Lurik didn't care about how his tribes traded with those merchants for the time being. Until the time came for the vernal equinox, he was worshipping in the depths and heard the tribes complaining about something.

what? Five squirrel skins can be exchanged for four silver coins?

what? Only two silver coins for a very delicate seal skin?

what? The price of expensive ferrets has also been reduced to five silver coins?

Rurik heard of one more thing. The Gould family was the largest fur purchaser in the entire tribe. This made Leurik think that the guy had already taken away a batch of soap and put it in his own warehouse. At the same time, the guy was also buying large quantities of leather goods at low prices.

Although it is a normal market reaction of capital to hoard stocks at low prices, Rrik was really upset when things happened to Gould.

However, when this happens, my father is still discussing other things with the guys. It is said that they are discussing how to continue to retaliate against the Gotland people, and then they will gather a crowd to drink some burning spirits, just like swallowing fire into their stomachs. Tough guy style.

In the past few days, Otto's most annoyance is his mistake. The burning liquor burned off a bit of his beard, and it seemed that he had lost a bit of majesty. But the spirits to drink are indispensable.

Papa is indulging in the extraordinary stimulation of strong wine, and his most concern is robbery and conquer.

Rurik knew that the more such a moment, the more he had to shoulder the responsibility of the leader. He even felt that this was the intention of the old man Otto, in order to let himself continue to experience.

Experience? Okay!

Then do something serious! To determine a right that must be owned by the Ross tribe that is already a city-state nationalized in a practical sense-commercial tax must be collected.

The April of the Julian calendar came peacefully in people's expectations.

Calmness is superficial, like a stream that is beginning to rise, and many vigorous things gradually gradually change in silence.

This year is indeed worse than last year. On April 1st, the ice floes in the bay still did not melt. Even the hunters who went into the vast ocean to dig ice to trap seals, the news from them was still bad. Compared with the previous time, the sea ice is indeed thinner, but the thickness has been reduced from one meter to half a meter, and the situation is still bad.

The annoying winter seems to be prolonged by some mysterious power. The Ross people and all the merchants who live there need the priests of Ross to divining an answer.

Such embarrassment, the memory of the high priest Veria is not uncommon.

She vaguely remembered that for a few years in winter, sea ice did not dissolve until it was barely available for sailing in May.

Even in the remaining years, the time is approaching the summer solstice festival, and there are still some backlogs of ice in the shade of the hills.

I am afraid that none of this is "God's Wrath". After all, some years are obviously warm winters, and the ocean thawed enough to sail in March.

In the past years, when the sea water thaws did not have any obvious impact on the lives of the Ross people. Early thaw, the Ross people did not get rich, and after the thaw, the life of the Ross people is still normal.

Perhaps this year's commotion is due to the fact that the merchants have hoarded a large amount of goods, and they have an unprecedented thirst for trade, but the ice and snow are still hard and the climate is still cold.

Businessmen most want to get a good enlightenment.

Otto and his guys, and even a large number of Ross people, also want an answer.

When the ice and snow melt, the huge fleet of the Ross people will rush in all directions with their own purposes, whether it is trade, construction, or simply war. If the sailing is forced to be delayed until May, many things will disrupt the plan.

Actually? The climate at the beginning of the year 830 AD is indeed cold, especially in the depths of the Gulf of Bothnia where Roseburg is located.

The Ross people who ended the "North Hunting" crossed the frozen sea, and the appearance of the weird and twisted iceberg they saw was extremely rare. It is usually squeezed into long and narrow folds of five or six meters by the stress of sea ice, and the situation is more prominent this year.

Not only the boundary of Roseburg, but the entire northern European climate is even more cold, so that the entire Baltic Sea is frozen!

If there are some benefits to the Danish people from the ice, it is that they can walk through the frozen Danish Strait and walk to Oslo with one pair of feet! They actually exchanged goods in winter, which was extremely rare in previous years.

The small merchants are in anxiety. What they don't know is that Lake Mlaren in the south is now frozen. A large number of fishermen are walking on the ice lake, or pulling a sledge along the frozen river into the territory of the Yilmalun tribe, and exchanged fur and linen with the Granite who suddenly emigrated. Manufactured ironware.

Yes, the Granites who fled to Eskilstuna today spent the winter through the winter by smelting local iron ore in order to survive.

But most of the poor beggars who were taken away from the streets of Mellaren bazaar were frozen to death in this cold winter. In this way, they are undoubtedly very lucky for the beggar who was eventually collected by Rlik.

