Back at his residence, Rostislav opened Poleye's letter.
In the letter, Poleye first extended his sincere greetings to his Prince, then immediately shifted the topic to the situation in Rostov, for which he first elaborated on Rostov's history.
Rostov was the largest city of the Rus' people in Northeast Rus', and the reason for its development was the same as why the Rus' people came to this place: they were attracted by the trade on the Volga River.
Thanks to the Volga River trade, Rostov became the first city in Northeast Rus', but beneath this title of 'first city' still lay a considerable shadow.
Rostov originally belonged to the local Merya (a branch of the Finn), but their city had been destroyed when the Rus' people built their city, and the current Rostov was a new city built from the ruins.
Although it was a new city, there was still a considerable number of Merya living in it; they resided in the ruins of the Old City, corresponding to the new city of Rostov.
The Merya were a highly Slavicized ethnic group, having fully absorbed Rus' culture through long-term interaction with the Rus' people; before the Rus' converted, they had even believed in the East Slavic gods brought by the Rus' people.
And this was precisely the problem the city currently faced: after converting to the Christian faith, the Merya of the Old City still maintained their former beliefs, standing in direct opposition to Rostov.
The Merya in Rostov were a group of considerable strength; the entire Old City was controlled by them, enough to rival the new city, and the new city was not entirely Christian either; the influence of the old gods was still immense, and the new city could only suppress the Old City by relying on the ancient privileges from "Saint" Vladimir.
For the rulers of Rostov, they least wished to see internal strife in the city; to them, the city was theirs, and no one wanted their possessions to be destroyed, but they also would not make any concessions on faith.
After all, if they wanted to continue operating within the large family of Rus', they had to maintain the Christian faith, and Rostov itself already had a firm Christian community.
It was for this reason that Rostov continuously invited Rostislav to their city, hoping that this Prince from Kiev could solve their problems, while also shifting the burden onto him.
After Poleye arrived with a large military force, the opposing sides in the city both tried to win him over, and Poleye, having managed Kiev's affairs for decades, naturally played both sides, sometimes favoring one, sometimes the other, maintaining a balance.
In the letter, Poleye stated that he had basically gained control of the situation in Rostov; both sides were submissive to his power under his balancing act; the situation in Rostov was now very good, not just good, but the bomb still existed; he had only delayed its explosion, not resolved it.
Finally, Poleye asked Rostislav to tour the cities of Northeast Rus'; he had been in Northeast Rus' for nearly two months and had not yet toured the cities; rulers needed to frequently display their authority before their subjects to establish their rule.
"Touring Northeast Rus', Zoe, what do you think?"
Putting down Poleye's letter, Rostislav looked at his wife, who was leaning her face on the table, silently watching her husband.
"I think that's what should be done," Zoe replied directly, "This land is still very unfamiliar with your presence; let alone the wilderness, even the city residents haven't really seen your face."
"Yes... indeed, I need to prepare."
Rostislav said, stroking his chin, which now bore a neat beard.
Although rough and still with many internal projects, Moscow's most important defensive construction had been completed, and there was no existing threat to the city in Northeast Rus' now, so he indeed should tour his territory.
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For this journey, Rostislav dispatched two hundred personal guards and one hundred retainers, while the servants and ordinary soldiers serving them numbered five hundred.
When such a contingent, raising the banners of the Rurik Trident and saint george slaying the dragon, marched on the dirt roads (more accurately, animal trails) of Northeast Rus', their might attracted many forest farmers and tribesmen to come and witness this sun-glinting, armored army.
Such a magnificent display had not been seen in Northeast Rus' for a very long time; records of a Prince's expedition only existed in the memories of some elders, who had seen "Saint" Vladimir's expedition against Volga Bulgaria; the younger generation simply did not believe the stories they told of such powerful armored forces, but now the young people realized that the elders were not talking nonsense.
Rostislav and Zoe rode at the head of the procession; both wore their most luxurious clothes; Rostislav's coat, so complex in weave and precious in material, was enough for anyone to recognize him as a truly noble person, while Zoe's pure white polar bear fur coat, paired with her pretty face, exuded an elegant demeanor.
Most people were seeing such a powerful person for the first time; even the lords of Rostov did not possess such an aura; an elegant Prince guarded by countless armored warriors—this imposing presence made everyone turn their heads.
Along the way, Rostislav visited the villages he passed, purchasing supplies while also displaying his authority to the people; the villagers, in turn, offered tributes according to custom.
Some Rus' villages, following custom, approached Rostislav to ask him to adjudicate their disputes, which was also one of a lord's duties: handling civil and criminal disputes in his territory.
Rostislav, of course, gladly agreed; this was precisely the path to displaying power; although dealing with water disputes and brawls seemed beneath him, authority was reflected in these small matters, and since he had not yet established authority here, he needed to do so even more.
As for the towns, they were even more important objects of the tour: Suzdal, Yaroslavl, Vladimir... Rostislav visited these towns of Northeast Rus' one after another.
Every town welcomed Rostislav's arrival with great enthusiasm; having a Prince whose martial renown spread throughout Rus' was a great thing, and he was also Vladimir's son; the eldest son and grandson inherently held special significance in the land of Rus'.
The welcome from the cities and the generous gifts offered made Rostislav breathe a sigh of relief; he had always been very concerned about the towns' attitudes, which was also why he was always reluctant to actively engage with them.
And now he was certain; without a doubt, they would become the cornerstone of his rule.
Rostislav's last stop was the religious twin cities, Rostov; this place was undeniably the center of Northeast Rus' and a place he had to visit.
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