It was dusk, the setting sun hung over the sea level, and the soft orange light fell on people's faces.

This should be a normal lazy evening, the town of Groningen is no longer calm, and there is even little smoke.

The closed settlement welcomes guests, who greet those from afar with enthusiasm, and the result is disaster.

Rurik had already seen those who greeted him.

"Strange, are they going to welcome me? Didn't they know I was going to attack?"

The current scene is as if a mouse mistook a cat for a companion. The comers are clearly a group of ignorant villagers, led by a man in a burqa holding a cross to the pier. Perhaps this is not stupid, but downright pure.

It is good for them to be so simple, and even better for them to be so obedient when they hand over their belongings.

Therefore, in this situation, whether it was Rurik or Ragnar, or even his partner Henry Nassau, everyone was surprised at first, and then immediately came up with a good countermeasure.

A very peaceful response.

The first Russ soldiers to land were ordered to exercise restraint, and they would be punished with whipping afterward for looting the small village without authorization.

The Danish soldiers were also restrained and gathered together to await the landing of their great king Ragnar.

Henry Nassau had already arrived first with his entourage. He did not show the cross flag. Whether his eyes were aimed at the ocean, the so-called waiting for Rurik to land, he would suddenly show the prepared flag.

Finally, King Ross arrived calmly in a small boat. At the same time, the villagers, led by priests and lords, further approached the fleet entrenched in the dock.

Before Rurik's feet could stand firm, Nassau greeted him and asked, "You're finally here, what do you do now?"

"Just follow the temporary plan. Hehe, this group of people seems to welcome us. Let's act now."

Then, the calm army suddenly moved into action.

The Rus army suddenly spread out to the flanks, flanking the ignorant villagers with a running posture.

The villagers looked left and right, and when someone noticed something was wrong, they instinctively gathered towards the center of the masses.

The local lord felt strange, and immediately asked what was going on in broken Frankish.

It was at this moment that a cross flag suddenly appeared, and Nassau's entourage waved it desperately.

This is a method of blackmail and deceit that immediately fools doubtful lords, priests, and all the people. They didn't run away, they just gathered with each other, staring at the lord's every move.

Since the other party showed the cross flag, as expected, it was a great noble from the north.

The baron lord twisted his neck and motioned his entourage to follow him with the flag of the cross. At the same time, the priest of the local monastery also carried the wooden cross on his shoulder and walked straight.

Rurik immediately brought some soldiers, accompanied by Henry Nassau's cross flag, as if they were actually a crusader.

The leaders of the two sides gathered together, and the baron briefly talked a lot about this sailing guest from the north. Henry Nassau robbed him just as he was about to speak.

"I am Henry Nassau! Henry Nassau, Earl of the Duchy of Saxony! From now on, this is my fief, and you... are all my subjects."

He explained the matter in Frankish, and he immediately heard the local baron and priest bewildered.

For this reason, Nassau repeated it again, and the listeners were still puzzled.

The scene became very embarrassing, the baron dawdled for a while before muttering tremblingly: "I am Victor, baron of Groningen, loyal to the earl of Flanders. Your lord, are you the earl of the Duchy of Saxony? Isn't it... from Hamburg or Bremen?"

But the pastor knew that was impossible. The local priest learned through some channels that St. Peter's Church in Bremen was turned to ashes, which was the so-called Norman pirates, and the local count was also said to have died.

This nobleman from the sea is definitely not the Earl of Bremen, and whether he is the Earl of Hamburg is even more doubtful.

Nassau shook his head, and faced the priest who cast doubtful eyes in return with sharp eyes, and said bluntly: "Times have changed! I was originally the Baron of Nassau under the Earl of Rheingau. Now, I am the canonized earl of the Duchy of Saxony. I Announce again, your area belongs to my fief. You... say your name!"

He pointed directly at the local lord, and Victor, the Baron of Groningen, only had to bite the bullet and solemnly explain all his titles.

"So, your allegiance is Baudouin, Count of Flanders? It's over! I will defeat Baudouin, at least the average Flanders will belong to me. Now, you are all my subjects, you are My vassal. You must be loyal to me now, or... this army will kill you."

Where is all this going?

Baron Victor was still hesitating, Rurik couldn't listen, and seeing that the priest was still standing there, he uttered the most frightening words in Latin.

