With grain, vegetables, flax, and a large number of people in desperate need of immigration, the small Gould Island has almost reached the limit it can carry.

Almost all the wooden houses are stacked with a large amount of materials. The number of orphans gathered has reached the scale of one hundred people.

Rurik is not just 500,000 pounds of wheat in his hands. Because Gould has sent someone to buy some from other tribes, the total amount of wheat has approached 600,000 pounds. This is just wheat, and more than 300,000 pounds of vegetables need to be transported.

The total amount of the numerous personnel and materials has completely surpassed the limit of Gould's ability to organize a fleet.

As early as when they were buying food, everyone was sure that there would be no possibility of bringing all the supplies back to Roseburg this time. However, it was the moment when the journey was about to start, and everyone felt pressured.

Neither Rurik nor Gould wanted to continue to delay time, because the weather was getting colder day by day, and every day passed, it was closer to the cold winter than the day before.

The only thing that makes everyone feel relieved is that for the time being, the entire area has not been attacked by the autumn rain, and the Rus, who is holding a large amount of supplies, is facing a very critical transportation window.

The planned return date is September 30.

Before the day has come, a large number of ships have been intensively crowded on Gould Island, the busiest pier, sailors, mercenaries, and even Ross soldiers, they all turned into porters, starting to move like ants, they will be full Linen pockets of oats, struggling to throw them into the cargo ship's cabin.

The cargo ships owned by the Ross people are entirely models made by the Merlaren shipbuilders. They have a thick spliced keel, and they also have a solid body shape.

According to its design, the safe load accepted by businessmen is around 8,000 pounds, which is a little more than three tons. It can of course increase the load, that is, for every additional pound, the risk of sailing increases by one point.

Being overweight brings deeper draught, and also weakens the speed and flexibility of the ship.

This is not the most terrible. When it draught too deep, the risk of hitting the rocks is even greater.

All fishermen generally have a fear of the vast sea. Only those who deliberately risk whaling, and who form a fleet to fish herring, will withstand the pressure and run to the far sea. Merchant ships and fishing boats like to rely on the coastline to sail, they are happy to shuttle through the many islands, so-called every time they can see the land, they feel a sense of security in their hearts. As everyone knows, the more islands there are, the more reefs, and overweight ships are prone to hit the reefs since ancient times.

Gould, an old fritters in the mall, didn't know this, but he also knew that he had no choice.

Rurik is basically the owner of all the goods. Gould's property only accounts for a small part of it. But his own person has to bear the heavy responsibility of transportation and shoulder the huge responsibility. He has to take risks, but also to ensure safety and contradictions. He had to hope that Rurik put forward some plans.

In such a dilemma, Gould claims that the best way to avoid liability is to let the owner of the cargo determine a route. He also deliberately listened to the advice of the brave Arik. After all, when it comes to sailing in the ocean, there are few people more experienced than this young man.

Every year when returning to the voyage, Gould routinely rushes to return the main personnel of the fleet to gather for a key meeting.

This year, it has become even more important thanks to the participation of two Ross leaders.

It was a cold evening, and the atmosphere in the Gould Island Chamber was even more fiery in the aroma of barbecued meat.

The most distinguished people are Rurik and Arik. The girl Carlotta aroused her identity and also sat in a key position, even if she could not speak.

Some technical personnel with low social status have also arrived. They are the shipbuilder Hortra and the master of the tailor's workshop Fodegan. These two and their dependents will also form a fleet and join the group of the Ross people. In the fleet.

The cheerful atmosphere could not dispel Gould's enmity.

Tonight, all the spirits in his inventory were completely moved out, and soon, the whole chamber was full of wine.

After eating some meat and sipping a bottle of strong wine, Gould was in a state of excitement. He slapped the table vigorously with his sturdy hands: "Everyone pays attention, listen to me."

The lively scene paused, including Arik, who was holding a lamb leg and gnawing violently, put down the delicious food in his hand, and wiped his greasy mouth with his sleeves very casually.

"Now, I have asked our Ruriek, who has been blessed by Odin, to explain to everyone the matter of returning to the voyage."

