On a very quiet night, Rurik invited Blue Fox into his palace bedroom. He even ordered all the servants to retreat, and only the two of them talked secretly by an oil lamp.
Blue Fox really needed a private place to come back. He was a little reserved at first, but when Rurik asked the question first, he immediately made a surprise.
"Prince! Our major enemy is indeed Denmark, but the Franks are a big fat sheep. We should plunder them."
"Huh?" Such a statement is true It was indeed inappropriate to point this out in Eskil's presence.
"You don't have to be surprised. According to my observation, since our fleet can expedition to Britain, then we will bypass Jutland and follow the river to directly attack the cities named Hamburg and Bremen. Those are all It’s a riverside city, and our fleet can go straight in. When we’re done looting, we can leave quickly with our treasures.”
Rurik was indeed tempted, his cautious forehead relaxed, and he asked quietly: "Have you done some reconnaissance and know them well?"
"Of course! Even now we are facing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Their armies have all gone to attack Denmark, Bremen is already empty, and the local area There is only a group of honest farmers, and there is no army at all. Now is a good time to plunder."
"Oh? Are you trying to persuade me to fight?"
"Yes! Fox's words were categorical, "I know Bremen very well. There is a very prosperous city surrounded by wooden walls, and a large amount of wool is traded in the city square. We should rob the local area!"
"Is this so? We can only fight? I...have not arranged any war operations this year."
Blue Fox shook his head: "They have also put forward very harsh conditions, and they must let us believe in their gods. You have to pay high taxes in order to do business with the Frankish count. As for Prince Ludwig, he didn't even bother to see me. Eskil said that their prince thought we were just a small tribe, as humble as ants. ."
"Absurd!" Rurik punched the ground hard and laughed again: "Okay, Blue Fox, you are using the provocation method. I am the prince. Do you want to send troops? Only I have the authority to make arrangements."
"But their provocation is true. They are also very rich...Don't you want a lot of wool?"
These words really stopped Rurik. We cannot rush into a war, let alone jump into it as soon as we get good news.
Rurik thought for a while, and it was unreasonable for him not to be tempted. For practical reasons, if he could get a large amount of wool, his garment factory could produce clothes and felt products with a more stable efficiency.
It is unrealistic to expect the Ostara people to provide a large amount of wool in a short period of time. After all, it was not long after Carlotta gave birth to her child, and her Ostara people did not breed a large flock of sheep.
The arrogance of the Franks is not a major reason for the crusade, but looting of supplies is. Of course, their provocation and arrogance canIt's a very legitimate reason.
The blue fox saw the prince's vacillation and immediately pointed out: "I learned a lot of things in Frank. The expelled Danish King Harald Clark was a mercenary of that prince, and the prince also arranged for Hori We want to be the new king of Denmark. Our shops were destroyed, and there was a Frankish conspiracy behind it. As for the Danes fighting with the Franks again, that's another matter. You are the greatest prince, and your interests in Denmark are affected. Taking into account your authority, even if you send two hundred people, you must attack the Franks while they are in the empty rear."
For a moment, Rurik suddenly realized.
He slapped his thigh: "That's right! How could I forget that I can send out small troops for action? What I always think of is to send out six flag troops to fight the war to destroy the country!"
The blue fox immediately laughed out loud: "So, you are determined to take revenge this year? The time is still in our favor."
"You..." Looking at the blue fox again, Rurik shook his head with a smile. Shaking his head: "You have become thinner and your mentality is crazy. Do you want to be a warrior? Okay, I will give you this opportunity. You proposed the crusade, so I will give you this opportunity. You must join the crusade. You must be responsible for your words."
"It's absolutely possible. I'm even willing to be a warrior and go through fire and water for the prince." Blue Fox replied decisively.
As for the fact that the Franks were extremely arrogant towards the Principality of Rus, Rurik wanted to believe that this was a fact.
How can a great country look down on a foreign country?
Frank knew almost nothing about Ross, but as a prince, Rurik knew a lot about Frank. Not to mention the well-known and deceased Charlemagne, after the division of this great country, two main bodies were formed, France and Germany. Nowadays, both Frank and Germany do not exist. The two brand-new countries cannot be said to have completely disappeared. They are like twins in the belly of a pregnant woman, developing rapidly.
In other words, it is the East Frankish part that adopts an arrogant attitude towards the Principality of Ross. To be fair, Rurik prefers to call these guys Germans.
