Rise of Rurik - Chapter 777

[Chapter 778]

The tall and long wooden city wall made Kagan think of a legend. It is said that the Romans’ Theodosius city wall was tall and long. Could it be that the Russian city of Novgorod is also the same as Roman Constantinople?

In the concept of this son of the prairie, the so-called “city” is a very vague concept. If the people living together are large enough, the large tent area of the own alliance can also be regarded as a city.

Tents all over the mountains and plains rose up along the Volga River. There was a market for herdsmen’s trade, and a residence for khans and priests. People with heads and faces from the entire tribal alliance were willing to come.

There are always flocks of cattle and sheep wandering around the big tent area. The large amount of livestock raised by the people is the source of food and clothing for everyone. It is these livestock that will always eat up the pastures, forcing the big tent area to go along every few years. The river moves once.

The Ross people are not the kind of happy and free way of life at all!

Snow has covered a lot of flat land. It is said that the field was full of wheat a few months ago. The Ross people have finished the harvest, and their warehouse supplies are enough to support everyone until next autumn.

This group of visitors from the far east stood under the city on horseback, and because the messenger sailed first on the soon-to-be-frozen Lake Ilmen, they reported the news to Rurik.

A group of horsemen from the East traveled thousands of miles to sell horses?

The size of a hundred horses in one shot?

Such good deeds were completely beyond Rurik’s expectations, and the good news was no less than rain after a long drought.

Yes, Rurik dreamed of building a cavalry unit to enhance his combat effectiveness and improve the efficiency of information dissemination. He really came up with whatever he wanted.

But on second thought, it wasn’t just a coincidence.

“Make Sakye, you really came again this year? Give me a big gift as soon as you come, and I will reward you again.”

Rurik was ready, the team would still have to walk for two to three days along the river, and he had enough time to set up a guard of honor to greet them.

The messenger said that the horsemen had a group of armed men.

It is not surprising to be armed. A group of businessmen have gone through a long journey. Even bears and wolves encountered on the journey can become deadly threats, and they have to pass through the Smolensk-controlled area. It is reasonable to carry weapons and carry swords to do business.

But the messenger also said that those people looked very strange, and some Finns looked very different.

They are all black-haired, and the leader at the head has a wonderful mustache. He is short in stature and does not understand Norse at all, but he understands Slavic, and those who have poor pronunciation can basically understand it.

Are the main guests from the East?

Looks like a Finn?

The messenger mentioned a word, and Rurik determined with a little judgment that the person who came was the Pecheneg.

OK!

The owner of the horse delivered it to your door!

The teams of Kagan and Sakye were too arrogant, they all walked at least, and the “guards” of Ostara warriors around them all walked with flags, as if these foreign visitors were the best people.

They passed the farm, and even though it was cold, the bored people still ran out of the house, either watching the horse team from a distance, or approaching directly to see the true face.

Horses are not rare in Novgorod, and it is unprecedented for a large number of riders to appear at the same time!

I am ashamed to say that the local Slavs do not know how to ride. They use horses as draft animals for pulling carts and plows, and their functions are more similar to oriental cattle.

Of course they knew about the existence of cavalry, but the number of horses in their hands was small, not to mention short.

Last year, some foreign horsemen sold the prince some better horses. It is said that the prince is already planning to create a cavalry unit belonging to the principality.

But what does this matter have to do with the people who farm the land?

Even if it is the income, the biggest beneficiaries are the various Varyags and the guys from the White Tree Manor living in the city of Novgorod.

Think about it!

There is nothing more interesting than watching the excitement, life is lacking in fun anyway.

Kagan, a sneaky onlooker, had already noticed it, and he didn’t bother to figure out the reason along the way, probably because his team was too conspicuous.

He didn’t mean any arrogance, but entered a new field, surprised by the completely different way of life here, and curiosity trumped everything else.

The tall wooden walls of Novgorod surprised him and allowed him to see the real “city style”.

The uniformly dressed soldiers gathered at the city wall not only made him subconsciously alert, but realized that Prince Ross was fully aware of his arrival.

