Chapter 1013： This is Regraff's fate

Now, burgers are heating up.

The snow on the house melted quickly in the sun, it flowed like a stream, and then gradually froze at night, becoming an exaggerated ice hanging visible early in the morning, and continued to disappear quickly.

The snow is disappearing where the naked eye can see, and the whole world is getting wet.

This is February, the current scene in the homeland of the Rus will not be seen until April, and even Novgorod in March.

On the Elbe River, the ice layer that once supported the **** battle of ten thousand people has now been completely shattered.

The flow of ice has begun, the ice has not melted enough to maintain a stable structure, and the spring flood has begun, and the ice removal process of the entire basin is now.

Countless pieces of ice drifted rapidly to the sea, and they hit the wooden floating body of the pontoon without interruption, hitting and squeezing it with a huge mass.

The situation of Liuling was taken into consideration when the bridge was built. Iceling could not destroy the bridge, nor could it destroy the moored Ross fleet.

Thousands of soldiers waiting to go home are restless, almost all of them are willing to stay on the river bank to watch the ice cubes float to the ocean, and discuss the specific day of departure.

In theory, the current situation will not affect the ship's drifting downstream. When the northern Bothnia Gulf is thawed on a large scale, the long ship can fully travel in the sea of ​​endless broken ice, not to mention the Elbe's drifting ice is small and easy. Broken without threat.

It was full of people talking about going home, packed with bags.

Rurik himself was in a very restless mood. After a long expedition, it was time to go home.

But before going home, some things still need to be resolved.

The Russ-Danish coalition has lived in Saxony for half a year, and has made a detailed study of the hydrological data, offshore sea conditions and land conditions here. Being a pirate is definitely not everyone's original intention. If there is a warm place that can be seized and cultivated to open up wasteland, everyone is willing to seize it and settle down.

The area near Hamburg is already very attractive to Ragnar's Danish army. They saw with their own eyes that the Elbe River flows on a large scale in February. Can the seeds be planted when the snow has melted away? Even the past winter was a complete freeze, and most of the year the river doesn't freeze at all.

As a result, the salt cooking field opened by the Rus army at the mouth of the Elbe River has formed a small fishing village, and it becomes reasonable for a large number of Danes to visit and stop nearby in the future.

Ludoff, Duke of Saxony, was a little unhappy about this, but he could only admit it.

Saxony still needed the protection of all Normans for a period of time, and Ludov needed to remain humble.

Rurik, the King of Ross, intends to have another dinner party and take the opportunity to discuss some things. Taking this opportunity, Liudov happened to declare some of his other demands.

The stone chambers are brightly lit, and the fire of the oil lamp matrix dispels the dampness and coldness of the snow-melting period. There's grilled fish and ale, as well as scones and porridge.

Rurik will never treat himself badly when it comes to eating. Whenever he has the opportunity, he must eat "food from mountains and seas".

No aristocrat is naturally willing to eat simple food. Once they come into contact with real delicacies, the deep desire in their souls will be aroused. Even the Northern Archbishop Aisi, who has always advertised himself as an ascetic, was hungry, and his deep desire for barbecue burst out tonight.

The land was Ludov's land, and Rurik provided all the cooks and ingredients.

The kings of the north, the great nobles, and the archbishops gathered here.

The archbishop of the archdiocese actually sat for dinner with the "Norman chiefs".

No, as the two archbishops, Esquier and Hudbold insist on grabbing food with their bare hands, even if it makes their hands extremely greasy, they can recite a prayer before eating, claiming that this delicious meal is Gift from God.

Rurik understood these Latin babbles and ignored them.

The real military aristocrats used knives as the main tableware, supplemented by spoons and forks, and it seemed inappropriate to really grab food with bare hands.

Because King Ross is flexibly fiddling with two walrus ivory sticks, skillfully grabbing food and stuffing it into his mouth. The nobles were not surprised, but even his eldest son Regraf came to this dinner. This little boy was as skilled in using "sticks" as his father.

Rurik, King of Rus, Ragnar, King of Denmark, Joseph Blue Fox, Count of Gothenburg, Gevlo, Count of Finland, Medvet, Governor of Novgorod, and Speuut, Count of Saaremaa.

Ernred, King of Northumbria and Ella, King of Viking York, Bjonny Magnutsson, King of Viking York, Floki Magnutsson, Earl of Lindsay of Viking York, Regraf, King of Mercia .

Ludoff, Duke of Saxony and his son Bruno, Henry Nassau, Count of the Netherlands, Robert, Count of Hamburg, and Baudouin, Count of Flanders.

King Ludwig of the East Franks, Archbishop of the North Eskil, and Archbishop of Cologne Hardbold.

The Shishi restaurant was crowded with nobles. There were ruthless men with tattoos on their faces, well-dressed nobles, simple priests, and young nobles with immature faces.

This is a historic dinner. If there is a photographic technique to photograph it, it will become a clear proof of history.

