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The first battle was really anticlimactic for the Smolensk Army.

Vadim never thought that he was almost killed in a daze, and the Ross was still sharp. Bad memories emerged in his mind, which aroused deeper anger.

He staggered and fled back, sitting on the ground in shock.

Now the whole army has seen the embarrassment of the big leader.

The soldiers did not flee again, nor did they show much disappointment. The continuous march finally stood outside the enemy's stronghold, and now awaited further orders from the Grand Chief.

People are whispering...

"It's already evening, and you still want to continue to attack? You can't charge indiscriminately, you have to find a way."

"But... what does it matter to us. Vadim will figure it out for himself."

"Oh. He almost died... The enemy is so sharp. May God help him find a good way..."

Vadim sat cross-legged on the ground, leaning on his chest without saying a word. He reckoned that if he died suddenly, the army would disperse.

"Leader." A soldier got off his horse and asked one or two: "It's dark. Night attack? Rest?"

"Rest, let me be quiet."

Vadim decided to set up camp and surrounded the fortress with absolute force. However, his ability has a limit, because it is impossible for the army to station in the West Dvina River, and it is impossible to enter the nearby swamp.

The army continued to eye the east gate of the fort.

Vadim could estimate the enemy's ability to evacuate through other doors, but he himself could not block their escape route.

"You, will you flee? Do you believe in Odin, will you flee cowardly?" Vadim objectively completed the siege, but he didn't want the enemy to escape, he just wanted to burn down the entire fortress

, Kill all defenders to vent their anger.

The people of Smolensk also believed in the **** of fire, Peron. Perhaps there was no need to capture prisoners of war and go to the altar, and burn them together with the fortress. Wouldn't it be a good sacrifice?

The premise is naturally to break the city in the same way.

"I can't rush, I have to find a way to cross the ditch, and find a way to break in. Maybe... forcefully break open?" He asked his subordinates to keep quiet, and he still sat on the ground thinking about the opposite side.

He thought of the lumberyard, and his eyes gradually moved to the forest in the dark night. "Yes, chop wood to build a small bridge, and use wood to knock open their doors. At worst, pile up oily pine logs and burn down the wooden walls together! Even if it's a waste of time."

On the other hand, Vitebsk became closed doors.

"Quickly tell me! Your specific identities! What is the purpose?" A soldier was punching and kicking a wounded prisoner of war.

The perpetrators are actually civilians from Polotsk, and they are still in a dangerous situation. They also have to take up arms to protect themselves and fight side by side with the Varyags.

After some beatings with sticks, the prisoner, who was full of foul words, was finally subdued.

"Smolensk..."

"What did you say?"

"We are Smolensk people... Our leader, with the brave... will kill all of you Russian bandits." The prisoner coughed up blood and spoke.

"To kill us?! Look at me to kill you now!" That's all, the violent soldier pulled out the hand ax that was issued to him.

"Wait a minute!" Yellinger, who had just inspected the basic city defense, walked over with his sword gripped tightly.

"Boss..."

"What did the captive say?"

"Sure enough, they're from Smolensk. They're going to...kill us all."

"They? You

? Jellinger frowned, "You are obviously from Polotsk." These guys actually

"I'm probably going to kill him too. Boss, why don't you let me kill him to avoid future troubles."

Jellinger shook his head: "It's too hasty. At least you people in Polotsk understand that the current situation can only survive together if we cooperate with all our strength. Continue to interrogate! Find out more things."

"As ordered."

The war forced all Polotsk peasants to give up their illusions. At first they were forced to wear the helmets of the Russian army. Ordinary peasants actually wore riveted plate armor with leather and iron plates, and held hair and axes. This outfit is simply an elite soldier. .

They had been reluctant to fight, but their attitudes changed when they saw in utter horror that all of them united and won the first defense.

The Rose-Ostara army treated everyone who fought well. After the war, everyone ate pottery urns and stewed oatmeal. Since they don't know how long they can last, it's better for everyone to fill their stomachs as soon as there is plenty of food.

Polotsk civilian husbands, visiting Danish merchants, plus garrison soldiers, all were allowed to eat beyond food, and will continue to do so in future guard operations.