The concept of Germany has existed since ancient times, but it is not used as an official country name now.
Since Bremen is a commercial city, it is feasible to take advantage of the opportunity to rob.
Have a chat with the thinned Blue Fox. Although the senses are very strange, the reward emotion revealed by that guy is easy to perceive.
After some logical deduction, the mastermind behind the destruction of Ross's shop in Hedeby was Prince Ludwig of East Frankland. As for why that man started fighting with the Danes, why should the Russians pay attention? Ross's interests have been harmed, and the masterminds behind the scenes have been identified, and they should be bled!
Rurik tossed and turned on the bed. He ordered Svetlana not to sleep with her tonight, and he occupied the entire bed by himself to think quietly about important matters.
He made a major decision and began to gather men the next day, announcing an ocean mission that would combine plunder and crusade.
These days, Spuyut and his gang lived a comfortable life in Novgorod. They ate wheat cakes, drank ale, put on new clothes, and lived in a comfortable place. If there wasn't another plan to rob, the brothers would have continued to enjoy themselves.
On the other hand, the Salmon Chief also underwent some maintenance, and the torsion slingshots were inspected. Worn parts are replaced and spent weapons replenished.
As for the old guy Eskil, he came to the small monastery settled in Novgorod. Let's look at John Invall. This boy was moved to tears when he saw his teacher.
It was in this monastery that John Invall obtained people from the Archbishop of Reims, who became a legal priest and qualified to baptize people.
In the first section, the little priest was upgraded and became a grassroots member of the Holy See management system. He became a priest at a young age, and with his qualifications and missionary achievements, he could gradually rise in rank. In theory, it was possible to become a cardinal. The reason why he got the position was because the Principality of Rus was full of confused lambs. Naturally, this was in the context of the priests. John Ingvar was young and had a lot of time to spread the faith. As a teacher, Esquier could only stay here temporarily for one winter.
The Christians who gathered in the Novgorod area for various reasons welcomed the northern saint, and they were almost full of hope.
However, Rurik always remained vigilant, and they were watched by spies. As for the missionary behavior, they were immediately arrested as soon as they were discovered. As early as the meeting, Eskil was "vaccinated". If any missionary behavior was detected, of course there would be no physical punishment. He could only spend this winter in prison again. expelled in the year. This decree has long existed. It was originally bound to genuine clergymen such as John Ingvar, but now there is an additional "Northern Saint" who has to follow this set of forms.
It was also here that Esquier finally met the young Reglaf. The child who had inherited the throne of Mercia was as golden as his biological father. The boy always pestered his grandfather and grandmother. The old couple were the old leaders of the Rus people and the first generation of princes. Esquier maintained the greatest restraint. He did not dare to tease the child. He explained respectfully that the child had a noble status recognized by the Holy See. He also gave the child some verbal instructions in Latin and left.
Eskir's actions are so bad that he can travel inside and outside Novgorod city under the escort of mercenaries, and he can see the rural life in the principality. He could write a report, and Rurik was willing to provide paper, quills, and ink.
Because Rurik never denied the possibility of peaceful trade with the Franks. Crusade to combat their arrogance is one thing, trade is another. Based on his understanding of the Hanseatic League, that commercial alliance could not have jumped out of the cracks in the rocks. It represented the inherent merchant class in the Frankish Kingdom. Merchants and small industrial owners even resisted the king for trade privileges.And successful. Arrogance belongs to the nobility, and Frank merchants will never refuse goods and opportunities to make money from Russia! After all, Novgorod is clearly on the list of the Hanseatic League.
Eskil was authorized to write some records of his experiences on paper. This person saw that writing on cloth and wood was extremely convenient, but it was definitely not parchment. Rurik could imagine his excitement. This old guy felt itchy all over after a few days of traveling, because here he saw an idyllic scene that resembled the Frankish interior.
The Rus among the Normans are actually working as farmers? The stereotype of the sea hero has been greatly rewritten.
Of course, the records written by this person can only be taken away after Rurik personally reviews them. If there are fields that slander the Principality, they must be deleted. Those fields that may involve major secrets of the Principality must also be deleted. delete.
Eskilre remains under some sort of house arrest.
In recent days, Spuyut has always seen Eskil, dressed in a black robe, walking on roads full of gravel and clay, and even running on the main road that was made of bricks.
