Chapter 247： The end of the autumn Sorgon voyage

Sure enough, Otto's fleet missed the date again, which of course was within his expectations.

A batch of very critical oats arrived at Fort Shilla, which was under construction, but hadn't seen it for more than three months. The wild land at the beginning has now become a human settlement.

The old fellow who was appointed as the local leader, under his leadership, not only built the settlements of the first batch of Ross immigrants, they even cultivated a bit of land.

The immigrants transformed the axe into a hoe, or simply rammed the ground with a forest axe.

They also set fire to wasteland, creating soft farmland in the dark grassland behind the fire. The newly reclaimed farmland has no days for planting, but most of the immigrants have already prepared some wheat seeds and plan to sow spring wheat seeds when the spring arrives.

A large number of traditional longhouses in Ross have risen from the ground. Naturally, they built wooden houses with unfinished tree trunks, and then covered the wooden walls with warm soil. Naturally, the roof is stacked with a large amount of thatch on wooden boards, and part of it is fixed with soil.

During this time, the immigrants in Shilla Fort were not just as simple as building their homes.

They are a group of pioneers, they are willing to take the settlement as the center and explore in all directions.

Because of the huge demand for winter food, they must be bolder in adventure.

So the local leader, Konuzon, informed Otto of their adventures during this time.

There are so-called unidentified settlers in the north of the settlement, and even on the northern shore of Lake Ladoga. Even the fishing boats of the Ross people were far away on the lake and saw the phantom of a canoe in the distance.

There are strange settlers in the northern boundary. When Otto arrived in Shilla Fort, the old leader who had experienced many battles insisted that those unidentified were all Finns.

Are you going to attack them? Do not. If an attack must be launched, it is not now.

Otto ordered his men to ban all adventure explorations immediately after the beginning of winter.

Of course, exploration still needs to be done. After the completion of spring ploughing next year, it will be called the exploration season.

In the entire Baltic world, the traditional trade season, or the so-called war season, will follow. At this moment, Otto took the initiative to continue to expand the idea of ​​revenge, and he organized the army to start a war with the perfect reason-to avenge the dead old leader Ostara.

Of course, the young people desire more money and even have more female prisoners.

Where's Otto? He feels that honor is more important. Playing the banner of revenge for allies can be described as deliberately overstepping the leader of the Mellaren tribe.

so what? The brave Mellaren became conservative, and the Ross was no longer a rock hiding in the north.

Otto revealed to the immigrants of Fort Shillar his thoughts on starting a war next year, and he also issued a magical decree to them.

"All the grain I bring is my property. You can rent my grain. As a price, you must hand in a certain amount of grain from next year's harvest season, and you will pay for it forever."

At the beginning, everyone's orders to the big leader were very strange, and everyone was shocked that the leader had brought 50,000 pounds of food! With this batch of food, all immigrants no longer have to worry about insufficient food.

Because there are less than 700 immigrants in total, if everyone can share the food, people can eat it for more than three months by eating wheat alone.

The leader’s food is really a help, but many people feel that the leader is forcing his family to accept an unequal order.

Seeing the embarrassment of people's excitement and dissatisfaction, Otto immediately took out the so-called Quyuan Plow, and sent people to show what is called high-speed and efficient land reclamation! In this era when the Nordic people don't even have a concept of farmyard manure, being able to cultivate more land means more harvests.

One sowing can harvest up to five. The Ross people also recognize this truth. Compared with storing wheat as grain, some people also plan to reserve more seed grains. Want to gain more? It seems that only by reclaiming more land and sowing more crops.

These colonists who left their homeland were mostly people who didn't mix well in their homeland, and they were a vulnerable group of the Rus tribe. In a barren land, it is really difficult to expect to hunt for fish and reserve an astonishing amount of food. What's more, these families must work hard to build their own winter houses.

To build a house and store food to survive the long winter, few families can do it properly.

In fact, everyone hopes that the leader can give a certain amount of charity.

It’s just that everyone did not expect that the leader did give generous alms, but it was the eternal return of the family to repay this alms.

