On the snow-covered land, a troop flying the Rurik Trident banner was particularly conspicuous, leaving a series of distinct footprints on the snowfield they traversed.
The Ross Army, assembled in Novgorod, had already set out. They had crossed Pskov and were advancing along Lake Chud towards the besieged Yuryev, and this current troop was the vanguard of the Ross.
The army was much more organized than when it first set out. After leaving Pskov, the loose military discipline of his grandfather immediately disappeared, replaced by increasingly strict military regulations and more frequent visits from supervisors. Many undisciplined individuals thus left the main army, but more people still persevered. After all, participating in such a great battle and equally great plunder was a rare opportunity.
Looking towards the roadside, dense coniferous forests could be seen from time to time, though they too were covered in white snow. To the right, through a few patches of coniferous forest, lay the vast and beautiful Lake Chud.
Leading this troop was Rostislav Vladimirovich, the Prince of Novgorod. He wore a pointed helmet inlaid with silver, a lamellar armor made of overlapping steel plates, chainmail bracers on his arms, and the leather boots favored by Nomads on his feet.
A sharp cavalry spear with an openwork decoration on its tip hung from his saddle. A longsword with Slavic letters on its hilt hung from his waist. A kite shield was on his back, while the other side of the saddle held a cavalry bow and two full quivers of arrows. He also had a dagger at his waist.
As the Nuo City Prince rode, he looked back. His personal cavalry were closely following the Prince. The young men, about to step onto the battlefield, appeared excited or nervous. They wore steel helmets and ring mail, with cavalry spears and bows and arrows hanging from their saddles, looking like seasoned veterans.
Walking further behind were Rostislav's Bodyguard Unit. This troop was inherited from his father, the essence Vladimir left for his son.
This troop numbered 200, all elite warriors, reliable individuals who could be depended on within a shield wall—but this was for his father. Rostislav was now unsure how many of these two hundred men were willing to pledge loyalty to him.
The Bodyguard Unit all wore lamellar armor or ring mail. As the personal Bodyguard Unit of the Prince of Novgorod, the income from that wealthy city was enough for the Prince to equip all his subordinates with iron armor.
Swords and axes were tucked into their waists, and various painted round shields or kite shields were on their backs. Some also carried Danish long axes, while others carried longbows.
The Captain of the Guard was named Gvaran. He was now armed to the teeth, with a large round shield on his back and a two-handed axe in his hand.
However, he looked somewhat unnatural on horseback. This was because the Captain of the Guard was not skilled in horsemanship; riding was merely for travel.
Rostislav was still unsure whether this Captain of the Guard was loyal to him, but he had few available men now and could only try to trust this person left by his father.
Further behind were the tall, burly, and roughly bearded soldiers. They formed the main body of this army, advancing in a barely neat formation on the dirt road.
Most soldiers only wore fur or cloth clothing, with only a few having padded armor or chainmail. The only commendable aspect was that everyone had a weapon and a shield. The better-equipped citizens were with his grandfather's main force.
These soldiers were mostly Ross farmers and members of the Chud tribe from the Novgorod jurisdiction. Their financial resources did not allow them to acquire better equipment, not to mention that the north was originally a harsh and cold land, with only Novgorod being somewhat prosperous.
For them, this war came at a timely moment. Winter had arrived, and normally everyone could only huddle indoors, using autumn's harvest and collected food to get through the winter. Now that war had come, they also had a rare opportunity to "earn money" and pass the time.
War was not an unfamiliar thing to them. People here, more or less, had experience being conscripted, either by the Grand Prince of Kiev or the Prince of Novgorod, not even counting the private feuds of villages and tribes.
Rostislav's fifteen hundred men were the vanguard of the main army. His task was simple: ensure the safety of the marching route, clear enemies along the way, and, if necessary, engage the enemy's main force, but with self-preservation as the primary objective.
This was the first time Rostislav had commanded such a large army, so many things felt very unfamiliar to him, leaving him flustered.
Fortunately, he had the assistance of Vishata, his father's close friend. This nobleman selflessly helped him a great deal, allowing him to manage the entire army in an orderly manner. If not for his help, it would have been questionable whether he could have even brought this troop so smoothly from Novgorod to Pskov.
Vishata also sent his son to be his personal Bodyguard Unit, and now this young man was his standard-bearer.
Just then, as he thought of Vishata, this nobleman also appeared by the roadside. He was in charge of commanding the scouts, and now he was discussing something with them.
The Prince signaled the main troop to continue advancing, while he rode his horse to Vishata's side. As soon as he approached, he overheard their conversation.
"You mean the Chud are all gone?"
"Yes, My Lord, all the Chud villages along the way are now empty."
"Then continue to investigate. Don't miss any possible information."
"As you command, Lord Vishata."
Vishata was a very dignified middle-aged nobleman. He did not have a thick beard like the northerners, but a neat full beard, and his shoulder-length hair was tied up, giving him a capable impression.
"Your Highness, Rostislav."
When the scouts rode away, Vishata turned around and saw his comrade's son, and his current superior, Rostislav. He immediately nodded in greeting to the Nuo City Prince.
"Uncle Vishata, you don't have to be like this."
Rostislav gave a wry smile. This elder had helped him too much. If not for him, he wouldn't be able to command these 1500 men at all, and in terms of seniority and experience, it would clearly be more suitable for him to be the commander.
Vishata merely gave Rostislav a friendly expression, then waved his hand, indicating he did not wish to discuss the matter further. This Nuo City nobleman did not care much for such trifles.
"Your Highness, I think you heard it too. The Chud villages along the marching route have disappeared. It seems the Chud were well prepared. Fleeing so quickly can only mean it was indeed premeditated. But the most important thing is, is the main Chud force still outside Yuryev? Your Highness, are there any new updates?"
Rostislav glanced at the advancing army. The spears were glinting coldly under the sun. He looked at the cold glint, lost in thought.
"No, nothing at all. Those riders didn't bring any information. Grandfather hasn't issued any orders. We just keep moving forward. Send someone to inform Grandfather about the situation here, that's all."
Seeing Rostislav like this, Vishata also nodded. This was indeed the most prudent response for now.