Ch 12: City Of Yearning

Entering the city district through the Pegeman Gate, Vig strolled around. The city’s main street was paved with marble, lined with shops on both sides, and even had public baths, a rare sight in Northern Europe.

The bath’s water source came from the Belgrade Forest outside the city, transported east from west by an elevated aqueduct named Valens.

After entering, the bathhouse was divided into three areas: cold bath, warm bath, and hot bath. After a moment’s consideration, Vig chose the warm bath. The moment he was immersed in the warm water, the fatigue he had accumulated for half a year dissipated.

That evening, the members who had gone out returned to the warehouse one after another. Bjorn was very puzzled by Vig’s actions. “You only went out shopping and bathing, and did nothing else? That’s such a waste.”

As a typical Viking, Bjorn showed his prowess in an underground arena, defeating five opponents from different regions in a row. After receiving his bonus, he found two prostitutes and indulged himself, finally eating and drinking with his remaining money, feeling that his half-day was well spent.

The experiences of other members were roughly similar, only Vig’s actions were exceptionally outstanding, leaving people quite puzzled.

Soon, Rurik, reeking of alcohol, pushed open the courtyard gate. “I’ve made a deal with a merchant from Armenia. He’s willing to buy our goods at a high price. Vig is good at arithmetic; stay and help me negotiate the business tomorrow.”

After this period of interaction, Rurik discovered that Vig possessed an unprecedented method of arithmetic—simple and efficient. Problems that troubled others for hours were often easily solved by him, surpassing even local Greek scholars.

The next morning, the Armenian merchant arrived as promised, bringing two assistants to carefully check the goods. He praised some of the well-preserved white fox pelts:

“Noblewomen love to wear white fur coats. I’ll take all of this batch.”

Quickly, Vig, holding a quill pen, calculated the total value of the goods in just three minutes on papyrus. In contrast, the Armenian merchant was much slower. After repeated calculations, the result was exactly the same as that calculated by the Northern European barbarian, which shocked him greatly. He asked Rurik in Greek:

“How much for this slave? Make an offer.”

“Slave?” Rurik sprayed the tea from his mouth, choking and coughing repeatedly. “What nonsense are you talking about? He’s a guard of a Northern European noble, who once single-handedly killed ten Pechenegs in the wilderness. Luckily, he doesn’t understand Greek, or he might wring your neck in a fit of rage.”

“Really? That’s too bad.”

The merchant stared at the strong Northern European youth, sighing uncontrollably. “If he were Greek, with this rare talent, he could enter the Magnaura University to study, and after graduation, become a civil servant or an advisor to a grand noble, without having to struggle for survival in the barren and cold land of Northern Europe.”

To this, Rurik shook his head. “There’s nothing to regret. Constantinople is indeed incredibly prosperous, but that doesn’t mean it holds all the glory in the world. The fates of mortals are different. His fate belongs to the stormy waves of the North Sea, and mine lies in the vast black earth plains of Eastern Europe. Perhaps one day, our names will spread throughout the world. Haha, who knows?”

“Maybe so. The future is unpredictable. Perhaps you will really make a career for yourselves.” The merchant echoed with a few laughs and paid a batch of gold and silver coins bearing the likeness of the late Emperor Theophilos.

Cash on delivery, both sides said goodbye.

In the presence of the remaining members, Rurik locked the currency into a copper chest. During the evening dinner, he proposed to purchase spices and silk for the return trip.

“Brothers, on the return journey, we will have to row upstream, so it’s not suitable to carry too many goods. Spices and silk are the most suitable choices.”

Ivar was the first to speak. “I’ve got my eye on a steel sword in the marketplace. I need to take the money from my share, and you can dispose of the rest.”

The rest had their own requirements. Vig also planned to buy a chainmail, but Rurik reminded him that armor was sensitive material, so he had to give up.

A few days later, Vig and Rurik went to the Theodosian Forum to buy spices and found that the spice merchant was entertaining an elderly man who looked like a steward. The merchant’s demeanor was extremely humble, repeatedly muttering a name—Bardas.

Vig thought of the ring found from the Pecheneg Tribe. It seemed that the owner’s name was also Bardas.

Rurik also recalled the ring and stopped the steward who was about to leave, telling him about his experience on the way.

Hearing about the whereabouts of the ring, the steward’s face changed drastically. He led the two to a tavern and asked patiently, “Are you sure that troop was killed by the nomads?”

Rurik: “Yes, after we broke through the tribal camp, we only found this ring. The envoy’s letters were also burned by them.”

“I see,” Learning that Rurik had a good relationship with the local Rus’ Tribe, the steward repeatedly sized up this Northern European barbarian. Before leaving, he untied the money pouch from his waist.

“I’ll come to see you in a few days. Remember not to run around.”

After the steward left, Rurik found that the money pouch contained more than fifty gold coins, roughly equivalent to at least two pounds of silver!

“A mere steward is so wealthy. Who is his master?”

After inquiring about the news from the drinkers nearby, Rurik finally learned Bardas’s identity—the uncle of Emperor Michael III.

It was now August 841 AD. Two months ago, the late Emperor Theophilos passed away, and his one-and-a-half-year-old son, Michael III, ascended the throne. The new emperor was young, and the government was run by Empress Dowager Theodora, Bardas, and the powerful minister Theoktistos.

“A young emperor and a doubtful country, with several major forces entangled. No wonder the atmosphere of the conversations I overheard while strolling around these days felt so strange.”

As a former history student, Vig understood that this power structure was extremely dangerous. Ordinary people involved in it, if a little careless, would face the great disaster of family ruin.

He pondered secretly: “This trip, I eliminated Lord Borg and also gained a valuable amount of gold and silver, exceeding my goal. It’s time to leave as soon as possible.”

Unfortunately, when Vig and Rurik returned to the warehouse, they found a well-dressed middle-aged man sitting at a snack stall across the street, clearly monitoring them.

That’s trouble.

Although they didn’t know Bardas’s intention in sending a message to the steppe, such an important person actually sent out a ring he had worn for many years; there must be a conspiracy behind it.

Realizing the seriousness of the matter, Rurik exclaimed his regret but was helpless. Since he was being watched by an important person, secretly running away would definitely not work.

After two days of anxiety, a group of Imperial Guard cavalrymen in red robes came to the warehouse, saying that the emperor wanted to summon these distant Northern European barbarians.