As it happened, Gevro himself was in town.

In principle, Gevlo is not the count of Finland, the real count is his eldest son, who can exercise the power of the lord and is actually a “country involved in politics”.

However, in the core area ruled by the Principality of Ross, Rurik is willing to catch up with him, and then appoint him as the head of the bodyguard. The time limit is until the snow melts next spring.

This is a personal friendship and a test, no, Yefro was appointed as the envoy to make contact.

Since the Finnish Suomi and the Turkic Pechenegs both originated from North Asia, perhaps their slightly similar looks can bring a special closeness.

Yefro didn’t know the prince’s intentions, but he knew his duty very well.

The mercenary troops are actually the guards, they are the best armed and the most well-dressed, and not everyone has blue goose feathers on their helmets, forming a gorgeous crown.

Everyone is wrapped in a white robe with huge staggered blue patterns on the chest, the cowhide armed belt is firmly tied, a uniform style of steel sword is hung from the waist, and there are also various personal items.

The guards were short of manpower, and now Ragnar’s department also received the letter, and came to be “extras” after temporarily changing clothes.

All of a sudden, more than 300 people lined up at the gate of the city, forming two human walls along the main road.

If you want a guard of honor, do the work of guard of honor to the extreme!

No, Rurik gave his concubine Noren, who is obsessed with rhythm, another chance to perform. She brought the musician team she trained, dressed up like priestesses, and lined up outside the city with bone flutes and fart drums. , playing “Ode to Joy” as a welcome song to welcome visitors.

The Russian flag is flying, with blue stripes on a white background. Is this their symbol?

Their warriors all wore burqas with armor inside, and were richly decorated.

The gorgeous appearance hides fierceness. Kagan is also a veteran soldier at a young age. He can tell from the eyes who have killed people, and look at this group of Ross warriors. Everyone is absolutely murderous!

Those fair-haired young girls aroused his curiosity. These women played flutes and drums.

“Guests from afar, the great prince has received your request. The prince allowed the Pecheneg envoy to enter the city, and your leader to enter the palace for a detailed talk. Please dismount first.”

The speaker is a low-slung man whose features differ from those of other Ruths.

The man spoke Slavic, which Kagan understood.

When he was hesitating, Sakei hurriedly dismounted first, dragged Kagan down with his bare hands, and muttered in a low voice: “I advise you not to hesitate, and listen to their request seriously. We are in their hands now, and they are very happy.” Strong.”

Of course, the snow field outside the city was not the meeting place. Kagan dismounted skillfully, took off his fur and walked towards Yevro with a smile on his face.

“You…are a noble person?”

“I am a nobleman of the Principality of Ross. You… It seems that you are the leader of the Pechenegs?”

Sakei had never met Yefro, and he knew that he was a big shot just by looking at this scene.

He bowed his back and introduced flatteringly with a smile on his face: “My lord, this young man is the son of Pecheneg Khan… Well, it is equivalent to the status of the eldest son of the Prince of Ross. He is the envoy of Pecheneg. come for the purpose of trade and peace.”

“You are also a nobleman? Then, please follow me into the city. The prince ordered you to bring ten followers, and the others are waiting outside the city with their horses.”

“Just let my people stay in the snow?” Kagan asked suspiciously.

“This is the meaning of the prince. Before you get the authorization, you and your people are naturally not allowed to enter the city at will. I heard that you are here to sell horses. I saw that your horses are definitely of high quality, and the prince must also like them.”

The shock works together on both sides!

The Ross army in line also noticed the horses in front of them. Many people had the experience of fighting cavalry and knew the advantages of cavalry.

Even if the cavalry had been beaten out of their wits by a torsion slingshot, if the cavalry army was in the hands of the Ross army, the situation would be completely different.

Ragnar was among the imperial guards, and he was also envious of these horses. After all, seeing the majestic and heroic posture of the rider, any man would be envious, and wanted to try the feeling and even gallop on it.

Kagan finally entered the big city of the Principality of Ross. He saw neat houses, smooth roads, and even drainage ditches.