It is the so-called tax, the so-called tax.

Those people who really don't have the time and energy to collect more food have to accept Otto's food due to reality. As for returning the leader's family food every year in the future? I'll talk about this later. The first thing I will put in front of me is if I live through the winter that will come soon.

Otto gave ten sets of ploughs and some tools necessary for farming to every family receiving food. He even urged people not to sow seeds at will in spring plowing next year, and every seed must be put into the groove cultivated by the iron plow.

All the immigrants actually came from 233 families, and they basically built their own long houses. Therefore, at the mouth of the Neva River, a village in the true sense was formed. If a large amount of farmland appears nearby and a low wall is built with wood and soil, it can be said that a city will be born.

Almost all immigrant families finally accepted Otto’s gift, and 50,000 pounds of food were sent to them. On average, a family received 200 pounds. The so-called cost is the tax of up to 200 pounds of wheat next year! Every year from now on, if the leader has no new resolve, he will pay taxes according to this amount.

As for this tax, residents of Novgorod are also ordered to pay according to this standard. However, it is completely different. The local manor is responsible for collecting grain from the peasants. In the end, Otto only needs to get the grain from the manor. The owner of the manor is the tax collector, and the Ross immigrants are really self-cultivating farmers, small farmers with land.

After all, the rules were proposed by Rurik, and his old father, Otto, implemented the new rules for his son. Shilla Fort has become a test area for the implementation of the tax system.

Rurik didn't intend to make a loss-making business. His people borrowed their own food, and they had to pay out the principal and interest, as well as taxes.

In the end, the taxes they paid, Rurik didn't need the wheat to expand his money bank. The wheat must be consumed, and the tax paid by the Ross people will ultimately benefit Ross' children.

At least, the immigrant family received two hundred pounds of wheat. As for tomorrow and next year, the tools are already there, and everything will be discussed next year.

The fleet unloaded a large amount of cargo, and the huge transport ship suddenly became very light.

The sailors kept by Gould helped Otto a lot. Especially this time, the sailors on the transport ship relied on the skill of manipulating the sails, but did not use the oars to row the boat. The boats used the north wind to countercurrent the Neva And up.

The boat does not need to paddle at all, and it depends on the wind to move forward? Ottoben felt that sailing could not completely count on the wind, and he could not imagine that a transport ship could have the speed of a rowing warship just by sailing.

On this trip, Gould's large sailing transport ship really made the limelight.

"Is it feasible if we build a fleet of pure sails? Rurik, my son, maybe you can do it all."

Otto had an idea of ​​rewarding Gould.

His fleet successfully arrived at the White Tree Manor, and that was the date of arrival, which was far past the local harvest season.

The grains of the White Tree Manor and the entire Novgorod region were harvested in late September. Compared with the situation in previous years, the locals are happily welcoming a bumper harvest due to the beautiful harvest season.

Of course, what they call a bumper harvest means that the yield per mu reaches 120 jin.

There are still traces of the bonfire celebrating the harvest. The White Tree Manor has already completed its tribe’s priesthood to the Slavonic gods and the gods of Lake Ilmen.

The lord of the manor, Rigus, after the end of the sacrificial activities, non-stop calling people to take out tributes to the Varangans.

In the previous years, people resisted this. Only this time, people’s joy of harvest was still lingering. Everyone looked forward to the arrival of the Roths and expected the Roths to fulfill their vows.

Otto's fleet entered the Volkhov River, and all the ships raised their sails and moved against the current under the strong and cold north wind.

Otto landed on his faithful White Tree Manor, and a group of warriors dressed in bronze and iron helmets jumped off the boat. They didn't mean any violence, and many young people embraced women. They were the farmers of White Tree Manor.

The long-lost homeland is right in front of me, only a few months away, Lilia feels that she has been away from her hometown for many years!

She naturally took her husband Kawei's arm and walked towards her father who was trembling with excitement.

Yes, when the huge fleet of Ross people appeared, everyone in the White Tree Manor happily gathered to the riverside.

