Chapter 141： Tribute of White Tree Manor

Otto looked at the manor Ligus with sharp eyes: "How are your manor tributes prepared?" Then he motioned to Peravina to act as an interpreter.

"Yes. Great Chief Ross, this year's situation is the same as last spring."

"Are you completely ready?" Otto continued to ask.

"Yes, we have packed all the tributes together, and you can take them away tomorrow morning."

"It's just that the weather tonight is not good enough." Otto sighed deliberately, "Actually I know, you all hope we can leave soon."

Hearing this, Rigus quickly vetoed: "I don't mean it at all. You are our master, and we want you to stay for a long time."

What he said was polite, but he led the entire tribe to migrate to Novgorod, this possibility Otto himself did not want, he also knew that many tribes already had this idea.

Otto deliberately said: "Stay? Let's forget it. You only need to provide us with enough tributes to be in peace. If those Smolensk people want to beat you, I intend to help you. Compared to other tribes, Your manor is the most compatible. Come on, what tributes have you prepared for us?"

"Yes." Rigus nodded, then motioned to his eldest son to come over.

Immediately afterwards, it was Medwitt, the manor's successor, who personally explained the situation to Otto.

The residents of the Novgorod region, although they live together in natural villages in the form of traditional manors, their interiors are of course divided into large and small families.

What counts as a family?

A couple and their remaining minor children form an ordinary family. Those women who get married actually form a new family with newly grown men from other families.

The evolution of this traditional homegrown family is natural and reasonable.

It is in the territory of Novgorod, which is cold and long in winter, a huge manor is formed by a huge family, which is the dependence of everyone's life.

Their family structure and production capacity prevent them from reclaiming too much arable land. In order to obtain more grain in the harvest season, sowing techniques will also sprinkle more seeds. In such an environment, a couple will desperately give birth to children in order to live a good life. Even if it is a child, it is also an important productivity.

The paradox is that more children have to share about three pounds of wheat rations a day, and it is impossible for a family to bear more children!

Even if it is the manor's family, Rigus' family structure is still simple.

Rigus has only one eldest son, besides two daughters. In addition, he has two brothers, and the brothers don't want it either.

In order to thrive in her family, Rigus's wife has been trying to have more children, even if she is not young, she still yearns for more children.

As a result, his wife took the risk of giving birth to the last child at a very high age, but unfortunately, a girl.

Rigus regretted that the last effort he had made in his life had ended in a girl. Although she is a girl, she looks more and more lovely, but it makes the life of Rigus, who is getting old, a lot more joyful.

Rigus had three sons, but both of them died of illness when they were young.

He heard that Otto, the leader of the Rus people, also had two sons accidentally killed, and he felt that the two ethnic groups still had many things in common.

Even if it is the tough Ross people, death can still take their lives mercilessly!

Otto wanted to search for the wealth of the Novgorod people, just like not facing a sheep and cutting all the wool cleanly. Otto's exploitation is still aimed at the richest group of people.

The White Tree Manor with a population of up to two thousand people actually only has about 400 strong laborers, that is, males with the ability to cultivate land.

There are a large number of children in the manor. Boys and girls grow up to the age of marriage, and they have to face various severe challenges for more than a decade. Many children are destined to die and grow up due to illness or malnutrition. In order to make up for the pain of child loss and labor, any family is willing to continue to have children, which makes the manor have a large number of children!

These dirty and thin looking children will be an alternative resource that Otto will ask for.

The four hundred farmers with all their strengths only go fishing or hunting during the slack time. Their wives take care of all kinds of domestic work including childbirth, childcare, weaving, chopping wood, and fetching water.

The whole family has no right to leisure. As long as they are lazy, they will starve to death.

Every farmer who is able to cultivate has to pay a tribute of one hundred pounds of wheat throughout the year. Women who know how to weave must pay a horse of linen about a quarter of the area of ​​an ordinary longboat sail throughout the year.

In the spring, Otto came with the army of Sorgon and took away the various goods prepared by the White Tree Manor.

Among all the tributes, the most important is the unprocessed wheat grains that accumulate 20,000 Roman pounds, which is the total weight of nearly eight tons of wheat after conversion. Just loading the wheat requires two full-time transport ships!

It has to be said that in order to smoothly pull away all kinds of tributes this time, most of the fleet led by Otto are pure transport ships. It is not suitable for combat at all, and it is difficult to paddle. On weekdays, it will be towed by other ships, supplemented by mast sails. This is such a ship, it is enough to carry four tons! Well-deserved core force of transportation.

