Vikings: Lords of the Ice Sea

Chapter 169 Prime Minister
Entering the cabinet and becoming prime minister, taking charge of the government, is the ideal that countless Chinese scholars strive for throughout their lives. Now, this great favor is placed before Vig, but he can't muster any interest in it.

After dinner, Vig returned to his bedroom without a word, lay down in the soft velvet bedding, and his mind raced, unable to find a suitable excuse to refuse the appointment.

As he grew older, Ragnar's temper became eccentric and unpredictable; if you angered him, there could be serious trouble to come.

Heligef was also reluctant to see her husband leave, and cried for a long time, only to have Vig comfort her.

"Don't make that face. He might be back soon."

Regardless of how things develop, Vig had no choice but to go to Lentinium. He put on his coat, walked to a nearby desk, and drafted his future work plan, while giving his wife some instructions:

"The clover introduced from Ireland has proven to be an excellent forage crop after several years of small-scale trials. It is suitable for planting in fallow land and pastures. Remember to urge the six counties to promote it on a large scale."

Turnips, along with agricultural machinery designed by students such as seed drills and threshers, were all promoted and distributed. "His Majesty has aged considerably recently; the peace in Britain cannot last long. We must prepare in advance."

After writing five full pages, Vig rubbed his aching wrists, looked up, and found that his wife was already fast asleep.

He walked to the window, pushed open the stained glass window, and looked down at the night view of the whole town. Instantly, a cold wind rushed into the room. Vig wrapped his coat tighter and watched the white mist he exhaled dissipate in the moonlight.

It was the dead of night, and the entire town was huddled in the vast snowstorm. Most of the houses were shrouded in darkness, with thin wisps of smoke rising from the chimneys. Only the towering temple in the town center and the sheriff's residence were still lit. The north wind swept across the temple roof, swirling up fine snow that shimmered with a silvery glow.

Occasionally, the shouts of night patrolmen could be heard on the streets. Except for certain holidays, Tyne Town enforced a strict curfew to prevent thieves from taking advantage of the situation.

Shifting the gaze southward, the River Tyne continues its tireless flow, with over seventy boats moored at the dock, where they will remain until spring.

Today, Tyne has a permanent population of over 5,000, making it the third largest town after London and Winchester. Perhaps it was because of this achievement that Pascal recommended Wieg to succeed him as prime minister before his death.

"From this day forward, the entire British Isles will be on my shoulders."

In February, having settled all matters, Vig led forty followers south. One midday, the group passed through Tamworth and found about two hundred villagers gathered in an open area.

Not far from the village entrance stands a runestone, a unique symbol of Viking villages, mainly used to commemorate important events and to pray for the protection of Norse gods such as Odin, Thor, and Baldr.

Having traveled all morning, both men and horses were exhausted, so Vig decided to rest here and observe this folk gathering.

Traditional Viking society was divided into three classes: nobles, freemen, and slaves.

If disputes arise among free citizens, the common practice is to convene a "Thing," which is similar to a local council and is used not only to mediate disputes among residents but also to discuss public affairs.

This practice was also common in the Viking villages of the North. Due to limited administrative capacity, sheriffs and mayors had no time to attend to the trivial matters of the people. According to the Code of Tyneburg, an assistant judge would be appointed to supervise, and sometimes a temple shaman could also perform this function.

In cases involving loss of life or significant property damage, the "court" is not applicable; the case must be adjudicated by the Duke of Tyneburg's judicial system. Facing the young nobleman who had brazenly entered the hall, a resident tentatively asked, "And you are?"

“Vig Tynburg, proceed to Rendinium to assume the position of Prime Minister. My team needs a temporary rest.”

When the serpent from the North arrived, the elders were all awestruck and treated him as an honored guest, continuing the exchange of statements between the two sides.

The cause of the dispute was simple: a free man insulted the opposing family at a banquet, calling them "cowards like slaves." The victim's family demanded damages for defamation, or they would wage a duel.

"duel?"

Vig frowned slightly. This phenomenon also existed in the North, and despite repeated attempts to stop it, he was forced to compromise. Duels were permitted, provided that the sheriff's written permission was obtained, one side had to stop fighting after conceding defeat, and neither family was allowed to seek revenge afterward.

After both sides finished giving their statements, the fifteen elders sitting behind the long table summoned the witnesses to carefully verify the circumstances at the time.

Traditionally, insults are compensated according to their severity, and this case involves family honor, making it the most egregious case.

After a lengthy discussion, the elders announced the result—seven silver pence, roughly half the annual income of an average farmer. If the accused refused to pay, the accuser had the right to initiate a duel.

With a somber expression, the accused farmer sold his fattened pigs to pay the compensation amidst the sobs of his wife and children.

With the defamation dispute settled, the elders moved on to other matters, including inheritance and farm boundary demarcation. After more than an hour of work, everyone gradually dispersed, except for one old man in a tattered sheepskin coat who sat there complaining:
“Fewer and fewer people are attending court, and some free citizens are choosing to work at home, ignoring this obligation. They should be severely punished!”

Vig has a different view. In harsh living conditions, humans tend to stick together for warmth. Now that the situation is peaceful, it is reasonable for free people to be busy with their own affairs.

Beside him, the old man continued to mutter, complaining about his two sons: one had become a farmer, focusing all his attention on twenty acres of farmland, and the other had become a carpenter, spending his days wandering around the countryside with his tools.

"They're nothing like Vikings, not just the two of them, but everyone else too. According to tradition, a duel involving family honor is inevitable, and to settle it for only sevenpence is a joke. What's the difference between them and those Anglo-Saxons?"

Vig sighed. In the original timeline, two or three hundred years later, the Vikings converted to Roman Catholicism, adopted advanced production techniques, and shed their tribal customs. As long as they had enough to eat and wear, few were willing to go out to sea to raid; the so-called Viking tradition was not an unbreakable principle.

Better to be a dog in times of peace than a human in times of chaos. Now that the weather is favorable and we have no worries about food and clothing, we should cherish these good days and hope for the best.

Once the horses had regained their strength, Vig bid farewell to the old man, mounted Graywind's saddle, glanced one last time at the boys playing football on the grass, and recited poems that no one else could understand as he rode away.

"I wish to be a frivolous youth in Chang'an, born during the Kaiyuan and Tianbao eras. I'll spend my life cockfighting and horse racing, oblivious to the rise and fall of the world."

(End of this chapter)