novelraw Chapter 328: Large Order
Chapter 328: Large Order
Novgorod, the Royal Palace.
Upon learning of Wig's request, Rurik was deeply shocked. "With such a massive quantity of warhorses, plus an unspecified number of nomadic mercenaries, just how much money does Wig make every year?"
Pascal Jr. maintained a calm expression. "That is a Cabinet secret. Forgive me, but I cannot say."
From the Earl's tone and relaxed posture, Rurik could faintly see the shadow of an Eastern Roman envoy. The man's dismissive attitude was mixed with the kind of haughty arrogance that looked down on rural barbarians. It was truly detestable!
However, considering the disparity in strength between their two nations, the other party indeed had enough backing to act this way.
Rurik's territory appeared vast on the surface, but the areas surrounding Novgorod were covered in dense forests and treacherous swamps. The winters were brutally cold, and the low crop yields made it difficult to support a larger population.
The lands along the Middle and Lower Dnieper River were fertile, but the Rus Tribes there only submitted to him in name. Every year, they handed over a symbolic tribute of honey and grain, which was far from enough to meet the needs of the local garrison. Novgorod actually had to subsidize them out of its own pockets.
Overall, Rurik's finances relied heavily on the transit trade connecting the Black Sea, Eastern Europe, and the Baltic Sea. Eastern Rome held naval supremacy over the Black Sea, while Britain controlled the Baltic Sea. If he offended either side, his business would completely collapse.
Suppressing his anger, Rurik squeezed out a genial smile. "Very well, I will make the arrangements immediately."
The Neva Estuary typically froze over by November, leaving them with less than four months. To secure this massive profit, Rurik organized a massive fleet and personally headed south to Urulu Fort.Back when Niels had served under Rurik, he had meticulously drawn the blueprints for Urulu Fort.
The fortress was situated on the West Bank of the river, offering a wide, unobstructed view. Its main structure consisted of a wooden palisade, complete with trenches and watchtowers. It even boasted four counterweight trebuchets. Normally garrisoned by five hundred soldiers, it served as Rurik's primary military stronghold in the Middle Dnieper.
Using his merchant connections, Rurik contacted the Pecheneg Tribe on the East Bank and proposed purchasing another batch of warhorses.
Five days later, both sides met to negotiate.
The scorching early autumn sun hung high in the sky, beating down on the wide expanse of the Dnieper River until the water glared with blinding light. The air was thick with the distinct, briny scent of evaporating river water. On the East Bank, the boundless steppe shimmered and swayed in the heatwaves, stretching all the way to the edge of the horizon.
Rurik rode in a rowing longship, dropping anchor on the water about thirty paces from the East Bank. On the shore, over a dozen iron-armored riders surrounded a nomadic chieftain. The chieftain muttered a few words, and his translator shouted out his question:
"Why do you need so many horses?"
Rurik yelled back, "You guessed wrong. I cannot afford to feed these warhorses. The real buyer is the King of Britain, the 'Snake of the North'. Hurry up and deliver the goods before winter arrives, or we will run out of time!"
The Pecheneg chieftain remained uneasy. He repeatedly questioned Rurik's true intentions, fearing that Rurik was trying to form a cavalry unit to wipe out the nomadic tribes in the middle and lower reaches. Rurik's patience finally ran dry, and he snapped harshly:
"If you won't sell, I will immediately find another tribe to buy warhorses from. There are plenty of steppe horses out there. Do not waste my time!"
The nomadic tribes lived harsh lives, constantly struggling on the brink of poverty. If they closed this deal, no one in their tribe would starve to death for the next few winters. The chieftain agreed to sell the horses and consented to let his tribesmen become mercenaries for Britain.
Initially, the hiring price for steppe nomads had been extremely low. However, Eastern Rome had recently recruited large numbers of barbarian armies to fight in their wars, causing the price of mercenaries to skyrocket. Aside from the individual mercenary's wages, the employer also had to pay the chieftain a finder's fee of two pounds of silver per person.
Rurik glanced at Pascal Jr., who slowly spoke up. "Money is not an issue. The mercenaries cannot be too old, and they must be able to draw a bow and shoot from horseback."
Rurik translated and explained, "No problem. Nomads are used to living in the saddle. As long as they are equipped with light armor and iron weapons, they will make perfect light cavalrymen." Over the following two weeks, the two sides conducted small batch exchanges every day. Rurik's rowing longships traveled to the East Bank, delivering grain, alcoholic beverages, iron pots, and iron ingots, while taking away horses and several solemn-faced nomads.
Before their departure, the chieftain gave them a brief overview of Britain. The journey was long, and there was almost no chance they would ever return home. But these nomads had no choice. Most of them were younger sons. The flocks of sheep their fathers had accumulated were only enough to support their eldest brother's family. If the inheritance was split into two or more parts, all the brothers would eventually starve. It was better to venture out and risk it all.
As the news spread, nearby nomadic tribes showed up uninvited to peddle their own horses and young men. The required number of horses was quickly gathered.
"So many horses, and over two hundred mercenaries. This is going to be a hassle," Rurik muttered.
Pascal Jr. paid no mind to his complaints. "Your Majesty, that is for you to worry about. The navy is purchasing the steppe horses at the Neva Estuary for two pounds each. The fewer horses you lose along the way, the more profit you will make."
Rurik asked, "Will there still be horse trading next year?"
Unsure of his King's exact thoughts, Pascal Jr. hesitated before replying, "Besides the mounts needed for the Rangers, we also need enough horses to breed at the military stud farm. It is highly likely we will continue purchasing next year."
Rurik advised, "If the war in Bulgaria ends, the price of mercenaries will drop. I suggest you hire more men next year."
The more warhorses and able-bodied youth the Pecheneg Tribe lost, the smaller a threat they became. Rurik only hoped that Wig would expand the scale of their trade and send these nomads off to plague someone else.
In October, Rurik transported the herds of horses and mercenaries to the Neva Estuary. The woods were bleak and desolate. Birch leaves rustled as they fluttered to the ground, yet the fir trees continued to stand dark and imposing, with occasional frost flowers condensing among their needles.
The river was packed with all sorts of ships. There were old-fashioned knarr ships, the brigantines popular within the British Navy, and newly built three-masted sailing ships. Snow-white sails billowed everywhere, almost completely obscuring the surface of the river.
"What a massive formation," Rurik marveled.
Rurik guessed that if these vessels were loaded with soldiers, they could carry at least five thousand men, forming an overwhelming advantage against any ruler in Northern Europe or Eastern Europe.
Suddenly, a large group of naval officers wearing black uniforms and tricorn hats swarmed the area. The leading Fleet Admiral was the Earl of Winchester, Joren. He handed the current inventory list of supplies over to Rurik.
"Your Majesty, here are the grain, alcoholic beverages, iron ingots, and other supplies transported by the fleet. How many steppe horses do you have?"
Rurik answered, "Nine hundred and thirty horses, and two hundred and twenty-eight mercenaries."
Joren accepted the mercenary roster, flipping through to check the names and ages of the nomads before ordering his subordinates to handle the exchange of supplies.
In addition to the payment for this shipment, Britain also paid a partial deposit in advance, commissioning Rurik to recruit more nomads and purchase another three hundred steppe horses to be delivered to the Neva Estuary next April.
'Wig has always adhered to the principle of paying only upon delivery. To think he is actually willing to pay a deposit in advance? What exactly is he planning to do, being so desperately eager for horses?'
Rurik's eyes flickered, but he wisely chose not to pry into the other party's secrets.