He also noticed the existence of the bazaar, and saw a large number of people coming and going stopped to look at him.

To his disappointment, Prince Ross did not have a particularly grand palace. There was only a large wooden house and a number of ancillary buildings here, which may be the reason why this is not a royal city.

At the same time, Rurik had already changed his clothes and waited for the guests. He was also specially invited on the left and right sides, especially the burly man from the first banner team, who simply sat cross-legged on the side wall of the palace. Go up two rows to give the prince a place.

The candlelight in the house is bright, and three chandeliers are lowered from the roof.

The oil lamp holders on the side walls are very particular. Under each bronze lamp, there must be a white bear animal head. The ferocious fangs are indescribably mighty and domineering.

A young man with a golden beard is sitting in the high hall. He is wearing a white bear fur, a fox fur cap on his head, and a lot of precious stones dotted on his clothes.

He looks like a rich businessman?

Do not!

The eyes of this young man can’t lie, he is an extremely fierce warrior, his sharp eyes seem to say “I killed ten thousand warriors”.

[To tell the truth, I have been using the source-changing app recently to read and update books, switch between sources, and read aloud with many timbres. www.huanyuanapp.com is available for both Android and Apple.

】

Kagan and his entourage had no choice but to unload all their weapons. As soon as they entered the palace, they heard the news in Slavic from the noble man on the stage: “Is this the Pecheneg envoy?”

Kagan was still standing, but seeing Sakeyi hurriedly sat down cross-legged when he heard the sound, he even yanked Kagan to the ground.

“Your Majesty, this is a warrior from the Eastern Grassland. He is the son of the local leader, and he will inherit the position of leader in the future.” Sakey flattered.

“The Khan of the Pechenegs?” Rurik was also taken aback. “You have such a noble status?”

“I am indeed noble.” Kagan raised his head unrestrainedly.

“Very good. It seems that what the messenger said is true. As you can see, I am the prince of Rus, the conqueror of the north, the owner of the sea, the ruler of the Slavs, and the one loved by the gods , and the best buyer of your horses. Your name, then? Your intentions?”

Anyone with status can name a series of self-proclaimed noble titles. Kagan was really timid for a while, after all, he didn’t have any impressive achievements and dared not brag about himself.

The Prince of Ross was as young as the rumors said. He was not as cowardly as his peers, and his words revealed arrogance.

The prince’s arrogance Kagan is not uncomfortable, the prince is definitely smart, and has already named his intention to buy a horse.

The topic directly had a breakthrough, and the possibility of awkward dialogue never existed from the beginning.

“I am Kagan, the next Khan of Pecheneg. We must be your best horse supplier. Yes, this time I am ordered by my father to directly trade horses with you.”

“Very good! Have fun! Come here! Give me wine!”

As soon as an order is given, the minister will serve Rose wine.

It is a kind of cocktail. The so-called refined and distilled vodka is blended with a lot of honey, and some dried raspberries are also soaked. Its alcohol content is not low, and the extreme sweetness overwhelms the spicy, only the aroma of honey, fruit and wine.

Rurik also picked up a glass of wine.

Kagan was confused and shocked for a moment, he was holding a crystal glass in his hand, in which the wine had a complex aroma, a yellowish color and was pure as a whole.

Since the other party is of Turkic ethnicity, it must be the grassland as their home.

Any prairie person is always happy. The so-called drinking requires a big bowl, and eating meat requires holding the bones. Drinking and eating meat roughly shows the pride of the host and the guest.

Rurik simply raised his glass and stood up, with a bold face: “Guests from afar, it is fate that we met, let us drink this glass of wine together, let’s talk about horses now.”

“My lord, you are so bold?!” Kagan was quite surprised.

“Is there any more nonsense? I am eager for your horses. I think in your opinion, a hundred words of good wishes are not as good as I will buy the horses immediately, right? You are here for trade. We should Do your best to get a deal done today.”

There is such a good thing?

Kagan was eager to close the deal immediately and keep the money in his hands.

“Since the prince is so interested in this transaction, let’s drink it! Your hospitality will be praised in the grasslands, and we will have a better prospect of trade.” After finishing speaking, Kagan drank the wine in one gulp.

