When the news spread that the Pope was going to convene a council of cardinals, Ashulk was visiting the magnates of the city of Rome.

The Romans were very ambivalent about this sudden appearance of the Oriental aristocracy.

People are fascinated by his exquisite life and extravagant pomp, and they are faintly afraid of the frightening things behind this pomp and luxury.

So whenever someone sees a servant dressed in a strange embroidered pattern on his shoulders appear at someone's door and respectfully offer a precious name tag with the master's name written on it, people are jealous and gloating at the same time.

I was jealous that this person was able to get the attention of this great man in the East and visit him personally, gloating that no one knew whether it was a good thing or a bad thing to be targeted by this tyrant's messenger.

Ashulk has not visited many homes so far, but almost all of them have been prominent figures, and it is noted that, with the exception of Alexander VI, he did not visit the cardinals of the Vatican, but instead visited the old Rovere, who no longer has any status.

Since relinquishing the position of Archbishop of Genoa to his brother, the elder Rovere has suddenly become more leisurely, at least to outsiders, the former archbishop seems to have lost interest in fighting for the cardinal throne, and in addition to participating in the various prayers prescribed by the Holy See, the old Rovere even disappeared from people's sight for a time.

However, Ashulk's visit to the elder Rovere reminded people of the "emperor" of Genoa, and at the same time, people also became interested in the unusually low-key life of the elder Rovere during this time.

So when the news spread about the Pope's upcoming Council of Cardinals, attention was focused on the former Archbishop of Genoa.

Giuliano della Rovere himself heard the news of the Council of Cardinals and was in his Roman villa watching his daughter wrinkle brown eyebrows and grumble at the pile of ledgers in front of him.

"Father, I don't think it's right, or should I say we've been tricked," Barenti said with certainty as she flipped through a few more ledgers, her faint eyebrows picked at each other with anger, making old Rovere want to laugh when she saw it, "We all know there must be something wrong with this account, Alexander said he would allow our Chamber of Commerce to receive special treatment in more ports in Naples, but now I feel that he is more like he is constantly encroaching on our family's territory in these ports." ”

"Oh, you actually said that about your fiancé, tell me what you found?" Old Rowwere said with interest: "As far as I know, your fiancé seems to be surprisingly active in Romagna, in fact, even I didn't expect him to be on the battlefield, but now listen to you, does he still have any special achievements in business?" ”

Listening to her father's lack of praise or ulterior attention to Alexander, the look on Barondi's face paused, and she seemed to suddenly not know what to say, and after a while she continued as if she had come to her senses: "I think he is also taking the opportunity to get into our business while agreeing to our chamber of commerce to exempt us from all kinds of taxes in those cities, you know that we can get cheaper wool from the north than other places, and because of this, the wool business is one of the greatest sources of wealth for our chamber of commerce. From these accounts, it seems that some very strange little chambers of commerce are now in the wool business, and I can sense this in the movement of the price of wool in the Genoese market, although it may seem small, but it has been in the last few months, and this time after we signed the agreement with Alexander on the trade zone of his own. ”

Barendi let out an imperceptible snort in her nose when she said this, her originally fair face was slightly red, and her nose trembled because of the anger that was lightly incited a few times, which made old Luo Weilei suddenly feel that her daughter looked much cuter than before.

"Are you saying your fiancé is digging into the corner of our Rovere house?"

Old Rovere muttered, and he stood up and walked over to the table to look down at the large pile of ledgers of all kinds on the table, and then stroked his forehead and looked to the side.

Old Luo Weilei sometimes feels a little strange, I don't know how Barendi can be so fascinated by these account books that make people's heads rise when they look at them, speaking of which, although Luo Weilei's family has produced a lot of talents, but for numbers, this family is no different from other aristocratic families, they can hide and hide, and even a little afraid.

"I don't know what he is," Barondi paused and thought about it, she could probably guess what Alexander was doing, and his chambers of commerce were known for the so-called ' signed with Genoa. The 'free trade' agreement made it possible to bring in more goods from other places at lower prices, and the merchants to sell them at the same much lower prices than the merchants from other places, and at the same time that the same business was more profitable than before, the Alexandrians began to buy wool from the north, according to the agreement between the two parties, using the warehouses which they had at their disposal free of charge in the port of Genoa.

Because according to the agreement, the merchants could not charge high fees as long as the goods on their merchant ships did not enter the Genoese market, so the merchants took advantage of this loophole to lease a large number of empty houses in the port, and they hoarded the wool they bought from the market in these empty houses, and then simply had some of the workers recruited by the ships pickle, steam, dry and highlight in those houses.

The wool is then put back into the market.

And precisely because the wool was processed in the agreed free trade zone and did not leave the port, the Genoese could not charge high tariffs under the agreement.

"I should have thought he would do that, he made me feel a little stupid."

Barondi said angrily that she felt as if she had been teased, but in her heart she could not help but admit that Alexander's method was not only good, but even made her feel as if she had seen a new way of trading that she had never seen before.

Just thinking about the fact that the merchants who were said to be from Cosenza were becoming more and more dissatisfied, and even renting a house was a little unable to satisfy their appetite, according to the news from the Chamber of Commerce, those merchants actually offered to build their own houses, and Barendi became a little annoyed.

"I have been the most greedy brother and sister I have ever met," said Barondy to her father, "and I even thought that she was even more greedy than Alexander, and you know, father, I have heard that she brought with her a large number of merchants, who were camping everywhere as soon as they arrived in Rome, and I have every reason to believe that Alexander was deceived by her." ”

"She's your sister-in-law," old Rovere shook his head a little helplessly, "My daughter, you should know that compared to Florin, the Pope's throne is the real wealth for our Rovere family, so if you can see the benefits that your fiancé brings to our family, you won't be dissatisfied with the little money he earned on us." ”

"But ......"