Rurik had his own way. Afterwards, he personally sketched the nobility seats of the banquet with charcoal on hard paper, in order to lay the foundation for the artistic development of future generations, and this is what happened later.

They drank the ale, and Rurik took out the last bottle of spirit.

He covered his beard and drank the flaming liquor to show off deliberately, so that the tension was completely relieved.

"It's magic! It's magic?!" Hardbold was so strange, his eyes narrowed.

Eskil, who was not surprised, glanced at his fellow parishioner but smiled and said nothing.

The priest didn't drink a drop of wine, but the nobles drank a lot. The young aristocrat needs to prove his real man, so Regraf drinks a big glass of ale in public.

It's like a name-call. As Rurik's eldest son Regraf is barely ten years old, he can be brought to this dinner by his father Rurik because he is an important character.

Taking advantage of the drunkenness, Rurik launched his son in a high-profile manner: "Reglav, my eldest son! He is not a warrior of Odin, he has converted to your God, this is his birth destiny. I want him to stay in Hamburg. Liudorf! Duke of Saxony Liudorf! You are his second father! Oh no, he married your daughter, and you are his father. Regraff wants to live here , until he really grows up. Then... take back his kingdom of Mercia."

At this time, Liudov had already been informed, and now Rurik's own words are obviously doomed.

Regraf is like a hostage, but a very noble one.

The slightly drunk Ludov also announced in a high-profile manner: "When Regraf is 12 years old, we will arrange for him to marry my daughter! Our two are already engaged, and on the day of the big wedding, the Northern Church will bless them with a high profile. ."

Esquil stood up to the aging body with enthusiasm: "This is what we all support! I will personally bless them, it is my honor."

The atmosphere was lively and lively, but now the local nobles in Mercia were fighting for power and profits, and the Northumbrian king Ernred had to cool down the warm atmosphere.

"However, Mercia is in civil war! Many local nobles are kings, and Wessex has coveted Mercia for a long time. As long as they are willing, the entire Mercia will be annexed. At that time, should we use troops against Wessex? ?"

"Then fight!" Rurik vigorously slapped the table, everyone could see that the noble king was getting more and more agitated because of his drunkenness, and the wording of his words was extremely savage: "London! Winchester! Canterbury! Let's go loot , Go get rich! If they dare to beat my son's Mercia, I will send troops to beat them. And you! Send troops if you can, and make the Wessex suffer!"

It was true that he spoke the truth after drinking, and the drunk Ragnar was so arrogant that he knocked on the wooden table: "According to the treaty, we Danes can't rob Saxony and can't shoot Flanders in the future. We will rob Wessek in the future when we rob Frank. S. Haha! Very close!"

The ruthless beings with Viking blood who were present slapped the table one after another, and everyone screamed and booed, expressing their desire for wealth directly on the table.

It had a clear reason, to avoid Mercia being annexed by Wessex, the Viking longships could justify frequent raids.

Eskil, knowing that he was powerless to stop such a crazy thing, had to keep silent, and Hudbold was completely frightened by the savage scene.

So if these ruthless Normans do loot Wessex in the future, where will they divide the loot?

Although Baudouin, the chicken thief since ancient times, has not made a direct statement, his intriguing eyes drifting towards Rurik has invisibly explained his attitude - my Flanders can still help you sell off your stolen goods.

Public support for looting is not acceptable, but Viking looting will give Northumbria, Flanders, Netherlands and Saxony wealth. To **** with all those good creeds! Several parties have experienced the devastation of war and urgently need to plunder wealth from the outside to make up for their losses. Piracy cannot be just the patent of the Vikings. The Flemish and Saxons can act as accomplices of the pirates, just for wealth.

Of course, this kind of thing is also respected by Ludwig. If the eyes of the Norman army suddenly set their sights on the British Isle in the west, it means that they will at least not unilaterally tear up the contract and erode the Eastern Kingdom in the future.

Ludwig had no diplomatic ties with Wessex, and he rejoiced that he could lead to misfortune.

They took advantage of the wine to show their inner desires. The northerners will not leave when they come. The Elbe and Rhine estuaries will be built as Viking strongholds in 841, becoming trading ports and expedition bases. A sneak attack on Wessex became a matter of hand, and the unsuspecting opponent had no naval power (Intelligence from Northumbria).

The last liquor in Rurik's stock was drank by everyone, and the ale stored in the hamburgers was almost finished.

People have extraordinary prospects for the future. Although Ludwig was a complete loser, he was not spiritually humiliated here. Although it was a tragic defeat, the bitter ending is still acceptable today.

The nobles now gathered in this room are about to go their separate ways and start a new life.

Rurik finally set a date for his departure, and the soldiers lit bonfires with excitement.

He needed to do a sacrifice of sailing according to the customs of the north, so he paid for ten cattle of the local Saxons, intending to sacrifice blood to the **** of the river and sea to bless the safety of the voyage.

