As Rostislav was still pondering and summarizing the current situation of the various Rus' factions, and considering the appropriate responses, Kiev also began to bustle.
The earliest risers in Kiev were often the fishermen; they would go out fishing very early, and now that the sun was out, they naturally had to sell their catch in the market. As the fish market opened, the entire city became lively.
People from all walks of life noisily took to the streets, and soon the streets became bustling, filled with all sorts of sounds and languages.
Of course, there were also those who paraded through the city, such as the successful immigrants under Rostislav's command. After all, they had been taken to a banquet immediately upon entering Kiev yesterday, so they could only show off today.
For example, Valin was currently wearing his most luxurious fur coat, parading through the city surrounded by a dozen or so retainers. He could be said to be a great landowning noble of Northeast Rus'.
Although Valin used to live in the swamps outside Kiev, he also had places he frequently visited within the city, and he was now heading to those places he frequented during those years.
He used to live alone in the swamp, where he had no neighbors to show off his current achievements, so he could only come to the city.
That was a small alley specializing in collecting furs, and it was also a spontaneously formed leather workshop. Walking a few dozen more steps inside, one could see it, while outside was Kiev's main thoroughfare.
In those days, Valin often brought his hunted game here to sell. At that time, he was very humble, and often had to curry favor with the buyers just to sell his goods at a barely reasonable price.
In Kiev, the merchants in these industries had their own unspoken rules for purchasing, and they also had enforcers to intimidate. No one dared to defy their will.
The Veche also had no interest in these matters, as there was little profit to be gained from managing such small businesses, and it would also offend people.
The Kiev Grand Duke was even less likely to notice these things, and even if he did, he would pretend not to. There were countless such incidents in Kiev; how could the Kiev Grand Duke manage them all?
Moreover, the big bosses behind these businesses were often the powerful nobles of Kiev, and the Kiev Grand Duke would not interfere with the nobles' "small businesses."
Entering the alley where he used to wander, the familiar pungent smell assaulted him. It was the smell of leather processing, a smell he was once intimately familiar with and loathed, yet had no choice but to accept.
The alley was filled with ragged people, some of whom were only wrapped in tattered furs. They were either busy processing leather or bargaining with buyers for the goods they brought. Tanners carried furs to their tools.
The arrival of a nobleman like Valin, with his entourage, naturally attracted a lot of attention. People were curious why such a noble would enter a place meant for the lower class of Kiev.
However, very quickly, someone recognized that face.
"Ah? Isn't that Valin? Didn't he die on the battlefield? How did he come back?"
"Valin? The Valin who disappeared for seven whole years?"
"Yes, that's him. I thought he had died somewhere, but now it seems he's not only alive but also prospered."
With such words, information about Valin's identity quickly spread. Everyone soon remembered that there used to be a hunter who came here to sell furs, carrying them on his back. His life was miserable, and often, because he didn't know the trade, he couldn't sell his furs for much money.
After he disappeared, everyone assumed he was dead, with only a few friends knowing he had gone to Northeast Rus'.
Death is a common occurrence; someone you chat with today might be gone tomorrow.
But now this "dead man" had returned, and he had truly risen in the world, suddenly becoming a noble and returning to show off his power.
Friends who had been close to Valin in the past went directly to greet him after confirming his identity, and Valin was also very enthusiastic towards these old friends. He instinctively reached into his bosom, intending to pull out a few grivnas to give to his friends.
But his next movement froze. Doing so in such a mixed and crime-ridden place would not be helping his friends; it would be harming them.
So he discreetly put his hand into another pouch, pulled out a handful of silver coins, and distributed them among his friends. These dirham silver coins were much less conspicuous than grivna silver ingots.
His friends were all surprised. They didn't expect this long-lost friend to be so generous right away. They immediately beamed with joy, expressing their continuous gratitude. These silver coins were directly equivalent to several months of their wages!
And with Valin's act of throwing money, everyone's eyes suddenly lit up. Regardless of whether they knew Valin or not, they all crowded around, pretending to be his acquaintances and greeting him, looking as if they wanted money.
Even the gang enforcers, who usually gave no one a good look, were now all smiles. Facing such a noble, they naturally had to be humble.
Even the arrogant fur buyers were full of flattery; normally, they were incredibly haughty.
However, this disgusted Valin, and he still remembered how arrogant these people were, and how they had insulted him, but the expression on his face remained unchanged.
Valin's retainers quickly blocked the surging crowd, and Valin was also very generous. Looking at that scene, he couldn't have been happier. Nothing was better than returning home in splendid attire. He directly threw handful after handful of silver coins into the crowd, and people immediately scrambled for them.
And while people were scrambling, Valin and his old friends found a place to sit down. They all wanted to know how Valin had made his fortune.
This greatly satisfied his vanity, and it was precisely part of his plan, a request from Rostislav. So Valin began to recount his rags-to-riches story in Northeast Rus'.
As Valin explained, more and more people gathered to listen. Valin's rich story held a strong appeal for them.
In his words, Valin described Northeast Rus' as a place full of opportunities, and due to his recent act of throwing money, people naturally had immense faith in the credibility of his words.
Looking into the eyes of those people, Valin knew his mission was accomplished. This place was full of people struggling on the poverty line in Kiev. When someone pointed out a path to wealth and even presented direct examples, people would naturally go to seek refuge.
After Valin finished his story, people began to ask questions, mainly about the treatment and development opportunities when going to Northeast Rus'. Upon hearing these questions, Valin smiled at the corner of his mouth; his mission had begun.
Such scenes were playing out all over Kiev. This was Rostislav's plan: to let those citizens and farmers living hard lives in Kiev see their successful neighbors, and to describe Northeast Rus' as full of opportunities to attract them to Northeast Rus'.
As for whether they could truly make a fortune after arriving in Northeast Rus', well, it could only be said that it depended on them. At least there was more opportunity than in Kiev, and once they arrived, they would basically be unable to leave, as the cost of long-distance travel in this era was not low.
Under the influence of Rostislav's "propagandists," news of getting rich by going to Northeast Rus' quickly spread throughout Kiev, causing a sudden ripple of unrest and fluctuating morale in the city.
Those who had not followed the Prince's immigrant team to Northeast Rus' back then now regretted it deeply. These people could have joined Rostislav's immigrant team back then, but they refused. As a result, those who went became rich, while they continued to be poor. Now that the opportunity was before them, they naturally didn't want to miss it.
Even some wealthy citizens wanted to leave. Due to the current Kiev Grand Duke's strict tax policies, many wealthy people felt uncomfortable and wanted to leave Kiev to try their luck elsewhere.
People had already started clamoring to follow the Prince back to Northeast Rus', but at this time, Rostislav was not in a hurry to recruit people.
He still had much work to do in the south. Recruiting people so early was not suitable; it was best to keep them in suspense. As time went on, more and more immigrants would be attracted.
Moreover, he came to Kiev to go to Hungary. He would be departing soon, heading for that Magyar.