"We! Normans! Submit to us now or kill you all!"

However, even if Rurik thought he was showing his hideous fangs, this so-called threat in "sacred language" was completely counterproductive.

Normans? Normans who speak Latin, that's outrageous.

Seeing that it was still ineffective, Rurik, who didn't want to use his powerlessness to make them feel scared, remained restrained. He suddenly thought of a move, and he summoned more than 20 soldiers, ordering them to take off their leather jackets to keep out the cold and show their backs.

Although the soft light of the setting sun was quite dim, the Groningen people present could clearly see the hideous monster tattoo on the skin on the back, as well as the words spelled in foreign languages.

Seeing this scene, the priest and monk were horrified, and they instinctively retreated. Many people also saw this scene, and they fell into the panic of invading the bone marrow.

Victor, Baron of Groningen, trembled with his hands and was almost babbling nonsense: "You...are actually Normans?!"

"At least I'm not," Nassau repeated.

The intimidation effect of the tattoo was outstanding, and Rurik smiled in satisfaction, and further threatened: "Now, as long as you do as we ask, at least your lives will be guaranteed."

The warriors of Christ actually cooperated with the Normans to attack peaceful villages, and the priests of Groningen all believed that Henry Nassau had indeed made a deal with the devil, and that dirty souls would go to hell.

However, the entire town has been firmly controlled by the huge Norman army.

The population under the Baron Groningen's rule was too small. Even if the newborn babies were counted, the whole town was only 300 people. Since there is only one settlement in a large area, a village of 300 people has full political significance as a town.

This is an undefended town without a wooden wall, and the baron can mobilize only a handful of retinues and a maximum of fifty militiamen armed with short spears and harpoons.

They were so slack that they were always forgotten by the Count of Flanders, and he didn't even expect the Baron to pay any tribute. Thanks to the priests who maintain the spiritual life of the grassroots, the connection between the Groningen Abbey and the Utrecht Church is maintained.

The Baron was forced to surrender, knowing that if he resisted, the Normans would easily defeat him.

Surrender, of course, also faced humiliation. The Normans promised not to kill any of the populace, in exchange for the natives paying a hefty fee in exchange for the Normans not looting.

So, how should this ratio be delivered.

The shivering populace felt like lambs to be slaughtered, only to be ignored by the Normans.

The baron's family, as well as all his retinues, were brought under control. The priest of the monastery and all the priests were also brought under control.

Next, the "evacuations" of the baron's mansion and monastery began.

This kind of raiding by the Normans was unheard of, and Henry Nassau was inexplicable. What he is most worried about is the indiscriminate killing of civilians by the Normans. When it really hits Groningen, Rurik's attitude towards the local villagers can't be said to be benevolent, it can only be said to be indifferent. care.

Gu Hiro

Both the Rus and the Danish army began to set up camps on the seaside piers. The number of Rus-Danish soldiers specially sent to loot was small, and their actions were also very purposeful.

Rurik understands the mentality of Ragnar's subordinates, or the mentality of the most common Vikings. The so-called highest priority of looting is to loot gold. Where is the gold and silver rich? Naturally a monastery.

The monastery in Groningen is very small, and even if there may be no good things to grab, Ragnar still rushes with people screaming. Since the priests were all under control, this raid was destined to leave no casualties.

The Ross Army was staring at the targeted looting of the baron's mansion. They focused on moving the warehouse's supplies, taking away wool and wheat. As for other items, there was really nothing to loot.

Campfires have been lit, and as many as fifty sheep have been killed in tribute.

For Baron Victor, his whole family became Rurik and guests, sitting by the bonfire in utter terror. His wife, holding the child in her arms, wept secretly as she watched the horrific looting taking place on her mansion. They dared not cry, for fear of angering the Normans and causing killing.

Satisfied with the current state of affairs, Rurik inspected his warrior camp with his hands behind his back. The air was filled with the aroma of grilled meat and the aroma of oat simmering in a wok.

Henry Nassau was walking beside him, and he was also thirsty when he smelled the seductive breath.

Nassau still had great doubts: "What I am most worried about is that you are killing the people. Unexpectedly, you only looted the lord's house and the monastery."

"Is there a problem? Hehe, do you think I'm really going to rob those ordinary farmers?"

