There are many people in Ross, and a huge fleet is in sight.

The military power of the Uppsalas did not have the slightest ability to stop the advance of this large fleet, although the Russ rushed into the Holy Land to make the leader Swinned very upset, as a smart man, he immediately understood his new situation.

Swinned showed great support. His only request was that he hoped that Rose could enter the team to fulfill his promise.

An empty grassland became the camp of the Ross army.

The camp is deliberately kept a certain distance from the Uppsala settlement, in order to prove to the local residents their peaceful attitude. But a powerful army is right in front of them, and the Uppsala people, who fled into the woods and withdrew back in the twilight, remain extremely vigilant towards these outsiders.

The people who withdrew soon noticed this wonder.

I saw some large livestock suddenly appear on the grass controlled by the Russ. They are all large animals with horns of different sizes. When I look closely, they are all reindeer.

There used to be a herd of wild reindeer in Uppsala, but since the hunting of the people had been eaten up long ago, there was not even time to tame them. In fact, they have better choices, such as domesticating cattle and sheep. Compared with reindeer, these two animals have higher economic value.

They are very worried that these big beasts suddenly appear to eat their own wheat fields, and they are also very worried that the Russian army will trample on young crops intentionally or unintentionally.

Oatmeal is where the Uppsala people live their lives, and most of their inner lake is also surrounded by wheat fields.

Liulik issued some orders, that is, the landing Ross army is not allowed to trample on the young crops, and is not allowed to leave the designated station without authorization. This is not a prison, but to ensure that the Ross army will not frighten the locals with rash and unwise actions.

But for the army sailing all the way, it is the first priority to set up camp and sleep after finally arriving at the destination.

Random? forget it!

Besides, this land boundary is also located in the largest temple in the world in Sweden.

The pine trees in the inland area can be felled at will. If the strong man of the Rus army can chop down a piece of pine or cedar, it is also what Uppsala people would like to see.

The Uppsala people have always been interested in asking for land from the forest. However, logging, especially cutting down large trees, is a dangerous physical task. Now they lack strong men, and temporarily lose their motivation to do this.

Logging is indeed physical work. A group of Ross soldiers of different ages carried their forest axes, double saws, and cables, and ran into the forest area in groups.

The collapse of a big tree caused strong vibrations, and when the trunk fell, it would often hit the neighboring trees, causing violent noises.

either felled or sawed down, pine trees and cedar trees are each useful.

Because of the ritual of proclaiming the king and enthroning, the customs of the Rus must be revealed.

What is the custom of Ross, to build a steep giant wooden tower, and torch in the end, this is the custom of Ross, even if there is a so-called holy tree here in Uppsala.

The thick trunks will be piled into wooden towers by building blocks, and a large number of small trunks or relatively straight branches will be processed into wooden strips on the spot. The Rus army wants to build a decent camp on the grass in the control area. From the perspective of others, it is undoubtedly to build a city. The grass was cut into a big hole, and some thick wooden stakes were erected. The thin wooden poles started with wooden stakes to build a circular wall.

Several towers are also in the construction plan, and their start is to be placed behind.

Inside the wall is the living quarters of the Russ army. According to the plan, the army will live in Uppsala for a period of time. After staying for a long time, they cannot stay in tents. If it rains, the tents will become meaningless. The army will build a batch of wooden houses with rough wooden floors inside the walls, and more than ten people will live in a large wooden house.

The construction of the siege of was a tiny beginning. Most soldiers lighted a bonfire on the shore to rest on the spot, and a small number of people still stayed on the boat.

Let's put a lot of work on tomorrow. When night falls, the logging work has stopped completely.

The camp of the Ross army was filled with a strong smell of wheat, and it was a large amount of iron pots and pottery urns cooking oats. Some storable onions and bacon are thrown into the pot and cooked thoroughly, the army will eat this delicious hot meal, and in the foreseeable future, eating such a meal will become the norm.

Naturally, Rurik himself was not in the army. His wives and children returned to the boat for the night shortly after landing. It was not that he was worried, but that some of the things on the shore were not done well. He only floated on the lake after anchoring. The big ship is a good place to sleep peacefully. Of course, the safety of ships is also an indisputable reason.

Liurik and Otto, together with several Swedish nobles present, were invited by Swinned, Duke of Uppsala, to enter the house.

Even if you are a Duke, Swinned's mansion is just a few large longhouses.

The population of the Uppsala tribe is small, and the settlement in one place is basically a big village. Swinned didn't have the motivation to build the house in style, especially when he was short of money. He didn't want to waste money.

Then when the messenger sent out whispered to him that it would cost two hundred pounds of silver to order a large Ross ship, he couldn't believe it. Facing the status quo of a done deal, his legs faintly trembled.

Half of the big ship ordered was deliberately stranded. It was indeed a big ship drifting through the waves, like a slender fish, but the price was very different. Duke Ross himself wants to be the king, and now it is unreasonable to bargain the price of the ship. In any case, the Ross army is under his nose. Swinned can only strategically recognize the counsel, and wait for Duke Ross to become the queen. Respectfully send him away.

