Half a year has passed in the blink of an eye.

In the past six months, there have been repeated frictions between various countries, but the fighting has been superficial, and a discerning person can see at a glance that some powerful countries are a little unwilling to be lonely. After this round of temptation, I am afraid that the whole Mediterranean will be full of smoke.

At this point, it is no longer that any nobleman can be fine if he wants to protect himself, at least the territory or resources in the hands of many nobles will become the target of others. Even if it is for self-preservation, you must rise up and join this war game.

During this half year, the Adriatic Sea seemed to be extremely calm, and ordinary merchants found that there were few incidents of piracy and plunder on the turquoise sea, and occasionally some pirates with powerful weapons broke into the Adriatic Sea, and disappeared within a day. Rumor has it that it was some fleet flying the flag of special symbols that exterminated the pirates and protected the saint of the Adriatic

People. No one could read the symbol on the flag, but the corners of Alger Gallo's mouth turned up when he heard the news.

Therefore, the current Republic of Venice does not have to worry about the hidden danger of pirates in its own waters, so that it can concentrate its forces on the fierce eye of France. Under the council, all the nobles, led by the Duke of Gallo, seized the time to train the soldiers while pondering the strategy of dealing with the enemy. Since there were no pirate attacks, the war had not yet broken out, and the people were at peace

Living and working, there is a faction of singing and dancing in major cities.

Venice, the residence of the Dukes of Guello.

Duke Gallo frowned, listening to the reports of his current driving one by one, the duke, who was originally in his fifties, looked like an eighty-year-old man at this time, his whole body was as thin as wood, and his shape was like a withered tree.

Behind him, Alger Gallo, Massimo Gallo, and Anna Gallo, the three of them looked worriedly at the old man in front of them, expecting him to make a new decision.

After listening to the report of his subordinates, Duke Gallo sighed secretly, I don't know when it started, his body is getting worse day by day, if he hadn't fed himself some strange decoction every once in a while, I'm afraid he would have died a long time ago.

Duke Gallo said in a hoarse voice, "Alger, what is the current situation in the Adriatic?"

Alger said respectfully, "Father, everything is peaceful in the Adriatic Sea at the moment, and the pirates are almost gone. ”

Duke Gallo nodded with satisfaction and said, "Okay, you did a good job, it seems that handing over the fleet to you is a right choice." Moving slightly, Duke Gallo's brows stretched slightly, and he said to his subordinates: "Now, there is no threat from pirates for the time being, and all that remains is how to persuade the nobles of other countries to form an alliance with us to resist France."

Attack, I don't know what you guys think?"

Under Gallo, a kind of nobleman and knight bowed their heads and did not dare to speak, and everyone had predicted the current situation, France had already begun to move a few months ago, sending a number of soldiers into Naples, while France was in the rear, but prepared tens of thousands of soldiers. The nobility of Venice and the surrounding countries were terrified. So much so that later, it turned out

There were a few minor nobles who wanted to give up resistance.

A knight looked up at the Duke of Guello and asked tentatively: "Lord Duke, why don't we send an envoy to France to make peace with them, France's forces are too strong, and we have no chance." ”

The rest of the crowd nodded and said, "Yes, yes." ”

The Duke of Gallo seemed to use all his strength to exclaim angrily: "Foolish! Peace, if we can really make peace, why should we discuss countermeasures here." Don't you see that what they want is not our peace, but our pepper trade. Now that the sea routes have been opened, we have gradually lost the trade opportunities in the Mediterranean, and France has shown its fangs.

You're now asking me to make peace with them?"

After a pause, Duke Gallo asked again, "Is there any news from the Black Sea?"

A young nobleman stepped forward and said, "Lord Duke, there is no return. Saying this, a layer of worry appeared on his face. He sent several sailing ships to the Black Sea to search for Villanueva's traces, but now no one has returned, which shows how powerful Villanueva is.

Duke Gallo's face was even more worried: "Although the Adriatic Sea is now free of pirates, if Villanueva is not eliminated for a long time, we will not be at peace." He is a very cunning leader, hateful, I must destroy him before France fights, otherwise, once war breaks out, if he makes trouble in the rear, we will suffer from the enemy, and the danger of losing our country is imminent

”

Sighing softly, Gallo asked again, "How long has the last fleet been?"

The young nobleman said, "It's been ten days. ”

The Duke of Gallo sighed and said, "It's dead." After a pause, he said, "Continue to send the fleet over and continue to investigate for me." ”

Everyone was silent, they all knew that the duke had long hated Villanueva, judging from the duke's importance to Villanueva this time, they all knew that it was different from before, and the war would break out soon, and now, the duke's body seemed to have a big problem, could it be that there was a crisis in the Republic of Venice?

Duke Gallo saw everyone's colors and knew everyone's thoughts, and slowly calmed down his tone and said: "Everyone, cheer up, how many plagues, wars, and invasions we have experienced, we have survived all of these, and we will definitely be able to survive this time." ”

Duke Gallo waved his hand behind him, and Alger understood, pulling out a map and hanging it on the wall. The Duke of Gallo continued to point to the map and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, you see, the location of our country is here, and as long as we unite the principalities of Milan, the Pope, Holy Rome, and Spain, our forces will be enough to resist the attack of France. And we in Venice are at the most

In the rear, there are other countries around as a natural barrier, but there are no peace talks with these countries at present, if there is a war together, these countries will inevitably be in chaos, and when the time comes, they are thinking about forming an alliance, but it will be too late. ”

The Duke of Gallo turned to all the nobles and said categorically: "Therefore, no matter what the price is paid, it is necessary to send envoys in the shortest possible time to form an alliance with these countries, and at that time, the strength of all countries is expected to exceed 30,000, which is enough to deal with the attack of France." ”

The nobles looked at each other, and the duke's idea was good, but who would go?

Duke Gallo looked at these nobles and didn't speak, but he scolded in his heart: these guys are rushing to get there when they are angry and beneficial. Once there are some dangers or difficulties, they are like turtles with shrunken heads.

At present, the situation is tense, internal and external, and if the crisis caused by this Française cannot be resolved, then the Republic of Venice can almost be said to be dead. And once Venice dies, where will you nobles have a good life?

Now, although the war has not yet broken out, and the French army has not yet started, it is crucial to the survival of Venice.

A month had passed since the news was received, and a month had begun to suffer from the setback of Venetian trade in the Mediterranean, and many merchant fleets had been attacked frequently by privateers from other countries, who saw that Venice was already in crisis. But the Duke of Gallo could do nothing about it, and if it continued, it would be a great disadvantage to Venice.