The sails of the long-headed ships of the Ross people are not small, and the sail area is relatively uniform. They used the area of ​​the sails as the standard, and they actually asked the people of White Tree Manor to provide a single layer of linen close to four square meters. The burlap of 400 families gathered together is a huge number.

Linen is an important source of clothing, and the other is animal skins.

Thirty sheepskins, ten cowhides, fifty fox skins, two hundred rabbit skins, and even two bear skins are all on the tribute list of the White Tree Manor.

Every time I heard the specific number of tributes from White Tree Manor, Otto was very moved.

After listening to Medwitt’s explanation, Otto nodded in satisfaction: “It’s a wonderful tribute. You have proved your loyalty. This is good.”

Medwit, who had been on his knees and reporting, raised his head slightly: "Great Ross, our tribute, are you satisfied?"

"Satisfied? I'm quite satisfied, but..." Otto deliberately tickled his teeth with chicken bones and stared at the person in front of him with a contemptuous look: "Your name is Medwitt, and you are the next manor. You. Kneeling in front of me is a sign of loyalty, and now I want you to provide more tributes."

Hearing this request, whether it was Rigus or Medwitt, sweat oozes from his forehead.

"Boss, you..." Rigus was about to refute something, and was immediately stopped by Otto.

"Listen to me now, the people of White Tree Manor. Starting this year, you must further express your loyalty to us. We need more tributes, and you must bear them without any right to argue. Now listen to me!"

Peravina tried to translate as truthfully as possible, and she was shocked when she heard that the big chief wanted to increase the tribute.

"Pelavina, don't be afraid, just translate it truthfully." Otto said to her.

Otto paused again, his tough tone eased a little, and then he gave out his specific request: "I want fifty chickens. I want to live, all in cages. I want ten cows and ten sheep. , Two males and eight females."

"You guys, are you going to take the cattle, sheep and chickens away?" Rigus asked cautiously. "I heard that your hometown is very cold. It may not be suitable for raising cattle and sheep there."

"Oh, Rigus, thank you for your kind reminder. We made some new decisions. Because of the cold, we built our Shilla Fort in the river that flows into the sea in Lake Ladoga. It will be a The huge settlement may eventually be larger than the largest Pine Needle Manor here. It is only four days away from you."

Peravina was trembling and translating like this, and she also said something, so-called self-proving that the Rus arrived in Novgorod from the Novgorod Fortress in four days.

Rigus felt an axe hanging from his head for an instant, and he could smash it down at any time.

The Ross people built a new settlement, as long as the White Tree Manor behaved unfaithfully, the crusade army could strike in just four days!

The residents of White Tree Manor know that there is a big lake in the north, and the name Ladoga is also from ancient times.

However, exploring the shores of the Great Lake is the limit of activities in the north of Novgorod. To the west of the Great Lake is the sea, which is an absolutely dangerous place, because all the Varangans are active in the ocean over there, and they will die if they set foot rashly!

Otto added: "In the fall, you don't have to provide these animals. Listen, every year, fifty chickens, ten cows and ten sheep are added tributes."

Rigus calculated that for the entire manor, the increased tribute was still within an acceptable range.

"Ah, great leader, we will give these."

"My needs are not over yet." Otto quietly tabled, staring at Rigus, "I want you to provide us with some people, and I want to take these people away."

"Is it more marriages?" Rigus asked vigilantly.

"Exactly, maybe this is something you are willing to accept."

"Ah, if our humble girls marry you, it will be their happiness."

Rigus’ humble and beautiful words hit Otto’s heart: "Well, how many girls can you offer to marry? I tell you the truth, among the people I brought this time, at least a hundred people must complete their marriage on this voyage. ."

Rigus fell silent, and he had to spend some time thinking about the pros and cons.

The head of the Rigus family's hereditary manor, this was regarded by ordinary people as a matter of course since ancient times. He did not hold this position for dominance, but to maintain the operation of the entire manor.

Although Rigus will satiate his pockets when people collect tribute, what do ordinary people do?

The manor’s family also controls several large kitchens in the manor, to bake large liba that can be eaten for a long time. In addition, there are important mills and a number of metal farm tools.

Precisely because they are relatives who have a common ancestor, the manor will rent these means of production for free or at a very low price to make life somewhat warmer.

Leaving the manor to live is simply looking for death! Ordinary families need the protection of the manor. Moving out to live in the dense forest is likely to become food for bears and wolves.

At present, there are at least forty girls in the manor who have reached the age of marriage, and Rigus basically knows the specific number.

He thought for a while, and said: "Thirty people. I can provide thirty girls." As he said, Rigus' eyes glanced at Peravina, who had always been an interpreter.

"I just can't think of it, this girl was married to your nephew, why..."