As soon as the voice fell, everyone looked at Rurik, he was prepared for this.

As if to give a report, Rurik said twice, holding his chin in his hands, and sitting with a serious face.

"You guys, it stands to reason that the route to return to the flight is stipulated. I don't need to point fingers. We just need to lead the large team of merchants to return to the flight according to the previous route. Only this time is extraordinary! Last year, we transported 230,000 pounds. Wheat, as many as 600,000 pounds of wheat need to be transported this year.

Part of us is still in accordance with last year's plan to hire some people who own ships and a group of strong people who help us transport all kinds of materials.

But the volume of goods this year is too much, and I do not have full confidence in those outsiders. I'm afraid that if they are transported, they will steal the wheat of our Ross people. Listen, I plan to arrange for every Ross person to eat these wheat porridge every day for a whole year, three hundred and sixty-five days! "

Rurik was sonorous and powerful, and this was mainly addressed to the sailors present. According to common sense, the sailors raised by Gould did not belong to the Ross tribe, and the Ross leader would not recognize them. Rurik suddenly promised that all dependents and employees under Gould's loyalty would be granted the asylum of the Rus, and after a few years of work, he would officially join the Rus tribe.

The sailor's eyes trembled, and their smiles made the furrow-like wrinkles on their faces even more exaggerated.

"The most important wheat must be transported by our own people, and other ships can be used to hire others. Now, we are fully budgeted. There are 25 cargo ships, 30 ordinary long ships, and 20 of my inferior fishing boats. I know that you think that a cargo ship with a load of more than 8,000 pounds becomes dangerous. I'm sorry we have no choice. I now order all cargo ships to increase the load to 12,000 pounds."

Many people are actually very vague about the concept of load. They know that the risk becomes greater when they are overweight. No one pays attention to the critical point of this risk.

Rurik thought he would get a burst of exclamation, but he couldn't think of it, only Hotra, who was good at shipbuilding, objected.

"My little master, you are taking an adventure!"

"Oh? My craftsman, I know I'm taking a risk, but what can I do?"

In this matter, Hotla has the most say: "Many of the cargo ships you have now are from your own hands. No one knows these ships better than me. I have tested its ultimate load, and it is basically what you said. Twelve thousand pounds, but it struck a rock and sank while sailing in the lake. Boy, do you want wheat to become food for herring?"

Rurik wasn't angry at all. He stretched his head. He really didn't think that Hotla was very scientific in shipbuilding.

"Even so, I still want to do this. If we are afraid of hitting the rocks, we will go far into the sea."

"The risk is still great." Hotra said cautiously. "Once there is a storm, because your ship's draft becomes too deep, a few big waves will hit, and the ship will sink."

"But what can I do?" Rurik smiled bitterly: "I hope to transport the materials twice, for the purpose of which I can only do this. Even my inferior fishing boats must participate in the transportation of materials. I am. Now we are using all the ships that can be mobilized."

Hotla held a handful of his own old bones: "Since you are short of ships, I can naturally borrow you from the two cargo ships I have on hand."

"Ah? Really? Why didn't you say that you still have a big ship."

"You never asked me. It is impossible for my family to complete a complete move this fall. My people can go in small boats in batches. Since you need big boats, I will give them to you. Since you insist on asking for overweight, I will only I can pray that our good luck will always be there. Oh, it's better to invite the priestesses of Mellaren on the day of departure and kill a cow as a priest."

Rurik nodded: "Forget the priest, I am the one who got Odin's favor. Let's face it now, our problem is that there are too few big ships. Hotla, I also hope to order larger ships from you. It should be incredibly huge. Transporting 12,000 pounds is nothing, I hope it can transport 100,000 pounds at a time."

"Ah?! Are you serious? A bigger ship?!" Hotra said in surprise.

"I never break my promise. Listen, at the latest next spring, I want you to build a big ship for me. If you can, your family will come to Roseburg. Even in winter, the shipbuilding work will begin. I have some self in shipbuilding. You have to build according to my ideas. Wealth and status are naturally indispensable for you."

Hotla hurriedly covered his heart: "Oh, that's really my honor. For the rest of my life, I will personally build a huge ship that can transport 100,000 pounds."

