The reindeer herds pulling the sleds work hard and are rewarded with a large amount of oat feed.
For them, a high-intensity march of more than ten days is not difficult with sufficient feed supply. Now they can cultivate well in the pen.
The supplies pulled by the reindeer herds and the sleds carrying the supplies were pushed to three separate wooden warehouses.
The bronze locks are secure, and soldiers supervise the warehouse to prevent problems with supplies.
Youdao means paying with one hand and delivering the goods with the other. The Pechenegs and Kiev people essentially delivered the goods first, so how much the buyer is willing to pay depends on the buyer's willingness.
Of course Rurik is willing to make good deals with friends from afar. For the benefit of the country, a profiteer still has to do something.
After all, the total price of those six hundred horses has reached the equivalent of five thousand pounds of silver, which is a bit ridiculously high.
In fact, the price of horses should not be so outrageous, but the most outrageous problem is the economic situation of the Russians themselves. It is clear that the total amount of material production is not very high. It can only be said that with these years of hard work, the people under the rule of the principality have somewhat survived. However, after many consecutive years of war victory, a large amount of silver and copper coins circulating in the areas around the Baltic Sea flowed into Russia, so that copper coins almost no longer circulated. Silver coins became the most common currency and its purchasing power also decreased.
The continuous war dividends have attracted huge amounts of hot money into circulation, and there is rare inflation in the core area of the Principality of Ross. The overall input of materials from outside the territory is very limited, so this inflation can only be absorbed internally by Ross.
As a result, guests from far away imported a large number of horses, and Ross took the opportunity to "economic blackmail" to quickly increase Ross's total social wealth, which was a means to alleviate inflation.
In fact, if the Pechenegs take the initiative to lower the price of horses, it will better meet Rurik's needs. After they came from afar and followed the local customs, facing the high prices in the society of the Rus Principality, they did not hesitate to increase the price of horses. price.
In a sense, the Pechenegs raised prices first, and it is just as reasonable for Ross to follow suit.
The principle is that Rurik must take advantage.
The soldiers opened the bronze lock, and the sleigh parked in the house still contained a large amount of supplies.
Some materials have been unloaded, and the wooden boxes for shipping goods are uniform and neatly stacked. Each box is nailed and requires a crowbar to open.
The boxes are stacked one on top of another, stacked as high as a person, forming a low wall.
What’s inside? Kagan and Maksakye were not curious about that for the moment, but they were deeply shocked by the large amount of leather.
“Ah! These white skins!”
Sakye rushed over, stroking the leather and grinning fondly, then exclaimed: “They are all white bear skins? Here? Are they all white bear skins?”
“There are also brown bear skins.” Rurik shrugged, “My friend, you are very knowledgeable.”
“I understand last year.You just provided some, but I didn’t expect this year..."
Rurik had an idea and asked: "How? How is the price of the bear skins hunted by us in Russia in Kiev? ”
“Of course it’s great! Maybe you don’t know that in Kiev, bear hunting is a very risky thing, and even the entire bear hunting team is wiped out and becomes a delicious meal for the bears. ”
“I’m talking about the market. What exactly is bear skin like? "
Facing the large number of bear skins, Sakhi was so excited that his whole body trembled. He could only try his best to describe: "It is very valuable. Only noble people can enjoy it. If it is sold further south to Roman merchants, one skin can be exchanged for several jars of olive oil. ”
“Olive oil? "Rurik understood what this guy was saying, and he was also shocked: "Did you bring olive oil? ”
“That kind of good stuff is so hard to get. I heard that the Romans used it for sacrifices and other things, and they also drank the oil. In short, it is indeed very good oil. "
The guy's answer was not what he asked. Rurik took a strong tone and asked again: "You really didn't bring it? "
Sakhi immediately turned dull: "Really not." If you think of getting it, I'd find a way to get it. ”
“Then go! I hope you bring me some olive oil when you come back next year. Wait! If you can really trade with the Romans, bring me more goods from the south. "
Sakhi gritted his teeth and agreed, but seeing the guy's sudden hesitation, Rurik could guess that he must have safety concerns in his heart.
Rurik was unwilling to delve further into this matter.
