Chapter 900： "Bone Broken" Gorm Siegfriksson

Remember [New] for a second,! The huge Lake Venern welcomes the huge Ross Navy.

The lake is as big as the sea, and the islands and sandbars in the lake are densely packed. For the Rus and Swedes, their first arrival in this part of Götaland, the fact that the fleet had to go south into the Göta River to enter the Denmark Strait came as a surprise.

A brand new, tortuous and very stable inland waterway has been discovered. If you enter the Denmark Strait by water in the future, you don't have to go to the unpredictable East Baltic Sea at all.

When the boat leaves Lake Mälaren, it only needs to float a short distance along the coastline, then turn into the old Ostara Fjord (North Köping), and enter the lakes like a pearl chain and enter in calm seas. Western sea. The Swedish nobles were more resistant to continuing the war, but when they learned that the fleet was only a step away from the Denmark Strait, they were all surprised, and their desire to explore was rekindled.

This mixed fleet was naturally the Russ Navy taking the lead, and the Swedish Allies were placed in the rear.

Rurik did this on purpose. He was afraid that if these guys were placed in the front line, the itchy warriors would take the initiative to attack and miss the new strategy of not fighting the subjugated soldiers.

Could it be that what the Ross ** team arrived must be blood from the battle axe? The small boats floated to the various wing ships carrying the messengers, ordering the ships to implement the new orders of the king. The order was written on the hard paper, and Arik glanced at it and folded the paper neatly.

"It's strange that my brother is suddenly merciful. Does he really believe that the Jotarans are obedient?"

The messenger replied urgently, "That's how the king arranged it."

"That's it." Arik waved his hand. "You go back and inform the king that the first flag team will implement the new order. We will restrict our subordinates to exercise absolute restraint and will not venture ashore."

Rurik sent orders everywhere. According to his new arrangement, when the fleet arrived at the mouth of the Gyota River, it immediately set up a battle, used its huge momentum to frighten its opponents, and then put the captives and fishermen back, and sent an messenger to persuade them.

So, who is the messenger?

Ahead is the mouth of the Yota River, where an obvious fishing village has emerged. If what the captives say is true, then from now on, the fleet has entered an area called Gothenburg.

The fleet hoisted a flag, and all the crewmen saw that the sails were settled, and the anchors were thrown down and plunged into the mud at the bottom of the lake.

"Is it a huge glacial lake?"

A long boat floated to Rurik's flagship with a chubby man, who climbed the rope ladder to the deck.

"Your Majesty, here I come."

"Blue Fox, you're finally here."

"Now, is it possible for me to land first with the Ankras army to find out. This is really an honorable thing."

"No." Rurik shook his head and pointed at the prisoner who had changed clothes, "These are the captured fishermen, I will put them back. I also need to prepare some gifts, you will be my messenger, and Fishermen and gifts were sent there."

"Entrust me as a messenger?"

"How? You look embarrassed."

Lanhu smiled and shook his head again: "It's nothing, I've been a messenger too many times. I'll bring some followers, Your Majesty don't have to worry about me."

"Yeah. Of course I'm not worried about you, I'm just worried that you will suddenly get angry because of the possible offense of the other party, and take your people to kill. Forget it, I will send elite soldiers to follow you, a hundred soldiers row ashore, prepare four long The ship is ready for action."

"Okay. I'll go right now."

According to the captives, the name of the fishing village in front of them is very simple, meaning the so-called "Venang Lake Village". It is not a small village. The village has a scale of 1,000 people. It is adjacent to the big lake and has a unique geographical location. Even if it relies on backward technology to fish for fish, supplemented by planting wheat and raising cattle and sheep, it is enough to feed such a population.

"Linhu Village" is only the first large village, it has many neighbors, and the population is close to 1,000 people. Because the Yota River is free, the villages living in the northern area of ​​the river naturally take care of each other. They form a group of their own. Naturally, due to economic structure problems, there are certain entanglements with the people at the southern end of the river near the Denmark Strait.

The entanglements are just some contradictions naturally caused by geographical location.

On the whole, once the entire watershed is in danger, everyone must abandon their previous suspicions and act in unison.

For this area, the Rus army from afar knows only its name and knows nothing about its political ecology.

If there is a unified leader in the local area, whether it is war or peace, it can be quickly implemented by negotiation. Based on past experience, a fierce battle will solve the problem.

It seems that it can only take some time to slowly break down.