Still think about it! At least Prince Rurik claimed to build a city to house his army of thousands after he landed. Can the Ross people take the city away after finishing the business? ! "You left, Mucheng is mine! I happened to move the mansion and private soldiers over." Swinned had such a small nine-nine.

Now, just one step away from the abdication of King Bjorn of Sweden, he has never received any kind of courtesy from the king, even more so now.

At the Swinned mansion, Rurik was the most noble guest. Obviously the old Duke Otto was also present. Otto's identity is lower than his son.

The eighteen-year-old Rurik faced a group of smiling nobles. After some politeness, the most important matter of the king and sacrifice began to be discussed logically.

The first person who started talking was faced with a bit of embarrassment. Swinned, with his beard, took another polite way: It's a good thing that Lord Rurik wants to be king. You are a hero! Especially the one who will win the expedition to Denmark. The teacher brought me here, and also made me feel the glory that I have never experienced before. So..."

Lurik blew his body warmly for the flattery: "So what shall you do?"

"The most critical thing is actually I understand very well, you will ascend the throne under the sacred tree, only then will Odin's affirmation."

"I have this plan."

"So..." Swinned knew that the following words might be offensive, and said: "You should exercise the ritual according to our rules, and my high priest should bless you."

"Your high priest?" Rurik did not open his mouth to object, he was very curious, wondering what the role of the high priest of the Uppsala was. It will never be a young woman, or an old lady with a pleated face. "Hurry up and let your high priest come. I want to pay a visit."

When he speaks like this, most of the nobles present are bright. Everyone knew the plan of the Ross people a long time ago, but Swinned did not know now. Could it be that Liurik suddenly changed his mind and wanted to use the Uppsala high priest to preside over his enthronement ceremony?

Swinned felt that there was something to play, so he hurriedly sent people to the temple to invite priests and priests who worshipped the gods all the time.

After a while, a man wearing cowhide, wearing a deer head (with obvious stag horns), and holding a wooden staff, accompanied by some lower priests, entered the house where the nobles met.

The high priest's eyes were sharp, and Rurik's outfit was too gorgeous, and the two stared at each other for a while.

"You? Are you Rurik of Rose? A noble nobleman, a hero protected by Odin..." Then came some vaguely-sounding spells.

The whole scene was so violent, the arrival of the High Priest of Uppsala caught the eye, and even Otto looked directly at this somewhat rickety man.

This man wears cowhide with a deer head. If he stands on the edge of the twilight forest, he looks like a monster walking out of the forest.

Otto thought of the late High Priest Ross and the current Lumia. It's just that the two priests of Rose are both short women. This Uppsala priest is obviously tall, and it is obvious that this person was also a strong man when he was young.

"Do you know my name?" Rurik asked with interest.

"When your heroic deeds spread among the people, we also learned about it. I had doubts, but those heroic deeds are indeed real. We have been waiting for the moment when you are king, and now we have finally waited." Valley

Lurik glanced at the corner of his mouth and smiled: "Great priest, are you flattering me too?"

"This is your destiny. It seems that I will preside over your enthronement ceremony. It is my honor." The high priest was indeed flattering.

Lurik didn't know what the person Swinned sent out to report to the priest said to this priest. Does this guy really think he can be honored? Is it necessary to let this unfamiliar old man crown the new king?

A golden laurel crown is placed in a wooden box stuffed with wool, and Rurik will wear the laurel crown under the sacred tree as the king.

He still buried the plan in his heart, and now asked the Uppsala priest to take off his antler helmet.

I saw the old priest showing his bald head and gray beard covered by leather clothes and shadows. Although the priest has a bald head, his head and face are covered with black patterns. The patterns are actually very recognizable. They are all phrases spelled out in runes, and they are spelled spells after spells.

Many brave warriors will tattoo on their bodies with words and sentences that make progress. Once they come to understand their aspirations, they come to believe that this can bring some mysterious power.

The high priest made tattoos even more ridiculously the master of this belief.

But Lumia, the High Priest of Rose, didn't need such a move at all. After she assumed the position of High Priest of Rose, she couldn't be treated as a woman. She is one of the incarnations of faith, a tool to maintain the faith of the people, and a woman who is recognized as a woman who has received special favors from Odin. She cannot use some strange tattoos to strengthen her legitimacy.

The tattoo of the High Priest of Uppsala provoked Rurik's intense phobia reaction. He didn't want to use the priest to crown himself, and now he felt a strong disgust in his heart.

Lurik did not explain verbally, but continued to endure the discomfort, and invited the priest to sit down, continue to cover his head with a antler helmet, and participate in this meeting.

He continued to ask: "I heard about some of the ceremonies of your Uppsala people, but I didn't hear them well. You know these things best, can you explain them to me."

"Can."

"Then, let's talk about the most important ritual steps."