There will always be a large number of poor people in the Melaren tribe. Such severe cold has caused some families to be ruined, and the children who survived have to face loneliness, even hunger and severe cold. Chief Mellaren did not have the energy and consciousness to manage the orphans under his control. The wealthy generally regarded orphans as pests and they should avoid them.

Every day, the chief mercenaries who patrolled the streets of Mellaren had to restrain some of the dead beggars, and threw the frozen corpses to the pyre and burned them into ashes.

New beggars are still appearing, and new deaths are coming.

The Merlaren tribe, and even other alliance tribes, because of this cold winter, the number of their tribes has decreased significantly. The Mellaren tribe has lost as many as four hundred people. Most of the dead are children and the elderly. The physically strong are basically safe, and the current strength of the tribe has not been significantly damaged.

What worries Olekin, the leader of Mellaren, is that if the ice and snow have not melted yet, isn't the planting season delayed? Isn't the delay in the most critical trade assembly even more deadly? !

The people of Mellaren are holding a grand ceremony, praying for the gift of God, let the ice and snow melt, and everything will return to normal.

The Ross people are doing exactly the same thing here!

Although he was extremely reluctant, Rurik had to contribute as many as five reindeer as sacrifices. As a "person blessed by Odin", he is even more expected. Everyone believes that this child can talk to God directly, and he can ask God for an answer as the leader of Ross - when will the ice and snow melt?

If possible, Rurik should ask for Odin's tolerance, and it is best to turn the frozen sea into a wave of thousands of miles on the second day of the sacrifice.

The sacrifice began in Wanmin's hope and ended in Wanmin's sigh.

Rurik had to follow the advice of the high priest Veria. He beheaded the deer, smeared his face with deer blood, and then lay down in the deer skin spread in the altar and closed his eyes. Veria immediately instructed Lumia, who was wearing a antler helmet, to announce that Rurik's soul had personally gone to Valhalla at this time, and had to face himself.

People stared and waited for a result. Actually? Rurik was sleepy, he could feel how solemn the silent grand sacrifice scene was, and he thought of a countermeasure in his heart.

Everything is in accordance with the pre-discussed script. In a deliberate convulsion, Lumia announced that "his soul has returned."

Rurik deliberately calmed his face and announced that the snow and ice would melt in May.

Who can not lament this bad news?

Facing the noise and dissatisfaction of the crowd, Rurik didn't feel any confusion in his mind, so he continued to announce: "Maybe this is not the answer we desire. Odin has such an attitude. As mortals, you have no right to make conditions with God. , Not even me! May is May! This is God's test of us. If we Ruths cannot overcome this small difficulty, there will be no greater development."

Is the snow and ice bound to melt in May?

Just leave it! If the situation at that time is still bad, then there will be another ritual drama.

At the sacrifice site, Gould, who was pregnant with a big belly, led all members of the entire family to become key spectators.

Unlike most people's conviction, Gould knew from the beginning that this move must be a trick that Rurik discussed with the priests. First of all, Gould believed that Rurik had indeed received the favor of God, but it would be too much to convince him that Odin looked after the child everywhere. Odin is the legendary god! He wasn't Rurik's nanny.

Gould is very pragmatic. Because of his knowledge and knowledge, some people say that a person will become a hero when he dies, some say that the soul returns to the sea of souls, and some say that it is sealed in the dark underworld. He also heard his Briton woman say that bad guys will suffer in a world full of flames when they die, and good people will go to a wonderful place to live forever when they die.

People of all colors say that since death is inevitable, why not enjoy life in this world?

He feels that he has hoarded a huge amount of goods this year, especially the most traditional fur trade he manages, which has made explosive development this year. He saw the cold of the merchants, not only the merchants, but a large number of buyers were also looking forward to the arrival of the merchant fleet with a huge amount of goods.

Therefore, Gould is not in a hurry, and even with a longer freeze period, he has more time to prepare for the subsequent trade season.

But what he did not expect was that not long after the sacrificial activities, Rurik walked into his house in person.

The ice is still there, but the breeze makes people feel a little gentle.

On the afternoon of April 5th in the Julian calendar, Rurik was only accompanied by Jeflo, and the two set foot on Gould's mansion.

Gould, who had already taken a nap, had to get up immediately to meet his old friend.

In the full-bodied wooden living room with solid wood floors built by Gould's messenger, he hurriedly set up a small banquet.

Gould took it for granted that Rurik's sudden visit must be to discuss a new trade plan.