A guy asked Siput: "Boss, I'm worried that this person is a craftsman. He's too public."
"A craftsman? There are armed brothers behind him. People don’t dare to mess around. This is an old guy, and he may not be able to walk in a few years.”
Spuyut is busy buying Novgorod’s special Slavic big leba, this is intentional. The large bread with chopped oak wood will quickly become extremely dry after baking and become a stupid "stone" that can kill a person. However, this extremely shelf-stable food is very suitable for a long-term sailing life.
While they were busy buying supplies, the prince’s summons suddenly came down.
The Spuyut pirate gang gathered urgently, and at the same time, Arik from the First Flag Team and what seemed like a hundred capable soldiers came to attend the meeting.
The men of the First Flag Team turned into fishing madmen, and those recruited this time were all the guys who were boating on the nearby Lake Ilmen.
Aric and his men were very excited because they learned that the assembly was related to a special expedition, and they decisively threw away the prince's statement that "no troops will be sent out this year."
"Boy, even if you don't fight, your hands will feel itchy. I like it very much." Arik sighed secretly.
A group of troops entered the city, which agitated the people, and some remarks about war spread like wildfire. Especially the most populous Slavic people, their attitude towards the war is generally supportive, but according to rumors, won't the prince summon any Slavic warriors this time?
After all, is this a battle that only belongs to the Varyags? Who is their enemy?
The Ross Duma Parliament Chamber was very long, so Rurik simply led all 150 people in total to the long room of the Parliament.
This rectangular confined space is very suitable for preaching. Rurik stood on the podium and pointed out the "truth" when he opened his mouth.
He shouted with anger and pointed at the lawThe Franks are the masterminds behind everything: "Our Ross shop was destroyed by the Frank army, and the Danes are their lackeys. The Franks have said that it is okay to do business with them, but they must pay huge tributes, and they must believe in them." God. I used to think that the Danes were the biggest enemies, but now it seems that the Franks are the most insidious..."
He even used a provocative method to say that a Frank noble was a rhetorical figure, pointing out that the Russians were seen as To be a barbarian in the north is as humble as an ant.
As expected, the people were enraged, and Arik roared at the top of his lungs: "We should really cut off their heads for talking nonsense!" He just stomped his feet crazily to make noise.
They are angry and hateful, and they still have to find ways to appeal to their desire for plunder.
Rurik pointed directly at Bremen, the first target of this operation.
In his words, it was a Frankish city that stored a lot of silver coins, and also had granaries and wool warehouses. The First Standard Brigade robbed Lindisfarne Abbey and swept away all the gold and silverware inside. By coincidence, there is also a cathedral in Bremen. Blue Fox visited and stayed in the church, and the first-hand information he obtained pointed out that there was indeed a large amount of gold and silverware inside.
Anger and greed are intertwined, and this long-distance robbery must be carried out.
The people who were selected by Prince Rurik and sat in the Rus Duman were very fortunate that a good opportunity to make a fortune was in front of them. Although there were some risks, they could be ignored in the face of a large amount of wealth.
A plan to plunder Bremen was written down on paper.
According to the plan, the principality will dispatch a hundred-man team of local elites, led by the first flag captain Arik himself.
Businessman Blue Fox joins the army as a soldier. Rather than fighting, his main job is to serve as a combat advisor, guiding the army to attack cities and plunder.
Spuyut led the current pirate gang to fight and brought another group of people on Saaremaa Island.
The Finns in the Finnish region must also participate in the war. Count Javlo must bring out no less than fifty archers to participate in the war, and they must participate in person.
Since the purpose of the operation is pure plunder, the number of troops should not be too large, and they should not be entangled after encountering the Frank army.
The size of the team must be between 300 and 400 people. If the city of Bremen cannot be captured well, their wheat will be harvested on a large scale around the city and the village granaries will be looted.
Aric is a fierce general, and his overall performance is that bravery is better than wisdom, so Javlo, who stays in Finland, needs to lead troops to check and balance. The existence of Jevlo is also very important. As a de facto vassal, he no longer serves as the mercenary captain. With noble status, he must fulfill the obligation to send troops to help the prince, and it is also a means of monitoring him.
