.
Rurik had no intention of paying attention to them anymore. He inspected the ten new sleds and forty new deer, like giant snails standing on the snow!
These reindeer sleighs provided by Mechasta are positioned as heavy-duty trucks for mining! The deer are not randomly selected. They are all male deer that have been deliberately castrated. This way they can maintain their physical fitness and avoid their mania in April and May. This is something that the Finnish people and other Finnish groups are well aware of. On the contrary, it was Rurik. His sled team was almost always pulled by unpregnant and thin female deer. The reason for this choice was to facilitate management.
The sled team just got bigger! Mechasta also sent his men.
Rurik knew these men very well, and they all affectionately called Rurik the most noble man. Rurik would call them simply, "old warriors".
These men were longbowmen during the war, and now they serve as charioteers. However, they carry the "Grey Tree Longbow" with them, so that if they encounter wild beasts wandering in the snow field, they can directly shoot them from a distance..
Once you have advanced long-range weapons, no one will refuse to shoot a polar bear. They want to obtain precious bear skins, and even use bear heads with their brains dug out to make terrifying helmets.
It was really the right choice to visit Ironburg. Not only did Rurik get a more adequate reserve of supplies, but he also took advantage of his clear mind to inspect the city of snow.
The frozen River Airon has brought down all the hydraulic workshops. They are unable to carry out free forging, and they are unable to pound oats into digestible crumbs.
Noren first took a bath and then a sauna last night. He enjoyed it to the extreme and his body became soft and weak. After a rest, it was already the afternoon of the next day when he woke up.
She ate some cold fish, then took Rurik’s arm to visit the giant thing by the river.
In the houses adjacent to the aqueduct, huge drains were trapped in the ice.
In the past two years of living in Ross, she has learned a lot about the mechanical knowledge of Ross people, and she was also instilled in her by her husband Rurik some so-called Newtonian mechanics in her daily studies. , gears and mathematical knowledge.
Of course she couldn't learn too much, but she still learned a lot. But I am a woman, so I am very interested in learning arithmetic and reciting formulas. I am also learning gears and mechanics. Do I want to be a craftsman?
She at least understood the connection between the water row and the free-forging hammer. After some association, she immediately thought of the golden millstones in Roseburg's house.
She pointed to the huge bearing that was introduced into the cold house by the water drain, and said: "Rurik, since it can drive the hammer for forging, if you follow the new gear, it can also drive the millstone to rotate."
"You..." Rurik was stunned on the spot.
"Rurik, what's wrong with you?"
"You actually understand this?"
"Of course I understand it, not all You taught me." After that, she laughed again.
Mechasta himself is here. Since even Nolen knows that the huge impeller of the water row can drive the millstone, it is really inappropriate for him not to arrange for his men to do something.
In a moment, he ran to the workshop that specialized in pounding oatmeal and ordered Mechasta to immediately carve a cylindrical roller from stone, or even a flat stone slab. If you ask what this thing is used for, Rurik's answer is very simple: "Just use the power of water to turn the stone roller, and then crush the wheat."
It takes some effort, Mechasta I had never met Shi Nianzi, so I had no choice but to take over the job based on Rurik's description and rough sketch.
The women of the Covin gray squirrel tribe who adopted the Ross species generally hold their mixed-race children. Not only do they not reject mixed-race children, they also hope that their descendants will be as majestic as the Ross people. Ironburg has a small population, but the number of children it supports is staggering. Fortunately, this area has only been developed in recent years, and the extremely abundant fishery resources can fully cope with the rapid expansion of the local population.
Another example is Rurik adding a batch of salty salmon.Dried fish, the special muscle texture of salmon is still obvious. After eating high-salt food, people's blood becomes thicker, and people's ability to withstand severe cold is therefore improved.
On the promised new day, Rurik’s supply, inspection, and research in Ironburg ended successfully.
The people warmly bid farewell to the Duke's journey, and many people are also glad that the annoying Tavastians have finally left.
This is when everyone saw that the Duke’s huge sleigh team was heading west along the coastline. Is that the right direction?
Rurik’s move was indeed a detour, and he had good reasons for his detour.
In fact, we first take the frozen Ellon River north to Fisk Castle on the lakeside, and then head west to find the Torna River in the forest.
There were already 70 sleighs, 700 people, and 300 reindeer in the team. This large force was advancing in the gray world of constant light snow, and Rurik chose a conservative route.
No one can criticize this conservative choice.
They set out early in the morning and arrived at the frozen mouth of the Torna River before nightfall.
The light snow is still there, and people are camping in the woods by the river.
Compared to many people's worries about the future, Rurik is still as confident as ever in Nolen's view.
Even if it snows, people still light bonfires to make the cold night no longer scary.
People spontaneously hid in their sleighs to sleep, and the reindeer gathered together to keep warm. Only those standing guard carried weapons and kept throwing frozen branches into the bonfire.