Sakye did have security concerns. In fact, from the Slavic community in Kiev to the Roman-controlled areas of Kherson or Odessa, Just keep drifting along the Dnieper River.
But the Slavic people’s shipbuilding skills are still at the canoe stage. That kind of small boat can’t carry much supplies at a time, and they have to stay ashore for the night. Merchants docked and made fires, and they were likely to be attacked by the Khazars wandering nearby. After going through dangerous rivers, they had to pay a high entry tax to trade because they did not believe in the Lord. , and the Romans needed the leather from the north, and imposed heavy taxes on northern merchants to allow trade. This was what the Romans considered to be a reward.
Except for some strange aliens - the Varyags <. /p>
Lonely long boats will suddenly appear on the Dnieper River. They will suddenly attack the villages of the Kiev people and dare to rob the houses of the Eastern Romans. Even the Khazars are not willing to bite such hard bones. < /p>
Smart Kiev people understand that the Russians are aliens among the Varyags. Rus is Varyag, but Varyag is not what the Kiev people call Varyan. The Ge people almost all refer to the Danes who rushed to the source along the West Dvina River. They also broke away from Denmark and moved from the Pskov area to the Lithuanian tribal living area. Surrey occasionally intersected with the Danish homeland. , but has no connection with Ross.
Sakhi pointed out that bear skins were very expensive in the south, which gave Rurik a huge opportunity to raise the price.
A bear skin costs twenty silver coins, which almost only refers to brown bear skins. White bears’ activity areas are farther north, and the cost of hunting should be higher. Considering that Kagan must pay high prices, it would not be easy to simply deceive him.
Rurik happened to notice that Kagan didn’t seem to pay much attention to leather, but instead ran towards the bear heads piled into a hill.
Kagan held up a heavy white bear head. Although the bear's eyes, mandible and brain marrow had been removed, the shocking length of the upper jaw and the terrifying huge fangs of the upper skull were clearly visible. Kagan was shocked.
"Brother, do you like bear heads?" Rurik asked.
Kagan suddenly looked back with bright eyes: "Who doesn't like it? Mighty warriors can often scare the enemy. In my opinion, these bear heads are most suitable as decorations for my warriors. Just like you decorated them with them Your mercenary Brother Rurik, you must not be arming your own soldiers by putting so many bear heads here."
This guy is really smart! Rurik snapped his fingers and introduced cheerfully: "That's right! We are brothers. You have come all the way here and I won't treat you badly. I know, in fact, you know about the whole bear skin I have here. Price."
"Yes, expensive but not expensive. I noticed that your people are very good at hunting bears. It is not difficult at all as the horse seller said."
Rurik felt a chill in his heart and hurriedly explained: "It is true for us, but it is difficult for them. Listen, no one in this world is better at hunting bears than us Russians. Guess how many bears I brought this time Skins?"
"There must be a huge number, I saw bears' skins everywhere in the warehouse."
When this number says. At the exit, Kagan and Sakhi stepped back in shock.
"You are afraid."
"I...not afraid." Kagan's words were quite reluctant. He was indeed not afraid. It was simply because of this person who had far surpassed him several times. Expectation: "I'm a little worried."
"What are you worried about?"
"It can't be shipped back at once."
Kagan said this, Liuli Ke laughed loudly. Kagan also brought a lot of horses here that were purely used for transport. Those horses could theoretically be sold, but once they were sold, the supplies could not be transported away. Rurik already knew this clearly.
"Each bear skin is heavy, as heavy as a bear's head. But I know that for the sake of glory and wealth, you will try your best to transport them away."
"Then It's natural." Kagan bit his lips: "I want all your bear skins, and these bear heads, sell them all to me."
"Okay, but..."
"How many horses?!"
Kagan also spoke forcefully. It was obvious that he was not satisfied with Rurik's lack of decisiveness, so he continued: "We are brothers , be sure to immediatelyComplete delivery of goods. I don't want to wait any longer, you give me a clear price. "
"Is that so..." Rurik gently stroked his golden beard: "The bear skin and bear head together cost one hundred silver coins, the white bear skin costs forty silver coins, and the brown bear skin costs twenty. A silver coin..."