Rurik was still not at ease with his cousin. He had to warn again: "Brother! This time most of the brothers listened to you and led two to three hundred people to rob thousands of people. You are very good at the stronghold.I hope you will not be too impulsive and learn to stop when enough is enough. We will rob the wealth and withdraw once the transport ship is full. The most you can do is burn Bremen down with a fire. When you encounter Frank's main force, you must not resist forcefully. "
"Really? Arik stood up and punched his chest with a smile: "I should kill many Franks to let them know the price of humiliating Ross." I really hope to have a battle with their main force. "
Rurik suddenly frowned, slapped his face, and continued to instruct: "They have a lot of cavalry! Maybe a thousand! This is what Blue Fox has seen with his own eyes! Think about what we encountered in Northumbria. The Frank cavalry was more ferocious than theirs. You don't want to fight head-on. We have to fight smartly. ”
The encounter with the cavalry in Britain made Arik feel uncomfortable all over. The Ross Balmok coalition suffered a lot as a result.
My brother mentioned the businessman Blue Fox. People actually fight as soldiers?
Arik couldn’t help but ask: “Is Blue Fox’s investigation information reliable? He has been traveling in Frankfurt for a whole year and has seen a lot, so he will not exaggerate about them. Besides, why didn’t I see him there? ”
In fact, Blue Fox was always present.
I saw a man who could only be described as having a slightly fat face and had just started to grow a beard, stood up, and was wrapped in a smart brown leather jacket. There is also a belt tied around the waist, so he looks like a warrior.
“I am Blue Fox. I swear to Odin, to Frey, and to the gods, what I saw is the truth. "
"You? Is it the blue fox? Isn't the blue fox as fat as a seal? "Aric smiled rudely, and everyone else also looked at a thin man who called himself Fat Boy Blue Fox.
What else can Blue Fox do? He could only apologize, and then said coldly: "I He had killed Danish warriors and even almost met the Frankish prince. I was so humiliated in Denmark that I wanted to sacrifice my life and assassinate the prince with my own hands to avenge the ninety brothers who died in the war. Now that I am thinner, I can kill enemies better. Arik, I'm not much weaker than you. "
Such wild talk aroused Arik's curiosity: "Oh? It seems you are indeed a blue fox. Are you confident? Why don't we go outside and compete to see who is better at hitting people? "
"Fight? I'm not good at fighting. My strength lies in my knowledge of the Franks. "Blue Fox said with a sullen face: "No one understands Frank better than me, and no one understands their army better than me. Only I can tell you where their warehouses are, where their gold and silver are hidden, and which villages can best solve our food problem. ”
“Oh! You are indeed better than me in this regard. "Arik didn't want to quarrel. He shrugged and borrowed the donkey from Poxia. After all, he was bound to win in a real fight. Even if the reputation spread was not good, a madman who killed countless enemies bullied a professional businessman who was aspiring to be a warrior. This was ridiculous.
The Rus’ Principality started preparations in Novgorod. Considering that there are quite solid wooden walls in Bremen, it should be done in advance.Prepare some siege tools. Rurik wanted to build a large counterweight trebuchet, but considering the actual time cost, that was very unrealistic. The focus is still on making a siege ram that was born by crashing a door. It is impossible for a ram to be completely transported on a large ship. The key parts can be transported away and can be assembled with wood when it arrives locally. There is also a very violent and straightforward method, which is to use a steel logging ax and dozens of people to work together to chop down part of the city wall alive. After all, the wooden city wall is not indestructible.
The number of people in the plundering fleet was fixed, and the number of ships was also arranged by Rurik.
Considering that there is a high probability of encountering the Frankish regular army, especially the cavalry, the principality needs to focus on leveraging its naval superiority and use enough ships to transport the various supplies it has grabbed.
The sailing cruisers Salmon Chief and Gray Squirrel were recruited, along with the four planet-class sailing destroyers Venus, Mars, Saturn, and Eubit, and four more were launched in recent years. Accompanied by standard armed cargo ships No. 1 to No. 4. With ten ships participating, the scale of the operation was already quite large. If the simple sailors recruited were brought along, the number of people from all kinds of people could be gathered to 500.
However, this was the only military operation in which Rurik was not provided with military rations and fresh water.
The expedition personnel were able to collect supplies in Novgorod with their own money, and finally completed the naval assembly and weapons on Tombstone Island.
In exchange, the wealth they looted was divided 50-50 with the prince, which was enough to promote the brothers' fanatical will to fight.
It seems that Werder Bremen, as the target, is already a big fat sheep.