A land deed has been signed, which means that more than one hundred hectares of land have been distributed by decree.
We have land, but where do the wheat seeds come from?
As the saying goes, if you want to cut sheep, you must first breed a large flock. In order to obtain a continuous supply of food, farmers must obtain a large amount of food.
The original grain was a kind of original capital. The terms clearly stated that the grain was provided by the Duke and the source was the "Russian National Granary".
Rurik was not willing to simply throw the food to them and become a hands-off shopkeeper. Farming is a technical job, and he doesn't believe that a native of Ross who has never planted wheat can become an excellent farmer in an instant.
So are the local Slavs good farmers?
They are all backward!
Rurik didn’t do the plowing himself, but this year was different, he had to do it himself.
The duke provided the food and land cultivation methods. Although he has no experience in farming, Rurik is by no means ignorant of grains. What he knows about farming is mechanized agriculture.
It is naturally impossible to mechanize in this era. It is impossible to produce a batch of advanced human and animal-powered agricultural tools and adopt some orderly sowing, harvesting and distribution. Another example is increasing the input of human and animal excrement to fertilize the fields, and establishing water pumping mechanisms for irrigation.
The ultimate goal is to increase grain production. Rurik believes that what he does will be effective, because the old agricultural technology of local farmers is actually the lower limit of agriculture.
Oats are ultimately a low-yielding grain. The fact that they are the staple food in the area around Lake Ilmen does not mean that they are simply cold-resistant. Rurik estimates that they simply cannot get a large amount of cold-resistant wheat.
Does Ross have this kind of wheat? Of course there is.
Wheat in Britain is a legacy from the Roman era. Local people have cultivated it for thousands of years, so much so that it can even be grown in Scotland.
Britain is naturally warmer than Novgorod, but the frost-free period in Novgorod is much longer than the growth cycle of spring wheat. Especially in summer, the temperature can make people feel a little hot.
Russian explorer Spyot actually successfully completed last year's tribute to the Kingdom of Northumbria, with a large ship full of cold-resistant spring wheat.
Rurik had already sent a letter to his hometown. The spring wheat arriving was not allowed to be sold to the public, and only oats were allowed to be stored in warehouses.
"I have to send another person to send a message. Then summon the group of First Standard Soldiers from New Roseburg here."
The father of the First Standard Soldier They often serve in the Second Banner Corps. The Principality of Rus is essentially the main body of Rus. All the old Rus people are soldiers. They are all considered nobles, so the war dividends must be shared with them first.
Some old guys signed the contract on behalf of their sons first, and there were still more than 300 people left. Rurik decided to arrive at New Roseburg quickly and ask them to sign the contract quickly. This is of course a voluntary principle. If they want to be farmers, they should quickly sign the contract. If they want to continue to be hunters and fishermen, they can put the agreement aside for the time being.
Because Rurik holds a very large amount of cultivated land, he must decentralize land rights in order to unleash the land's productivity.
Only the old Russians have the right to obtain the use rights and property rights of these mature fields. Old Ross’s new son is growing vigorously, and Rurik is also willing to count the fifteen-year-old boys from his hometown and let them work as farmers. These are related to the "Great Immigration" project.
The meat had to be chewed one bite at a time. Since there was relatively plenty of time, Rurik decided to rush to New Roseburg as quickly as possible. He had already started to take action.
He is a Duke and he can do whatever he wants.
A small horse-drawn sleigh team was formed. Local ponies were put on reins, and two horses pulled a sleigh, which could accommodate ten people. Rurik's request was not extreme, so he summoned his guards and recruited local drivers. More than fifty people sat on eight sleighs, carrying some extremely important cargo, and headed north against the frozen Volkhov River.
The reason why the Duke left in a hurry was to obtain excellent new wheat seeds, the so-called wheat from the island in the far west. The local Slavic people all know about wheat, and they have also tried to grow it, but unfortunately the results are not good. They subjectively feel that although all wheat is delicious, it is difficult to grow it on their own. In fact, the wheat they bought from Smolensk in the south was not very suitable for the climate of Lake Ilmen.
The team advanced in the vast world, and they marched in a lane made of ice.