The high priest nodded: "Since it is a king, the process of the ceremony must go beyond the ceremony of the successor leader. You will kneel and pray to the gods Odin, Sora, and Uber in our great temple. And offer you. Of blood, smear the three statues of gods with blood."

"I can understand the sacrifice with blood."

"You should know our sacredness, it is not Yggdrasil, but it must be connected with it."

Lurik hurriedly sat upright, slightly probed: "Could it be that the roots of the big tree are always connected to the tree of the world?"

"It's very possible." The words of the high priest immediately began to speak in God's way: "I can be sure that the earth veins of the big tree are connected to the world tree, although the gods are above the sky." The sacrificial finger pointed to the sky first. , And then pointed to the ground: "But here, the best way to connect with the gods is this tree. Your prayer will pass through the veins, from our Midgard, all the way to Asgard. "

"There is such a saying? Is it true?"

"It is true." The high priest emphasized again.

Even Bjorn had never heard of this. Otto is already very old and has never heard of it.

Otto then talked eloquently: "I heard that your Uppsala people built a large temple. You used a lot of wealth in architecture. Can't you think of this?"

"This is indeed the reason." The high priest immediately affirmed.

Otto sighed slightly, his aging face showing sharp gazes under the oil lamp: "However, your Uppsalas are still a small tribe and have never been glorious in the past. Does this mean that although you are sitting on a tree connected to the world? Big tree, but not religious enough?"

There are thorns in the words, and the nobles feel that this is Otto's sarcasm, and they are secretly happy. Undoubtedly, these words were a mockery of Uppsala and made the high priest look embarrassed.

But this is a fact!

Otto glanced at his son Rurik lightly, casting a meaningful look.

So, Rurik didn't hesitate to catch the words of the old man, and got this assist and immediately opened his voice: "It is a real sacred tree on earth, this is waiting for a real king. So I am here."

"So." The high priest hurriedly took the words.

"Are there any major rituals?"

"You also need the blood of the warrior to water this sacred tree. Lord Rurik, you...need to hand over at least one warrior to nourish it with blood. At that time, you must at least poke your finger and smear the blood on the trunk of the tree. ."

"Human sacrifice?" Although Rurik asked knowingly, he still sounded shocked.

"Exactly, human sacrifice." The high priest emphasized stubbornly: "I heard that the former king of Sweden, Olekin, killed five or ten slaves and sacrificed to the **** Mellaren (the **** of the great lake) with the blood of slaves. He sacrificed the wrong object and did not receive Odin's blessing, so he died in battle. As for the person who became the king without even doing the sacrifice, he would not receive any blessing from the gods."

The words of the high priest are quite unnatural, Bjorn himself is here, even if his throne is a joke, it is also the nominal king of Sweden.

Bjorn also didn't bother to be angry. Looking at the situation of the Uppsalas themselves, their strength is not comparable to that of the Mellaren tribe.

Leurik became vigilant: "Are you asking me to hand over a warrior so that the warrior will make sacrifices for me to claim the king?"

"That's it."

"This is really unreasonable!" Lurik stood up suddenly in a furious rage, and a strong bear became angry.

But at this moment, the high priest did not change his face, raised his head, and the oil lamp shone on his face full of patterns: "Only in this way can you get the approval of the gods. Moreover, the sacrificial warrior did not sacrifice in vain, his soul Will go directly to Valhalla."

"No need! Your ritual is completely meaningless to us Rose. I understand what you said, and I will not execute it. I will not let a warrior die for me to call the king for nothing. .Com is not glorious at all, and even more meaningless."

"But..." The High Priest of Uppsala wanted to emphasize something, but Rurik interrupted mercilessly.

Next, in the presence of the great aristocrat who was extremely present, Rurik preached about the Rus people's knowledge of the world tree, and what he said also gave the high priest who was full of patterns a huge shock.

Is credible? Maybe it's believable.

The dead high priest of the Ross is really upgraded to the Valkyrie. The warriors of the Ross have a shortcut to the temple!

Is this the reason why Ross is opposed to human sacrifice? But they are not opposed to blood sacrifices. The so-called sacrifices are nothing but the reindeer herds that have been transported off the ship.

The High Priest of Uppsala understood that he was only a footnote to the Rurik ruling ceremony of Rus. The Rus moved the entire group of Russ priests. Now they knew some of the essentials of performing the ritual under the sacred tree. They obviously have the final say on the rest.

But, the sacrifice is actually one hundred and eleven reindeer? ! Is a huge herd of reindeer sacrificed for the birth of a king? How grand this is.

The High Priest of Uppsala trembled in surprise: "What a grand occasion is this? Deer blood will turn into a lake. Such a blood sacrifice is so spectacular!"

"High Priest? Could it be that you still feel that this kind of ritual is incorrect?" Rurik despised it.

"Don't dare, don't dare! You are the king, we...all the priests of Uppsala, are willing to contribute our help in your enthronement ceremony."