However, it turns out that Rurik is not interested in the extremely sweet and greasy dried plums on the table, but has always put on a somewhat cold and calm face, which is really a bit worrying.

Gould murmured in his heart, whether it is someone who has experienced real wars. There were some innocent children. Has it changed?

"Rurik, you are an auspicious bird. You flew to my home again today, bringing me good news?"

Gould's ruddy face was full of flattery, and he always treated his important trading partners like this.

Rurik still had a calm face, he didn't even have any politeness, and regardless of the snacks and wine on the table, he went straight to the subject.

"Gould, this time I am the representative leader, and I announce a very crucial order to you!"

"Ah?!" Gould was taken aback, and his hand holding the pure gold wine glass trembled.

"Are you scared?"

"No!" Gould denied, "I am already a native of Ross, and of course I have to do well what the leader confessed."

Hearing it, Rurik cheered up suddenly, and a slight smile appeared from the corners of his calm lips: "This is your attitude? It's great."

"So, what can I do for you?" Gould said flatly.

"I want money."

"Is it a new trade? Okay! I still have a lot of wealth in my hands."

"You misunderstood what I meant." As he said, Rurik's little hand beat the wooden low table rhythmically, and he slowly said: "This is the chief's order! The chief has decided! Taxes will be collected from this year."

Tax is tax. Since 829 AD, Rurik proposed the concept of tax in the Ross tribe. Most people have already understood this, and Gould is no exception.

"Taxes? Huh? I'm a businessman and I didn't sign an agricultural contract with you. Even so, do I still have to collect taxes?"

Maybe you can be stopped by Gould's questioning if you change someone.

To be fair, Gould was right. Whether it is in the East or the West, the so-called tax initially refers to the agricultural "tribute" provided by the grassroots individuals to the group organizers. Its appearance is very consistent with the natural development of a group.

Those tribes who moved to Shilla Fort, they signed a contract with the leader's family, that is, they received high-quality agricultural tools provided by the leader to reclaim the land, and they received the leader's planting grain and a large amount of rations. As a price, they would receive every year's harvest in the future. Return a small part to the leader.

People of the tribe generally understand taxation, and this is the understanding of the term tax.

Of course, they have a superficial understanding of this concept.

Rurik said bluntly: "You and I do not have an agricultural contract. We clearly have a commercial contract. With a contract, you have to pay taxes."

"Huh? But, on your contract..."

"Listen to me!" Rurik stretched his head and raised his voice: "Listen, your contract with me is only a contract between two people. In fact, you, as a businessman, have a contract with our Ross tribe."

"what is that."

"Don't you understand? A large number of businessmen do business in Roseburg, import our goods and transport them to other places for sales, and make great profits from it. Thousands of businessmen come every year, and they can do business in Roseburg safely. For business, don't worry about bandits attacking their wealth. Even if there is, we Rus will punish bandits with capital punishment. The tribe provides security for business people and provides a peaceful business environment. But this peace is not natural, I The tribe's efforts need to be paid."

Gould reacted instantly: "So you asked me to pay taxes, just to pay this special price?"

"Yes, you are worthy of being a big businessman." Rurik felt that things were done, and his attitude became very kind.

At this time, Gould was in trouble. He shook his head slightly: "Although it is different from the explanation of the Mellaren. Rurik, you are a bit bad, a bit like the Mellaren is doing business."

"Oh? I have changed? I still have the same temperament."

"No! You gave a more reasonable reason than the Mellaren. Even so, please listen to my opinion." Gould said boldly.

"Really? You say it~www.mtlnovel.com~ Rurik doesn't think Gould can say anything else, he is mentally prepared to argue with him.

Rurik has decided to personally "invent" the commercial tax, which will be collected this year. He does not expect all businessmen to cooperate, and even pessimistically believes that a large number of businessmen are actually uncooperative. After all, who would vomit part of his money willingly?

If you encounter some troubles, use a little power to solve them. After all, I will be successful, and the commercial tax will be collected every year in the future.

Of course, if the businessmen generally cooperated, they wouldn't be guilty of arrogance.

Therefore, Rurik felt that he must first deal with Gould, the wealthiest merchant. As long as the Gould family supports it, other merchants will surely agree with it when the wind is like this.

But Gould's rhetoric was somewhat unexpected.

From the beginning, Rurik thought that the merchants were highly self-interested in order to obtain higher profits. He never thought that their self-interested attitude had reached such a field. However, this seems to be quite normal.