Rise of Rurik - Chapter 798

[Chapter 799]

The siege curtain was made of sackcloth, and some leather mats were laid after the snow on the snow field was cleared.

The horses of the cavalry team are all treasures, and since it was the first time the cavalry had fought in the extreme cold, Kagan did not dare to neglect at all.

Of course the horses could nap standing up. Although it was cold now, they could feel that it was very safe for them to leave the country, so they gathered together and slept on their sides.

[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.

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The aurora is still shining in the sky. From the perspective of the Ross people, the gods are indeed watching the actions of the army, which is a good omen.

When the sky turns deep blue, the resting horses are awakened.

It was extremely cold early in the morning, and the current temperature had plummeted to minus ten degrees, and exposed limbs could easily suffer from frostbite. This knife-like extreme cold also made Kagan suspicious of the morning raid.

Fortunately, the wheat porridge that was already cooking gave everyone enough confidence. After eating hot food, the cold seemed to disappear by more than half.

Horses are not picky about energy-dense grains, and would happily munch on cooked wheat if they could.

Based on the structure of their stomach pouch and intestines, cooked wheat is also easier to absorb.

Is it bad to feed your steed cold oatmeal?

After all, horses were going to gallop wildly to launch a surprise attack. I don’t know who started it. The Ross cavalry began to boil the wheat in a hurry, not asking for it to be cooked.

They are more than happy to use their hands to stuff warm wheat into the horse’s mouth, and at the same time say some inspiring words to try to motivate their special comrades-in-arms.

Kagan didn’t take it seriously, he knew that all the horses he brought were hardworking, and if they were human, they would all be tough fighters.

The horses must maintain very sufficient physical strength, so although the morning food given to the war horses is not very large, the nutrition is not ordinary.

After breakfast, the Ross army assembled. They quickly threw the main materials for setting up the camp behind the sled, and hurriedly checked their weapons and equipment.

On the other hand, the Ross cavalry have mounted their horses one after another.

Such as the noble Rurik, Arik, and Gevro all rode to review the entire cavalry.

Check them out!

Including those Pechenegs who also put on the standard clothing of the Russian army. While the horses were equipped with overall cold leather clothing, they were also covered with a layer of white cloth with blue patterns sewn on them.

The entire mixed cavalry has full snow camouflage, and weapons and equipment are also varied.

Short wooden bows, recurve bows and crossbows are all listed, and riding spears are pressed diagonally in the saddle.

There are two round shields hanging on their thighs, and a ring armor on their calves. There is also a buckskin iron plate armor inside their upper body uniform.

People are like this, although the war horse does not have a large-scale iron armor, it has an added buckskin riveted with iron plates on the front chest.

From Rurik’s point of view, the armor he gave to his cavalry didn’t really make them upgrade to heavy cavalry, but they weren’t considered light cavalry in the full sense either.

In a sense, they are a kind of heavily armored hussars. They do have weapons and riders, and the load on the horses has increased significantly.

This army must complete the combat mission as soon as possible, and order the horses to stand on all fours with high-intensity loads for a long time, which will cause too much damage to the horses.

The cavalry lined up in two rows, and the horses twisted their thick necks unconsciously, panting thick white mist.

Rurik inspected every soldier on horseback. He had probably finished what he needed to say, but he still wanted to say a few more words.

“I only give you one task! Raid the camp of the Karelians and kill them mercilessly! This is the only way for you to become a real warrior. Now follow Prince Kagan and go to the Pecheneg way Fight! Just one thing! Don’t be too busy looting the loot.”

Will they carry out the orders they received?

Rurik suddenly drew his sword, causing them to draw their swords subconsciously.

“Now! Go fight!”

Kagan glanced at his brother Rurik again. He didn’t speak, but his sharp eyes that had killed people said everything with his eyes.

He yanked the birth with both hands, and then slammed his feet into the horse’s abdomen. His mount immediately reversed direction, causing the entire cavalry to turn.

“It seems that the battle has already begun?” Arik couldn’t help talking to himself as he watched their backs gradually leaving.

“It’s started.” Rurik stared like a hawk: “Maybe…”

“What’s wrong?”

“We still overestimate the Karelians. I think the cavalry alone can solve the battle.”

“That’s good. I don’t think it’s an honor to fight against a group of poor savages. The battle should end as soon as possible so we can see how many ferrets we can catch.”