"When will the snow stop?" Nolen whispered, nestling next to Rurik.
"How do I know?"
"I'm just afraid that the wind and snow will become bitter."
"It doesn't matter, I'm very familiar with this place."
"Very familiar? Here?"
Rurik sighed lightly: "When I was seven years old, I left Fort Ross for the first time to participate in our winter hunting. Camping by the river. I told you about my past. Our Ross has been expanding externally for the past six years, and all of this is my effort!"
It sounds incredible, Nolen knows Rurik. Everything said is true.
"Then, we will go against the pace of my people and return to my hometown. I... never thought that I could travel so far."
"What is this?" Rurik laughed boldly: "One day we will go to see the Roman capital and see if the huge mountain wall of Constantinople is real. No. Lun... don't think about it, go to sleep."
Noren twisted his body, like a cat, burrowing into Rurik's body, hoping to get more wonderful warmth...
The world at night is pure darkness, and the vigilant sentinels discovered the flickering green fluorescence in the forest on the snowy night.
Those are the eyes of an Arctic wolf!
It was a pack of wolves. The wolves, looking for food, took the risk and approached the Russian deer herd, but failed to escape in time.Any wolf that ran away was shot with a crossbow.
It is this bold beast that everyone carries weapons to guard against. The beast also contributes meat, giving the men the opportunity to beat their teeth as a sacrifice.
For three consecutive days, the sled team's job was to drive endlessly. No one was worried about getting lost. All the Balmok mercenaries had exactly the same caliber. Although the trip was far away, this one The glacier reaches its destination.
As they advanced on the snow-covered ice road, the sled team continued to advance at a constant speed, maintaining a speed of about 60 kilometers per day.
It is actually not difficult to calculate how far you have traveled on your journey. Reindeer are very peculiar animals. The time they go to the toilet is almost constant, and the reindeer driver uses this to estimate how far he has progressed every day.
It was not until three days later that the snowfall process ended and people could move forward in the sunshine again.
Yes, the sun is so bright that it is almost blinding.
The huge eyelashes of the reindeer became natural blinds, and Rurik’s men all wore wooden-framed sunglasses.
Rurik looked dashing in his sunglasses, and Nolen also showed a hint of aloofness when he wore them.
Everyone’s eyes were protected, and their journey also entered the high-speed running stage.
Originally Rurik was worried that when the team reached the majestic central mountains of Scandinavia, they would have a very unpleasant climb up the mountain. At that time, will the team have to leave the glacier and get off the sled all together, and slowly climb the mountain?
It turned out that Rurik was wrong, very wrong.
As if he did not know the true face of Mount Lu, just because he was in this mountain, his team had entered the central mountain range, and only by careful observation could he find the clues. Because the team has been traveling on a gentle uphill these days, it is difficult for everyone to notice.
Twelve days have passed since they left the mouth of the Torna River. The reindeer sleigh team demonstrated the ability to continuously run which is extremely rare in this era. As a price, Rurik's reserves of grain and grass also cost a lot.
There are mountains in front of us, and they don’t look very tall. The mountain peak is not high, and the altitude where the sled team is located has reached 500 meters.
The Torna River has become much narrower, but the glacier is still strong. Rurik actually noticed the presence of pebbles under the ice and knew that this was already a mountainous area, but the smoothness of the ice road and the soothing surrounding environment prevented him from jumping to conclusions.
Until this night, people lit a large number of bonfires, and all the Balmok mercenaries were chatting about their upcoming arrival at their hometown.
"Coming soon?" Rurik heard Jevro's report and the boredom of these days was gone.
The only way to play boring games seems to be to listen to Nolen sing about the community. She has her own temper and is not happy to play the flute and sing songs for the rough guys of her own race, but tonight is very special. .
Because many men are yelling, and they are yelling about only one thing - they will arrive at the Ice Lake tomorrow.
A frozen hill lake? we nowActually on top of a hill?
To be honest, Rurik had not carefully inspected his geographical location in recent days. When the morning light illuminated the whole world the next day, he looked to the east and ignored the dense pine forests on both sides of the river. , vaguely feeling the emptiness of the Eastern world.
It is said that they must go to the Ice Lake today, and the team heading out again is in high spirits. Even the reindeer herds are pulling the sleds driven by whips and starting to run wildly in a rare way.
Rurik did not wait too long, and even before noon, the team had already arrived at the Great Lake.
Seeing this, people were already cheering, and the sound seemed to be able to crack the ice. Even Nolen was screaming, because when you reach the westernmost edge of the lake, you will soon be able to see the vast sea!
The col below the mountain leads directly to the Narvik Fjord, and deep in the fjord is Balmok.
The journey was basically within Rurik’s expectation. He spent seventeen days standing on this glacial lake (Lake Torna).
For the entire team, there was only one remaining tiger that came down the mountain.
Rurik gave an order: "Brothers, let's be bloody! Give the Balmoks a surprise!"