Chapter 382： She expected her end

The temperature in Roseburg is no longer aggressive, and even at noon, people can bathe in obvious warmth in the sun.

March is here, and there is no tendency for the ice sea to thaw for the time being, but everyone believes that changes are taking place in places invisible to the naked eye.

Until now, the supply of materials in Roseburg has been very stable. Especially the stock of wheat, they are released regularly, which basically ensures that the wealthy residents will not occupy too much, and the wheat benefits most people.

What other major events happened in Roseburg during the more than three months of Rurik’s absence?

In fact, there are no major events. Days go by day by day. Like winters in previous years, most of the residents trapped in the fjord stay at home. But there are a group of industrious people who do production without fear of the cold.

They ran to build camps on the ice far away from the fjord, and tried their best to pierce the ice with an iron pestle, lure the seals desperately in need of breathing holes to float up, and wait for the opportunity to kill them with harpoons. They even used the carved ice hole to lower their hooks and often caught a little cod. After all, cod is hungry in winter.

Just like the previous years, seal leather was sold to merchants, grease was sold to priests, and the flesh and edible offal of seals were shared by the tribe. In the past four months, more than 3,000 seals have been hunted, and the range of activities of Ross's ice hunters has been further expanded.

That is, when Rurik built the soap industry, great economic benefits brought unprecedented demand for grease, how can the masters of seal hunting let go of this opportunity to make money? Besides, the residents of Ross can't do without soap. They can't stand the greasy, smelly, and dirty condition of their bodies. The price of soap in the domestic market is still the same. Nowadays, due to the influx of huge amounts of silver coins, most Ross people no longer think that soap is a rarity. As long as you catch a seal, sell the leather to a merchant, and change hands with a silver coin, you can get two sulfur soaps (economical soap has been stable on one silver coin for a long time).

Most of the boys and girls in Ross are on vacation. As long as they don't ask for Lirik, they won't have any training in winter, and naturally they won't get any food rewards. There is no need to worry about the children being hungry.

As early as in the warm season, they have trained in fighting, logging and even archery. Although they are young, most of them have the ability to hunt and kill small animals to feed themselves. What's more, their parents stocked up enough smoked fish for a winter as usual, and even frozen herring piled into a wall at the root of the wooden house. Oh, in the seal hunting army, there are also a group of boys carrying steel-headed harpoons.

Only those orphans who are completely serving Rurik and collected by various means are eligible to be nurtured by Rurik all the time. These boys and girls are not eating for nothing. People like Carlotta, Fisk, Kanuf, etc., have become veritable "King Kings". When Rurik himself is not there, the orphans must obey the demands of these people. Either fell wood, or went to help in the blacksmith's shop, or simply participated in the hard work of making oil and making soap.

They have strong perseverance and a grateful heart, and they are even more eager to grow up to be a fighter sooner, so that they can better serve their masters. Realistically speaking, after becoming fighters, they have the right to make spoils for themselves on the battlefield.

It’s just that they don’t know that the benefits they will bring from their labor in winter are far beyond the wheat they eat.

Rurik came back, and he returned with a large amount of wood for shipbuilding.

Roseburg in the ice and snow was full of boredom, and the hunting team returned with a large amount of supplies, and the entire Roseburg was a sensation.

The chief father and son came to the sacred long house of the priest as usual.

Many buildings were demolished and replaced with woodcuts with wooden floors and fireplace chimneys. The long house of the priest is an old house. It is still strong for so many years, and it seems unnecessary to tear down and rebuild it.

High priest Velia, her shriveled mouth almost lost her teeth.

Coincidentally, Rurik ate a grilled fish in Elronburg, and one of his front teeth finally reached the critical value of falling. Another deciduous tooth fell, and Rurik's body had completely entered the stage of complete tooth replacement. No, his figure has also grown a lot taller.

Veria seemed to be able to leave in her sleep on any night, and she had already prepared for it, but she persisted until now.

"You...finally came back."

"Yes." Otto, who was sitting casually cross-legged, smiled haha, "Great priest, you are still healthy."

"I... I'm too old, and I've really persisted till now."

As Vilia spoke, Lumia, dressed in plain clothes, draped in her long hair, and wearing a rope loop on her head, sat awkwardly.

