The weather is getting colder and colder, and the Russian soldiers in Hamburg are feeling more and more homesick.

Those Danes who are still here are in principle waiting for news from King Ragnar, and the waiting process is getting more and more boring. It is never a good idea to stay in Saxony territory for the winter. They want to return to Zealand and Families unite.

The Danes are in private tandem, the so-called once the first snow falls, the brothers can go home.

The situation is also very bad for the Ross Army.

The Rus army consisted of Rus, Finns, Slavs, and a small number of Swedish and Gotaland warriors. Arik, Yevro, and Medvet, the unit generals can keep well-trained warriors in check. But the war started this spring, from the far north all the way to here, is the war going to continue in the winter?

Especially the Slavic warriors, everyone whispered to each other in their native language. The so-called so-called this winter is afraid that they will not be able to return to their hometown.

If you are a strong-aged soldier alone, it is not a pity to be home in the world.

They all have parents and many wives and children, and they have a strong obsession with farming. Even though the king has been very stable in food supply, they are still extremely worried about the condition of their relatives in their hometown.

It is a good policy for the king to exempt the tax this year, and the brothers have all gained the spoils of war in this war.

So, is the golden autumn grain harvest smooth? If I do not return as a strong laborer, will there be obstacles in the spring ploughing next year?

Everyone lives in Hamburg with mixed emotions.

They are actively producing, especially setting up a salt-boiling workshop at the estuary, and choosing a good site as a temporary dock and boat berth, so that the Atlantic cod and herring caught by trawl nets can be processed immediately on the shore.

Because of the alliance, both the Rus and the Danes kept their distance from the Saxons.

After the victory against the Frankish cavalry, the Saxon armed forces were upgraded. Duke Ludoff got the real support of most of the local nobles, who were worried about the Frankish retaliation after the incident, and a large number of villagers dragged their families with them.

As a result, Liudov pulled out more militia fighters, and selected some strong enough to be elite sergeants.

Hamburg became a symbol of rebellion and freedom, and the Saxon population in this area quickly exceeded 50,000.

The new Saxons came from the southern bank of the Elbe. They crossed the river by boat and moved to Hamburg. After the nobles declared their allegiance, Liudorf immediately ordered them to open up wasteland to build new villages, and then ordered them to transform the newly cultivated land into fertile land. , will live here in the future.

The so-called exchange means that after paying this year's "Tribute to the Normans", these nobles who adapt to the times and their vassals will be exempt from tax for many years in the future.

While tax exemptions are a good thing, what they desperately need is safety. Up to now, because the whole territory of Saxony has raised the flag of rebellion, any isolated village has a high probability of encountering the terrorist revenge of the Franks.

What's more, the army of the Rus is still stationed here. The Hamburg area is very close to the Great Wall on the Danish border. The Saxon-speaking Denmark is an alliance that protects each other. Obviously, this place is already very safe.

Liudorf is very satisfied with the current situation, and he can conclude that more people will migrate to the Hamburg area in the future.

When a country's territory is huge and the population is too small, the monarch must give priority to controlling the people in the territory, avoid spreading settlements, but set up some key cities and then resettle a large number of people.

Even in the future, Ludov needs to attract as many people as possible to the Hamburg area, even in matters such as taxation, military conscription, and religious affairs.

He has already done so, and naturally he has special worries.

"I don't have any more capital. If Ludwig goes on a big crusade against me, once defeated, it will be the destruction of the whole of Saxony. I must win."

He didn't say it, and hoped that Rurik would quickly bring back the army that robbed Nanzheng. The young king was good at fighting, and without him commanding his allies, Ludov would really be afraid of Ludwig.

Even because of the move to recruit strong men, the nominal army of the Duchy of Saxony has swelled to 10,000 people.

Due to the seizure of a large number of iron tools, the blacksmiths smashed various shapes of iron to soften it and smashed it into a wide-leafed spear head, which is a spear with an oak rod. Saxon spearmen were everywhere, and this was not only the only means of quickly arming a large army, but it had also been proven to the battlefield that gathering spearmen could indeed contain the onslaught of the Frankish heavy cavalry.

These armies still cannot give him confidence.

He is looking forward to more reinforcements and the arrival of winter.

Could the Franks still launch raids in winter?

At least there is no news to prove that there is a ferocious Frankish army that rushed over. Like a miracle, Ludov ushered in a special ally.

