After receiving clarification from Poleye, Rostislav thanked his uncle, whose advice greatly relieved his mood.
However, the Moscow Prince did not stay in Smolensk for too long; his goal here was already accomplished, so it was time to depart.
At the same time, many people from the large entourage that had accompanied the Prince here bid farewell to Rostislav. Smolensk was a hub for various destinations, and not everyone needed to follow the Prince south to Kiev, so Rostislav's retinue was directly halved.
This made Rostislav feel a sense of relief; having such a large retinue cut in half significantly reduced his pressure.
Although this large group merely followed Rostislav on their own accord, how could the Moscow Prince not manage them? His reputation was at stake.
However, the Prince could not relax too much; there was still half the group remaining, which was still thousands of people. Kiev was, after all, the core of Rus' trade, so naturally, many people were heading there.
Next, the Prince's retinue traveled south along the Dnieper River, and the scenery along the Dnieper River was clearly much more civilized than in the North.
Although they still encountered many wild areas, the retinue frequently passed through towns and villages, much more often than in the North.
They were all prosperous, and the influence of Christian was visible everywhere.
This was the impact of the Dnieper River trade route: the great river transported furs and beeswax, while bringing back civilized goods, promoting local prosperity and development, and also bringing immense wealth to the nobles, which allowed them to look down on the North.
This was precisely why the various cities throughout the Rus' river system united. People united for commerce, and the Rurik Dynasty became the undisputed leader of this land because they could lead everyone to acquire wealth.
As the retinue advanced, the great Mother of All Cities appeared before everyone's eyes, and the Prince's retinue finally disbanded. Those who had traveled together also said their goodbyes here, then went their separate ways.
At the same time, they harbored gratitude for Rostislav in their hearts; if not for following the Prince's retinue, many would certainly not have been able to arrive here so easily.
Rostislav then looked at the great city; everything here was still so bustling and prosperous.
The wooden streets were crowded with citizens busy with their livelihoods, and porters at the docks were, under the direction of merchants, loading bags marked with the Rurik insignia onto ships. These bags contained various Rus' products; the Imperial Capital's demand for these goods had always been very strong, and it was these goods that brought wealth to the Rus' nobles.
The city hadn't changed, but Rostislav had. Back then, he was a newly enfeoffed Prince leading a large number of immigrants to settle in a distant land, but now he returned to this city with a large entourage, bringing stories of success and glory.
"Ah, Kiev, you are still so beautiful."
Rostislav couldn't help but exclaim as he looked at the city. Although Kiev was not a perfect city in his heart, seeing such a prosperous scene, he would subconsciously sigh.
He somewhat understood why the Princes of Kievan Rus' all longed for Kiev; this Mother of All Cities of Rus' was indeed the essence of All Rus'—in every sense of the word.
But just as Rostislav thought, this city was not perfect because it was too close to the steppe. If steppe cavalry were to launch a full assault, they could reach the city walls in just one day.
Kiev had already been besieged by nomadic armies several times, and in the future, these experiences would become more frequent.
As Rostislav's retinue walked through the suburbs of Kiev, many outsiders discussed which Prince's retinue this was, as there were so many warriors with armored men and horses, and the young warrior in golden armor leading them was even more imposing.
Then they were reminded by the Kiev citizens nearby that this was Rostislav, the one praised by poets, the contemporary hero who fought four thousand against ten thousand, and the eldest grandson of Grand Prince Yaroslav.
Rostislav's performance in the series of wars seven years ago and his wife's rescue efforts during the Kiev riot ensured that his reputation had always circulated in this city—a good reputation, of course.
The Kiev citizens had always liked the Moscow Prince. After his martial renown spread to Kiev, they even became the main force for further dissemination. If not for the Kiev people's spreading, Rostislav's reputation could not have spread beyond Rus' so quickly.
What surprised the Kiev people even more was that many people who had left Kiev seven years ago had actually returned with the Moscow Prince, and they were dressed respectably, clearly having made their fortunes in Northeast Rus'.
These former fellow villagers also walked among the people with smiles on their faces, boasting to their old friends about their success stories in Northeast Rus', while their old friends had thought those people were still stuck in Northeast Rus'.
And these messages spread fastest among the citizens. Before Rostislav reached the Kiev city walls, news about Rostislav's return to Kiev and the success of immigrants who went to Northeast Rus' had already spread throughout the city.
The Prince naturally entered the city through Kiev's Golden Gate, and his uncles, accompanied by their personal guards, were waiting there. The sight of their strong armored forces almost scared some bewildered citizens, who thought that perhaps some nomadic tribe was approaching Kiev again and the Grand Duke was about to lead his brothers to meet the enemy.
The three uncles had not changed much compared to seven years ago when they parted. They were all wearing noble robes now, and their appearances were largely the same, but the aura of nobility on them was increasingly evident, as years of being Princes had greatly enhanced their demeanor.
The eldest uncle, the Kiev Grand Duke, stood before his two brothers. He looked at Rostislav's heroic and magnificent appearance and felt relieved.
This was the sight Izyaslav most wanted to see; this child had become a strong warrior. He believed his eldest brother (the protagonist's father) would also be very happy to know.
The second uncle's mood was quite complex. If he hadn't done those things, this powerful nephew might have become his helper, but now...
However, Sviatoslav merely sighed slightly. This Prince, more than others, believed in his own abilities. He had read countless such examples; relying on others was unreliable, only by relying on oneself could one reach the peak.
As for the third uncle, he was simply happy to see his nephew. Vsevolod had always liked this nephew who shared common interests with him and very much wanted to talk to him about Greek literature.
"Rostislav, you've done very well, my boy. You've set a good example for your nephews. If all our children could have your ability, then the prosperity of our Rurik Dynasty would be right before our eyes."
Izyaslav patted Rostislav's shoulder forcefully, his words full of hope for the family's future.
"I merely did what I should, Grand Duke."
"Don't call me Grand Duke, we are all family."
"Yes, uncle."
Rostislav behaved very humbly, which made his uncle like him even more. To achieve so much at such a young age and not be arrogant because of it, it was clear he had a great future. It was truly wonderful that the family's third generation could be so outstanding.
Then the Moscow Prince waved his hand, and his subordinates presented the distant gifts Rostislav had prepared.
The Moscow Prince gave his uncle a scimitar from Bulgar. It was Akad's saber. This current Bulgar Khan had left this sword on the battlefield after being defeated in the Battle of Kashin, where it was collected by Rostislav. Now, he gave this item to his uncle.
The scimitar was inlaid with various jewels, and the blade itself was even more precious, made of Damascus steel.
His uncle was naturally very happy about this. Although Izyaslav was not skilled in warfare, he had a great fondness for weaponry. A weapon made of Damascus steel was enough to become the most precious item in his collection.
As for what was given to the second uncle, it was a scale armor covered in jewels, gold, silver, and patterns. This was also Akad's armor, his ceremonial armor, which was worth thousands of gold coins directly.
Moreover, Rostislav thoughtfully changed the pagan symbols on the armor to crosses, which was more to his second uncle's liking.
For the third uncle, there was a set of Greek documents, which Rostislav had acquired at great expense, through who knows how many intermediaries and how much time, from Greece.
This uncle enjoyed studying Greek literature, so these items were entirely to his liking.
The Prince's gifts were all tailored to his uncles' interests, which naturally made them extremely satisfied. After some pleasantries and courtesies, Rostislav and his uncles walked towards Vladimir Palace, where his uncles had prepared an incredibly grand banquet to welcome their nephew.