Rurik simply made an offer for all the leather goods he brought. He was deliberately offering too high a price. It would be best for Kagan to accept it. If he didn't accept it, he would have the first opportunity to bargain. Advantage.
However, Kagan was as heroic as that prairie man and decisively agreed to the price that was twice as high as usual.
Although the price of brown bear skin has not increased here, there is no problem. Brown bears all hibernate in winter. Ross hunters enter the traditional winter hunting period after winter. In order to maximize their profits, smart hunters naturally aim at big bears and launch javelins with torque slingshots, so that they can eat bear meat. Bear liver can provide food for the bear hunting team, and the bear skin can be sold at a high price if it is spread over an extremely large area. As for the bear head, its decorative value is far less than the practical value of the bear skin here in Rurik. The price of thirty silver coins was really a crazy price increase on his part.
The Pechenegs needed some ferocious beasts to prove the prowess of their army, to boost their own morale, and to scare the rest of their clan. .
Kagan is not a businessman. He doesn’t know and doesn’t bother to think about whether he has been tricked by his good brother. Each bear skin is surprisingly large, and the white fur is actually much better than sheepskin. His pride paid a high price, and he had already spent 350 good horses to buy all the bear heads and skins. Even so, Rurik said this was a friendly price.
This is just the cost of buying bear skins and bear heads.
The Russians also provided some furry little leathers, which came from ferrets and snow foxes. The leather was not large and felt soft to the touch. The buttery, pure white fur is addictive.
The price of a ferret pelt was raised to ten silver coins, and two hundred ferret pelts and snow fox pelts were bought.
p>
Purchasing Ross Leather is one of Kagan’s tasks, not even the biggest task.
“I basically bought all your leather. Now I want salt. I will buy all the salt you have. ”
Kagan’s eyes were urgent and sincere. Regarding the sale of salt, Rurik estimated that even if he raised the price, he would not be able to kill the grassland people.
Because the exchange ratio of salt and oats is fixed by law, the legislator is Rurik himself. The Principality of Rus implements the principle of grain-based. The prince has the management and dispatch rights of the granary, and there is a huge amount of grain. The whole of Russia will not be in economic chaos due to the huge amount of silver coin hot money. The price of grain controlled by the government is strictly fixed, and the official conversion ratio of salt to grain is also strictly fixed.
Private trading of grain and salt is another kind of existence. The official price is more like a guide price.
Kagan knows the official price of ten silver coins for one pound of salt, Rurik. A higher price was proposed.
"A lot of salt is reserved for us Russians for our own use. If you come to buy our country's salt this time, my subjects will be dissatisfied, even if you are my brother. If you buy less, forget it, you ask It’s too high. In order to appease the anger of my subjects, the price of all salt has been doubled.”
“That’s one pound of silver to buy you five pounds of salt. I’ll trade you one mare for fifty pounds.” Salt, I think it’s okay.”
Kagan’s expression was not displeased, but it made Rurik feel that his price was still too low. However, the words have already been spoken, and it would be unmanly to regret it.
Because the people of New Roseburg were mobilized to make salt, they boiled the Gulf of Finland seawater with extremely low salinity into brine. The cost of precipitating sodium chloride was mainly time cost, and local wood was simply used. If it’s not enough, the people will be more tolerant if they fill in more firewood. After all, the people exchanged salt for wheat. Rurik didn't care how many pine and fir trees his subjects consumed. The price he paid for the salt was one hundred pounds of oats for one pound of salt. Salt cannot be eaten as food, but a hundred pounds of oats can feed a man for two months. People still feel they are getting a big deal.
The Atlantic sea salt brought by the Balmoks was mixed by Rurik with the inferior salt produced in the Gulf of Finland raid, and mixed into five hundred pounds of salt, which was the share to be sold to Kagan. Because the price was forcibly doubled, the price was exactly ten mares.
Kagan's mathematics level is not high. He watched Rurik's "dazzling" sadness and concluded that five hundred pounds of salt was only the price of ten horses. He was so moved that he cried.
He took Rurik’s hand and spoke a bunch of Turkic words in excitement.
There is only one thing Kagan wants to express - the Russians are really good people.
