With Rostislav's command, the entire Moscow Court became bustling, preparing for the Prince's departure.
Rostislav's departure was a major event, and for this, the entire Red City was busy. As everyone bustled, the news of the Prince's impending departure spread throughout Moscow.
For most common people, the Prince's departure had little impact on their lives; they would continue living as before.
However, for those with ulterior motives, this was a significant matter. The Prince's departure meant that the political and economic landscape of Northeast Rus' would undergo a temporary reshuffle during the upcoming period.
For the ambitious, seizing this opportunity might allow them to soar to prominence.
Some people hurriedly left Moscow, needing to quickly deliver the news to their respective masters. For those individuals, news was money, it was opportunity.
Not to mention, traveling west with the Prince would save a significant amount in escort fees.
Still others immediately began to act, becoming agitated. Rostislav's departure would inevitably lead to a number of people in key positions leaving.
And with their departure, their positions would become vacant, giving those who remained an opportunity to temporarily fill them. This was a chance to wield power.
Although they would inevitably lose their current jobs when those individuals returned, these experiences would certainly make them potential successors. If an opportunity arose in the future, they could ascend to power; this was a very valuable experience.
Thus, the news of Rostislav's impending departure spread throughout the Behind-the-Forest Land at an extremely rapid pace, reaching a point where no one was unaware of it.
And in this environment, another group of people also began to stir, harboring different intentions.
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In the wilderness of Northeast Rus', a team was advancing on the road.
However, their path was not one of the dirt roads built under the Prince's command, but rather a hidden animal trail within the forest.
Few knew of such small paths; generally, only locals were aware of them and only locals would use them.
And non-locals traveling on this path were either merchants seeking a shortcut for convenience, or those with other intentions...
At a glance, this was a very common group of forest dwellers in the wilderness. Everyone wore simple clothes, carried food or various daily necessities purchased from towns, and had short axes and small knives for self-defense at their waists.
However, upon closer inspection, you would find that this group of people still had something peculiar about them. Their positioning was very regular, clearly indicating they were on guard against something.
These people were too disciplined, nothing like the loosely organized forest dwellers.
The team quickly reached the end of the animal trail. What appeared before them was a mountain wall covered with countless vines. In some places, the vines were so dense that they completely covered the mountain wall, looking like a green wall. But the group did not stop because of this.
The leading individuals of this team first tapped on the mountain wall in a rhythmic manner, then directly pulled aside a section of vines.
And as the vines were pulled back, a dark, narrow passage appeared before everyone's eyes. This was a cave, a cave whose entrance was covered by vines.
Torches were lit on the narrow walls of the cave, obviously for illumination. At the same time, there were several sentries wearing wooden armor, holding long spears pointed at the newcomers, and others were preparing to ring brass bells.
But upon seeing the faces of those who entered, they lowered their weapons. In fact, the tapping on the mountain wall earlier had already informed the sentries of the newcomers' identities; this was merely the final layer of routine precaution.
The two groups exchanged a few simple words, and then the team continued to advance along the cave.
This cave was very long and quiet, and it occasionally branched off. If one was not careful, it would be easy to get lost here. Fortunately, the torches on the cave walls illuminated the way for everyone.
Following the correct path, people could occasionally see openings on the cave walls. If not for the light of the torches, they would not have seen them at all.
Everyone knew those were 'killing holes.' If someone were to attack the cave, they would encounter these attacks from the shadows as they passed, and due to the darkness, these people would not even be able to discover where the attacks came from.
And shortly after passing these killing holes, the exit of the cave appeared, and facing the incoming sunlight, everyone saw the scene of their destination.
They first saw a lake, and by the lake, there was a small village. Beside the village, many fields had been cultivated, and the crops on them were all ripe, with people busy harvesting.
This village was not large, probably only a few hundred inhabitants, a common type of village in the wilderness of Northeast Rus'. However, many aspects of it were abnormal:
There were militiamen training in the open space, adult men wielding spears and shields under commands, while on the other side of the militiamen, children were learning under the guidance of a sorcerer, and horse archers were galloping and shooting arrows.
Even just one of these sights was something rarely seen in most Rus' villages, yet here they all were, making the place more like a military camp.
Not far from the village, they saw a crude statue, and beside the statue stood a huge, painted totem. Everyone who looked at the statue instinctively prayed silently, because it was a statue of veles, the Slavic god of livestock and the underworld.
This deity's domain involved important aspects of life and death, so even though warriors worshipped the thunder god perun, the vast majority of the populace still believed in veles.
The leader of the team looked at the sun, then at a nearby stone, roughly estimating the current time.
"It's a bit ill-timed, Master is praying."
Although he said this, the leader still led the group forward. This team walked directly towards the village. Their faces were much more relaxed, as if they had returned home—and they truly had—along the way, the villagers they met greeted them cheerfully, and they responded cheerfully.
However, if you paid close attention, you would notice that most of the villagers here were able-bodied men and women; there were no elderly people or children to be seen.
This was a very rare sight, but it was happening.
The team leader first had everyone unload the supplies they had brought, then dismissed the team, allowing everyone to meet with family or friends, while he himself walked directly towards the tall statue of veles.
As he approached the statue, his sense of reverence grew. This was the largest polytheistic sanctuary in Northeast Rus', and the statue of veles was carved by several generations of sorcerers; its sacredness was naturally self-evident.
And beside the statue of veles, totems representing the gods also stood. These totems were very sacred; they were also carved by sorcerers themselves, then painted with corresponding precious oils, forming a fierce face, representing the majesty of the gods.
However, his reverence was more for the person dressed in rough cloth praying beneath the statue than for the statue itself.
This place was originally for pagan sorcerers to worship the gods; ordinary believers could not possibly come here. But the Master opened it, bringing everyone to this great place, where they trained, they learned, they prepared for the great war to come.
The leader did not walk directly to the place of prayer, but found a place to sit down, then reverently bowed his head, watching the person dressed in rough linen pray. There were many people like him waiting here.
Finally, the prayer ended, and the prostrate pagan sorcerer stood up, then turned to look at the crowd.
This person was none other than Lev, the pagan sorcerer who had once collaborated with Yan Vishatich and was later pursued by this nobleman.
And he first saw the leader, calling out his name.
The man humbly came before the Master, kneeling with utmost piety, and Lev asked.
"Semyon, what news do you bring?"
"Master, as the rumors said, we have confirmed that Rostislav Vladimirovich will be leaving the Behind-the-Forest Land."
The man called Semyon excitedly reported what he knew. His excitement was because the opportunity he had long awaited had arrived, but Lev was not so pleased; he merely sighed, then continued.
"If that is the case, then ring the great bell, and let us meet under the watchful eyes of veles to discuss."
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