Otto took a firm step, his deep eyes and beard flowing in the wind, and the posture of this chain armor holding a sword, he was a deep veteran warrior.

Manor Rigus, he crouched and knelt down with his family on one knee, saluting the strong man.

Even the Svetlana knelt on one knee very rationally.

Seeing the girl's golden hair and lovely appearance, suddenly, an urge to bring her back to Roseburg and stay in her own home to raise her. This thought also flashed past, and Otto knew that there were too many girls staying at home.

"Get up all of you! Especially you, Rigus."

Rigus stood up slowly on crutches. He saw that in front of him was the tall and mighty Rose Chief. Behind him was a large group of Rose warriors with shields, leather armor and bright white swords.

Rigus saw the brand new look of his eldest daughter Lilia. She was already dressed as Varang, the huge amount of gems she wore on her chest, completely subverting Rigus' cognition.

"Chief, we welcome your arrival, I am happy to do things for you."

Otto opened his arms and said boldly: "I speak the words, you are the loyal hounds of our Ross people, so I will give you wonderful rewards. I want to explain the situation to you, and now tell me that the food is ready. ?"

"It's all ready. I'm happy to help you."

"Very good." Otto shook his neck and signaled that Kawei could take his wife to face his old man.

Under the eyes of the residents of White Tree Manor, Lilia excitedly rushed to her old father, and then hugged her mother, eldest brother, and even her lovely sister.

She stroked her belly and announced to her family that she was pregnant.

Daughter is pregnant? Doesn't it mean that your plan is half completed? The daughter's son will surely become the blacksmith of the White Tree Manor.

Rigus secretly watched Kawei come with the sacks.

As the tied twine was opened, the old guy simply threw the cane and sat on the grass, his hands shaking wildly.

"It's iron! It's iron... Is it all... a gift to me."

"It's for you." Kawei said softly: "I have discussed with Lilia, and our leader is unified. The wood axe in this sack is my personal gift to you."

Kawei still has a lot to say. Otto stepped forward and put his big hand on Kawei's shoulder to make him retreat.

"Rigus, Kawei gave you a gift, and now it's my turn to show the gift."

Since most of the people in this manor came to join in the crowds, Otto simply showed off the strong ploughing ability of Quyuan Plow in public. A large number of ravines appeared in the grassland of the river beach instantly. The depth of its reclamation of the land completely subverted the recognition of the reclamation by the locals who were just wood reclamation.

Otto immediately announced that the Ten Plow Plows belonged to White Tree Manor's wasteland reclamation tool. So based on the local people's ideas, these tools are actually shared by the entire estate.

Rigus, he doesn't have the right to eat for nothing. Everyone is eager for these magical iron plows to complete the most thorough transformation of their own fields.

This autumn, some young Ross youths came to the manor again to find a wife as usual. Those who bring their wives to visit relatives are also known as the focus of their wives' families.

They did not come empty-handed, they kept their promise!

Those very poor ordinary families in the White Tree Manor not only received a reward of salt from their son-in-law for marrying their daughters, but also had iron axes, daggers and other tools.

The White Tree Manor instantly became lively, people started a new carnival, and a large number of bonfires were lit, just like the continuation of the previous harvest festival.

Otto at the welcome banquet naturally became a guest.

He was sitting on a leather cushion, within reach of Svetlana, the cute little girl who was sitting nicely. Although the child has not yet reached the age to marry, the marriage agreement between her and Rurik will not change. Because of this relationship, Otto seemed to regard her as a daughter in the true sense.

There was also a plate beside Otto with dried meat, soft brown bread, and slightly sweet and sour kvass.

However, the spirits Otto took out once again surpassed Rigus' cognition. The ruler family of the entire White Tree Manor must also accept a miracle.

Under the oil lamp, Otto displayed a number of glass bottles. He showed nothing more than special glass bottles and the spirits in them.

The trick of igniting spirits was magic in Rigus's eyes, and Otto had no doubt about it.