According to what the prisoner said, there was no chief in the "Linhu Village" where he was located. Just like some Viking tribes, they set up a council, and when anything happened, the most prominent people in the village gathered together for a meeting. If there is a war, one or two well-liked and able-bodied people will be elected to command the warriors composed of tribesmen to join forces to defend against the enemy.

Rurik's fleet stopped at the mouth of the river and the lake, and the huge fleet deliberately spread a wide array. The fleet completely blocked the river, directly cutting off all attempts by the fishermen to enter Lake Venern to fish.

There is no doubt that this kind of strong onlookers is a kind of absolute power oppression. The masts of the huge fleet are full of blue flags on a white background, which reminds witnesses who know some external things.

Because of the residents of Gothenburg on the banks of the Göta River, they are forced to temporarily choose to be blocked. If they have the opportunity, they will naturally go out of the river area and roam freely in the Denmark Strait to fish for herring.

The fishermen of the three villages near the Great Lake were working as men on the shore of the lake. They saw the fleet approaching and swiftly fled back to the village.

Especially those fishing boats that escaped very fast. After all, they saw that their own family was attacked and their life and death were uncertain. They must have been killed by the attackers. They instinctively fled to the village and greeted all young men and women to take up arms and defend themselves.

"Everyone, go to the river and have a look! There are enemies attacking!"

The fishermen who fled back greeted the brave clansmen to find out, and more people wait and see with suspicion, but more and more people are running to tell, and the news of the "enemy attack" is spreading more and more evilly.

Although there was no Great Chief in Linhu Village, dozens of brave men armed with weapons took action. They climbed tall pine trees or stood on the roofs of residential houses by the river to watch the direction of the lake. Sure enough, they saw a fleet.

In this life and death, a brave warrior stepped forward.

Gorm Sidfriksson, a young and powerful "broken bone" with a good appeal, gathered his old friends to take the lead in arming, and also judged the identity of the ship and even the fleet based on the flags flying on those weird big ships. .

Standing by the lake, he faced the panic and suspicion of all the guys, and he raised his arms: "Brothers, they are actually from Ross."

"Russian? Really Russ?" A brother asked, and others were even more puzzled.

"It's the Russ."

"But how could they be in the lake. And...so many boats? Are they trying to destroy us?"

"I don't know." Strong pressure was placed on Gorm's shoulders: "Let's go back and organize people as much as possible. We have no grudges with the Ross people. I heard that they fought against Denmark in the past, maybe..."

Suddenly, Gorm's mind flashed, and in a trance, he felt that he realized the purpose of this huge fleet of Rus with a clear flag - to storm the Danish peninsula of Jutland by way of the Jota River.

But wait!

Although Gorm didn't know the truth of the false way to cut Guo and destroy Yu by the way, due to the long-term suppression of Denmark's power, the Gotaland people near the river have always been vigilant. No matter what this group of Rus wanted to do, they were going to pass through the Göta River peacefully into the Denmark Strait, which was almost impossible!

Gorm went to the river to find out, and when he returned to the village, he immediately announced his major discovery.

In an instant, people knew the identity of the person who came. Although everyone was surprised, since the other party was a Russian who had no hatred, maybe the situation was not bad.

More than a dozen big family leaders in the village gathered together, and several tall and strong men came over with battle axes. They met temporarily in the open air to make quick discussions, and at the same time the village was mobilized quickly.

Just as they used to guard against Danish pirates from catching slaves, these people tacitly assumed that the Rus had a similar purpose.

All the leaders quickly completed a show of hands, and Gorm Sidflixson was elected as the war chief, commanding the men and women of the entire village to defend against the enemy.

"Since you are so determined, everything is at my discretion. All the men over ten took up arms and gathered by the river, and the women armed as much as possible, and protected the young children and the old, and evacuated into the forest. All the boats have retreated to the reeds on the riverbank, if the situation is urgent, we can evacuate."

It can be said that the war chief Gorm has made preparations with both hands. As the so-called, if he wins a military confrontation, it is easy to say, and if the war fails, he will quickly evacuate.

More people still hope that the guy nicknamed "Bone Broken" will lead the brothers to victory.

However, he said that his nickname was actually an arm wrestling competition in the village in the past. The competition was inseparable for a while, and he won the victory as he broke the opponent's bones abruptly. The name "Bone Broken" comes from this, and his man is also considered to be a famous ruthless man in the village.

The precautionary measures to prevent the Danish pirates from being attacked in the past have been activated again. Due to the cover of trees, the Ross fleet floating on the lake and the river is unaware.

