After the wedding, Kiev gradually returned to calm. As the dignitaries left, the crowds that followed also began to disperse.
Although the pleasure of bed is intoxicating, and young couples have a strong desire for each other's fresh flesh, Rostislav still restrained his desire, on the one hand out of consideration for his wife's body, and on the other hand
We should continue writing and training as before.
In this chaotic era, only the weapons in our hands are the foundation for settling down and establishing a career. We rely on them to restore the glory of our fathers. The blood of war flows in the veins of the Varangian descendants, so training must continue, and skills must continue.
None can be wasted.
In terms of writing, my wife can provide a lot of help. After all, Zoe has received the top female education in Constantinople, and her cultural attainments exceed that of most people in Kiev.
For example, Zoe, who comes from the south, is much more familiar with the writing of miracle play scripts than Rostislav. After all, there is no shortage of such plays in the south. Zoe's improvements made the entire performance more effective.
The most important thing is that for this young couple, this kind of discussion is an adjustment to the couple's life. After all, nothing can enhance the relationship more than the same hobbies between husband and wife, but sometimes the discussion gets too heated and then turns into physical intimacy.
, all the time was wasted in the end.
However, literature was a sideline after all, and Rostislav spent most of his time on war and the study of cavalry warfare.
Unlike many Russians whose ideas are still stuck in the old times, Rostislav, as a person with a latecomer's vision, is extremely enthusiastic about cavalry warfare, which naturally makes him mix with the black hats outside Kiev.
Yes, it was the black hats who captured slaves in the north. Those people he once hated so much, but after adjusting his mentality, he made up the relationship with the black hats. These people will still play a big role in the future.
The Black Hats were allies of Russia most of the time, participating in battles as auxiliary cavalry. They built cities on the border of Russia, lived a semi-settled life, and also served as border guards for the Grand Duke of Russia.
It is also because of this relationship that the nomadic tribes that make up the Black Hat Army are able to move around Kiev and even set up camps. Their ethnic groups are very complex, including the Torks, Pechenegs, Polotsk people...
It is simply an exhibition of grassland peoples. Most of these tribes are losers in the eternal struggle of the grassland. They can only gain a chance of survival by huddled under the protection of Ross.
The rise of the Bolovets in recent years has greatly increased the number of tribes gathered here, and the power of the grassland upstarts is increasing. The prince knows very well that these guys will be Ross's enemies in the future, so he does not dare to relax.
Rostislav often came to the nomad camps with his companions, and these nomads from the prairie also liked such a horseback prince. At the same time, through his wedding, he got to know many dignitaries of the prairie.
And formed friendship with them, which brought the relationship between the two parties closer.
As early as half a month after the wedding, they held a grand celebration today on the nomad's racecourse-actually just a field-where the herdsmen of the grassland and the citizen farmers of Kiev came to participate in the ceremony.
grand event.
The businessman with a keen sense of smell started doing business directly, and the entire venue was crowded and lively.
Figures wearing cuffed felt hats are everywhere, and herdsmen like to use feathers as decorations. When all the riders gather together, the scene is so spectacular, like a sea of feathers.
His uncles were not keen on gatherings of grassland herdsmen, and most of the time they stayed away from such celebrations.
But Rostislav is different. He understands the challenges that Ross will face in the future, he also knows the future direction, and he also understands what role a powerful cavalry team can play, so he also came to this event with his personal entourage.
.
Rostislav is riding a 1.5-meter-tall red horse. The veins of tendons are clearly visible and the nostrils are like those of a cow, which is enough to show the bravery of a war horse.
This was a gift from Yaroslav, given to his grandson, little Alexander, and also represented the "wise man's" expectations for his grandson.
The prince wears boots with spurs. His legs are very strong and he can control the movement direction of the horse with his legs and reins. His movements are very skilled and extremely smooth.
The grassland chiefs present could not help but marvel at such riding skills. Even among the grassland tribes, it is very rare to master superb riding skills at such a young age.
How could a grand event be without lively competitions, among which the prairie wolves' favorite horse racing and galloping and shooting are absolutely indispensable. This is the competition that best demonstrates the superior riding skills and horse fighting skills of the prairie sons.
Rostislav naturally participated in the competition, and he won the first place strongly. Whether it was a spear, a long sword, or a bow and arrow, the skills displayed by this prince were always so superb and skillful.
The battlefield skills displayed by the Prince of Rus won unanimous praise from everyone present. The people in the felt tent were fascinated by this martial arts, which was quite rare even among the grassland tribes, while the people of Rus were amazed that their prince could fight on the grassland.
Cheers for showing off your talents at the grand event.
Winning the competition made Rostislav famous far and wide, and now everyone knew that Kiev had a prince on horseback.
After the game, Rostislav recruited thirty good players from the steppe. Among them were the Torks, Ross’s old friends, the upstart Polovets (also known as Kipchak or Cuman) people from the steppes, and the
The Pechenegs operating further west were all masters of mounted warfare.
Although his finances are tight, he still has no problem supporting dozens of herdsmen and warriors.
The reason for recruiting these riders is also simple. The memory of the latecomers told Rostislav that the conflict between Ross and the grassland would come sooner or later. And he had to make preparations early and strengthen his understanding of the grassland. Only by being prepared could there be no danger.
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The time of peace is always very short. While Rostislav was still going about his daily life in Kiev, war came unknowingly.
In the autumn of 1053, a Polovtsian army arrived near Pereyaslav (hereinafter referred to as Peliyaslav). For the nomads, this season is the season of war. Autumn is high and horses are fertile.
It's time to start a war.
Since the collapse of the Khazar nation, there has been no order in the steppe. War has completely become the norm. Overlords of the steppe have suddenly risen and fallen, and the peoples on the steppe have been constantly changing.
The Polovets are the new upstarts of the steppes in recent decades. The former overlords, the Oghuz (the Torks) and the Pechenegs, have been defeated by them. These nomads now dominate the steppe.
Trans-Eurasian steppes.
And now, this army of grassland upstarts has appeared at the border of Ross. The momentum of the huge grassland army advancing is simply earth-shattering. Countless war horses are galloping on the ground, and the riders are wearing leather boots (note 1).
The dust raised as we advanced was overwhelming.
Their target is the city of Pei, which is the barrier of Kiev and the only place that nomadic raiders must pass on their way to Kiev.
It was here that "Saint" Vladimir fought with the Pechenegs and built a series of fortress cities here, as well as defensive earth embankments and wooden walls throughout the entire area.
The population of this area is very mixed, including Slavs who migrated from various parts of Russia, Chuds who came from the Baltic coast, and Poles from Cherven.
They are placed here for only one purpose, and that is to take up arms and fight the enemy bravely when the nomadic army attacks.
But now, due to the laxity caused by the long-term peace, the Polovets army has easily broken through the defense line composed of earthen embankments and wooden walls, massacred and plundered a large number of settlements that were unable to respond, and then came to the city wall of Peicheng.
Down.
The man who commanded the army in Pech was Rostislav's third uncle, Vsevolod Yaroslavich.
After attending his nephew's wedding, the prince returned to his residence in Peicheng. This place was too important, so the third uncle had always been stationed here on behalf of the Rurik family and was alert to all trends in the grassland.
Because the enemy came too suddenly and the defense line was broken through too quickly, the third uncle could only gather the citizens of the city and nearby farmers. Even though he tried his best to recruit soldiers, the number of qualified soldiers in his hands was barely more than 2,000.
people, but the number of enemies they faced exceeded ten thousand, and more nomads were coming.
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Note 1: Leather boots are generally a symbol of nomadic residents, and the agricultural residents of Rus mainly wear bark boots.