With Grand Prince Yaroslav's coffin laid to rest, the funeral came to an end.
The Metropolitan offered a final prayer for the Great Duke Rostislav's soul before everyone, giving his sincere blessings and declaring the funeral's conclusion. The clergy sang hymns again, signaling the end of everything.
The people of Kiev offered their final prayers for their Grand Duke and then dispersed. Life had to go on, and their attendance was the greatest affirmation for this ruler.
Those who remained were the nobles and respectable citizens of Kiev, as well as the descendants of Rurik, and Grand Prince Yaroslav's Bodyguard Unit.
The Rurik descendants present felt much less sorrow, replaced by solemnity and anticipation, for they knew the moment to divide the Rus' land was imminent.
However, Rostislav felt a different emotion. Grand Prince Yaroslav had died a full year earlier than in history. History had already deviated somewhat from its original trajectory, and this was a change in the history he knew…
"Finally, we will read Grand Prince Yaroslav's will, his admonitions to his descendants, and… the distribution of the Rus' land."
The Metropolitan's words made everyone present hold their breath. Everyone was eagerly awaiting this moment: the division of Rus'.
Grand Prince Yaroslav's descendants were the most excited; this was the moment they had long awaited.
Under everyone's gaze, Metropolitan Hilarion stepped back, and behind him appeared a figure in armor. Everyone present recognized that person: he was the Kiev Grand Duke's Captain of the Guard—Jika.
No one was surprised that he would read the will. Jika had followed the Grand Duke since the day he raised an army in Novgorod. He was Grand Prince Yaroslav's most trusted person, so it was only natural for him to read the will now.
Under everyone's gaze, the Captain of the Guard took a letter from a tray held by a servant behind him and displayed it to the crowd. It bore the seal of the Rurik Trident.
"What I am about to read is Grand Prince Yaroslav's will."
As the Captain of the Guard spoke, he tore open the seal of the will, unfurled the parchment inside, and began to read:
"My children! I am about to leave this world. You must live in harmony, for you are brothers. If you live in harmony with each other, God will be with you and help you conquer your enemies, so that you may live in peace; if you hate each other, quarrel, and engage in internal strife, you will destroy yourselves and also destroy the land left by your ancestors, which they obtained with great effort. Therefore, you must live in peace and respect each other as brothers.
Now I entrust my Kiev throne to my eldest son, your brother Izyaslav. You must listen to him as you would listen to me, and let him succeed me. I give Chernigov to Sviatoslav, Pereyaslavl to Vsevolod, and Rostov to my grandson Rostislav. May God look upon your rule, and may you treat your subjects with kindness. Amen."
After reading the Grand Duke's will, Jika bowed to the noblemen present and then withdrew. His role was complete, and the story would now be handed over to the Grand Duke's descendants.
With this will, after this moment, four independent Princes appeared on the Rus' land. The current Rus' land was divided into five (including the Polotsk Principality), and five Princes would stand here.
Everyone was surprised but not unexpected by the Grand Duke's arrangements. It was only right for the eldest uncle to assume the Kiev throne, and the second and third uncles had already managed Chernigov and Pei City for a long time, so it was also logical to enfeoff them there.
As for Rostislav going to Rostov, everyone was initially stunned, but then quickly understood. It was unexpected but reasonable. After all, Novgorod could not be given to him; it had to remain in the hands of the Kiev Grand Duke. So, the places he could go were either Southwest Rus or Northeast Rus—this was something everyone already knew.
Many people sighed about Rostislav, saying that sending such a child to Northeast Rus' was truly a waste of his achievements, and that land was so desolate, could he really stay there?
Rostislav was in a daze. Northeast Rus', it was actually that place, Northeast Rus'.
The so-called Northeast Rus', in the era before Rostislav's transmigration, was the center of Russia, the location of Moscow. But in this era, it was an incredibly wild region, with river bends and woodlands densely spread throughout, and tribes and free peasants living scattered.
Moreover, there were no direct roads to Northeast Rus'. Northeast Rus' was called Behind-the-Forest Land precisely because it was located behind that huge dense forest. To go to Northeast Rus', one had to first go north to S City and then proceed to that land.
Only a few Rus' towns on this land represented civilization and progress, and Rostov was the most prosperous among them. In those days, the Rus' people came to this land for the prosperous Volga trade, and this was the first city they built. Now, it has become the largest Rus' city in Northeast Rus'.
After a while, Rostislav recovered from his trance and began to weigh the pros and cons. In fact, he was not at all surprised about going to Northeast Rus', and was even a little happy.
Knowing history, he was well aware that the wealthy lands would be given to his uncles, and his actual choices were only two: Northeast Rus' and Southwest Rus.
We have already talked about Northeast Rus'. As for Southwest Rus, this is a vast territory centered on Galicia and Volhynia. These two places are actually not very different. Although Northeast Rus' is wild, it is at least deep inland and protected by vast forests, free from the incursions of Nomads.
While Southwest Rus' had better agricultural conditions in the south, it was close to Poland and Hungary. Historically, these two countries had always coveted Southwest Rus', and later launched major invasions.
For Rostislav, facing two feudal kingdoms was too difficult, and this land was also full of various unruly tribes.
It can be said that Southwest Rus' was actually more dangerous, and Northeast Rus' was even safer. The biggest threat was Volga Bulgaria, but Volga Bulgaria had not been at war with Rus' for over a hundred years.
However, developing this land would require a lot of resources.
Rostislav thought this, and at the same time, he secretly made up his mind that his rumor plan had to be implemented quickly. He had to use rumors to recruit enough people.