"Look at this land, it's truly fertile, but why isn't anyone cultivating it?"
Standing on the hillside, Rostislav picked up some dirt from the ground and sniffed it; he could tell it was fertile land.
"Because this is land that was once cultivated by Finn, Prince. It looks like it's been abandoned for over five years, which is why it's so fertile."
Sanya immediately answered the Prince's question.
At this moment, the nobles of Rostov were following behind the Prince, and besides them were the chieftains from outside Rostov. Compared to the city nobles, their attire was much simpler, but they exuded more of a warrior's demeanor.
The young Prince expressed his desire to inspect the villages and lands near Rostov, and as landowners, they naturally had to fulfill their duties as hosts, and also to explain any issues the Prince might encounter.
Many nobles in Rostov owned manors outside the city, but they were reluctant to visit these manors, instead hiring stewards to manage them. The produce was sent directly to the city, and more than half of it, along with goods collected as tribute, was sold.
This was a common situation throughout Rus': powerful nobles didn't care much for land. When commerce alone could bring in vast sums of money, who would still care about the meager output from land?
In contrast, the chieftains outside the city, who had risen from humble beginnings or had been granted land, valued land much more. They were also a group of people ostracized by the city nobles.
These chieftains were very enthusiastic about the Prince's tour of the suburbs. This was the first time they had seen a Prince with such power come to their area, so they naturally had to entertain him well.
Therefore, when Rostislav casually arrived at a chieftain's fort, its owner, no matter how poor, would bring out their best to entertain the Rurik Prince.
This enthusiastic reception made the Prince feel as if he were the Great Duke Rostislav of Kiev. Although the chieftain's fort was simple, having been rooted there for so many years, they had accumulated many good things, from spices to desserts, all of which were offered to this young Prince.
Many chieftains were even descendants of meritorious individuals who had been granted land by "Saint" Vladimir during his expedition against Bulgar. They were granted land as common soldiers and established forts. They were also the most enthusiastic about Rostislav's arrival and the most loyal to the Rurik Dynasty.
"Finn? Are there many Finn like this near Rostov? Do they pay taxes?"
The so-called Finn were people who cleared forests for fields. They would first cut down trees, then burn the forest, using the widespread ash to fertilize the land. They would then plant crops for a few seasons, and once the soil's fertility was exhausted, they would abandon the land and move to other areas to burn forests and plant.
Originally, Rostislav had thought that all of Northeast Rus' practiced this kind of slash-and-burn agriculture, but after arriving in Northeast Rus', he found that settled agriculture was actually very common there. Villages with hundreds of residents were not uncommon, and his previous impression was entirely mistaken.
"The number of Finn is not very large, Sir. As for taxes, if they cultivate land within our jurisdiction, our people will collect taxes, but if they leave, we cannot control them."
Yevgeny said. This man was a powerful chieftain outside Rostov. His fort was the largest among many, housing nearly fifty soldiers, and more than ten villages of hundreds of people paid tribute to him.
"What about the uncontrolled free peasants and Finn tribes? Are they numerous?"
Rostislav brought up what he cared about most: the number of free peasants. These people were his target for control in Northeast Rus'. If the Kashen Silver Mine development plan failed, he would have to strengthen control over these people, exploit and squeeze them to obtain resources for development and hegemony.
Facing this question, the city nobles fell silent. These people never cared about matters in the wilderness; in their view, everything outside the city was savage and not worth bothering with, so they naturally had nothing to say.
Among the chieftains, it was still Yevgeny who spoke, the tall and robust chieftain coughing a few times.
"Sir, I can only say their numbers are countless, endless. The peasants who pay us tribute are definitely less than one-tenth of the total."
Even the chieftain who had long resided in the forest said this, and Rostislav understood. It seemed there was great potential for future development. If such a large population could be converted into his own resources…
Stopping his musings, Rostislav dropped the dirt and mounted his warhorse.
"Let's go, we're heading back. We need to rest first."
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The place Rostislav referred to as a resting spot was a wooden fortress in the forest. These fortresses were where the Great Duke Rostislav's tribute-collecting teams would encamp during their tribute tours.
Such camps had basic defensive measures, barracks, and warehouses, and they were found throughout Rus'.
Everyone dismounted their warhorses, greeted by servants. Some clamored for mead, while others found a stool to sit and rest, feeling like their bottoms would explode after riding for so long.
As a Prince, Rostislav naturally received the best treatment. His chair had cushions, and precious wine was brought to him.
However, Rostislav then saw a hurried rider approach, and the Prince received news that filled him with both ecstasy and tension.
The Kashen Silver Mine had been discovered, but a large army of Finn tribes was heading towards it.
Without bothering to explain anything to the nobles, Rostislav immediately jumped onto his warhorse, briefly instructed Poleye, and galloped away.
The city nobles were quite displeased with the Prince's sudden departure. They had accompanied this Prince for so long in this wilderness, and now he had just left without a word.
As for the chieftains, they took it quite well. They often encountered brawls and even battles in the wilderness throughout the year and were often forced to act in a hurry.
"I'm truly curious. It's the first time I've seen the Prince like this. I wonder what happened."
Watching Rostislav rush away, Sanya stroked his chin and said. Although this old man had ridden with Rostislav on patrol in the wilderness for so long, there was little sign of fatigue on his face.
"Father, I think it's just the rudeness of a young boy."
Sasha said from the side, his words full of disdain for the Prince. He had always looked down on this young Prince, believing he knew nothing, and wondering why he would inspect the wilderness when wealth was in the cities.
"Heh heh heh, heh heh."
Looking at his son's usual unpromising demeanor, Sanya just smiled. He could only do so much; this boy had never matured.
But a sense of worry welled up inside him. Seeing his son like this, what would become of the family's future if he were gone?
In the end, he could only conclude that children and grandchildren have their own fortunes. While he was still alive, he would do his best to protect and safeguard the family.
As for the future, who knew? That was something only God could decide.
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