Or because Rurik spent some time dispatching the messengers, the Lake Village had a lot of time to prepare.

The four longships had their jibs hoisted, and the Ross flag on the mast fluttered in the southerly wind.

Rurik sent his 100 standing army soldiers this time. They wore regular uniforms and a layer of "buckskin riveted iron armor" under the white shirt. Their helmets are all decorated with bear upper jaws, and their terrifying fangs show their might.

In terms of combat power alone, Lanhu will lead the hundred people to land. If the opponent strikes first, the army will be able to withstand several rounds of strong attacks.

Along the rope ladders, the soldiers took their seats on the long boats, and rowed the big oars to carry the captured fishermen and some gifts to be given to the neighboring lake village.

The surrounding water, light and forest were beautiful, and the blue fox keenly noticed that farmland had been opened up by the lake, and the green ones were not weeds but oat seedlings.

"It seems that you Gyotarans know life very well, and you have opened up farmland. In this way, you can pay tribute to us in the future." The blue fox flirted with the vigilant fisherman guide.

With a bitter smile, the fisherman did not dare to look at the fat warrior Ross.

"It's up to your clan to choose. Listen, after we land, I want to see your leader..."

"Ah! But my lord, we have no leader."

"Then invite people with high morals and respect. You must do this well, and there must be no misunderstanding, otherwise...you know the consequences."

"Yes Yes…"

What are the consequences? The consequence is that the powerful Rus army achieved a crushing victory by relying on the strength of the village, men, women and children.

How many people are there in Linhu Village? Guide fishermen know this well.

However, not long after the blue fox floated, he saw a group of armed men appearing on the shore. This scene made him furious!

The Ross Standing Army soldiers on the ship were all young, vigorous, and strong. Rather than negotiating for peace, they hoped that the opponent would suddenly attack and fight back.

Some of them rowed, and some of them were stringing their wooden and steel-armed crossbows.

Blue Fox silently watched the brothers get ready for battle, and then scolded the guide: "I saw a large number of armed men. What does this mean? It looks like your clan is going to fight?"

"Ah! It's a misunderstanding! It's a misunderstanding."

"Maybe. Even your clan's troops are not many, like how a little rabbit can satisfy a bear's appetite? I have put the army on alert. Our arrows can easily kill bears, and naturally they can easily kill you. Your clansmen. After landing, persuade your clansmen not to be impulsive, or I will go to war immediately."

The blue fox was a straightforward threat. The four long boats gently broke into the reeds along the riverside under the vigilant attention of the armed villagers in Linhu Village. The keel gnawed on the silt, and the boat washed slightly and half aground.

From Lanhu's point of view, if the villagers have only this amount of troops, they are completely true. Look at these villagers, although they have brought a large number of round shields to form a shield wall, but the overall weapons and equipment are too inferior.

The tall and sturdy Ross standing army disembarked the boat in a grand manner, and the little giants quickly established their landing beachhead positions, and the formation stretched out into an arc. Sixty people formed a relatively loose shield formation, with soldiers holding crossbow standing in the middle of the gap, and the shooting direction was already aimed at the locals who were constantly approaching but dared not take a step forward.

However, in Linhu Village, the war chief Gorm tried his best to gather more than 400 warriors with different qualities.

There are also old men with white hair and boys with snotty, dry nose and sticky face. On the other hand, when looking at Ross's army, including Gorm, it was the first time they had seen each other. Facing the army with the bear's head as a terrifying decoration, they first felt awe.

"We've only seen their ships roaming the strait before, and the Danes couldn't stop them. This is... their warrior." Gorm's first distant brother worried.

Another playmate from childhood was trembling all over: "Big brother. We... really want to fight this kind of people? They look strong."

Everyone was watching Gorm's move, their mouths were silent and their feet were glued. If even "Broken Bone" Gorm didn't dare to strike first, would there still be a warrior in the village who dared to advance?

Just as the two sides maintained a strange stalemate, the blue fox's array opened a hole.

The captured fishermen, with their wives and children, ran to their clan impatiently.

The Linhu Village is only a thousand people. The people who live here are neighbors. In a huge acquaintance society, all the villagers of this small family of fishermen recognize it.

The captured fishermen were freed, and they ran among their own people, where they were immediately questioned by the unabated Gorm.

"It's you! Frogin, it's you... who brought the Rus people here?"