A lively sacrificial ceremony was actively arranged, and the long boats that were pushed ashore had all been pushed into the river, and then the cables were tied and fixed. Most of the large ships have resumed sailing, but the ships have turned into fishing boats and are plundering herring and cod in the offshore.

Most of the troops would return to their hometowns, and the war that Rurik had expected to last until 841 ended prematurely, and the costly expedition could come to an end. A truce is needed this year for stocking strength, and piracy can still be done.

The Rus-Danish coalition army camp along the river in the northwest of Hamburg has many buildings that are much stronger than the large number of residential buildings in the city. The barracks was given to Liudorf, which theoretically could immediately become Hamburg's second district, instantly alleviating the severe housing needs of the nearby Saxons.

The young Reglav was destined to stay, and Rurik, as a father, was destined to be unable to spoil his actual eldest son more.

Only Regraf will never be Odin's war, so even though he is the eldest son, he will never be involved in the politics of the Rus Kingdom again in the future. For him, it is another kind of protection.

Regraf is also a powerful wedge, deeply embedded in the Catholic world. He has received a very critical cultural education, as well as military education, and has been thoroughly experienced in the war of the past year.

But my father will leave eventually, and I will stay here in Hamburg. I am afraid that it will be difficult to meet my father and grandfather in the future, and the feeling of loss is written on the face of this ten-year-old child.

"Accept your destiny." Rurik tapped him on the shoulder. "When I was ten years old, I led thousands of people on expeditions, and you can do well. You recruit your cronies in Saxony, Training them to train them, as a father, I can't help you a lot, in the future you will return to Mercia with your own army, and when you decide to go to war, I will immediately send troops to help you."

Although her biological father Rurik was about to return, in Saxony, the Duchess was very rare for this son-in-law from the north. The wife's only son, Bruno, lacks the spirit of bravery, but his son-in-law Regraf is not only of noble blood, but also knows how to fight. The most important thing is that this child knows Latin.

The enthusiasm of the Duchess strikes directly at Regraff's heart. He has longed for maternal love since he was a child, and now he has probably found a mother who cares for him.

So when Liudov thought about it, he became more and more aware of what it meant for Regraf to stay in Saxony. He was indeed just a child, but he knew very well how the Rus army fought. "He will reshape my army. He is like a treasure given to me by God. If only he were my own son..."

A grand sacrificial event unfolded on the riverbank.

An extremely thick rope bound the cow, and Rurik stabbed the cow in the neck one by one with his sword. The cow struggled violently because of the pain, and the blood of the cow was thrown everywhere. After all, most of the blood of the cow went into the Elbe River.

Thousands of warriors gathered by the river beat their shields. They rhythmically shouted "Odin" and lit fires to complete the ceremony of setting sail.

After the beef was divided by the soldiers, only the bones were left, but the big bones were also broken. The delicious beef bone marrow was roasted on the fire and sprinkled with a little salt, which became an extremely wonderful food.

Now, the bustling Hamburg will return to its former state, with nobles and armies going their separate ways.

The nobles boarded the ship built by Ross with different emotions. The ships of the Viking York kingdom will take the Northumbrian king and his son homeThe Blue Fox's squadron will send Henry Nassau, Baudouin, Hardbold and Ludwig in one breath I hope that the four nobles will go back to their respective homes.

The squadron will swim the Rhine, and the team will expand to a thousand people, but this voyage is a peaceful journey for Cologne and the Eastern Kingdom.

However, this fleet will not disappear afterward. After completing the task of sending people, it instantly turned into an inland fleet on the Rhine River. It also obeyed the blue fox. With the help of this fleet, the Rus army, which penetrated into the hinterland of Europe, was hired by the Eastern Kingdom. Attack the Middle Kingdom in the form of soldiers. Boats are to the Rus what horses are to the steppe.

The homecoming trip is now, when all the spoils that have been taken away have been packed into the boat, and the rest is the army with the same style of backpacks climbing rope ladders and rope nets to board the big boat.

On the shore, Rurik kissed Regraf's forehead fiercely again, then suddenly took off his dagger and put it in his son's hand.

"Father……"

"Take it. Be with you for the Father! Remember, you came out of the belly like Caesar, and your destiny is to create something extraordinary."

Regraf nodded, holding the jewel-encrusted sword in his arms, watching his father board the boat, and watch his father slowly float to the flagship Sperosvillea with the flag of Ross flying...

He has been sticking to the river, and has been here watching the huge fleet gradually drift to the sea, gradually disappearing into the river covered by the forest.

He looked at the sword that his father had given him, and subconsciously pulled it out of the scabbard. The bright white steel sword shone on his face, and he could see his face clearly, it really had the appearance of his father.

"I'm free..." He sighed secretly, then turned around and looked at the city of Hamburg in the setting sun, and the evening bells of the Hamburg Abbey began to ring in his ears.

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