There were three prisoners, and the leather armor they were wearing was stripped off, and the secret of the armor was immediately revealed.

"This kind of leather armor, if it is riveted with some iron pieces, it will be a good plate armor. It is really right to attack them with armor-piercing arrow clusters."

Soon, the defenders understood the exact identity of the enemy, the level of their weapons and equipment, their approximate strength, and an extremely critical piece of information.

Who is the enemy chieftain?

A man named Vadim, who, according to the captives, was nicknamed "The Prince of Vengeance."

why so strange

Weird nickname? The prisoner, who just wanted to avoid being beaten and persecuted, told everything he knew clearly.

The intelligence is unbelievable, and I am afraid this is the most direct fact.

Because for the Kingdom of Ross, Vadim is an old acquaintance.

The large river channel cooperates with the moat around the city, and Vitebsk City has a complete moat defense system. Vadim quickly found the weak point of the fortress defense, which was also the point where his army could focus.

The army camped just outside the city, and Vadim himself set up his command post in the occupied Rus logging camp.

He didn't know how to use the captured crossbow, but he found a very good recurve hunting bow after dismounting the arms, so he used it for himself. His old saber was discarded, and the bright white Rose steel sword became his new treasure.

The Smolensk army has a large number of troops, and each soldier carries a batch of supplies on his back. Now he is cutting wood and stacking firewood on the spot, and densely packed bonfire highlights are spread outside the east gate of the city.

The intelligence of the captives was collected, and all kinds of intelligence undoubtedly became the core of the discussion at the military meeting in the inner city of Vitebsk tonight.

The astonishment at the beginning of the battle was gone, and people couldn't help but think of last year's defense battle in the warm inner city longhouse.

The defending army at that time and the combined cavalry of Ross-OstarKiev-Pecheneg won a complete victory, and rushed all the way to the mouth of the West Dvina River.

The warriors from the north were proud of the natives, and the battle proved once again that the fortresses guarded by the northerners were impregnable.

Carl Eriksson looked confident, feeling that he and his brothers had exhausted the enemy, and that next year he would be able to take over Jellinger's position due to meritorious service.

"Is the interrogation over?" the old man Yellinger said.

He waved and questioned the Polotsk civilian soldiers who had been allowed to participate in the meeting for the first time, and he asked in broken Slavic.

The latter, on the other hand, already regarded himself as a Varyag.

"It's all over. You Ross! It'll be a shock."

"Come on." Carl asked.

The intelligence pointed out one after another.

The Smolensk Army has 5,000 soldiers and 500 cavalry. All of them have a blood feud against Ross. The soldiers are equipped with refined food and plan to destroy the city and kill the defenders. Their bigger attempt is to go north to Lake Ilmen. Occupy complete...

Everyone looked at each other, convinced that they understood the Slavic description correctly, and laughed.

"Just them? A group of idiots! Are they going to conquer Ross? Just five thousand people? Who gave them the courage." Even the somewhat dull old man Yellinger couldn't help but smile.

Karl laughed loudly: "If you want to attack Rose, you have to attack Ostara. It doesn't take the Duke to do anything, and our Ostara army can destroy them. No! Our brothers don't even need the Duke to send troops to guard Vejay Busque, consume them."

That's all, the longhouse continued to laugh happily.

"Enough." Jellinger clapped his hands and stopped everyone: "Let's be more pragmatic. What's the name of their leader?"

"Vadim. It is said that it is Vadim who escaped from the north. It is... the Smolensk leader Vadim you are talking about."

"So it's really that kid?!" Carl couldn't help poking his head out.

"It should... be him."

"Then kill him! Me! Brave Karl." Karl patted his chest: "Karl will kill that Vadim."

"Is that you?" Jellinger made a rare joke, "

Your name is the same as the duke's son. Could it be Karl who killed Vadim? I am afraid that later people will think that it was the second generation Duke Karl who killed him. "

"Uncle, are you entertaining me?"

"It's not necessary. And... there was a chance to kill him, but you made a mistake."

Karl was really sorry about this matter. The enemy cavalry who raided was actually led by Vadim himself. I am afraid that the kid would be shot and killed.

"Damn it! If I had known this, I would not have run away, seized the opportunity to kill him, and offered his head to the Duke! To the king!"