Barendi also wanted to tell her father that it wasn't "a little money," but a strange and new way of doing business that no one had tried today, and that one day when people actually noticed, maybe they were dealing with a behemoth they had never seen before.

But old Rowwere obviously didn't want to talk about these things anymore, he waved his hand lightly to signal his daughter not to say anything about the brother and sister again, and then he lowered his voice and asked, "Tell Barendi that if I have a large amount of expenses now, can you help me get this money immediately." ”

"A lot of money?" Barondi's mind wandered for a moment, she could probably think of what her father said the money was going to do, but thinking that it was indeed a lot of money, Barendi had a slight headache, but she still nodded, "I can help you prepare such a sum of money, and if we need to, we can also take out the grange, vineyard and even the castle." ”

Barentia's eyes flickered as she spoke of the castle, for she couldn't help but think of Montina.

"Barondi, your brothers and sisters are always jealous of you and think that I am partial to you, but they don't understand at all that I am not partial, but proud of you." Old Rovere stretched out his hand and hugged his daughter, "The only pity is that you are a girl, otherwise you would have made Giovanni Borgia and Caesar Borgia feel ashamed." ”

Barondi smiled silently, she knew that her father's words had vaguely revealed her dissatisfaction with Konstantin, but thinking about Konstantin's almost crazy infatuation with her sister-in-law now, Barendi felt that it was best that Konstantin had no good feelings at all.

Otherwise, if she really becomes his sister-in-law, maybe Konstantin will completely become a poor worm who is played by his wife.

The reason why the elder Rovere couldn't wait to spend a lot of money was because of the upcoming Council of Cardinals.

Alexander VI suddenly announced the convening of a Council of Cardinals at this time, most likely to announce the results of the election of a new cardinal.

Old Rovere never underestimated this opponent, and just when others thought that the Pope might choose to compromise and retreat under the strong pressure of the Ottoman Sultan, Old Rovere vaguely smelled something different.

And Ashulk's visit made old Roviere's premonition even stronger.

Ashulk's tactful expression of the Sultan's goodwill also made the elder Rovere realize that even the Ottomans in the far east knew that Alexander VI was not easy to deal with.

Now it seems that perhaps for Alexander VI, the sudden threat from the East may not have been a good opportunity for him to take advantage of.

Old Rovere's guess was accurate, or that it was always his enemy who really knew a person.

Just when everyone was in a kind of over-excitement and confusion because of Ashulk's arrival, Alexander VI convened a council of cardinals in the famous ashram of the Sistine Chapel.

Although the cardinals usually meet and discuss religious affairs, the Council of Cardinals, officially announced by the Pope, is much more formal and solemn than the usual meetings.

And it is not often for a pope to announce such councils, and even some short-lived popes have not been able to convene such councils several times in their lifetimes.

Surprisingly, at the Council of Cardinals, Alexander VI not only appeared as a staunch guardian of Christendom, but also showed a rare toughness to the Ottoman Sultan's conditions.

"Keeping the Lamb is not an honor given to us by God, but a mission and a duty," Alexander VI said to the cardinals at the conference, "St. Peter, after three apostasies, finally understood that sacrifice was the last test he had to accept, so he did not run away from the tyrant but chose to face it, and now we can accept God's inspiration here from this sacrifice." ”

Alexander VI's words stunned the cardinals, who guessed that Alexander VI would not compromise because he would then be the target of public criticism, but such a tough attitude was not expected.

"If it takes sacrifice to protect all this, I am willing to be a martyr like St. Peter and John I, so we must not accept any conditions of the pagans," Alexander VI rose from his throne, walked down the steps to the center of the room with his back slightly hunched, his gaze slowly sweeping over the faces of every cardinal in front of him, "I have decided to stop the war with the Venetians, and at such times any dispute between Christians would be shameful and even sinful, For this I can endure any harsh demands of the Venetians, and I can even promise them to renounce their rights to Romagna if they are able to fulfill their duty as believers. ”

Alexander VI's words caused a stir in the cardinals, who looked at each other unexpectedly, and some of them could not help but whisper in front of the Pope.

"I beg your pardon, Your Majesty, I have great respect for your devotion to the faith, but I have to remind you that the Vatican has a right to Romagna since ancient times, and this is beyond doubt and cannot be denied," said one of the cardinals, standing up with a little emotion, "so that although your decision is motivated by a high duty to the whole of Christendom, we cannot agree with your decision as a result." ”

The cardinal's words were immediately echoed by several people, who, having paid enough respect to the Pope's noble sentiments, immediately expressed their disagreement with Alexander VI's decision.

They cautiously but firmly reminded the Pope that Romagna did not belong to a particular person or family, but to the sphere of influence and wealth of the Holy See, which did not allow anyone to renounce these rights for reasons that were still somewhat "distant".

Apparently in the cardinals' view, God is far away and Romagna is near.

Alexander VI expressed his great indignation at this apparently ungodly attitude of the cardinals, but after some heated arguments, Alexander VI decided to take back some of his previous words at the advice of the majority.

"But even then we must stop the war with the Venetians," Alexander VI looked around, "and we must be prepared for a possible great war with the pagans, for which I have decided to send a plea for help to all the sovereigns of Christendom, and after almost 1,500 years, it is time for us to respond with gratitude for Jesus Christ sacrificing Himself to save the world." ”

Alexander VI's words surprised all the cardinals, who looked in amazement at the pope in front of him, who was known for his greed, debauchery, and cruelty, and some of them almost fainted from being so excited.

Everyone had only one thought at this time: the person in front of him had gone crazy, did he still want to start a holy war?