There were two girls sitting beside the high priest, Lumia and Lumi. Their names had exactly the same meaning, even their ethnicity.

She admires these two girls, especially their character. The dead Bona was done because she was greedy for money and power and forgot her duty. The two girls are different. Veria saw so much, she couldn't feel the ambition of the two children, they just quietly did the work of the priest, and surrendered to their leader.

"Big Boss." Villia whispered, and then hoarsely said: "Thanks to God's blessing, I think I have completely completed the task of the rest of my life. Lumia has learned everything about me, and she... has the qualifications to go independently. Hold a sacrifice...she is the real successor to the high priest that I can admit."

"High priest?! You!" Otto couldn't laugh anymore, he heard the danger in these words. Because of Veria’s official resignation, I am afraid it will shock the entire Roseburg! Because countless people have been the only high priest since they were born, it is hard for everyone to imagine what an era without her would be like. At least Otto now has a hint of trepidation

Rurik, how could he not understand?

The old woman in front of her should be seventy-five years old in the century. This is a miracle of mankind in the current Nordic world.

"She should have been aware of the imminent end of her life? Yes! It must be so. The dying person can predict her own end." Rurik was really sad, and lamented this woman's life.

Veria, this high priest is the first immigrants of the Ross tribe to move to the present geographical location, and her life represents the past of the Ross people.

The Ross people had a new beginning, and Rurik dared to conclude that history would eventually make an end to the Ross people. Since 828 AD, everything has changed.

Otto continued to comfort him, as if a son comforted his old mother.

Oh, in multiple senses, Otto is treating Villa as an old lady.

"High Priest, don't have strange thoughts. You will live a hundred years old. God will always look after you, and you will always guard Rose."

Veria's shriveled mouth squeezed out a smile, which was completely different from the two girls sitting next to them with tight expressions.

"Don't be stupid... my child. I have foreseen my end, dear, don't be sad for me when I leave, I will go to Valhalla and be promoted to the Valkyrie. Otto, one day, one day, Maybe I will lead your soul to Valhalla. I hope you still remember my face when I was young."

"Hey, how can I forget." Otto laughed out loud, and this smile was bitter and gratifying.

When she was young, Veria was also a beautiful woman. When Otto remembered, Veria was thirty years old. She still maintained her beauty, but she couldn't let go of the pain of losing her son, so she devoted all her efforts to serving God.

In fact, he has the mentality of "being a nun".

Villia coughed twice and tapped the stick again: "Well, you still tell me, father and son, what you encountered in the north. Tell me something new about this old man."

Aging severely restricted Veria's ability to move. Her legs and feet were more unchanged. Recently, she could only rely on the sedan chair made by the lower priests to carry it. She stayed in the long house of the priest almost all day long. She took a nap on weekdays. After waking up, she saw the exquisite glassware on the pillow, and even the porridge that was boiled in the glass bowl during the meal. Seeing things and feelings, the first thing she thought of was Rurik!

The drastic changes in Roseburg have Otto's contribution, and even the contribution of Rurik.

She stayed in the long house and relied on the people around her on weekdays, especially Lu Mia's whistleblowing to learn about the outside world.

For example, Rurik is hiring the best shipbuilders to build ships that have never been seen before.

Otto intends to talk about the good news that he led his troops to hunt a huge amount of leather in the new Eastern Forest.

Veria didn't seem to take it so seriously, she just wanted to know what Rurik had done.

No, Rurik told the dying high priest bluntly about the ship's material and mast.

The boring life brings motivation. Veria thought that she had taught Lumia everything about her job as a high priest, and she could wait quietly for her death. Now she has new hopes.

"That Aphrora, do you call the ship a woman? You really gave it to the little clever ghost. Rurik, when will your ship be finished?"

"Just this year! Just when the sea is thawing." Rurik knew that her time was really running out, so he spoke loudly.

"That's a good thing."

On the surface, Veria's expression didn't fluctuate much, but in fact her heart was excited. She consciously cannot be angry or ecstatic, and she cannot tolerate any violent mood swings and violent activities, otherwise she is like a broken ship-like body that can capsize at any time.