"No." Jellinger shook his head, "You and I are not fools. Thirty brothers face five hundred cavalry? If you really sit like this, we can only watch your corpses being humiliated on the city wall..."

Now, everyone prefers to believe that the numbers of troops said by the captives are true.

The intelligence was very clear, the logger who had not had time to escape was not only killed, but his head was erected for public display.

What the Smolensk army said was true, both Vadim and the local army had good reasons to avenge Ross.

The Vitebsk fortress is at a strategic node. To take revenge, the first thing to do is to vent your anger on this fortress.

"Now don't brag about how powerful you are, and don't shout about how you cut off Vadim's head alone." Jellinger hopes that everyone will explore a more pragmatic strategy, and he has already thought of a plan.

Burlap sacks filled with black bread and wheat were found from the captives. It is said that each enemy soldier brought a large amount of food. They came prepared! And the ability to run on foot clearly means that they can get supplies not far behind.

The Vitebsk side knew that the settlement of the Smolensk people was not far from them, and the enemy came

Without a carriage, relying on soldiers to act as pack mules must mean that their supply costs are not high.

The defenders are the exact opposite! Even if the current food is very sufficient.

Jellinger had to address huge concerns in this regard.

"But I am not a coward! They will be killed as many as they come, and the open space outside our fortress is their prepared grave."

Carl's words were inspiring, and the young people present booed after this rising star.

"Shut up!" Yellinger glanced around, and said again: "Be prepared for the worst. I can't be sure that without the support from the rear, only 200 of us can defeat 5,000 of them? Besides, how do you Are you sure there are only five thousand of them?"

"What if they don't even have 5,000 people? The captives are bluffing." Karl deliberately raised the bar.

"It's better to prepare in advance. Carl, have you forgotten what happened when you were a child!"

Jellinger choked on Carl's mouth.

"Listen to me. Sometimes, it's not shameful to seek reinforcements ahead of time due to the risk of defeat. If the people of Ostara could quickly bring in reinforcements, the Gotland army would not have made a surprise attack."

Jellinger was a Gran, one of the survivors of a small tribe of Gran who escaped swiftly to avoid destruction. The Naihe tribe betrayed their alliance with the Ostara people at that time, so that the Granites with a conscience felt ashamed later.

It was in this heart that Jellinger intended to be loyal to the Duchess of Ostara and fulfill the obligations he should have fulfilled thirteen years ago.

That was Karl's unbearable memory. Both his parents died in battle. What could a little boy do at that time? Nature can only escape...

"I have now

grown up! I am already a father! "Carl suddenly broke out with blue veins on his face.

"Because of this, you cannot die here in vain... and I... will live and die with the city of Vitebsk."

"Uncle?!" Hearing the words strangely, seeing Jellinger's serious face and empty eyes, Carl suddenly stood up: "You are guarding here to the end, are you questioning me? Or are you planning to get me out?"

"Good! You must go."

"Go? You should just call me a coward. I won't go."

"You have to go! And it's only you who go." That's all, Yellinger pointed out a few names on the spot, including the Danish businessmen who were here at the meeting.

"I'm sorry, our friend Swind. As the lord of the city, you should hurry back to your Riga with the goods."

"Brother, we fought side by side. Besides, since my friend was killed by them, I have a reason to help you defend the city. I want revenge."

"Why bother? Of course you have a reason, but you are a businessman. And I was appointed by the Duke, and I must coexist with the city."

"friend"

Jellinger cleared his throat with a fearless attitude: "Many people still want to stay here, and the peasants in Polotsk can leave. Now that the ground is not frozen and the ditches and rivers are still natural barriers, seize the opportunity to evacuate by boat ! Otherwise, if the river is frozen, they will completely defend the city, and they will not be able to withdraw even if they want to."

The vast majority of people suddenly realized that they did not consider the impact on operations after the river freezes.

Jellinger continued: "It will snow soon. We are not afraid. There are plenty of supplies in the fortress, and it will be no problem to consume them until next spring. The enemy may not be sure. They may be able to

Surround us for a period of time, once they run out of food, they will suffer from snowfall. He especially looked at the Polotsk civilian husband present, "Do you think the enemy will hide in the snow in the forest?" "

"No! Certainly not...My lord, we brothers don't understand what you mean." The representative of the civilian husband sensed a hint of danger.