He rubbed Svetlana's little blond head, and in a daze he felt that it was his son Rurik that he was touching. In the dark, the two of them already have a husband and wife.

"All of these are Rurik's masterpieces, including those iron plows, the glassware you see, and many more things, all created by Rurik."

Rigus trembles at hearing: "Your son Rurik, really got the favor of your great god?"

"Are you still suspicious?" Otto asked back: "Look at these objects! Svetlana must be Rurik's wife, and her children will inherit the power of my family in the clan. Rigus, you I should thank Rurik, and thank you Svetlana."

Of course Rigus was grateful. After the banquet, he didn't even bother to talk to his daughter and son-in-law, but to study exquisite glassware.

He also learned from his wife later that most of the glassware came from Lilia. But this does not mean that Lilia has divine power, and Rurik is still the **** who created all this.

The Rus planned not to stay in Novgorod for long. Otto planned to retreat immediately after receiving food.

However, Otto Wanwan didn't expect that the hateful Pine Needle Manor would actually play a dragging trick!

His wife died. The daughter was taken away, and the surrender of the lord of Pine Needle Manor was superficial skill.

The reckless Vadim feels that his life has important meaning, that is, to resist the brutal acts of the Ruths. If Vadim had suppressed the desire for revenge in his heart, his father had already acted.

Pine Needle Manor deliberately delayed the delivery of wheat, either because the amount of tribute was too large, or the people did not cooperate.

After warning, Pine Needle Manor was still delaying, and Otto resorted to violence again.

"You idiots, when the scar is healed, forget the pain. Now, some of you are destined to freeze to death in the winter."

Otto's troops burned down some houses, expelled some people, and beheaded all the rebels. Even crazier is that Otto personally beheaded the manor’s newly married young wife, and threatened: "Next year you dare to neglect, your eldest son will undoubtedly die."

Pine Needle Manor finally delivered a huge amount of tribute as scheduled. The Ross people harvested a lot in the area around Lake Ilmen, and all the transport ships were fully filled.

However, the conspiracy of Pine Needle Manor worked.

A snowfall hit the Ilmen Lake area, and the whole land became silvery. In fact, from the second day after receiving the Quyuan Plow, the people of White Tree Manor had begun to cultivate wasteland, and the speed of plowing subverted the local people's perception. However, snow has covered the land, and some dealers are counting on the snowfall money to renovate their fields. Now it seems that they must wait until the beginning of spring.

Could the wind and snow affect the Ross people?

The stubborn people of Pine Needle Manor all believe that the Varangans are weird people who emerged from the snow in the north. They are a group of people who are not afraid of the cold. However, their ships cannot sail on ice.

Otto clearly sees this, but he has no time to retaliate against Pine Needle Manor who insists on fighting.

The Ross people once again delayed their trip, they came to Novgorod mightily, put on a huge pomp, made a lot of popularity in the White Tree Manor, and also left more notoriety in the Pine Needle Manor.

The Ross people withdrew even suddenly.

Lilia had told her mother what she had learned, especially about Rurik. Thanks to these apt words, Rigus realized that Rurik was definitely not a god-like existence. The child did have magical powers, but aside from these magical powers, he was a lovely boy. It seems to be much gentler than his father.

Lilia put on a beautiful necklace of glass beads mixed with amber for her sister, and hurriedly boarded the huge fleet of Ross people returning home.

The arduous return journey has become full of dangers. The fleet is riding on the waves in the icy sea breeze. The ice on the sea starts to mobilize people's nerves anytime and anywhere, and the huge amount of tribute carried at the same time drives down the speed.

Otto felt that this was the craziest voyage in his life, and perhaps it was already freezing November when he arrived in his hometown. Although the fleet has already crashed through the small pieces of ice and moved forward, it is not a big problem to return home safely. However, everyone must be aware that soon after the fleet arrives, the entire sea area will be covered by thick ice.

The Ross people returned home with difficulty, and Otto wanted to go home early.

Because of Rurik, some new tricks will be shown.