"How long will our trip take? This is the first time I have left home in winter." Although Svetlana clung to her husband, her inner fear was clearly revealed.
Rurik comforted her and stroked her face: "As long as it took us to get here, it will take us as long to return."
"But I'm just afraid. You said these snow-colored It's very beautiful, but for the people of our manor, if you get lost in the snowy forest, you will definitely die."
"Oh? Are you afraid of getting lost?" Rurik laughed in public.
He yelled at his mercenaries: "Haha, she said she was afraid of getting lost and ice and snow. Brothers, what haven't you done? The Russians are never afraid of ice and snow!"
< p>The mercenaries cheered, making the boring march full of fun.Rurik did not speak, he just walked along the frozen route. Of course he was also worried about getting lost, so he didn't choose to take a shortcut.
The straight-line distance from Novgorod to Novorosberg at the mouth of the Neva River is equivalent to 160 kilometers. The premise is naturally to pass through undeveloped dense forests. If you choose the ice route, your journey will nearly double. It is better than having a clear route.
The Slavic people around Lake Ilmen, like the Russians, have been using the Julian calendar. Through long experience, they generally start sowing at the end of April. If the climate is warm enough, the weather will change due to melting snow. Once the muddy fields become firm again, they will sow seeds earlier.
Rurik was sure that he had two months to complete the matter. In theory, it would be a waste of time to go to New Roseburg in tandem.For half a month, the rented horses suffered.
The ponies were all nailed with iron horseshoes, and there was no need for the Russians to teach them this kind of behavior. The unique shape of the horseshoe gives the horse strong friction on the ice surface, and the smooth ice surface also reduces friction. The sleigh can gallop, and the two-horse sleigh is forced to sprint for 60 kilometers every day under the urging of the whip. In fact, the horses were moving forward by walking, and fortunately they were forced to move throughout the day.
When the team stopped, the horses were fed a large amount of oats. Rurik brought a lot of oats, which were not for people to eat but were actually horse feed. Only these were enough to drive the horses forward.
The team successfully entered the frozen Lake Ladoga. The mercenaries looked at the boundless ice surface, and everyone subconsciously sighed. It is said that this place resembles the Gulf of Bothnia and the frozen Malaren. lake.
The cramped icy roadways are now extremely common, and everyone is beginning to face new problems.
The mercenaries wrapped their bodies in fur coats one after another. The cloth they bought from the Slavs was torn into scarves, and they wrapped their heads with it, leaving only a pair of eyes.
The cold lake breeze seemed to be able to crack a person’s cheek. Rurik also wrapped his head with cloth like his subordinates, while Svetlana got directly into the large white bear skin blanket, just like a little kangaroo. The pouch.
What happened to the whole world?
Rurik felt empty, quiet and desolate. He didn't think there was anything scary. This world was as clean as another planet. The coldness and emptiness could purify people's hearts.
Only these cold-resistant ponies were still persevering. When the sled team entered the Neva River, the lazy people became excited.
No one would have expected that the Duke would suddenly rush to New Roseburg on this cold day. The tall wooden city wall protects the residents in the city. Outside the wall, it is still very safe, or it has become very lively.
When people have the need to trade, trade bazaars will appear. The market does not appear out of thin air. It can be a dew market at the beginning. As people with trading needs have recognized this place, a market that exists in the cold and summer was born.
The plots within the wall have been divided into their own uses. Although there are a number of open spaces, they are also sites for large-scale infrastructure.
The population is expanding, and new arrivals are building houses outside the city. Houses were not allowed to be built indiscriminately, and human and animal excrement was not allowed to be thrown onto the road. Governor Cornuson gave all settlers rigid requirements. Violators, according to the Duke's order, would be slapped with the lightest fine or the most serious.
The appearance of the sled team was too sudden. When people found out that it was Lord Rurik, another large group of people gathered to watch the fun.
Both parties were actually watching the excitement of each other, and Rurik noticed the existence of the open-air market right away.
"What's going on? Arik, you and your hunters are already making a deal? It must be so!" He muttered.
The panting horse finally got a good rest,Rurik and his men jumped out of the carriage, and the wooden boxes containing important cargo were also unloaded.
He brought two women with him this time, his wife Svetlana and Duchess Carlotta of Ostara.