Rurik glanced sideways at his cousin, although it was arrogance to contempt the Karelians so much, but the weakness of the enemy was real.

The cavalry set off first, and the large troops behind will need some time to prepare.

“It’s still better to think of the enemy as a strong force.” Rurik said, “This way, if we really encounter a crisis, we won’t be in a hurry.”

Arik shrugged: “It’s up to you. I’m going to form a team.” Then he turned his horse’s head…

When the cavalry was ready to launch an assault, Kagan ordered the cavalry to go all the way at the starting position.

Thanks to the high-energy breakfast, the horses don’t feel tired.

The cavalry formed a four-column column with the Pechenegs in front of the Rus cavalry behind, and they formed a moving matrix.

This battle is the first battle of the Boyar noble boys who were ordered to join the army. Even though their fathers are native nobles who were canonized by the princes, they are still the sons of peasants in essence. With their identities, they could have stayed away from the war, but now it is better. Honored to be a soldier in the first battle.

Thanks to the experience of the military career, even weak people can have their inner wildness stimulated.

They have no experience in killing the enemy at all, they just have the experience of killing deer and chickens under orders to practice courage.

They are generally only sixteen years old, and even some twenty-year-old men lack experience in killing enemies.

Only the Slavs in the cavalry looked like this. The young cubs from the old Rus had participated in many wars, and this was the first time they had been engaged in combat as cavalry.

“Get your bows ready, get your arrows ready! Use my recurve bow well! Kill the enemy without mercy, follow your prince’s order, and kill! No mercy!”

Kagan gave orders in broken Slavic, and everyone understood the main vocabulary, so they prepared to arm themselves while riding horses.

Now they can no longer see the large army. In fact, they have seen a long distance from the rear army.

Although walking on the glacier is surrounded by spruce and red pines, in fact they are very close to Lake Onega.

Finally, the world is open!

A huge brand-new frozen lake suddenly appeared in front of them, and the cavalry team walked out of the forest area and stood by the frozen lake of Lake Onega.

But we don’t have time to appreciate the vastness of the new world, because just to the south of us, a settlement of not-so-large scale looms before us.

People with excellent eyesight saw herds of reindeer again, and people who stayed on the ice as if fishing.

The cavalry, both men and horses in white camouflage, adjusted their direction again, and everyone knew that a fierce battle was about to break out.

Kagan hurriedly summoned everyone and gave orders with the Ross steel sword he ordered: “Everyone will shoot three arrows, then charge with their spears, and finally draw their swords and chop. Go and kill everyone you see! Now follow I’m leaving!”

Everyone has learned the rapid-fire arrow method, and since everyone has a finger puller, the rapid-fire arrow style with the right bow becomes easy to operate.

A group of white objects moved across the snow by the lake, and at first the exiled Karelians did not perceive the imminent danger at all.

On the other hand, the cavalry, now they are back to running in small steps. Each cavalry not only holds the bow in his left hand, but also holds three arrows at the same time, and only his right hand holds the reins.

Those Karelians had killed a large number of men in previous wars, and most of the people who fled were women.

This is a stronghold with a population of up to 2,000 people. They began to use riverside gravel to strengthen the foundation of tents and build houses with leather and wood.

They didn’t bring many deer, and thanks to the proximity to the lake, they could catch them in winter.

Because I have made some deals with the Perm people and Ludi people who set foot here, so that life will not be ugly.

One thing is true, they are not rich, but just the last days of defeated exiles.

The exiled people did not even elect a recognized leader, and some survivors of the three major tribes exist here.

Men have the highest voice, women rely on these men.

They are already actively rebuilding the tribe, and many women are pregnant again. It seems that this area where powerful enemies cannot find can live safely, and the matter of armed security has also been ignored.

In fact, even if they are on guard, it is meaningless!

The former allies and servants of the Ludi people turned into vassals of the Principality of Ross. Now it is 838 AD, and they came here as enemies.

Of course, they would never have imagined that the first wave of attacks by the pursuers of the Principality of Ross would actually be cavalry from the warm prairie more than a thousand kilometers away!

Then when the Karelian exiles noticed the squirming snowballs, they didn’t know how to describe them, and some people began to shout subconsciously: “A large group of white bears rushed over!”