A large ship came from the west, its mainmast flying a monstrous crow flag.

This is an Avrollclass sail cruiser, which is a major modification of the Caravel-type sailing ship. It has seaworthiness beyond the times, but it has been in the water for many years and has lacked maintenance in the hands of its owners.

There are a lot of strange marks on the oak hull, which prove that the ship has actually been to many places.

On the towering bow stood two men, both with grotesquely braided beards and big bald heads that were totally inappropriate for their age.

Another large ship, almost identical, followed her, except that on the mast was flying the proper Ross flag.

The raven flag was hoisted from the navy flagship Balmerk of the Viking York Kingdom, and at the bow stood King Biyonny and his younger brother Floki.

But they said that there were two father and son who were tortured by seasickness in the captain's lounge of this ship.

The father and son dress very well, with loose felt coats fastened to the belts and boots sewn in blackened cowhide.

The father had slightly curly hair and wore a golden crown on it. His left side was empty overnight, proving the disappearance of his left arm.

The son's stature is thinner, and his stature is as tall as his father. It looks weak and dull.

They are the king of Northumbria, Ernred, and the prince Ella.

The once little boy has grown up, but unfortunately the glorious era of Northumbria has come to an end.

Ella is the only heir to the throne. If the death of the father and the king will naturally go smoothly, will he continue to submit to the Russ and the Norwegians of the Kingdom of York? Of course he hopes to restore the great cause that has passed away, but what he can inherit in the future is a very small kingdom. Perhaps the only thing that can change is to end the annual tribute of 300,000 pounds of wheat to the Rus.

Since the kingdom's great defeat in 832, it has been a full eight years since the kingdom made a humiliating peace with Rus.

The loss of the population caused the shrinking Northumbria to languish, and annual tributes stifled the development of the kingdom. Mercia in the south was also in chaos. The nobles competed for the throne and killed each other, which directly led to the stupid movement in Wessex further south.

Surrendering to Ross is a helpless thing. What Ernred, as the king, needs to do now is to try his best to maintain the power of his family and try his best to keep Northumbria as a country in an increasingly turbulent situation. .

He himself has a good personal relationship with Speuter, the Ross explorer, the royal pirate, and the fact that the first person in the diplomatic corps. This time he took out the invitation letter written by the king of Ross when he was due to pay tribute, no doubt moved. Thinking of going to Europe.

This took the large ship of the kingdom of York next door to cross the sea to the east, and it didn't take long to cross the North Sea, and rushed directly to the mouth of the Elbe River with an almost straight course.

This move is unimaginable for Ernred and Ella! In the past, when the British nobles went to the European continent, they mostly arrived in the Franks from the narrow Calais Strait. The narrow strait could see the other side at a glance, and perhaps strong men could swim directly there. This route is very short, and a small boat can cross the sea smoothly.

This is Ernred's first time on a Viking ship. Soon after getting on the ship, he was stunned by the tossing of the sea. Now that he finally berthed, he can't wait to go ashore.

So when the king, father and son walked out of the cabin, they looked around and saw an amazing scene.

"Dad, there are Viking boats everywhere! They seem to be fishing? They are all warriors." Ella was cautious and timid, so she could only whisper.

"Yes... I can see it. I haven't seen it for many years. The Rus people are so cruel? Isn't this the territory of the Saxons? I was also invited by the Duke of Saxony."

Compared to these two, brothers Biyonni and Floki are simply mentally excited. The two had a thousand words to talk about with Rurik, and couldn't wait to meet their own sister Noren.

The two knew exactly what this time point meant.

Sister Noren is about to become or has become a mother, and the two will become uncles, which is really a happy event.

Of course, an old friend was already waiting for them at the estuary.

Arik stayed here, not because he received any information to meet Biyonni and his party. He was here to supervise the work of boiling salt, especially the hired Saxon labor, so that they would not be lazy.

The big ship broke down and stood at the mouth of the river and released the small boat, and people completed the landing one after another.

It had been eight years since he had seen him, and because he had fought side by side on the battlefield in the past, Biyongni had a fresh memory, and he still saw Arik in his prime at a glance.

"It's you! Arik! I know you!" Biyonni laughed and pointed at his old comrade-in-arms. He didn't care about the majesty of a king, he opened his arms and walked towards him.