The former is his assistant, and the latter will take advantage of this important opportunity to convene all Ostara immigrants to hold a historic rally in New Roseburg.
Actually, Carlotta was very jealous of Lana, that girl who had been getting along with Rurik along the way. Thinking about it carefully, she was not at a loss, because the good thing she had dreamed of finally happened!
The day when menstruation was supposed to come didn’t come. It was Freya’s permission and everything really got better.
She and Rurik were temporarily struggling in the city, and the two equally noble nobles were doing their own great things separately.
That night, the palace of the Duke of Ross (equivalent to the actual Winter Palace). Although it is night, the lights are brightly lit in the spacious house. Although it is cold outside, the matrix of oil lamps and chandeliers illuminate the "circular bear head decorative array" on the wall, which is quite ferocious. The room is also quite warm. The people inside are wearing soft linen. Regular use is enough.
Rurik sat in the most distinguished position, and Svetlana sat next to him slightly cautiously. In front of them were grilled fish and honey bread baked by Aslaki. The meal was prepared a little hastily, but it was still delicious.
Here, delicious meal maker Yaslaqi came, and Arik, whom he hadn’t seen for several months, also came, which surprised Rurik.
Governor Cornuson and his son were also present. They held back their words. They were eager to report all kinds of things about New Roseburg in the winter. They were also curious about how their brothers who were wintering in Novgorod were doing.
Of course, the biggest question is why Duke Rurik suddenly ran back. It seems that there is definitely no trouble in the south.
They chatted casually while eating. Since Konuson asked in person, Rurik said it bluntly.
The house was filled with the aroma of grilled fish and the sweet aroma of honey bread. After hearing the Duke's description, Cornuson and Arik were not in the mood to eat.
The Arik people were upright and loyal, so they suddenly stood up and laughed happily: "Rurik! You are really my good brother. What the brothers want most is to farm and get good land. Brothers, I will be so happy that you came back to fulfill your promise!"
Knusson also hurriedly agreed: "Sir, since there is still a lot of land over there, it should all belong to us old Russians. I think I have to mobilize the people and let them continue to immigrate.”
Looking at the enthusiastic faces of the two people, Rurik hesitated and cleared his throat.
"Speaking of immigration, what I want is a big immigration. Let's talk about other things first." He mainly looked at his cousin: "Brother, didn't you lead your young brothers to capture immigrants in the north? Squirrel. What? A triumph?"
"Of course it is a triumph." Arik slapped his chest fiercely, "You would never think that our brothers would be satisfied.. Many people caught five hundred squirrels. Everyone was happy and thinking about making a fortune, but the skinned squirrels couldn't be sold at all! Oh no, it's not that it can't be sold, it's just that those buyers just want to buy it at a cheaper price. It’s really terrible. We are all members of the same family. Prices have dropped tenfold and suddenly we are back to the situation we were in many years ago, or even worse. Who can bear this? The brothers simply came back, planning to wait until the ice melted to take the leather to Merlaren and sell it. "
"Is there such a thing? "
Arik pouted his bearded mouth: "It's absolutely true. Now that you're back, that's good. How about you buy everyone's squirrel skins? ”
This is a purely commercial issue. A huge amount of squirrel skins are put into the market, and the oversupply will cause the price to plummet.
Of course, this is a good time to buy at the bottom.
My cousin is hinting that he is buying it at a price generally accepted by everyone. The so-called one silver coin is exchanged for a big squirrel skin, no matter how bad it is, it is one coin for three skins. What is this that goes against the rules of the market? .
Rurik shook his head: "I will buy all the leather. If they dare to take out the leather they have hoarded, I will buy it all. However, the price is as it is now. "
"Huh? Now one coin is exchanged for fifteen skins! ”
Arik really didn’t use his brain when he spoke, and what he said was true, which made Rurik open his mouth in shock.
His mouth closed immediately again, and he immediately opened his mouth with clothes. He covered his face with his sleeves to hide the smile that he couldn't hide at all.
