Chapter 211 The Yermalen Tribe
The sun was shining brightly today, but the two girls sitting on the carriage were a little depressed.
The Ostara tribe, which used to have a large population, now only has more than 200 people left to continue their journey towards the territory of the Yermalen people.
There are many refugees who have fallen into despair, those who have already hanged themselves in the forest, or have fallen weak and become food for wild beasts.
"Sister, are your legs better?" Sister Ella asked weakly, leaning against her sister Carlota's shoulder.
"I feel so much better."
"Then next."
Mentioning what happened next, Carlotta suddenly became alert. Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed that the man was dozing off, and her vigilance was a little less.
Carlotta put her mouth close to her sister's ear and whispered, "When we get to the port of Yermalen, you must listen to me."
"Well, I've been listening to you."
"Honey, we may only have one chance to escape, and then we must do our best."
The sister's words are like this, but the sister's heart is very entangled. Sister Ella is too young. She naively thinks that there is a person who promises to give her and her sister food every day, and also promises to take good care of her in the future. Isn't this person a good person?
However, Ella trusts her sister more. Maybe my sister has a better solution.
Actually? Carlotta's thoughts about the future can be described as naive. She feels that when her identity as the granddaughter of the leader of Ostara is revealed, the leader of the Melalen people will give her courtesy.
Now, the Gran team was leading the charge, followed by Fodgen's caravan. At the end of the line, there are women who are determined not to betray themselves to Fodgen even if they starve to death. They take their children and try their best to follow the army, in order to get to the Yermalen tribe and get the courtesy of the local people.
The time has entered June, and the warm wind of early summer is blowing the whole world. At this time, the water and grass are abundant.
No one knew of the tragedy that took place in Blow Bay in the south, but the Yermalen people had learned other news, such as fishermen from Meralen who claimed that the Rus from the north had begun to establish a stronghold in the Åland Islands.
The Rus do have a new stronghold, and they have started doing business with the fishermen of nearby Meralen.
This situation further confirms that the legend of the Rus attacking Gotland is true.
However, those things don't seem to have much to do with the Yermalen people.
The Yermalen people who live by the lake live as usual.
These people are located near the lake in the inland area. There is a wider riverbed and a river with rocks and rocks around it. It continuously injects the fresh water of Lake Yermalen into the wide Lake Melalen.
Generally speaking, the area at the mouth of a river or lake is suitable for establishing a settlement.
However, the geographical conditions in that area could not satisfy the Yermalen people at all.
Being inland, this group of people simply did not have the strength to plunder the outside world. Besides, their due north was not far from the range of activities of the powerful Melalen people. They can only live under the "blessing" of the Melalen people.
The Yilmalun people established a settlement in a small inlet on the south bank of the lake where they are located. The development of generations has resulted in a large number of lakeside wheat fields around the settlement.
This tribe with a population of 3,000 people sits on a huge field. Not only spring wheat, but also onions, cabbage, and peas are grown here. Onions and cabbage, in particular, require plenty of moisture and warmer climates to grow. It was the beginning of June, and the onions planted by the Yermalen people before winter began in September last year have finally entered the harvest season after half a year of dormancy and growth.
The cold resistance of onion has been an important vegetable crop in Western Europe and Northern Europe since ancient times.
Although people don't have the concept of vitamins, they all know that eating onions is not only good for the body, but its sweet and spicy taste really adds a lot to the dull life.
And it is also a low-cost crop in the entire "Lake Meralen Economic Circle", which can be afforded by poor people.
No, some merchants from the Melalen tribe have already rowed large transport boats and entered the Yermalen Lake upstream of the Stone River.
Four or five hundred merchants and rowers entered the port of the Yilmalun. Merchants had generally already built their houses, and the rowers either slept in boats or pitched tents by the lake.
Everyone was waiting, and when the leader of Yermalen gave the order, the entire tribe immediately began to harvest the onion.
It was also a critical moment when the clansmen patrolled their fields to watch out for thieves.
Opposite to those onions, there are plenty of green wheat fields.
With more than two months to go before the harvest of spring wheat, the Yilmalun people can take the lead in harvesting large quantities of onions and cabbage.
These dishes can fill the stomach, but relying on these alone will not make a strong man full of energy.
Ordinary clansmen do not have so many requirements. They are very grateful for the gift of the so-called lake goddess, who rewarded themselves that they could eat vegetables and live stably during the traditional summer drought.
Yes, famine events are rare in the Yermalen concept.
