Chapter 647: Raising angry soldiers to defeat the rebels

Nominally, with the addition of Calf Manor and Fisherman Manor, Otto's number of armed men increased by 300.

Are the newcomers trustworthy warriors?

Bah! Can a barefoot, single-clothed peasant holding a spear be considered a warrior? They were not trained, had poor weapons and equipment, and were in poor physical condition.

Their current task is to defend, and Otto arranges for them to serve as flankers temporarily.

But Otto was surprised that they were poorly armed, but they actually raised a lot of cattle, and a lot of chickens were stuffed in a lot of wooden cages.

Poultry are good things. They do not need to be carefully raised. They cannot fly if their flight feathers are removed. They can freely hunt insects near the farm like free-range chickens. Such poultry cannot eat too much fat and grow slowly, so they do not need to deliberately feed wheat grains.

Otto allowed the two manors to eat up part of the acres of the original Pine Needle Manor after the victory of the war, and some price would naturally have to be paid before that.

They are all raising chickens, including White Tree Manor and the new ones.

The two manors provided a thousand chickens. As a reward, Otto gave them more than thirty rusty spearheads to improve their weapons.

The old soldiers of Ross were busy eating chicken, roasting the chicken wantonly until only the bones were left.

The feathers of chicken wings are all gathered together. Although there are no large and long flight feathers, other feathers are still good materials for making arrow feathers.

The three estates of White Tree, Calf, and Fisherman are actively preparing for war under Ross's rule. The men with spears have been on alert, and the women have been mobilized to do military logistics.

For example, using newly acquired feathers to make arrows with generally disposable bone clusters.

Reinforcements from Fort New Rose finally arrived.

Following his father's instructions, young Konuson led an army of up to 400 men and rowed a traditional longboat up the Volkhov River.

The twenty boats washed up on the mudflat. They pulled down long cables and tied them to the nearby cedar trees on the shore to secure the boats.

A group of classic Viking warriors disembarked?

Not only that, there are also a large number of Novorossian people who speak Lislavian language among them.

Those are the so-called people who defected from various farms, and there were even men who defected from Pine Needle Manor.

Otto has a lot of trust in this group of people. They have all paid grain taxes in New Roseburg to open up wasteland for farming, and their families are all in the north. Their loyalty can be trusted.

Even so, Otto did not want to take the initiative. His plan was still to wait at White Tree Manor.

Little Cornuson led a new force to report to the old Duke. Seeing that Otto was present, he reported his situation on the spot. He made a bold suggestion: "There are rebels on the banks of the Great Lake. In my opinion, if I lead some brothers to land on the beach, I will be able to annihilate all the rebels."

"No! You are too impulsive." Otto didn't seem to think, and immediately rejected the young man's proposal, and even warned: "I am the most powerful person here, you have to restrain yourFriends, whoever dares to attack rashly will be punished afterwards. "

"But do we really need to wait? We should strike first! "Little Conuson was still working hard. He was eager to make great contributions in the new battle.

Otto shook his head, gave him a sudden push, and ordered: "Don't attack rashly. We are on guard. Why? We will wait until Rurik arrives to attack. By the way, have you seen Rurik's fleet? "

"I...I didn't. "

"No? How is this possible. ”

Young Konuson did not lie. After all, Otto and Rurik acted separately, and there was no clear communication between the two parties before the action. So when a rebellion broke out in Novgorod, Liurik Rick was just preparing to lead the army to New Roseburg.

There was a subtle time difference, but fortunately the gap was not extreme.

Little Conuson's initiative to ask for help. Otto was moved, and even what this person said was very constructive.

Based on the available information, Otto could determine two things: First, the patricide Vadim of Pine Needle Manor could only do. Very good at controlling the people of his estate. Second, most other estates have a very ambiguous attitude towards the war.

So who is the main enemy?

If so. Will sending a small team to launch a surprise attack and behead Vadim quickly eliminate the local opposition?

This will definitely not be the case. I am afraid that the entire Pine Needle Manor should be uprooted and completely uprooted? Only by getting rid of this root of rebellion can the whole of Novgorod really obey.

Otto feels that he is getting old and has lost a lot of courage to forge ahead in recent years. He prefers to hold on tight. When it comes to fighting steadily, especially in war, Otto actually has an inferiority complex. He feels that he has never been able to command too many troops to fight a large-scale war.

Obviously, only Rurik has it. The ability to command an army of 10,000 people in battle.

Although the young Conuson is prohibited from carrying out sneak attacks with hundreds of brothers, he still needs to conduct reconnaissance against the enemy.

Vadim threatened to gather 10,000 soldiers. Regardless of whether there was any water in it, Ross had never faced 10,000 enemies in one battle in the past. Otto had a good mentality, even if some people would criticize him for being too old. Damn it, so be it.

On the other hand, due to the large number of troops, accompanying non-combatants, and large amounts of supplies, Rurik's fleet is not sailing very fast.

Rurik had considered this situation from the beginning, but due to actual circumstances, he arrived at New Roseburg one day after the planned time, which was the first day of June.

