Vikings: Lords of the Ice Sea

Chapter 60 Trade
As autumn winds begin to blow, it is time to head to York to pay tribute once again.

In early October, as Vig was preparing various tributes, Bjorn's fleet suddenly arrived, bringing three ships of volcanic ash, as well as a large quantity of dried cod and seal skins.

"The same old rules apply: grain, ironware, and livestock."

Leveraging his reputation as a legendary navigator, Bjorn expanded his settlement to four hundred people (including over a hundred slaves he purchased). His only problem was the inability to develop suitable industries. The volcanic ash and seal skins he received this time sold for far less than their purchase price, forcing him to cover the difference out of his own pocket. After the transaction, he had only twenty pounds of silver left.

Seeking advice, Björn went to the mayor's residence on the west side of the central square, where the Viggs had temporarily resided during the reconstruction of Tyneburg.

At dinner, he eagerly asked his host, "Sheep take several years to breed before they can generate income. The island's climate is harsh, and although there is a small amount of land where rye can be grown, the yield is too low to be exported for silver. Do you have any other ideas?"

What local specialties are suitable for export?
Vig stared thoughtfully at the pan-fried lamb chops on his plate. "Have you discovered any metal deposits?"

“I regularly send out expeditions to explore, but we haven’t found any valuable minerals, except for volcanic ash.”

Suddenly, Bjorn slammed his wine glass on the table. "When we set off, there happened to be a silly whale stranded on the beach. I should have brought a few buckets of whale blubber. Does Tyneburg even accept these things?"

Whale blubber can be used to produce whale oil candles, which are similar in effect to beeswax and are considered high-end luxury items. Vig readily agreed and promised to purchase whale blubber on a long-term basis. "I remember now," Vig said, "since Iceland is full of volcanoes, it should produce sulfur, and I'm also willing to purchase that in large quantities."

Modern herbalists use sulfur to treat skin diseases and incidentally to repel fleas. Textile workers burn sulfur to fumigate wool and linen, making them whiter and softer.
Vig silently considered the specific uses of sulfur and felt that this business was very promising, so he reached a long-term supply agreement with Bjorn.

“Whale oil and sulfur. With these two sources of income, it will be enough to cover the expenses of importing grain, ironware, and livestock. You might even be able to make a small profit.”

“It’s not that simple,” Bjorn said, filling his glass with wine and instantly thinking of the drawbacks of both options. “Iceland has a long coastline, and if whales were stranded elsewhere, they might rot and stink before we even arrive. As for sulfur, the locals are generally afraid of volcanoes, so they would have to force slaves to mine it, which would be another problem.”

The following time was filled with Bjorn's complaints. Since becoming lord, he found life wasn't as pleasant as he had imagined; one trouble after another kept him busy. "By the way, have the hops you planted in the first half of the year ripened yet?"

"No, we harvest on a small scale for the first two years, and then we wait until the third year when the barley matures on a large scale, and then we mass-produce new-style beer."

"Will it take this long?" The Vikings loved to drink, and Bjorn always liked to bring back several barrels of ale whenever he went out. However, the North Sea was rough in winter, which meant that trade with the outside world would be impossible for several months. Ale had a short shelf life, so he was forced to buy mead, which had a longer shelf life, at a high price to alleviate the dissatisfaction of the people.

After resting for two days, Björn drove six cows and eight pigs onto the deck and set off back to Iceland.

Before he left, Vig stopped him, "Aren't you going to York to pay your tribute?"

“Why should I go?” Bjorn asked with a hint of surprise. “I won this Icelandic lordship, not it was bestowed upon me by some king. Ragnar is my father, and I will always respect him, but he is not my lord. The Icelandic lord has no obligation to be loyal to the King of Northumbria.”

It seems to make some sense.

Vig froze on the spot. Bjorn continued, "If Mother were still alive, I would definitely go to York for a while. Sora is sitting on the throne now, and I have no interest in flattering that woman. Of course, she doesn't want to see me, Ivar, and Hafdan either; she just wants to get rid of us all and let her son Uber inherit the throne." Now that he had his own power base, Bjorn no longer needed to be mindful of others' opinions and simply shouted at the top of his lungs, completely disregarding the expressions of the onlookers.

"See you next year, Vig, my good brother."

After berating Queen Sora, Bjorn was in high spirits and ordered the three longships to set sail. As time passed, the North Sea would become increasingly rough, so he only stayed one night in the Shetland Islands, urging his sleepy crew to set sail before dawn.

"Hurry up and row! I'll buy twenty barrels of ale and five barrels of mead at a high price. Once we get to Iceland, you bunch of alcoholics can drink your fill!"

Urged on by Bjorn, the crew pushed through their fatigue and began rowing. Fortunately, starting from the third day, intermittent easterly winds blew across the sea, greatly speeding up their journey. By dusk on the sixth day, noticing that the seawater was gradually becoming lighter in color, Bjorn finally put aside his worries and lay down on the deck to fall into a deep sleep.

A few hours later.

"My lord, wake up."

Bjorn was shaken awake from his sleep. Opening his eyes, he saw countless pale green lights drifting in the night sky, like strange, wandering serpents of light. Then, deep green ripples rolled behind the clouds, as if Valkyries were riding their horses and galloping over everyone's heads, the rolling ripples resembling their flowing skirts.

Staring blankly at the bizarre and dazzling aurora, Bjorn was terrified and prayed softly to the Aesir gods: "Odin, what do you want me to do by sending down this divine decree?"

York.

A year later, Vig felt that the city was becoming more prosperous, but also more dirty and chaotic, largely due to the war Eric launched this year.

He estimated that at least 20,000 to 30,000 Vikings poured into Britain, with Tyneburg absorbing 3,000, and the rest of the refugees settling in York by water and land.

The area around York is flat and has plenty of arable wasteland, more than enough to accommodate these refugees. On the way there, Vig discovered more than ten newly built settlements, each with about forty or fifty houses and nearly two hundred people.

"Such a large influx of people will test the kingdom's administrative capacity. Are Pascal and Goodwin prepared?"

Upon arriving in the city, he immediately went to the market to inquire about grain prices. He learned that the price of wheat this year had risen from 2 pence per bushel to 2.6 pence. In addition, the prices of staple grains such as barley, oats, and rye had also increased significantly.

After making inquiries along the way, Vig discovered that the prices of most commodities were rising, and the royal family had taken no measures to curb food prices.

"Fortunately, I stocked up on food last year, so it shouldn't be a problem to last until next summer."

(End of this chapter)