Rurik tried to calm down. He never expected that there would be an unexpected surprise when he came back. He said deliberately: "Brother, why. This happens. Since ancient times, there has never been a situation where one coin was exchanged for fifteen skins. ”
“Yes! But that's the way it is. The leather was so cheap that everyone was too lazy to go to the woods in the north. On the contrary, that piece of woodland is really rich. It reminds me of the legends of my ancestors. I think that the woodland near Rossberg Fjord was like this back then. We could easily hunt a large number of squirrels and ferrets, but now we can't. But here in New Roseburg it's wonderful. ”
What my cousin said is absolutely true. The fact is that when an army of human hunters visit a place, local animals will be hunted on a large scale. When the prey can no longer satisfy human appetite, humans invented agriculture. and animal husbandry.
The population of New Roseburg is large in this time and space, but as a consumer market, nearly 500 young Jianyong from the First Flag Team went there with advanced crossbows. When hunting in undeveloped forest land, they are all hunters. Now that they have advanced tools, it would be ridiculous not to hunt on a large scale.
It would be ridiculous for each of the five hundred hunters to catch five hundred. Twenty-five thousand pieces? The price of leather has plummeted to 15 pieces. I am afraid that I am conservative in my estimate. I am afraid that they have obtained 30,000 pieces of various leathers. The number is very large and reasonable.
Nordic red squirrels are very capable of reproducing. They have two litters a year, and a litter of six can breed new rats in three months. The so-called rats can see their grandchildren grow up in that year.big. In the local overwhelming red pine forest, the huge amount of pine cones every year can support millions of squirrels in a large area on both sides of the Neva River.
It’s just that the breeding speed of squirrels can never keep up with the speed of the Russians’ full-scale hunting. In this regard, Rurik has great confidence in his tribe, but this kind of thing is not a good thing. Fishing from the lake seems to rely on the market now. The invisible hand paused momentarily.
Aric doesn’t understand why the price is so low. He actually understands but it’s not necessary. His Aslaki was actually very clear about it, and now he just smiled and pretended to be confused.
Rurik deliberately explained: "This is Odin exerting his power. It is a pair of invisible hands fiddling with the price. This is the work of the gods and is not controlled by mortals." Even I can't go against the wishes of the gods." "Huh?" Arik straightened up.
"Of course! Do you still expect Odin to stand in front of you and criticize you personally? Brother, I don't dare to go against God's will. Since the market price is like this, I will buy it at this price. Anyway, I invited them to go Farming in the south!"
Aric pouted again: "That's right. I think you will threaten them with this matter."
"Eh? Oh, I also need to sign a contract with them. They can go to Melalen to buy leather, so don’t think about getting a lot of fertile land. There are gains and losses, and they can’t be too greedy.”
” Forget it, you are always wise. Let each brother get one hectare of fertile land, so we can get wheat every year without risking death.
"Is that so?" Rurik's smile seemed to hide a dagger: "You can't go on an expedition if you are hit? Of course war is still necessary, but there are no gains and losses in this aspect. I want all the questions."
"That's fine. Then, I should gather the team."
"We will do this tomorrow and have them gather at Harvest Square. Line up to enter this house, and I will sign a written contract with each of them. I will also announce the purchase of the leather in their hands." "Written contract?" Arik was quite confused. "Brother, do you want to sign a large number of wooden boards? I think we have to prepare a large number of wooden boards first."
"Ward boards? Brother, times have changed." Rurik pointed to the south, "I made a major invention in Novgorod. I made a very soft wooden board called paper. I have brought them here."
He called his subordinates to give instructions, After a while, two burly mercenaries entered the place pulling a wooden box.
He motioned to Svetlana to open the lid and take out the documents inside. Contract documents copied by more than a dozen wives and concubines together with his own cooperation formed a mountain. The papers had been cut and now they were piled neatly.
"Come and see! My friends, come and see my latest masterpiece." Rurik greetedarrive.
The people present stood up one after another and came closer. They saw a thin piece of yellow-brown cloth and wood, with a lot of fair words written in ink on it. The whole body is written in the traditional rune alphabet, and even a reckless man like Aric can spell it, let alone an educated businesswoman like Aslaqi.
It is no longer possible to describe them as "surprised", and it is more appropriate to describe them as overwhelmed. All the documents were neatly written with the same words and phrases, all contract terms, and there was still a place for signature at the bottom. All this has exceeded their cognition.