"What is there to doubt? They will enter your Polotsk village and force you to give up your house to them. Watch out! They are strong men, and they will definitely occupy your women and take your food. Fight and kill."

Jellinger spoke cruelly, and his grim face clearly counted that it was probably true.

"No!" the Polotsk civilian husband categorically denied: "We have no enmity with the Smolensk people."

"That's true, but don't forget that now Polotsk is a part of Ostara, and even more so, a part of Rus. The flag of the new Polotsk we built is flying, and your girl is now our next generation of duchesses Since they are looking for revenge, they can definitely destroy Polotsk for this reason! Besides, a group of people who are freezing and starving, they have a huge army and sharp weapons in their hands. You Polotsk people can now resist the attack of 5,000 enemies ? You can still reason with them?"

The civilian husband was speechless and took it for granted, and heard the news nervously: "What should we do?"

"Evacuate immediately, and tell the Polotsk people about the disaster of Vitebsk Fortress. Tell your people to organize defense immediately, you must fight for your wealth and family, and then wait for reinforcements." After finishing speaking, Jellinger looked at Denmark again Businessman: "If Polotsk

If you lose the war, the Amber Road will be interrupted again, and the expansion of Smolensk will be a serious disaster for you. "

"This... is indeed a trouble. The villains who delay the brothers' earning money deserve to die."

"Your boss is said to have a good relationship with King Ross. There should also be Ross naval activities in Riga. I hope you organize a team in Riga with as many people as possible. I am afraid that only you can solve our troubles really quickly. Of course, I have no I have the right to remunerate you, and it is up to you to help or not. I just want to tell you that King Ross is very generous to his friends..." Jellinger didn't say anything else, but that was enough, and the Danish businessman in Riga nodded deeply.

As a young talent of Ostara, Karl has a more important task - to report to the Great Lucki at the speed of a dead horse.

More than Big Luke? The news must finally reach Novgorod as soon as possible, because Vadim's behavior, which King Ross is thinking about, is already riding on the **** on his head. Who has the right to kill Vadim? Such an honor is best won by King Rurik of Ross.

Karl was reluctant to do so, but Jellinger pressed his fate. He was angry and shouted here that he was carrying out the order.

"You must remember that I am not a cowardly runaway. I will inform the Duke of our disaster as soon as possible. Soon! Our cavalry can kill the enemy."

It was this night that the defenders of the fort quietly opened the city's northern gate, the gate facing the West Dvina. The fixed longboat was cut off and the fixed ropes were cut off, the sails were not installed, and everyone shut their mouths and pushed a boat into the river.

The Danish businessman was moved by the loyalty of the guards, and gave a batch of supplies to the guards, and he took

Polotskobe made his way down the river in the dark. This time, there were as many as 50 fewer city guards!

Karl is not idle here, he and his two attendants brought all ten horses that stayed~www.mtlnovel.com~Since the fortress is to be defended to the death, the horses are irrelevant.

Three people and ten horses, the horses can be changed. They brought some food, not for their own consumption, but to feed the horses halfway, just hoping that the horses could move forward uninterrupted.

They marched lightly, wearing no armor, only blindfolds and iron helmets. To prove their identity, two wooden poles flying flags were deliberately tied to the saddles.

In order to prove that there was indeed a large-scale enemy attack, the evidence items picked up from the captives and enemy corpses were brought along, as well as Jellinger's personal letter written on hard paper.

They quickly disappeared into the night, Jellinger was satisfied, and the gate was locked again.

He rubbed his hands vigorously, facing the defenders: "Ostara people! It's time for us to sacrifice Odin with blood. Attention, the whole of Vitebsk is an altar, don't go out without authorization, let those idiots come to die! Smoky The Sk army is our sacrifice! If we are defeated, we will fight to the end, and everyone will meet in Valhalla! The king will know that one hundred of us resist five thousand of them, and we will always be remembered as heroes in the world."

That's all, everyone laughed fearlessly, and then the Viking battle cry also made the Smolensk army outside the city aware...