This move surprised Arik for a while, but seeing the flag flying on the mast and the overly prominent bald head of the oncoming guy with blue and blue patterns, some ancient memories were awakened.

"You? It's not really Brother Biyongni, is it?"

"It's me! Why should you be careful when you speak?!"

The two men of the same age first hammered each other on the chest, then hugged each other.

The two are not only former comrades-in-arms, but also relatives today. After slapping the old man on the back again, Biyonni immediately asked, "Where is my Rurik brother? How is my sister Noren? I heard that she is going to be a mother. Is the child safe?" Rumbling, the questions followed one after another, so that Arik had to answer as much as he could.

In this way, Biyonni was a little regretful: "Rurik went along the coastline to attack the Flemish people. Why didn't you call me such a good thing? Well, it's better for me to see my sister first."

Biyonni does have a thousand words to talk about in front of Rurik, especially as he is the King of York in some of the state affairs in Britain, he completely controls the Shetland Islands, and even has a close relationship with the Norwegians in Bergen. deeper connection. As well as conflict and non-aggression with the Viking leader Sorgis entrenched in Ireland.

Floki also wanted to talk to Rurik about another thing, a very important event, even that was the secret of both himself and Rurik.

The so-called, the far north island that Rurik "prophesied" has been discovered by him!

Arik patted the old man on the back again: "Our army's camps are all in the Saxon Hamburg, and the local nobles have written to you. You should know that all northerners declared war on Frank this year and were once enslaved. The Saxons are also in trouble. Opportunities are everywhere here, and please get to Hamburg quickly."

"Very good! All I need is some challenges." Suddenly, Biyonnie lowered his head and asked with a wicked smile, "Those Franks must be rich, right?"

"Of course," Arik said without thinking.

"Very well, I'll rest on the shore for a while. Also, I'll introduce you to two more people."

Arik knew that the letter also invited the king of Northumbria, but unexpectedly both the king and the prince came.

A defeated king is flamboyantly dressed, even with some guards. The guards were all dressed in orange, and they also held a red and orange flag, showing that their appearance was unconventional.

How could a little king who was defeated and surrendered in such a pomp have such pomp? !

Arik didn't give Ernred and his son any good looks. After all, they were guests, and they didn't bother to talk to them after shouting a few words.

It just so happened that Ernred didn't want to talk to the Ross nobles other than Rurik, even if the man in front of him was Rurik's eldest brother.

Although Ernred did not know that Ross had expanded into a Nordic giant in recent years, the so-called northern Europe other than Bergen was either Ross' territory or sphere of influence. Seeing that a large number of Ross troops were entrenched in the estuary, he also kept calm subconsciously, Feeling the size of the Ross Army and the amazing number of young faces in it.

He remembered Rurik's threat many years ago, the so-called Rurik women are giving birth in large numbers, and he said that Rus is a soldier of the whole people, and the child grows up to be a soldier. Now that those young children of the past have grown up, Ross really has a steady stream of soldiers, and what he sees today is still only a small part of his army.

Heading to Hamburg in a rowboat from now on, Ernred and his son watched their surroundings vigilantly. They know that the Duke of Saxony is essentially the Earl of Westphalia, and even if he has the blood of the great Saxon hero Widukind, he has betrayed Frank. It can be said that this is a vicious betrayal, in another perspective, it is a feat of fighting for freedom from slavery.

Why would his Northumbria not wish to get rid of the Sorgon of the Rus? It is fair to say that Ernred admired Ludov's life-threatening rebellion. As for whether to recognize his duke status as invited by the letter, it still needs to be discussed.

Some old memories are unforgettable, even if it has been three hundred years.

But is three hundred years really old?

This area of Hamburg was the territory of the Angles three hundred years ago, and then it was just a family crossing the sea. Anglo and Saxony were neighbors when they were on the Continent, and they continued to be neighbors when they crossed the sea and established a relationship in Britain. Although neighbors, each other's wars one after another.

A large number of Saxons did not leave at all, and now they are launching the war of restoration of the country. Ernred supports it from the bottom of his heart. He needs to observe more due to political prudence, but it is necessary to talk about history after seeing Liudov.

The deeper into the river, the more settlements he saw. Almost all of those houses were on the north bank of the Elbe. Ernred realized that something was wrong.

Finally, a city with a vast wooden wall and an iron-cable pontoon appeared!

