Late that night, Gunnar lay alone on his velvet bed, sipping a fine Bordeaux and thinking that life was quite pleasant. As for this squalid place in Cambridge, he could afford to take care of itself.
He suddenly remembered the trade agreement that Vig had proposed.
This request was not uncommon. Ivar, Leonard, Ulf and almost all the nobles came to him to buy warhorses - from a dozen to hundreds.
The demand for warhorses in Britain was huge, and with the huge profits, even if Gunnar did not sell, there were nobles willing to do so.
The problem was that he lacked supply!
"I cannot afford it alone. I need a worthy partner."
The next day he met with the Foreign Minister Lamberto. They dismissed their retinue and walked along the banks of the Seine, talking.
He chose Lamberto not only because of his extensive connections, but also because he was bold enough to take risks.
That same year, Charles the Bald sent reinforcements to Wessex. Seeing the strength of the knights' charge, Aethelwulf offered to buy horses, and Lamberto readily agreed. He made a good profit from this, but his secret was inadvertently revealed by his mistress, forcing him to return the stolen money in exchange for forgiveness.
Now, faced with the offer to buy warhorses again, Lamberto hesitated, but eventually agreed.
"Your Excellency, you will be responsible for selling the horses to Britain and collecting their silver and goods. As a reminder,
I recommend limiting your collection to the following types of goods."
Lamberto carefully listed several: iron ingots, tin, furs, amber, and pickled fish. These goods came from Britain or Northern Europe and were suitable for sale in the West Frankish kingdom.
Gunnar added: "We can also sell wine. From now on, I will handle the British business, and you will handle the West Francia business. We will split the profits equally, and together we will prosper."
After some deliberation, Gunnar chose three main trading partners: Vig, Ivar, and Ulf.
Vig and Ivar were embroiled in war, which created a huge demand for warhorses. Their holdings in Northern Ireland and Ireland provided enough income to buy horses.
Kent, Ulf's domain in southeastern Britain, across the sea from Calais, was simply given to him for small and medium-sized orders.
As for Aethelwulf and Siowulf, the two dukes were wealthy, but their awkward position prevented them from making large purchases of warhorses without arousing Ragnar's suspicions. Zenar therefore classified them as "potential trading partners" with the possibility of further cooperation in the future.
Finally, Ragnar, the High King of Britain, was considered one of the main clients. However, since Gunnar had defected to the West Frankish Kingdom, he did not know how to approach this old friend and former superior, and so he was forced to postpone the matter for the time being.
The men were silent for a while, then Lamberto spoke again: "What is a reasonable price for warhorses?"
"A little lower, three pounds of silver per horse, to prevent orders from being stolen by Brittany, Rouen, Amiens, Flanders and the like."
Looking out over the bustling market on the north bank of the Seine, Gunnar's mind raced. He had originally planned to offer four pounds of silver, but with so many competitors, he had to lower his profit margin a little in exchange for a larger market share.
When it was all settled, Lamberto sighed: "Money is a problem. If His Majesty starts an investigation, I'm afraid I'll have to give a portion of the profits to the royal family."
It doesn't matter. The main thing is that I earn money, and that's the main thing."
After living for over thirty years, Gunnar now believed exclusively in his own strength. Charles the Bald was indeed kind to him,
but this could not dispel a deep uneasiness. Wherever he was, a voice whispered to him, urging him to gather his strength to face the various threats that could await him.
"That's all. Tomorrow I will return to Caen and write to Vig, Ivar and Ulf asking them to prepare the payment in advance."
Early October, Londinium.
Vig led the convoy through the northern gate. The soldiers guarding the city gate did not dare to insult the duke, so they quickly checked the cargo and announced that they were allowed to pass.
When they arrived at the royal palace, it was particularly deserted. He asked the palace guard on his right:
"Where is His Majesty?"
"At the southern dock of the city. Last month the royal shipyard built a new cargo ship, and the shipbuilders sent her to northern Europe for trials. This morning the ship returned to the Thames Estuary, and His Majesty led the people in welcoming her and celebrating the return of the Gothenburg from her maiden voyage."
Arriving at the dock, Vig found it full of people. Having confirmed his identity, he headed for the pier where the royal family was.
"Your Majesty, this is this year's tribute."
Ragnar took the list and noticed that it only contained three items: woolen cloth, tin ingots, and iron ingots. He handed one to Pascal, who stood behind him, and said slowly:
"I hear the war in the north is going well. The main enemy forces were routed in just a few months. It's a shame you're in the same predicament as Ivar. Despite your victory, you've achieved nothing, and you're borrowing money from everyone in the world."
Vig: "Not bad. Just wait two years. When your financial situation improves, I'll pay you back first."
Noticing his vassal's stubbornness, Ragnar was speechless and turned his attention to the cargo ship in the middle of the Thames.
"The Gothenburg was demonstrating its maneuverability. It was larger than a typical Viking longship, about twenty-five meters long and six meters wide. Its hull was made of oak planks, glued together like shingles.
The seams were filled with tar and felt to keep seawater from seeping into the cabin.
In the center of the deck stood a mast about ten meters high. Its large sail area allowed it to withstand greater winds and increase its speed downwind.
Soon the Gothenburg moored, and Vig stepped onto the wooden planks to inspect the ship. The ship's cargo hold was divided into two levels, with an added square gondola capable of carrying about a hundred tons.
"The shape of this cog is similar to the ships of the Age of Discovery. In other words, the cog evolved over the centuries, from a single mast to a three-masted ship, eventually leading to a three-masted ship suitable for maritime trade."
Stroking the oak hull, Vig examined the twelve square oarholes on either side. When sailing against the wind, twenty-four rowers were needed to row the oak oars.
By contrast, Viking cargo ships also required twenty or thirty rowers, but could only carry a little over ten tons. Fresh water and food took up cargo space, increasing the cost of the voyage.
As he envisioned it, the cog, with its greater cargo capacity, greater resistance to wind and waves, and the greater power provided by the wide sails,
would quickly become popular in Western and Northern Europe, eliminating the need for many rowers.
With this in mind, Wig asked the shipbuilder the cost of the cog.
The shipbuilder replied, "Fifty pounds of silver. The larger the ship, the higher the cost, perhaps exceeding one hundred pounds."