"April! It’s April! When the sea thaws, it’s when my big ship is launched. Now the mast material is ready, it must be four months, and the hull is basically finished. Wait until the new trade season, my ship Just go to Melaren, and go to Fort Shilla in the east to promote the power of our Rus people."

Rurik's words were not to leave a way for himself to retreat, and he increasingly felt that Veria was just hanging out, eager to witness a great existence before leaving peacefully.

So, where is the construction of the Aphrodite?

The returning people made the already prosperous leather trading market more prosperous. Those leather merchants urgently processed all kinds of leathers and bought them, and there are also leather factories like Verdegen, and his subordinates are hurrying to make ready-made clothes. The so-called slaves, as long as they give food and drink, they are extremely kind. This is what Fodgen did. He forced his subordinates to work hard, and the work efficiency that was squeezed out was really nonsense. He has been selling the clothes he has made and is also hoarding desperately, hoping to make a fortune in Mellaren.

After returning, Rurik quickly returned to his home to rest. He soaked his whole body in a wooden barrel and took a good bath.

Otto pursued a more comfortable enjoyment. After wiping off the soap bubbles all over his body with warm water, he got into the Finnish steam room and gave himself a sauna to eliminate all the troubles of boats and cars. He washed himself clean, so that Niya let his wife get close.

Dirty does not belong to Roseburg, because as long as conditions permit, everyone hopes that they can always be clean and fresh. Soap is the key to bringing a comfortable and refreshing feeling, which naturally contributes to the overall health of the Ross people.

It is very obvious that the deaths in Roseburg this winter are all elderly, and the miraculous mortality rate of newborn babies is zero.

Everyone can't think of the power of this soap. If you insist on saying a truth, everyone subconsciously believes that this is a new round of favor of Odin to the Ross people.

On the second day of Rurik's return, Rurik took a few mercenaries and went straight to Hortra's huge shipbuilding workshop in a free manner.

Before them, those sledges carrying a large amount of wood had already blocked the entrance of the workshop, making it a little troublesome for people to come and go.

The trouble is only going in and out. The shipbuilders in the workshop are really anxious to run over by themselves. It is best to block the door with more, so that you can’t run to a long distance to select a good boat with a big axe. Material.

When Rurik came this time, he was not only anxious, but also with a clear purpose.

He is going to discuss something with Hotla, and the other party has no right to refuse this matter. He didn't come empty-handed either. The hacksaw made in Fort Elon with his hand would bring new innovations to the shipbuilding industry.

"It's clanging inside, they started working early in the morning." Evlo said casually.

"Maybe they worked all night. Let's go in and take a look."

It was still cold early in the morning, and Rurik did not want to continue pestering on the snow outside, but wanted to break into the shipbuilding workshop directly.

But Yevlo and others raised their heads, not to mention this huge wooden house. Not only is it amazing in length, but the internal space must also be huge.

It is actually a large factory building. The big difference from the steel factory that can be quickly built a thousand years later is that this factory is pure wood. However, it also uses a frame structure made of pine wood. After a large number of logs are piled up, the plant is completed.

Rurik's visit was not at all obtrusive, and Hotla was already ready for a busy craftsman.

There are a large number of oil lamps in the factory building, UU reading www. The uukanshu.com seal oil lamp brings key lighting and also keeps the whole plant warm. Rurik hurriedly ordered his men to close the small wooden door, and then subconsciously looked at the closed wooden door.

He turned his head, the scene in front of him instantly made all the words redundant.

It was a very large hull, which was obviously much larger than long ships and cargo ships.

The keel of the big ship is obviously lying on a large number of pine sleepers, a large number of ribs are built around the keel, and the wooden boards attached to the ribs are layered on top of each other. It seems that the entire hull is basically completed! This was beyond Rurik's expectation.

At this moment, Hotla, standing on the bow of the ship, was holding a hammer in his hand. He enthusiastically shouted to the following: "It is the noble Lord Rurik, you are finally back."

Rurik raised his head and looked at it from the current angle. He felt that the bow of the ship was four meters high. In fact, it was more than four stikas from the keel.

Standing here, Rurik looked at the towering bow of the ship and not only exclaimed, "Ah! I am such a small existence. It is me who will drive this ship."