Some of the people in the settlements went out to search for resources, such as hunting animals and skinning them to sell to the Perm people. There were a large number of women and children staying in the camp. There were less than a hundred armed men and ten-year-old boys, or the entire exiles All combatable men make up only one-sixth of all.

But that’s cavalry!

“Fire the arrows! Run!” Kagan gave an order, and the whole team threw arrows into the air unconditionally.

Iron cluster arrows fell from the sky, smashing through the leather and linen tents sheltering from the wind and cold, and began to cause casualties.

The cavalry released the first and only round of arrow rain in a rapid three-arrow pattern, then drew the bow and immediately took up the spear.

One hundred and thirty cavalrymen with spears were already galloping with all their strength, and they didn’t hesitate to deal with Kagan, the enemy who clearly had no time to prepare.

The sluggish Karelians were impaled with spears, and those standing outside their tents were either speared or run over by horses.

When the spear stabbed a person, the rider immediately dropped his hand, then immediately drew out his sword or hand axe, and continued to kill with his horse.

Those Pechenegs are the most experienced. They can easily overturn the entire tent by tying a rope around one of the tent’s wooden supports.

Then other cavalry rushed over, hacking and killing women and children.

There were cries and howls everywhere. Although men and women tried to resist with wooden sticks and short spears, they were suddenly killed by the tall cavalry. The white robes of the horses were stained red with blood…

One hundred and thirty “Reapers” were making a fuss in the camp, and a group of Karelians had already fled regardless of the details.

Having tasted blood for the first time, the young Ross cavalry warriors had forgotten that they were the sons of boyar nobles. Their hearts were beating wildly when they killed them for the first time, and their desire for destruction was thoroughly stimulated.

In desperation, some people fled to the ice, and these unrivaled people were all hacked or killed by the cavalry who overtook them, or shot with arrows.

At least those fishing men have the ability to resist. From their standpoint, although they don’t know who the weird attacker is, resistance is necessary.

In the end, this humble resistance was easily ended by the bow and sword.

Those who fled along the lake were overtaken, and many were knocked down by horses, whose hoofs collapsed their bones and left them breathless.

Those who tried to run to the forest were also intercepted by Kagan and the Pechenegs, who were frightened and fled towards the camp.

The men who resisted were killed on a large scale, and those women who wanted to flee with their children undoubtedly slowed down the speed, and what awaited them was still ruthless beheading.

Simply put, many women simply sat on the ground, trembling with their young and infant children in their arms, waiting for the fate of being killed.

Seeing this neck-wrenching slaughter scene, the Ross soldiers couldn’t help but soften their hearts.

The whole camp rebellion never really took place, and now anyone trying to revolt is non-existent.

A large number of large and small dead bodies lay on the ground, and the white snow was dyed red.

Most of the wooden sheds and tents were overturned, and a group of women and children were captured.

The Ross cavalry had already stopped the killing first. After Kagan dealt with the fugitives in sight, he had no intention of chasing and killing those who ran further away.

Cowards let them go, escape into the snowy forest with bare hands, fearing that tomorrow they will become ice sculptures.

The cavalry patrolled the village, and the trembling women had no intention of fleeing.

Who dares to escape when things have become like this?

Someone stood up and took the child to seize the opportunity to escape, but he was shot dead by the attacker?

It wasn’t until this time that the Karelians realized that the people riding the monsters were still fierce Rus people because they saw the extremely clear pattern.

Look at this dilapidated camp, those cavalry who made their fortunes from looting are all disappointed.

The Pecheneg fighters were the most disappointed. Didn’t it mean that this group of people had a lot of precious leather?

Where is the leather?

There is a way, but the number is not much at all.

This group of people also domesticated reindeer, and the number is pitifully small.

The only thing that can make them happy are these captured women.

Kagan ordered the cavalry to drive all the captives to sit together for easy supervision.

Possibly five hundred were captured, a number that surprised Kagan.

But the truth must be more serious, the captives still have many children with them!

However, what happened next deeply shocked all the Ross cavalry soldiers present!

They saw that the Pechenegs dismounted to examine the captives, and with great precision took the boy from the woman, and was bestowed with a sword to death.

When her own child was killed, the mother screamed heart-piercingly, and even rushed to the executioner desperately, but was kicked down mercilessly by the Pechenegs.