During the voyage, Yevro was ordered to take a group of soldiers and leave the team on a sail destroyer. Their target was the city of Helsinki, and then went up the river into Kupa Boka, the core living area of ​​the Finnish Suomi people in the inland lake area, and announced Duke Ross's order to the highest local nobles.

In other words, the Javlo couple went to Kupa Boka as Counts of Finland, especially their infant son Satuli, who was the real Count of Finland.

Rurik had long given Javlo great discretion. As a canonized noble, Javlo had the right to recruit Suomis and Tavas throughout Finland who were willing to fight for Russia. The Thians organized an army of Finnish servants. There is no limit to the strength of this servant army, but weapons, food, transportation, etc. must be paid for at their own expense. The servant army will benefit from the war, and each soldier can obtain the spoils of war based on his ability.

However, they had no idea that something big had happened in Novgorod.

Rurik’s plan is to use the coastal plains at the mouth of the Neva River as a gathering place for excellent armies, then rest the army and send scouts to search for intelligence, intending to find the core of the Karelia people’s rule and defeat them with one blow. Destroy and seek decisive battle with your enemies to achieve final conquest.

The war model of this era was like this. For many tribal groups in Europe, as long as the capital-like core was destroyed, the entire political entity would quickly be destroyed.

The arrival of the huge Ross fleet did not surprise the people of New Rossburg. When Rurik's men disembarked one after another, the soldiers were surprised by the tall walls and solemn towers of this big city, and they were also surprised by the serious faces of the onlookers.

Carlotta frowned at the side of the ship. She slapped Rurik: "It's strange. The atmosphere is a bit depressing. Don't the people here seem to welcome us?"

"Why? Maybe." Rurik smiled awkwardly, "Maybe, there are too many people here, and maybe they are worried that our big appetite will eat up all the local rabbits."

The girl couldn't help but smile, but the seriousness of the scene was a fact.

Something big must have happened here! There is no way New Roseburg had ever encountered an active attack by the Karelians. Rurik had to be suspicious, because he found the local governor Konuson and asked about strategic issues and even the situation of his father Otto.

Rurik disembarked from the ship, and more than a thousand warriors had landed before him. Many Balmoks, especially Hellafed Bringodson, rubbed their eyes hard and looked up at the Ross flags fluttering in the wind on the heavy wooden walls, as well as the big city itself, just like the old city. What Rosberg saw and heard made him once again feel his own insignificance.

Many soldiers got close to their local counterparts as soon as they got off the ship. Due to the lack of understanding of outside information, they were willing to share their knowledge with others. This is a serious question, about NovgorodReports of a serious rebellion spread like wildfire.

The rebellion provoked by Vadim was almost just Pine Needle Manor coercing the rebellion of other manors. Most of them supported the rebellion in name, and they were very entangled in their hearts.

But the messenger sent by Otto arrived at New Roseburg, and the message was subconsciously embellished, and then explained to Rurik by Konuson, and it turned into a terrible geopolitical event: a barbaric event. The guy assassinated Otto and gathered an army to expel the rule of Rus.

Knusson, who was standing on the trestle, explained this very urgently, which instantly made Rurik, who was smiling, frown.

"What? Otto was almost killed in an assassination attempt?!" How could Rurik believe this?

Cornusson used his gray beard as a guarantee: "Your Majesty the Duke, I have never deceived anyone in my life. In my opinion, this news is absolutely reliable. My son has brought four children with him." Hundreds of brothers went to Novgorod to reinforce your father. To make Lord Otto so anxious, I'm afraid the situation in Novgorod is worse than I imagined."

"Otto. Is he still alive?" Rurik asked cautiously.

"He is very good. The iron armor is an excellent defense."

Rurik asked: "Who is the perpetrator?"

"That's the one Vadim, this person now calls himself the Princip of the entire Novgorod. Sir, that crazy man is clearly provoking you. There can only be one Princip in this area, and that is you!"

“The person who assassinated my father, betrayed Russia and dared to call himself Princip (Duke) must die. It seems that I will kill a group of people in Novgorod and kill all the rebels and others. Kill the family members!”

Rurik’s words were harsh, and he really planned to do so during this special period.

Is there anything more disgusting than this? When Ross gathered heavy troops and contacted his allies, he planned to effectively conquer Karelia, making New Rossburg an absolutely safe place. It was during this critical historical period that the Slavs in Novgorod rebelled!

Rurik no longer had any intention of visiting New Roseburg, or seeing his own palace and the rammed-earth "Harvest Square" at the door.

In the meeting hall here, he summoned all the flag captains under his command for a meeting on the same day as soon as he landed.

It is not an exaggeration to criticize Novgorod’s rebellion in the most vicious tone. Reason finally overcame Rurik’s emotions.

The rage did not dissipate, but turned into a plan to conquer the traitors.

The last thing Arik, Khelafed, Frazier and others can tolerate is a traitor. When they heard that the servant dared to rebel, the three of them thought exactly the same as Rurik - put down the rebellion first.

