Vikings: Lords of the Ice Sea

Chapter 83 Return

After much deliberation, Ragnar finally took Asuragi and returned north together.

Compared to the aloof and arrogant Queen Sora, Asura comes from a humble background, has a forthright personality, and is proficient in drinking, chess, axe throwing, and archery. She also has a very good relationship with the nobles.

More than ten days later, at a crossroads on the outskirts of York, watching the royal motorcade depart, Vigé let out a long sigh:

"There will be something interesting to watch next."

In early July, Vig arrived at the south bank of the Tyne River and looked out to see that the castle on the low hills on the opposite bank was still unfinished.

Upon arriving at the North Shore dock by boat, Helgef greeted them carrying a baby. Vig gently poked the little one's cheek; it felt quite nice.

Earlier this year, after giving birth to a baby boy, Herigief sent a letter to the front lines at Tamworth, listing a list of names. Vig, busy registering the Mercian royal estates and in a daze, chose "Flod" as the first name for his eldest son.

Back at his official residence in the town center, Vig and his family enjoyed a few leisurely days before tackling a backlog of tasks.

First, Vig chose an experienced Viking groom to be the stable manager, and on the groom's advice, Vig designated a large grassland two miles west of Tyne as the new stable.

According to information provided by Frankish prisoners, mares over three years old could be bred, with a gestation period of approximately eleven months. Foals began basic training at age two, adapting to carrying loads and obeying rider commands. Furthermore, it was crucial to cultivate their courage to prevent them from becoming frightened and losing control on the battlefield.

On the expense side, feed accounts for 60%, requiring large amounts of oats and hay. Labor costs account for 20%, with grooms earning an annual salary of 5-10 silver pence. The remaining 30% is used for maintaining stables, hay warehouses, and other facilities, as well as purchasing horse equipment and herbs.

Vig had long been prepared for this; his territory was financially secure and could afford to support even if the number of warhorses doubled.

“Take good care of these Frankish warhorses and don’t skimp on expenses. If the stallions have extra energy, try crossbreeding them with local mares to expand the herd. Select the mixed-breeds, keep the best ones at the new ranch, and keep the inferior ones at the original eastern suburban pasture.”

After selecting a site for the horse ranch, Vig took the opportunity to observe agricultural production in the surrounding area.

After three years of promotion, the vast majority of farmers accepted the three-field system. With the promotion of the three-field system, a small number of people began to use draft horses to plow the fields.

He asked a small landowner who was working, and the latter said that horses plowed the fields much faster and could work eight hours a day, two or three hours more than oxen. Overall, a draft horse could do the work of two to three oxen.

"Is it really worthwhile to raise horses, which are more expensive?"

The landlord scratched his head. "I think it's alright. Since adopting the three-field system, one-third of the land is planted with spring crops, mainly oats, barley, and peas. The oats produced are just right for horse feed."

Therefore, the promotion of the three-field system ultimately led to the greater popularity of horse-drawn plows in Western European agriculture.
Stroking the collar on the horse's shoulder, Viger pondered for a long time, concluding that promoting horse-drawn plowing would not do him any harm.

Farmers, having spent a long time with draft horses, accumulate experience in training and controlling them. When war comes, some young farmers with excellent horsemanship skills are suitable for conscription as cavalry, reducing the training costs of cavalry units.

After wandering around the suburbs for several hours, Vig headed to the livestock market in Tyne.

Here, wooden fences separated many open areas. Horses snorted impatiently, and flocks of sheep huddled together like flowing gray clouds. Livestock dealers wearing dirty aprons paced back and forth, prying open the mouths of animals to check their teeth. I found the market manager and asked for records from the past year.

As expected, the price of draft cattle is indeed gradually declining, from 30 silver pence per head to 28 silver pence.

In contrast, the price of crossbows increased daily, reaching 82 silver pence, while the prices of sheep, pigs, chickens, ducks, and geese remained stable.

Ultimately, Vig came to the conclusion:

“If things continue like this, wealthy farming families with more than 30 acres will gradually accept horse-drawn plows, while poor farmers with small plots of land will continue to use ox-drawn plows, which are cheaper. Oh well, let them choose for themselves, so that I won’t be blamed if anything goes wrong.”

A week later, Bjorn arrived in Tyne with four longships laden with whale blubber. Vig went to the dock to greet him and found that the man looked terrible.

"What happened?"

Bjorn gave a wry smile. "When we went out to fish, we encountered a storm and were swept to an island in the northwest. There were no trees there, and the moss covering the ground was not easy to burn. Nearly half of the crew froze to death. Alas, the original plan was to lead men south to join the war. Judging from your current state, I guess I'm too late."

“Indeed,” Vig invited the other man to his residence to recount what had happened over the past six months.

Upon hearing about the Battle of Latworth, Bjorn was incredulous. "Surely not? Four hundred Frankish cavalrymen beat you like this?"

"That's the truth. If you don't believe me, go to York. His Majesty has captured a large number of warhorses and appointed many meritorious soldiers as knights. He seems to intend to build a standing cavalry force. You can visit their training process and you'll understand after you see it."

“That makes some sense.” Bjorn downed his beer in one gulp and let out a loud burp.

After resting for two days, Bjorn sold all his whale fat and went to York to watch the knights train and visit his father and his second queen.

On the dock, Vig watched as craftsmen carried hundreds of barrels of whale blubber into the candle workshop, preparing to render whale oil.

After catching whales, Icelandic whaling ships tow them ashore and cut them with a crescent-shaped skinning knife to obtain strips of blubber about the thickness of a palm. These strips are then hung in a cool, shady place to be salted and preserved, with a shelf life of up to six months.

At this point, the craftsmen chopped the strips of whale blubber, mixed them with water, and simmered them over an open-air stove. After waiting for a while, they used a long-handled spoon to scoop out the top layer of whale oil, while the impurities at the bottom were removed using a bark filter. Each barrel of whale blubber could yield approximately one-quarter of the whale oil.

Afterward, whale oil mixed with a small amount of beeswax was poured into a wooden mold, a wick was inserted, and the candle was allowed to cool and unmold, thus completing a whale oil candle. Its flame was bright, and it burned without any odor, making it a luxury item for the upper class.

Looking across the entire territory, only the Vig family could afford whale oil candles; the majority of the remaining candles were sold to Flemish merchants, who then resold them to Frankish nobles and monasteries.

As for the gentry and small landowners, they typically used tallow candles and oil lamps, which emitted black smoke and a foul odor when burned. Commoners could not afford such expenses, so they followed the principle of "working at sunrise and resting at sunset," making the most of the daylight and minimizing nighttime activities.

(End of this chapter)