"Ah! Gorm, you are now..." The fisherman's name is Frokin, and his name is only worth mentioning as the last fisherman. "You have become a war chief?"

"answer me."

"Okay. They're Rus, just like the Rus who drifted through the Channel every year. Their leader wanted to order us to surrender, so he didn't kill me, not even."

"What's wrong?"

The fisherman Frokin proudly removed the heavy cloth bag tied to his hemp rope waistband, opened it, and presented it in front of Gorm.

Under the direct sunlight, the only thing Gorm could see was a silver coin. He picked up another and looked at it, and was surprised that it was a fine Frankish silver coin, as if it had been minted recently.

"So many silver coins, where did you come from?"

"It was rewarded by the leader of Ross, and it's all mine now." The fisherman Frokin was quite proud when he said this, and added: "The leader of Ross sent one of his war chiefs. They said they didn't really want to fight, and they He also gave some gifts to our village."

"There's still a gift? Wait..." Gorm held his head and thought for a while, he couldn't understand why such a situation would still happen. But since the Russ mentioned giving gifts, the strong vigilance in Gorm's heart calmed down in an instant.

He immediately asked a key question: "Frokin, all the Ruth troops are floating on the lake? How many are they? What are they trying to do?"

"They...the young leader demanded that the entire Yota River surrender to them. The Rus have 10,000 troops! Their leader said that if we refuse to surrender, we will go to war."

"Ah!? What else did they say?"

"Their leader made a metaphor. If you surrender to him, you will get a reward, and if you refuse to surrender, you will go to war. He also said that we will be protected by them in the future. If there is a Rosian, we will have a mouthful of soup."

Are there really 10,000 Rus people? A simple "one thousand" is already a huge number word, and ten thousand is "ten" one thousand. Such an order of magnitude is already unimaginable for Gorm.

On the other hand, I have tried my best to mobilize only four or five hundred people. He couldn't control other villages, but the Rus people really chose to go to war, and the five hundred people in Linhu Village couldn't stop the 10,000 people from Rus anyway.

A war chief of the Rus people and his subordinates were dressed in uniform and wore bear heads, and they looked extremely frightened. If there is a war, Gorm doesn't even have the confidence to win the Rus people in front of him. Even if he wins, it must be a tragic victory, right? The result is still the collapse of the village.

Submission is of course possible, as long as the Rus people are not villains who demand excessive demands and wantonly capture slaves.

Gorm simply put away his weapon, removed his shield, and took off his helmet. He opened his arms and chased with no armor.

He walked in the direction of the Rus army and the blue fox, shouting as he walked: "I have seen your ships in the strait to the south! You are Rus! We Gyotarans have no injustice or enmity with you, and I am from the village. Warchief Gorm Siegfriksson. Warchief of Ross, we should have a good chat."

Seeing this, the blue fox also took off his helmet and walked out of the army formation. He also opened his arms and reported to his home: "Since you know us, everything is easy to say. We are a coalition of Rus and Swedes, and I am the blue fox Gouldsson. I am a soldier and a businessman. We really should have a peaceful talk."

As Lanhu said, he is first and foremost a businessman. To complete a business, he must first consider the feelings of the seller. Such thoughts are completely different from those of many warriors. He could see that the opponent was extremely frightened, and noticed a group of people who were trembling.

The Russ army removed the round shield and placed it on the leg, and the steel sword drawn by UU reading was sheathed. The crossbow was still charging, and the shooting chute was pounding the ground.

It was the Blue Fox who first expressed the sincerity of the negotiation, and Gom let his guard down again.

The two men stood together, and the blue fox's face did not have a hint of fear, nor was Yisiding deterrence. He continued to open his arms: "As you can see, I, Blue Fox Gouldsson, have no malicious intentions. I am the messenger of King Ross. Since you are the local leader, we should have a good talk."

"Okay. You are the guests, and I heard your leader's request. Actually... surrender is okay. As long as you don't be too harsh."

Hearing that, the blue fox was overjoyed: "You just called yourself Gorm? You are a smart Gorm. Why do you suspect that my king is harsh? My monarch has specially prepared for you a hundred pounds of oats, a jar of honey, and a Only a crystal cup. Since you are the chief of this village."

The blue fox opens his pocket to show the glass as a gift.

Looking at this baby Gorm was fascinated.

"Want it? I'll send it to you. Remember, this is a reward from our king of Ross. Disarm your army, and I will disarm mine. You gather the most important tasks of the whole village, and we Talk about surrender."