"Why not?"

"Why? It's absurd. Nassau, when you're nibbling on a dripping shank of lamb, you're going to **** the moldy loaves of bread from the poor? Every soldier in my army is gorgeously dressed and has an excellent meal. .Even a thin man becomes my warrior, and soon becomes strong. I just despise the people here, they are too poor to be robbed by me. Unless, they are used as slaves."

"This... will you take some people as slaves?"

"If it wasn't for you, of course I would have done it. But you have sold a lot of interests, and I have no reason to plunder slaves." Saying that, Rurik shook his head sharply: "You don't think this town can be used as a good place. Is it a port? In the future, our merchant ships from Ross can choose to dock here.

"Ok."

Rurik continued to talk while walking with his hands behind his back: "As far as I know, the nobles will gather most of the wealth of the territory. The nobles control the granaries, and the priests always control the gold and silver. But the nobles are only a very small number, just for the sake of living. I can't use too many supplies. I see that the baron here not only has a warehouse but also raises a lot of sheep. Could he share so much wealth with the people under his rule? I've done a good job, and the rest is for me to carry the supplies."

"So...is that so?"

"Exactly. How are you? Isn't what you do in your hometown the same as the Baron of Groningen here? Will you share the wealth with the people you govern? Isn't it because you control too much to improve their lives? . . . no concept at all."

"What's wrong with this? According to our belief, God has decided everything, and those poor people must accept their ordinary fate."

Rurik did not refute Nassau's statement. This is what determines the head. As a king, Rurik needs to stabilize his rule, and the kingdom's hierarchy is constantly improving.

The Catholic faith has formed a strict hierarchy, so that there is little movement between the various classes, thus achieving social stability. It seems that commoners can only be commoners, and only nobles and priests have a way to ascend.

Although such a system can be adapted to the conditions of a certain period, it is by no means the eternal truth.

In the era of pure agriculture, this top-down hierarchy is very suitable for the absolute stability of agricultural life, but society is developing, the population is expanding, and people's desires are also expanding.

Especially with the expansion of the population. In the agricultural era, the huge population maintained the comprehensive strength of a country, but it would also bring backlash due to the excessive population. Only by constantly improving the lives of the people can we keep tinkering and maintaining stability. The so-called rulers can take away a lot, but the people must always try their best to live a decent life.

Considering the special economic structure of the Rus Kingdom, the so-called model of equal emphasis on maritime commerce and continental agriculture requires on the one hand to increase material production, and on the other hand to actively expand shipping and river trade routes.

The territory of Nassau would be the Flanders region, which Rurik preferred to call the Netherlands. In this era, the inland transportation line was very important to Rus, and the territory of Nassau would be guarded at the mouth of the Rhine River. Supporting such an ally was very necessary for Rus to open up trade with the hinterland of Western Europe.

For this reason, Rurik was very willing to teach this nobleman some philosophy of governing the country.

"If there is a ten-pound loaf of toast, you take eight pounds and your villagers take two. You are comfortable with yourself, and your populace goes hungry. If the loaf becomes a hundred pounds , even if you take ninety pounds, your villagers take ten pounds. This is a five-fold increase from before! Ordinary people will support you as a lord extremely. So, if you want your rule to be stable, just The bread has to be made bigger."

This explanation of "making the bread bigger" is the first time I have heard of it in Nassau, but the question is, how can a lord have ten times more wealth than before?

Nassau asked about getting rich, and Rurik readily pointed out his strategy for the future.

"The next step is to attack Utrecht. I am still doing things with today's strategy. But considering your future rule, I may not attack the local church, but I will scavenge the warehouse of the local lord. In the future, these areas will be you You have to produce as much wool, wheat, dairy, salt and fish as you can in your territory. You can encourage the people under your rule to produce more, and you can charge a small tax for a few years. Don't charge the 11th tax, it's too much If it is high, it is better to reduce it to 31 tax. In the future, you don't have to worry about being attacked by the military. We Ross will build barracks, shops and docks here, not only to protect you, but also to trade directly with you. You export these materials to me , I sell you iron and a lot of other good stuff. You just make the people here richer and richer, and you can get a lot of wealth even with a very low tax rate."

Nassau was deafened when he heard it, and he had to admire that King Ross was really a master with a pattern.