This is the case in northern Europe. The closer the peninsula is to the south, the better the agricultural conditions are. The Yermalen people have enough food to feed themselves, and they can earn a fortune every year by selling their agricultural products. Even because the dealers are uninvited, they can't even organize a fleet to go to the Melalen market in person.
While the tribesmen were looking forward to a bumper harvest of onions, farmers in remote farmlands saw a mighty "army" driving a large number of cattle and sheep.
Oops! This group of cattle and sheep who can even eat grass roots, but don't understand spicy and sweet roots, they will eat the onions clean!
Immediately the peasants fry the pot.
"No! There are enemies! They are going to take all our onions!"
"Brothers, take up arms and go to the fields to defend our property."
...
More than 30 peasants who ran back to the settlement first, desperately shouting for help on the clan's intricate dirt roads.
As more peasants came in with a look of panic, some peasants ran out with shields and short spears immediately after returning home. Those who turned a blind eye for a while could no longer stand by and watch.
A few peasants simply broke into the chief's house and reported terrible things to the guards guarding them.
Winterson, the leader of Yermalen, was also surprised.
"What? A herd of cattle and sheep from the south? A herd of enemies? Really enemies?"
The guard also said by hearsay, "Sir, the current situation is very unclear. Whether it is an enemy or a friend, those cattle and sheep will definitely destroy our farmland."
"Okay, get the army first. We have to stop them from trampling the farmland, come with me."
Having said that, the leader, Wen Desen, this lean middle-aged man immediately put on leather armor, brought his sword and shield, and greeted nearly a hundred guards under his command to enter the streets of the tribe, and announced the mobilization of war as the leader.
With this order, the entire tribe fell into high tension.
Some people suspect that the cattle and sheep were brought back by southern allies. It's just that they appeared at this point in time, what happened?
Wenderson called together all twelve hundred men with active weapons within the clan's reach. There are more than 400 young women, also armed with weapons, or simply digging shovels and hoes, to participate in the camp of their own clan.
Even the merchants who live there, they don't even think about doing business this year or even next year if the Yilmalun crops are destroyed. Out of the protection of their own interests, plus a slogan of support for traditional allies, an allied army of more than three hundred merchants and rowers joined Yilmalun's army.
For a time, an army of up to 2,000 troops quickly assembled, rushed to the tribe's farmland, and stood densely on the field ridge.
In this situation, the nerves of the slow-moving Gran team were as nervous.
"Chief, are they going to war? We are allies. Wouldn't this group of people also join the Danes?"
"You're stupid." Orc, the leader of the Grans, tapped his subordinate's helmet.
The subordinate continued to advise: "Sir, there is such a possibility, you have to be careful."
"Forget it. I think they are worried that our team will destroy their fields. The leader of Yermalen is called Wendelson, and I know the temperament of this guy. That guy is most concerned about his own fields. Inform the brothers and look after your own. Cattle and sheep, don't move on."
After giving the order, the leader of the Gran people took ten people out of the main force and went to the opposite camp.
Because allies in the south generally raise cattle and sheep, many of the furs the Yilmalun tribe needs come from the south.
The leader Wenderson squinted his eyes and saw the guy who was gradually approaching.
"The Granites? How did they come here?"
With doubts, Wenderson also issued an order, ordering the people to stay alert. And he also took the equivalent of ten proud warriors and walked up to negotiate with them.
In this way, the leaders of the two tribes met on the field ridge.
With a polite courtesy, the Grans explained the truth about the destruction of the Ostarans.
"The Danes? Could it be that our southern line of defense has collapsed?! So, don't we become the southern line of defense?"
"It's absolutely true." In order to highlight the seriousness of the situation, the leader of the Gran people, Orke, deliberately claimed that there were only more than a hundred women and children left in the huge Ostara tribe. "According to the information I got, the Danes seemed to be possessed by evil spirits, and they launched an indiscriminate attack. To avoid disaster, we fled."
Hearing the news, Wenderson's eyelids in Yermalen jumped, and his feet in his boots were covered in cold sweat.
"Could it be that...the Danes' pursuit...the enemy is coming?"
"They didn't come, maybe, they felt they had won and walked away."
"The Danes really didn't come?" Wenderson continued.
"It is true. My friend, all our tribes in the South have lost their homes. All tribes are on the run, and I have come with my people to escape death. My people, I hope, will settle near your lake, We will be neighbors from now on."