Moreover, this situation is also related to the demand for tribute this autumn. If the traitorIf they are not strangled and liquidated, they may not be able to collect enough food from Novgorod in the autumn, which will be very detrimental to the Rus Principality, whose food self-sufficiency rate is still extremely low for the time being. The life attitude of many Rus people who speak Norse has changed. They instinctively pursue good meals. Nowadays, life cannot be lived without wheat.

In the meeting hall, he announced his new decision loudly, and also wanted to hear the opinions of the guys: "It seems that the war against Karelia will be postponed. What do you think?"

"Fight the traitor first!" Arik said with a sullen face without hesitation.

Thus he said, and Khelaphid expressed the same opinion.

The opinions of those participating in the meeting were completely unanimous. There is no need for new discussions here. Conquering the rebellion has become the first priority, and it is worth sending the entire army to Novgorod, and even Novorossberg is no longer needed. New garrison.

Considering the population of Novgorod, Rurik was afraid that the enemy could assemble a team with an astonishing strength, perhaps 10,000, or even 20,000.

Maybe the locals will burst out their resentment over decades of plundering wealth.

Now that the information he has received is very limited, Rurik prides himself on being more cautious. There was nothing wrong with gathering superior forces to fight, but if he pulled out a team of 3,000 people, Rurik would be full of confidence.

Because war is not simply about piling up numbers, the gap between soldiers can be very huge due to the comprehensive influence of factors such as military strength, armament, discipline, logistics, etc.

Since Konuson’s son has gone to Novgorod with a group of warriors to meet with Otto at the White Tree Manor, it means that Medvet’s Slavic Banners numbered 800. It's full.

In this way, the First Flag Team and the Third Flag Team are a thousand powerful Viking warriors, and there is also a team of more than 500 archers.

What does this military look like? It is already close to the military appearance of the Battle of Gotland.

Not only that! There are still some people here in New Roseburg who are now Ostarians, and they should accept Carlotta's command to participate in the war. Another group of Slavs who immigrated to New Roseburg were armed and capable of fighting.

What’s more, White Tree Manor is like a dodder hugging the huge oak tree of the Rus’ Principality. Novgorod is undergoing a massive rebellion. White Tree Manor will bear the brunt of the rebels’ attack and will definitely give everything it has. Military strength for self-protection.

The meeting did not last long, and there was not even much discussion. The Russian soldiers present unanimously demanded that the traitors be eliminated and eradicated. As for the fact that the identity of the Karelian people was still accompanied by the fog and they did not come to the south bank of Lake Ladoga to provoke the Principality of Rus, Rurik made a bold decision.

He entrusted Konuson with a major order: "Organize your remaining troops to ensure the alert of New Roseburg and ensure that the Karelia people are unable to make a sneak attack. You also send a new expedition to the lake. Exploring the north to collect intelligence."

Knusson nodded in agreement and had no more key questions.

The situation was so urgent that Rurik only wanted to stay in New Roseburg for one night.

His determination inspired Carlotta, because this time the Duchess of Ostara could truly lead her army to fight as an ally of the Principality of Ross. There were only seventy men and women combined. Due to their extremely weak military strength, the so-called Ostara Army was directly organized into the Archer Flag Team, using bows and arrows as tactical support.

Rurik’s determination also made Svetlana very happy. However, when she realized that the rebellion of the main manor in Novgorod would definitely bring disaster to her family’s White Tree Manor, she burst into tears. Lihua Daiyu’s eyes were swollen from crying. Ross's army will immediately go south to put down the rebellion, and her pessimistic mentality is completely reversed.

The next day, most of the soldiers completely gave up the illusion of rest. Some non-combatants, such as Arik's wife Asraqi, stayed outside the local area with their children, and all the combatants went south.

Old Harald was delighted with the arrival of his daughter and son-in-law, and he was even more delighted with the birth of his grandson. He regarded his son-in-law Arik as a son, and now the powerful young man was going to war again. Old Harald did not say anything more, but gave Arik a few pieces of amber and some words of encouragement.

Just like the other warriors, Arik is now a passing visitor. The huge fleet carried as many as 1,700 soldiers and sailors. This extremely powerful fighting force successfully passed through the Neva River by wind, and then floated to the Volkhov River on the shores of the Great Lake.

The large number of troops and necessary baggage forced the ships to no longer be able to move upstream quickly. Rurik knew that there would be a drawback after he assembled a large army - logistical problems.

The Ross army cannot be stationed for a long time. When the army arrives at White Tree Manor, it must start training immediately, and even launch a full-scale attack on the traitors a few days later.

Rurik can't afford it. Even if a large amount of wheat is unloaded at New Roseburg, that food is prepared for the attack on Karelia. Allocating time to counter the rebellion has already canceled more than half of the original plan!

If this battle cannot be resolved quickly, it will directly affect the success or failure of conquering Karelia this year.

Finally, one cloudy afternoon, taking advantage of a wonderful north wind, the Ross main fleet against the current suddenly gained strong power. Rurik's final voyage went extremely smoothly. He saw the White Tree Manor. There are wood carvings, a large number of haystacks, and even a large number of Viking longships parked on the riverside.

People on the shore also raised their heads, danced and cheered for the Russian flags on the fleet mast.

Rurik and his army followed Lord Otto’s request and arrived at White Tree Manor!