"If I do, you're just doing business with me happily?" he asked.

Rurik nodded: "That's right."

"In the end, I don't seem to have paid a price?"

"Of course. We Normans are not pirates, we are merchants. Who wants to be pirates if we can do business with peace of mind? I just ask you to open the door so that we can do business with peace of mind, so that you and I will both become rich."

Judging from today's situation at least, Rurik, the king of Russ, has fulfilled his promise. The Rus and the Danish army, who were supposed to kill the indiscriminate villains against the civilians, finally just evacuated the local aristocratic mansion and looted the gold and silverware of the monastery. Even the Norman camp was deliberately distanced from the town.

Nassau was now more willing to work directly with Rurik than to pledge allegiance to Ludoff, Duke of Saxony.

But how does Nassau know the risks lurking in it. Is Rurik, King of Ross, really a good man?

What is an open door? According to the conspiracy of the two parties, the future Nassau fully welcomes the arrival of Russ merchants. In this kind of international trade, Russ merchants do not have to pay customs duties to Nassau.

The productivity of various materials in the kingdom of Rus is rising rapidly. Rus needs to dump goods in its own external market, and then import food crops and salt that are difficult to grow in the north to meet the actual needs of Rus now.

In this way, Russ can carry out economic colonization of Flanders, and even use the "shell" of Nassau to transport Rus's goods to the hinterland of Western Europe very safely and smoothly.

Now that this strategy is in place, it all starts with the occupied town of Groningen.

The two returned from inspection, followed by the darkest hour of Victor, Baron of Groningen.

Victor had two options before him, so he either declared his allegiance to Count Nassau immediately or the family was killed.

Victor somewhat understood the current situation. He never imagined that the Saxons would sell their souls to join the Normans in order to restore their country, and even annihilated 3,000 Frankish heavy cavalry. As a Frisian, the people here also surrendered to the Franks because of their defeat.

Henry Nassau was not a Frankish man, and he allegedly had to take all the so-called "Nassau" immigrants from his hometown out of Frankish control. Nassau himself also acted in a play, denouncing the great Frankish aristocrats for tricking the Nassau cavalry into desperately fighting the Saxons, just to get both lost, and then completely annex the Nassau. This rhetoric is very useful, because it is the policy of the Franks to nibble the Frisians, so that the Frisians have been passively migrating north because of a large number of Franks.

Forced by the situation, Baron Victor could only kneel down halfway, and after a ceremony, he was officially loyal to the Earl of Nassau.

Paying a lot of money is not really allegiance. The Baron of Groningen had to organize his own army to prove his loyalty, join the ranks of Nassau, and continue to attack Utrecht with the Norman army. He didn't even have time to hesitate, he had to organize at least twenty warriors tonight. This military force is meaningless, its political significance is very important.

Only in this way can the lives of the Victor family be preserved.

It's just that he never imagined that the priests had collectively "mutinied". Without it, once the Count of Nassau really wins, once the Duchy of Saxony is stabilized, the parish here will naturally be transferred from the Utrecht parish to the Saxony parish, all because the northern saint Eskill himself is in Hamburg. a fact. Because the land of Western Europe at this time was governed by the aristocratic group and the clergy group, they were not completely cooperative with each other, and in many cases they were even antagonistic.

The Normans come and go, and the Diocese of Saxony is forever. The small monastery can only obey the arrangement of the superiors. As far as authority is concerned, Esquil has the noble title of "the patron saint of the north"~www.mtlnovel.com~ His authority far exceeds that of the bishop of Utrecht.

Even if the other party may lie, how can the captured priest do so? After all, the big Norman leader knew the sacred Latin, and he swore that he would not kill indiscriminately in Utrecht, but at most steal gold and silver. It was also said that the area would be separated from the Country of Flanders and become the Country of Friesland under the rule of Nassau, or the strange term "County of the Netherlands".

The priests couldn't possibly cooperate with the Normans, at least begging the Latin-speaking Norman leader not to kill innocents and nothing more. Rurik lied, saying that Eskil had decided to absorb this area into his parish.

What else can the priest do? They do nothing but passively obey.

It was this passive obedience that seemed to be cooperating with the Normans.

In this way, Victor no longer had any concerns about his beliefs, so he had to bite the bullet and be wrapped in it to join in.

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