On the outskirts of the city are contiguous wooden sheds, with a large number of wooden poles on the ground, and the flags of Rus with blue stripes on a white background are flying.

There are Rus everywhere, Saxons everywhere, Hamburg has become a mixed existence?

Ernred set foot on Saxony territory for the first time in his life. His cloak was red and orange, the guards were dressed in orange and yellowish, and the flag was also a combination of red and orange blocks. With his golden crown, he became a very eye-catching presence.

Standing on the high ground, Liudov recognized at a glance that this must be a foreign nobleman, and personally took the guards out of the city to meet him.

Just then, Ludoff, Duke of Saxony, brought the King and Crown Prince of Northumbria, as well as Biyonny, King of the Viking York Kingdom.

The bald King of York believed in Odin, which was no problem. After all, the Franks raised their butchering knives against the Saxons who also believed in God. Faith is really not the reason for launching a war of conquest.

From the very first moment of the meeting, Liudov expressed the hope that the Viking York kingdom would recognize the Duchy of Saxony. Such abrupt pleas made Biyonni feel that someone was teaching him what to do.

Biyonny didn't answer, and he didn't even want to spend more money on the duke. He demanded bluntly in Norse: "Anything will wait for my brother Rurik to come back. I will do what he wants. I just want to find my sister Noren now!"

Wasn't Biyonni's answer a clear statement?

Liudov was not angry, and in a secretly amused manner, arranged to personally lead Biyonni and his group to visit Rurik's wife Noren in the city.

His attitude towards the king and prince of Northumbria was extremely friendly, and there was no barrier to their language.

Liudov still respected Ernred with his broken arm, and after a while, an old man in a black burqa came with a wooden staff inlaid with a cross.

Eskil, the saint of the north, who made a direct display of who he was, really shocked Ernred.

Ernred hurriedly knelt down and asked Ella to do the same. He kissed the back of the old Esquil's hand and said "pada" bluntly.

"Arise, my child. You are a king from Britain, and you have not lost your glorious faith in any tribulation. God is with you."

After all, there are not many bishopric districts in Frank, and Eskil manages the entire northern region, or the northern diocese of Cologne belongs to the northern bishopric. Eskil's status surpassed all the bishops in Britain, and he even had a chance to be promoted to Pope. Of course, this chance has become extremely slim.

Eskil's ability to stand here is equivalent to supporting the restoration of Saxony.

Originally, Liudov had to think about it for a long time. He already understood the attitude of the bishop, and his hesitation was meaningless.

The King of York and his Viking pals scorned to chat in the tower, and Ludov had a good chat with Ernred.

The two sides chatted a lot, even late into the night.

The talks were fruitful - mutual recognition of the legitimacy of their rule.

The Kingdom of Northumbria recognizes the Duchy of Saxony! Oppose the Frankish invasion of the Duchy of Saxony!

Even the results of the negotiation were engraved on the wooden board first, and the northern saint Eskir was the witness, which made him have legal benefits.

Indeed, Eskil's first reaction when Ernred saw the old man was to kneel, because the identity of this old man had enormous appeal and power.

But he said that this Esquil could be like the Archbishop of Cologne, who transformed the city where his cathedral is located into a military fortress. He can recruit and support a group of mercenaries, and he can directly control the vast majority of the people like a great aristocrat. The so-called military, finance, and faith are firmly in his hands, and he becomes the ruler of the Saxony region, just as the Archbishops of Cologne have done in all dynasties.

Eskil has a very big pattern, and it can be said that he is paranoid. He plans to use his life to spread his faith to the end of the world. Worldly fame and wealth are blasphemy against his faith, and he just wants to be an ascetic.

It is undeniable that he has positioned Hamburg as the seat of the bishop, which will be the center of faith in the future North.

Although he was unwilling to participate in the war between nobles, the war was inevitable now.

It seems that this is a wrestling between the northern world and the Frankish world, and both sides are pulling their allies to a showdown.

How are the priests of the third-party powers outsiders who sit on the mountain and watch the tiger fight?

Eskil is no mediator now, he has his own stand and the older he gets, the more stubborn he gets. He believed that the nobles should comply with the strategic demands of the Rus. Since then, the northern world and the Frankish world have the buffer of the Duchy of Saxony, and the world will be peaceful if they do not border each other. And when the world is at peace, that's a situation that favors the actions of the priests.