"This..." said a very realistic question, and Wenderson realized that he could not give a straightforward answer to this matter.
to be neighbors? Based on the current situation, this is a good thing, but the Gran people who are good at raising cattle and sheep are here. If the cattle and sheep are not well controlled, they will definitely become monsters that destroy the farmland.
Taking into account the mentality of the clansmen, Wenderson estimates that it is impossible for the real Gran people to live together.
After all, the people who came were old friends, and Wenderson didn't embarrass the group anymore.
His only requirement is that the cattle and sheep must be restrained. The so-called once the onion is destroyed by the cattle and sheep, the Granites must pay off the debt with the cattle and sheep in their hands.
In order to avoid unnecessary trouble, Wenderson temporarily indicated a temporary resting place to the Gran people.
"Your large force will first go to the northeast of our tribe, which is an undeveloped wasteland. You rest for a while, my friends, please allow me to invite you to my home, and we should probably discuss the future."
The Gran people, who have suffered from the pain of traveling and traveling, really need to rest, and the leader Oak agreed to the friend's kindness.
The war alarm was lifted, and life seemed to resume quickly.
The Gran's main force was moving in a new direction, but Fodgen, a businessman, saw a large number of buildings not far away and realized that he must have arrived at his initial destination.
"Carlotta, Ella, we've arrived at Yilmalun. Honey, wait a minute and we can all rest."
The two girls were concentrating on observing everything around them. Carlotta held her sister's hand tightly, her eyes trying to observe the details of everything in order to find an opportunity to escape.
"What's the matter? Are you two asleep?" Saying that, Fodgen turned his head and noticed that the eyes of the two children seemed to be looking at other things.
"Are you coming to Yermalen for the first time? Haha, don't worry. We will spend the night here and leave for Melalen tomorrow. Haha, bear with me, I'll give it to you when I get to my island. Arrange the most comfortable room." Fodgen kept talking about his promise, and his words were full of pride.
What Carlotta understood was the chance for him and his sister to escape, just tonight!
Now that Fodgen has no time to take care of the Gran people, what he needs to consider most is how to bring back the nearly 100 Ostara refugees he controls. The cost of food for so many people is not a small amount, and he doesn't want to waste time in Yermalen at all.
More than a month ago, when Fodergan left Mälaren for the south, he took the sea route, but he also took the land route many times.
He knew the geography of Yermalen and, as a merchant, he placed caravans on a small patch of wasteland near the settlements of the locals.
Before it was dark, the businessman rushed to the dock with a few proud subordinates to look for those boating people. In the end, he could only reach a business agreement with his business counterparts.
Because only their merchant counterparts brought large transport ships, the local fishermen in Yilmalun, their small boats simply can't work!
Each other is a businessman, pay attention to is a reputation.
Colleagues all learned of the fall of Ostara, they never imagined, they are also from Melalen and know a little about Fodgen.
They envy this guy who survived hardships and got a hundred slaves, what else can they do but envy?
Even though Fodgen tried his best to defend himself, his colleagues came up with their conditions while joking.
It turned out that these merchants were waiting to transport the onions! Soon the onions of the Yermalen people will be harvested, and whoever has the fleet at the port will be able to purchase the highest quality batch. At this critical juncture, Fodgen must be given a good reward before the fleet can take this group of people to Melalen.
Are you forced to stay here?
impossible!
Fodgen reckons that if they leave with a swarm of onions, they'll have to come back when the cabbage is harvested again. If you can't strike a deal with them right away, you're in trouble!
He had no choice but to pay a deposit of two pounds of silver to a caravan, and he would have to pay another two pounds after it was done.
For the caravan, this is pure ripping off. To transport all of Fodegan's people and belongings to Melalen, basically the fleet is going down the river, and it may take a whole day to transport them all to Fodegan's site. Why not make four pounds of silver before and after?
For this professional caravan selling agricultural products, they slammed against Fodgen, and the four pounds of silver income has almost caught up with their gross profit from trafficking throughout the year. Even the owner of the fleet, this person's annual net income is only about one hundred silver coins. The routine is to hoard onions and sell them in winter, and hoard wheat to sell in summer deserts, so as to make money when the supply and demand are out of balance.
But most of the fleets are run by small businessmen. If it weren't for the Danes, who lost all their ships, Fodgen would not bother to communicate with this group of people.
After all, in the business circle of Verdegen, all the big businessmen who are active in the "Merlaren Economic Circle" are known! His Fodgen level is naturally much worse, and that depends on who he is compared with. If he had left the prosperous and peaceful years of previous years and turned to the fur business, he would have earned more than twenty pounds of silver in net profit for the year.