Because any bit of salt is cherished by the Pecheneg people. They cannot make salt and at most they will boil a pile of miserable bitter brine. That thing is poisonous to eat, so the grassland people would rather think of other places The way to get salt. They have never been unable to live without salt. They can get salt by drinking milk, but due to the huge consumption of war, the combat effectiveness of an army lacking salt is definitely not strong.
The Pechenegs never expected to get five hundred pounds of salt at once, and Kagan really felt that his excessive demands would arouse the dissatisfaction of the Russian people. Indeed, as long as these five hundred pounds of salt are transported back to the grassland, they will be enough for the Pecheneg people to use for a long time.
The next transaction went smoothly. Rurik provided a large number of steel sword embryos. Each sword embryo could be forcibly bent and then suddenly rebounded to be straight. It would be better if it was a saber. Even if it is just a straight sword embryo, it can be brought back to the grassland and Pecheneg's own blacksmith can make it into a saber.
The sword was just a sword embryo, complicated processing was thrown to the buyer, and a sword embryo cost two pounds of silver coins. Rurik learned the lesson of selling salt just now, and he forcibly raised the price of the sword embryo to three times the original price. .
Kagan wasn't angry, even though he knew the original price. He pointed directly at the Ross steel sword he ordered hanging on his waist: "I don't buy this sword for two pounds of silver coins. I want to buy a lot, can it be cheaper?"
"You want it cheaper? Thenno. But..."
"How? ”
“I can give you something. "
"What is that? ”
So, Rurik smiled maliciously...
A good thing plus some cheap gifts, and then marked with a high price, can’t guarantee that a group of buyers will rush to buy it all. At the same time, he also felt that he had made a profit.
How did Kagan see this kind of bundled sales method? Rurik used this kind of measurement to bundle a batch of cast iron axes and hammers. , and the iron spears captured in the war against Denmark.
Kagan couldn't tell the clear difference between low carbon steel, wrought iron, and gray pig iron. In terms of pure quantity, he felt that the Rurik brothers were in iron.
The essence is that the Pechenegs have no choice. They can only obtain salt and iron through looting and purchase. This is a strategic material for them. , the same is true for other grassland tribes. In the south, only the Eastern Roman Empire and the Bulgarian Khanate are salt and iron producers. Other ethnic groups can only exchange cattle, sheep and horses. The Pechenegs do not take advantage in the transaction, but prefer salt. Iron is a consumable. As long as they cannot be replenished for a long time, their military strength will continue to decline.
Salt, iron, and leather. Kagan used more than 500 horses to finalize a large number of strategic supplies with Rurik. Trade. All recurve bows are also exchanged with the Russian crossbows without bow arms. Making a recurve bow is a craft, and the key to making a crossbow is the crossbow system, which is high-tech. . Both Rurik and Kagan commented on the exchange of equal amounts.
At the same time, Maksakye completed the horse-for-materials transaction with Ross as the plenipotentiary representative of the Kiev people.
Kagan still has some horses’ wealth left, and these horses are exchanged for pure gems.
“You want lapis lazuli? Want amber? sure. I remember you made it clear that you wanted to marry your sister to me, even though you knew I had many wives and concubines. For the sake of friendship between our two countries, I accept this marriage, and I will give you some additional gems and glassware. "Rurik emphasized this again, which moved Kagan to tears.
But the deal is not over yet.
What is over is only this year's deal. From now on, Ross, Kiev and Peche Neggs, the three parties still have to start trading, and the scale of the transaction should be expanded.
The three parties have made an agreement. First, the three parties must ensure peace with each other, and secondly, they must deal with Smolensk, which is sandwiched between the three parties. The community took strong measures.
With the smooth flow of trade lines, Smolensk has become an obstacle. It is not yet an opportunity to conquer Smolensk. The Rus' Principality needs cheap labor. The simple method is to hire Pechenegs and Kiev people to capture slaves, targeting Smolensk first.
Kagan and Sakhi readily agreed.
Raiding villages, seizing people and selling them to Rus, isn’t this easy for the Pecheneg horse team heading north to trade?Gan seemed to think that the Smolensk villagers were just a group of walking silver coins. He was already planning to prepare more ropes to transport prisoners when he returned to Russia for trade next fall.