Noshask Village was a very typical village in Northeast Rus', and such villages were found everywhere in the land of Northeast Rus'.
However, it was still somewhat special in that it was a very large village, with a population approaching a thousand, making it one of the largest villages.
Such villages were often very closed off, with most of the villagers' daily necessities being self-produced, and the village blacksmith could also forge some essential iron products.
In the eyes of most people in the village, their village and the wilderness surrounding it were the entirety of the world; they multiplied and lived there, born and dying there, and this piece of heaven and earth was everything.
Periodically, outsiders would come to this place, mostly a combination of entertainers and merchants; the entertainers brought joy to the village, while the merchants brought goods and news from afar.
Occasionally, they would take away some young people who wished to go on adventures; some would return, bringing back wealth and a belly full of stories, becoming the central focus of the village for a time.
Some went and never returned, while those who did return might bring their stories, either having settled somewhere or having died, but more often than not, there was simply no news of them again.
Everyone was very open-minded about this; since they chose the distant path, whatever the outcome was what they deserved.
There were also some visitors who were wandering Warlocks, these priests of the ancient gods were also physicians, treating people with herbs; their arrival was a good thing for the village, as these healers would use their medical skills to help people.
Overall, this village was still very peaceful, with most people living their entire lives here; peace was the theme song of this place.
But now, everything began to change.
"Take this medicine; consume it three times a day, and persist, and your illness will disappear."
"Hiss, this wound has worsened a bit. It's a good thing we came. I still have some medicine made by my master, enough for treatment."
"This blackness, this bruising is quite severe. I have tools here; I will handle it next."
Under the village's huge oak tree, people were crowded together, and several individuals clad in fur and bearing the veles divine emblem were busy treating the villagers' various ailments. Fortunately, although many people came, all were within the scope of these believers' ability to resolve.
Children ran happily among them, for them, the scene of many people gathered was a time for activity, a sight they didn't get to see every day.
After the treatment was completed, people did not disperse but began to chat about daily life, as so many people had gathered together, after all.
Some villagers took out the gifts they had prepared, mainly various foods and some handicrafts, and those believers also accepted them; their ability to operate in the wilderness depended entirely on the gifts and support from various villages.
Then, people began to chat with these black-robed individuals about daily life, and these veles believers responded very warmly, from their expressions, it was clear that these people were old friends.
And to one side, the leader of these veles believers had, at some point, walked to the small slope next to the village, where the village chief of the commune was sitting, looking into the distance.
That was a fortress being built on a hillside; the Moscow Prince's saint george slaying the dragon and Rurik's trident fluttered in the wind. The construction site was filled with workers in coarse clothes, all conscripted from nearby villages, and nearby, soldiers were supervising.
"Village Chief, it's been a while; you seem to be in good spirits."
Lev greeted the Village Chief kindly, but the Village Chief sighed and looked at the Warlock.
"You're doing well too, Lev. You don't look old at all. After so many years, many young people can't compare to you."
The middle-aged Village Chief looked at the Old Warlock before him; when he was young, this Old Warlock often brought his apprentices to visit the village, and even now, he still visits. The people in the village treat this Old Warlock and his apprentices very kindly, after all, who wouldn't like someone who saves lives?
Lev also noticed the Village Chief's troubled expression; he looked at the fortress being built in the distance. It was truly too fast; he hadn't expected the Moscow Prince to extend his reach into the countryside so quickly.
"The Prince's fortress, when it is completed, the entire surrounding area will have to prostrate under Rurik's authority, right?"
Lev looked at the fortress and said subconsciously, feeling disheartened. He had worked for a year to unite people, and his greatest achievement was only gaining a few dozen followers, while the Moscow Prince was already building fortresses in the countryside to strengthen control.
"The Prince's lackeys have already arrived. Our village was ordered last month to provide grain and able-bodied men. Facing soldiers with orders and swords, it's very difficult for us to resist, or rather, we all believe it's not worth resisting for this."
The Village Chief's words made Lev's expression very subtle; he had originally thought the Village Chief would give some other reason to change the subject, but now he had directly stated the reason.
"Have you ever thought that after that fortress is completed, more oppression will follow?"
"I know, but unfortunately, although I am the Village Chief, I cannot make decisions about village matters. For such major issues, a general meeting must be held for a vote, and the result…"
The Village Chief's words were only half-spoken, and Lev knew what the other half was.
Lev knew what the Village Chief meant: as long as the Prince didn't push too hard, most villagers wouldn't have the courage to resist, and in places where the fortress hadn't yet been built, the people there were completely unconcerned.
Many Meria tribesmen had expressed their willingness to fight, but they also explicitly stated that it must be with the participation of the Rus' people; they would not fight alone and become someone else's pawn.
Lev's plan to unite the rural areas was very difficult to achieve; each area acted on its own, without unified command and coordination, making it impossible to integrate opinions, and they were still entangled in past grievances, and he was unwilling to consolidate power through force.
Only when the Prince's oppression comes down like a mountain will these people unite.
The Old Warlock truly felt despair; in the current situation, it was absolutely impossible for people to initiate active resistance, and the Prince's power was eroding this land in the wasted time.
When the people discover that everything has become extremely dire and begin to resist, they will find that the Prince's tentacles have already spread throughout their limbs without them knowing.
At this moment, Lev couldn't help but recall Yang's words; it was those words that made him so vigilant, but to resist, it was truly…
"Oh, by the way, I recently heard some news."
The Village Chief remembered something.
"The Moscow Prince recently passed near us. Haven't you always wanted to see that young man? You can go see him."
"Rostislav is nearby?"
Chewing on this sentence, Lev's eyes grew increasingly unkind. Let him go see the Moscow Prince, and while he's at it, see if there's an opportunity...
And if there's no opportunity, then he can only face some things...
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