Doing business is doing business, and Rurik has no intention of trying to trick these Turkic people.

Kagan was actually the son of Pecheneg Khan, regardless of whether this name is true or not, the last word is whether the future trade can go smoothly.

The so-called don’t care if the comer is a cat or a dog, if you can send the horse to Ross, it doesn’t matter whether you steal it or rob it, the one who sends the horse is the hero.

However, the appearance of this group of Pechenegs instantly made Rurik think of a lot—maybe the plan to train cavalry should follow the trend and enter the fast lane.

It’s better to negotiate the business immediately!

Although the principality’s large treasury was placed in Novorosburg, which needed a lot of cash for the development of the handicraft industry, Novgorod also had a small treasury with as many as 800 pounds of silver coins in stock.

Based on his experience in spring, Rurik thought about this wave of uninvited horse foreign trade transactions. The money should be enough, and it would be a big deal to haggle over the price.

“Are you really planning to sell a hundred horses?” Seeing his toast, Rurik asked hastily.

“Exactly.”

“Then…” Rurik wanted to find a price, but he resolutely thought of the outrageous offer from Sakeyi last year, so he held back his words.

“Price? According to our habit, the price of a batch of mares is the highest, and the horses I bring are all mares.”

“They’re all mares?!”

“Because mares are the most suitable for riding, maybe you don’t understand now, but you will naturally understand after buying my horse.”

Rurik probably understood Kagan’s meaning. The so-called prairie cavalry always marched with a mare.

Except for the core elite of the Mongolian army on the expedition to Western Europe, all other cavalry came from Turks.

They all live by water and grass, and their lifestyles have a lot in common, so they can all accept the governance of the same sweat.

Expeditionary cavalry can sleep on the horse’s back without dismounting all the way, and take a sip of mare’s milk when they are hungry.

The cavalry’s mare is not only a tool for riding and fighting, but also almost all of the logistics.

“Well, what’s your price?”

“We walked for three months, experienced a lot of hardships, and finally arrived at your territory, so…”

“Is the price going to increase?”

“Exactly. So, a pound of silver for a horse.” Kagan said a little timidly, but looking at Rurik, he sat up straight when he heard the number.

“What did you say?!”

“Ah! Your Majesty! We have gone through many hardships. From the far east to this far north, it is reasonable to increase the price. Please accept it.”

“You!” Rurik covered his face with one hand, his murderous eyes stared directly at the trembling Mark Sakye through his fingers.

Rurik never expected that there was still such a business. The horse breeders would explain that they were afraid that the buyer would not be happy when they offered a price of one pound, so they once raised the price ten times with Sakey and his team!

It’s really for 1000% profit, these Kyiv horsemen really dare to engage in the “Eastern European Grand Series” to eat at both ends.

The transactions are all a thing of the past in spring, and the stallions that were bought went crazy, so much so that now all the mares in Novgorod are swollen.

Sakye sold the horse and then withdrew. Thinking of those things, Rurik couldn’t help feeling that this Kyiv man’s mobility was really for trade. If you give him a big boat, you can’t go directly to the New World.

Apparently Sakey had lied in the spring. The cost of the so-called 10 horses described in his heart was 40 pounds of silver coins. In the end, it was still nonsense.

Rurik is not angry even now that he knows this, and should even keep it a secret.

Because the suppliers of the horses delivered the goods to the door, they took care of the delivery work themselves, and there was no need for second-hand dealers.

Kagan said with certainty that one hundred mares are available for sale, and the riding and pack use of other horses are not within the scope of sale when the other horses are returning.

“When will we trade? When will I get the money?!” Kagan asked very matter-of-factly.

The other party was so honest, Rurik thought that it would be too unreasonable for him to hesitate a little bit.

Standing up again, he announced, “Now, you’re about to get your money! Ten thousand fine silver coins! Let’s go! I’ll go and see the horses first. What a joy, Kagan, you and your The clansmen are all my friends. Tonight I will entertain you!”

[End of this Chapter]