Chapter 158 4.18 Autumn Plunder
There was no government business in the morning, so Loki and Eomer sat in the lobby and toasted to each other. After three glasses of wine, Loki began to ask about the issue he was most concerned about at the moment: the current situation of the ten brothers in Hanshui Village.
After learning that a total of 4 people died and 6 people were successfully promoted to the Chosen Ones, Loki was actually quite satisfied with the result. If the 10 companions stayed in Hanshui Village to participate in the life-and-death battle with Wuya Town, they would be considered lucky if 2 of the 10 people survived.
At this time, there were still 6 people who could still breathe, and he felt that he could not ask for more.
While the two were drinking together, the Storm Acolyte across from him always looked like he wanted to speak but was hesitant to speak. In Loki's knowledge, this group of magic sticks from the Holy Mountain has always been very mysterious. In the process of interacting with these people, he has always adhered to the policy of not taking the initiative to avoid or contact them, and tried his best to avoid infringement.
Of course, at this time, he still didn’t know about Katya’s evil deeds in the wild, and he didn’t even know that just a few hours ago, his eldest daughter had been possessed by a thousand-year-old rice dumpling. He escaped a natural disaster.
Seeing the three poles in the sky, Loki, who thought he had "quite a good answer", felt that it was time to bid farewell. After taking out two Slavic silver coins and stuffing them into Eomer's hands, Loki sent him to the main entrance of Hanshui Village and watched him get on his horse and disappear into the valley not far away before returning to the government affairs hall and starting to receive the second person. Come and envoy.
He recognized this man.
This was exactly a month ago when he almost lost his pants to his uncle: Gustave Bernard.
Loki looked at him with a rather teasing expression. He didn't know what kind of life the eldest son of the Bernard family lived when he returned to Storm's End after losing his family's fiefdom in a gambling game, but he had already learned from him It seems that this person must have received a lot of education since his arrogance has been seriously restrained.
After obtaining the fiefdom token of Storm's End, Loki certainly did not foolishly go to Storm's End to declare his sovereignty. At this time, Duke Bernard still held the title of a lord of the river valley, and there were at least 800 Viking shield and ax warriors in his fief. With the financial resources he has accumulated over the years, if he wants to go aggressive, he can still send out more troops in a short period of time.
At this time, although the situation in Hanshui Village had improved greatly compared with before, Loki still could not afford to raise a professional army dedicated to fighting every day. Judging from the comparison of combat power on the books, Duke Bernard still poses a crushing threat to him.
Under such circumstances, taking the initiative to send troops to provoke him is simply seeking death.
Therefore, he chose to listen to the thunder, pretend to be dead and not move.
"Loki, Lord of Coldwater Village, please arrive at Storm's End within ten days. My father, Duke Arctur Bernard, will hold a grand banquet to entertain the vassals of the valley, and discuss the summer plunder."
Throwing down the thick pine pulp scroll in his hand, Gustav did not intend to stay in Hanshui Village. On the one hand, he didn't like Loki's seemingly cynical face, but on the other hand, this village, which was under construction everywhere, was like a huge construction site, with the smell of sawdust and fireworks floating in the air.
Every minute he stayed here would make him feel heavy pressure.
"Although my wife ran away from home, you are still my brother. Stay here to have a meal before leaving!" Loki just said politely, but before he finished speaking, Gustave had already left the government hall. The doorway disappears.
**
10 days later.
At the end of July and the beginning of August, summer in Scandinavia has entered its final moments. In the valley with mountains and rivers at its back, the temperature has dropped to about 15 degrees. Loki and the chief steward Wenzov were walking on the official road on a tall horse. They were surrounded by Viking hunters carrying weapons and driving cattle and sheep.
The vast majority of these people are "ownerless people."
Viking nobles never forced residents to live in their city-states. Many Viking hunters chose to live in remote mountains, and the nobles and lords did not express any objection. If they can build their own village in the barren mountains, the lords of the province will even provide them with the help they can and grant them corresponding noble titles based on the size of the fiefdom.
After all, for this wild land, any pioneer deserves wealth that matches his ability and sweat.
All the unowned people advancing on the road have only one purpose. They are selected by the Duke to join the Duke's plundering team. Going out to sea to plunder every autumn is an ancient tradition of the Vikings, and it is also an annual opportunity for ordinary people to make a fortune.
Every year, a worthless civilian finds hidden wealth by chance, or kills everyone, and is given powerful power by Odin.
"Master Loki, are we going to join the fleet sailing this year?" Wenzov, the butler following Loki, asked softly.
Looking back at him in surprise, Loki instantly understood what Wenzov meant.
The Slavs' concept of home and country is even weaker than that of the Vikings. Just as Mistduck Town will send troops to Coldwater Village, and Storm's End will look for every opportunity to attack Blood Dove Town, the conflicts between Slavic tribes will be much bloodier than the annual Viking voyage eastward.
For this reason, the Slavs in the production brigade of Wuya Town must have also begun to think about whether to go to sea to rob their compatriots after settling down.
"My advice is to stand still." Loki said solemnly.
In Hanshui Village, almost all the Viking hunters who had followed him to sea have gained a lot of wealth. Their family and friends who stayed in Hanshui Village also reaped the benefits.
As for Wuya Town, all the Slavic workers are actually doing well. Relying on the "household contract responsibility system", every family now works for themselves.
Each family has saved a lot of surplus food.
They want to go to sea, probably because autumn has arrived, and the work of the year has almost ended. The Slavic workers who only have the word "making money" in their minds must find something to do.
But Loki does not plan to go to sea to plunder this autumn.
In the past, going to sea in autumn, putting your head on your waist and fighting the Slavs, was to solve the problem of food and clothing for the villagers. Now, the economic situation of Hanshui Village has improved significantly. The money the village has earned from selling wood and fuel this year is enough for them to spend the winter safely.
In this case, there is no need for them to pick up the axe and fight with irrelevant enemies.
Secondly, even if he went, he would not choose to go to the barren Slavic land.
But if he went to England on the other side of the North Sea, Loki had already heard the story of Hummel Blood Pigeon looting England when he went out to sea. He plundered Mercia and Northumbria from north to south, and returned to Scandinavia with a lot of money.
At this time, the seven countries of England must have been in a state of panic.
In the summer, old man Hummel dispatched 10 longships, carrying a total of nearly 500 Viking warriors ashore.
Looking at himself, Loki only had two Tang Dynasty ships at this time, which could only carry 100 people at most. If these 100 people ran into the well-defended English Islands, they would be immediately melted by their superior forces without leaving any residue.
These are the reasons Loki can tell Yuna. Another reason he cannot explain is that he once killed the Tang Dynasty sword cultivator who was chasing him at the dock of the Conqueror's Fortress.
At this time, the Izumo Trading Company already knew that the Imperial Seal was in their hands. Based on Loki's understanding of this group of merchants, the Vikings were not considered "people" in their eyes. They would definitely continue to send other swordsmen to Hanshui Village to try to take back the Imperial Seal.
And the best way to deal with it is to stay in the village. Kill one if one comes, kill a pair if a pair comes.
Based on these considerations, Loki's answer was "Stay put this autumn."