Otto immediately understood what he meant, and laughed in indulgence, and then asked Peravina to explain it herself.

On this occasion, Peravina, who will be the mother of the Rus, has already stood with the Rus and returned to her homeland. He also has to consider the feelings of the folks.

Peravina immediately explained her life in Roseburg, what she eats fat every day, eats fish every day, and does not know what a hungry life is, which really surprised Rigus.

"My dear, you were obviously skinny during the wedding, but you have changed a lot now. Your husband, that young man, he..." Rigus couldn't think of it. The Ross people were divided into two groups this year. An army of nearly five hundred people has gone to fight against the enemies of the Rus, and Peravina's husband is the commander of the army.

The child in her belly is not someone else's, it is the young man's.

What really surprised Rigus was that Peravina kept saying that the chief of the Ross was actually a good man.

These signs do indicate that the girls who married the Ross people are well taken care of. If marriage can get even greater benefits, why not do it?

Although the number of people in Baishu Manor is large, since they are relatives, the principle that men and women of the same race are not allowed to marry is also being implemented.

Even if you don't marry the Ross people, the girl to be married in the manor will also marry another manor. Each manor is realizing the movement of people by way of marriage and maintaining social relations with each other.

Everyone is married to a girl. For ordinary families, marrying one's own girl to a sturdy Roth may be a greater guarantee of safety.

Wife's husband is waving a tomahawk to his parents-in-law? This is something that Rigus felt absolutely impossible to happen.

Rigus had already thought about it. He said, "Thirty women, what do you think?"

Otto nodded: "Very good. Besides, I still want more people."

"what?!"

For a moment, Rigus thought of another word-slave.

The reason why the Varangans who have arrived in the Ilmen Lake area left a notorious image to the locals all came from the initial contact. The Varangans arrested people everywhere and used them as slaves.

In fact, Otto's ancestors did it. Even if in the next few decades, the Russ did not have the ability and energy to engage in slavery, it does not mean that the evils their ancestors did were forgotten by the various manors in Novgorod.

Otto mentioned it again, which immediately aroused Rigus' high alert.

The fear of the people in White Tree Manor was written in his eyes. Otto wiggled his hands slightly, explaining in particular: "I want you to provide some children, preferably boys, if it’s a girl, it’s okay. I only need ten children, they will act A personal servant of my only child. I can promise you that these children will have a good food and clothing as servants, and for this, I will pay a sum of money. It also includes the young people under me who are going to marry, and the women who marry you will also give A woman’s family is absolutely acceptable money."

If the matter involves money, the problem will be discussed.

Rigus had an idea, and immediately said: "Well, my leader, I can provide you with some children, but they are too young, I hope you don't mind..."

"Of course I don't mind." Otto was telling the truth, and now, he was doing things for his son, Rylik. "My son is a great man, just like your eldest son will inherit the post of the manor. When my life comes to an end, my son will inherit the head of Ross. Listen, Rigus! You are an old man. , I am also an old man. When we die, it will be my son dealing with you."

"But your son, he is too young..."

Rigus basically knew Rurik's age. What can a seven or eight-year-old kid do, who can't deeply doubt it?

Otto also didn’t bother to announce what great measures his son had taken Because he calmed down, Otto looked at his son, and a child could reasonably collect five thousand silver coins in half a year. It has really improved the lives of tribal residents. He could only interpret this as a favor from God, and he felt weird to think about it, let alone to the people of White Manor.

Otto deliberately untied the small linen bag around his waist and untied the rope to reveal the treasure-a handful of unprocessed amber rough.

"You give us tributes, these are rewards to you. Rigus, you can enjoy these alone. Listen, this is a treasure for you, a return of your loyalty. As for other manors, don't want to get my favor. "

"Huh? Is this true? What a great gift!"

Rigus felt that this was a way for the leader of Ross to buy people's hearts, and this method was also implemented by the Ross people last year. He really didn't understand that the price of this package of processed amber may be close to the value of all the tributes. What is the picture of the Ross people? Is it just the worship of another group of people's loyalty?

Maybe this is another form of trade? Just because of the arrogance of the Ross people, they are still labeled "collecting tributes" and "special rewards."

Otto hurriedly tied the rope and handed the linen bag to Medwitt.

Then he said: "Ten children, preferably boys. They should be as old as my son. Remember, they are my son's servants. As long as they obey my son's request, they can be properly taken care of. No matter what. Boys and girls, I will give their parents ten silver coins."

Rigus replied immediately: "Okay! I will provide it immediately, and I can guarantee that many families will support this transaction. Let's toast!"

After all, Rigus raised a glass full of ale, as did Otto, who was in a good mood.