They couldn’t hide their children at all, and as a result, all the boys in the captive group were killed, and only a group of Karelian women survived here…

Why it came out like this?

The Ross cavalry warriors didn’t dare to ask why. It is said that if the prince is here, there is a high probability that this behavior will be terminated.

But everyone thought about it again, the prince’s order was to kill mercilessly, and it is kind of you to stop now, so what the Pecheneg people are doing now can also be counted as a kind of “kindness”.

Kagan has his own reasons for doing so, and the methods are rough and rough. This is the Pecheneg’s grassland warfare method.

Finally, Rurik’s army has arrived!

The reindeer sleigh team was hunting with banners, facing the army of the destroyed Karelian camp.

Did a mere 130 cavalry win a complete victory?

The army immediately took control of the scene. Seeing the bright red scene, most of the people who had experienced many battles would not feel it. Only Lu Di was deeply shocked.

The female leader Lu Di even blamed herself and feared, and when she saw the boys who were deliberately killed and a group of female prisoners who were in a trance, after a burst of screams, the whole person was frightened and fainted.

Rurik was also speechless when the battle situation became like this. Although the Ross army had won a complete victory, there was no joy of victory at all.

Especially the corpses of some boys who were killed were piled up together. These dead were not killed while fleeing, but their own subordinates deliberately killed the prisoners!

He found Kagan, and without mentioning the capture in this battle, he pointed to the pile of corpses and asked, “They must have been captured, so why not kill them?”

Kagan pouted helplessly: “You want us to kill all of them. You see, I spared the lives of a large number of female prisoners. It seems that I should implement the request…”

“No need!” Rurik slapped his face with one hand. “It’s my fault. I should have ordered you to catch as many alive as possible instead of killing them all. These boys were killed after they were captured, maybe…”

“Inappropriate?”

“Yes, it’s not appropriate.”

Kagan let out a long sigh: “You have already arranged for me to be merciful. However, in the grassland, the enemy’s men who are taller than wheels must be killed, otherwise they will soon grow into warriors and take revenge. We are brothers, see If you don’t want to do these things, I’ll help you do it. I’ll help you cut off those who are lower than the wheels. Your enemies now have and only women, and your men can occupy them, and they will all be your offspring. , you don’t have to worry about the enemy’s retaliation.”

This is a cruel truth. It is absolutely rational to say that Kagan solved a disaster for himself, and Rurik simply did not mention it.

Seeing this, Kagan hurriedly claimed credit: “I won this battle with the cavalry unscathed, and I have to get some spoils of war.”

“The spoils of war? Of course, it’s just…” Rurik looked around: “The Ludi people are right, these guys are really poor.”

“But those women, I like them.”

“A group of dwarves, you like it?”

Kagan laughed and said, “It’s not our style to go back empty-handed. I want to bring some women back to the grassland. Brother, at least make my subordinates happy, otherwise they won’t honestly work for me. You know , we came from the distant grasslands to fight in this snowy extreme north, everyone is taking huge risks, you…”

“I understand. You can choose whatever you want, that’s what you deserve. In principle, all the captives have to be managed by me, and you take your people to choose one freely, and even their future meals will be paid by your people. .”

“no problem!”

Kagan was full of joy, wouldn’t his slave-born subordinates be even more happy?

If Ross and other Vikings are not picky about women, the Pechenegs are even less picky. Among them, the slaves do not even have the chance to be fathers in principle. Now there is an opportunity to “marry a wife” In front of them, those Pecheneg fighters were crazy with joy.

After all, all the female captives would be digested by the Principality of Ross. They would be broken up, diverted and sold, and all profits would be returned to the treasury.

In addition to other loot, Rurik ordered the total amount to be counted and distributed twice.

He personally doesn’t need any spoils. The leather-based cavalry team gets the most prizes, and other personnel are distributed according to their status. For example, the lowest-level Ludi warriors have at least two squirrel skins equally.

The remnants of the Karelians are so poor that there are not even five hundred domesticated reindeer.

This situation is still in everyone’s expectation, and the seized materials are only a small profit. Everyone is already standing on the shore of the legendary Lake Onega. This is a brand new world!

Of course, the main force of the army will not stay here for too long, but the hunters Suomi and Ross who arrived here are about to start hunting expeditions.

[End of this Chapter]