Thinking that this man still had a big boat hidden, Rrik turned his head and looked at Fodgen: "Friend, do you have a big boat?"

"Me? I'm sorry, I really don't."

Fodgen's expression was rather timid, he did not have a cargo ship on hand, but he had a lot of ordinary long boats.

Since the other party had no cargo ships, Rurik did not force it. He began to formally explain the return route, and this route was also discussed with his cousin Arik.

"This time, after we left the Great Lakes, we did not simply go north. Our entire fleet has to head northeast. There is an archipelago, which is now our Rus' sphere of influence. The Tombstone Island settlement is there, but the local area is there. Hundreds of brothers have settled here! Tombstone Island, we are the front line stronghold of our future crusade against the Gotland people. We must manage it well. Naturally, we must provide enough supplies for the brothers who stay behind to help them survive the winter safely.

I decided, this time the fleet passed through the islands. I don't care about the danger, because under the leadership of the navigator Arik, we will avoid all the reefs and reach the Tombstone Island straight away.

I just want those brothers to see our Ross transport team, the fleet led by me, is not inferior to my father's Sorgon fleet.

I just want them to see, I Rurik is indeed a trustworthy person.

Oh, by the way, we can also borrow the ships there to share our load and pressure. "

What Rurik said before was filled with righteous indignation, and everyone listened to him with great enthusiasm. At the last sentence, everyone couldn't help but cheer.

Regarding this route, Arik has a great right to speak. He took the words of his brother and said: "Brothers, have you ever known the islands northeast of Mlaren. In my opinion, it was originally off the beaten track. Now it is The settlement of the Russ. Listen, whether you like it or not, this year's fleet must arrive in the archipelago first.

This year is not a special case. Every year from now on, our fleet from Mellaren must pass through the archipelago. It is best to take a break at Tombstone Island. This is not only what I meant, but also what Rurik meant. "

Arik didn't say anything to the roots. Rurik stood up and said loudly, Everyone, for us Rose, Tombstone Island has a very critical strategic position. The inaccessible islands gave rise to our settlement. Point, it's our site! With Tombstone Island, ships from Lake Mlaren have a rest point, and the cowardly Gorod's fleet also has a rest point. Even our fishermen, they go south to fish. They don't have to go back to Fort Rose. They can rest on Tombstone Island. Also, when we start to take action against the enemy, Tombstone Island is the best rallying point for our Ross fighters. With it, our fighters no longer need it. Continue to sail for four days before launching an attack..."

Everyone present had already understood the importance of Tombstone Island. As for its strategic value, it was astonishing. As they couldn't associate it, everyone watched Rurik's indignation and passively expressed their support.

The so-called meeting, to put it bluntly, is an outright report meeting, and Rurik's determination can only be approved by others.

Gould, Rurik and Arik have already discussed the details of the entire route.

The only thing that surprised everyone at the conference ~www.mtlnovel.com~ was the regulation of Rrik's cargo ship load. Anyway, the ship's property rights are either Rurik or Gould's. What the shipowner does, others can only follow.

In fact, a practical problem has been plagued by Tombstone Island under Ross's rule-it is really off the beaten track.

Under the pressure of competition from the Gotland fishermen, the Melalen people will probably not risk leaving the lake and entering the sea, even if the leader Olekin has sent people to build several strongholds with guard posts on the islands at the mouth of the sea. . Olekin is getting older, and he very much hopes that the alliance under his control will be stable, so his long-term policy is passive defense against the enemy. Only now, a lot of internal and external pressures hit him, making him deliberately doing something, but not now.

In a single Merlaren fishing boat, only a few people dared to enter the sea. They quickly saw the strange fishing boat from a distance and thought that this was a Gotlander. In fact, it was the Ross fishing boat that went south to seize the living space.

As for the Gotland fishing boats, they were sunk more than forty by Arik! In the huge sea, the figure of Gotland has become rare. Even if it appeared, it was not a fishing boat at work, but an armed patrol boat sent by the wealthy family of Gotland. Even with these boats, they did not dare to rush northward.