Lady Olgala smiled lightly at a noblewoman opposite, her eyes narrowly brushing over the two men not far away.

Grogenin stood calmly in front of Alexander, even though he was not at all calm inside.

When he first met the young man in Naples, he felt like an oriental monarch looking down on him.

He was young, he looked ambitious, but he had no backer to rely on, and although he had a hot relative in Naples, he was seen by many as an illegitimate child with little future.

The bohemian girl was beautiful, and even though she couldn't speak, she had a wild beauty that fascinated Grogenen, and he even thought about keeping the girl with him.

But the Low Men clearly had greater ideals, and he saw the girl as a useful tool for him to make friends with larger people in the future, and when he found out about the relationship between the young man who had suddenly made a name for himself in Naples and the girl, Groganin did not hesitate to decide to fulfill them.

But even so, Gragenin always only regarded the young man in front of him as a pawn that might be useful in the future.

But now, the lowlander could not help but admit that he had indeed misseen before, that this young man was no longer a pawn that he felt was still useful, but a figure who not only surprised him, but was more or less in awe.

"Count, I have received an invitation from you through Lady Olgara." Grogenen supported his body with his cane, one of his shoulders leaning as hard as he could, and the cane, which was always inseparable from him, struck the stone floor from time to time, making a banging sound.

"Yes, I also remember that you once wanted to meet me through Lady Olgala, but I refused you at that time," seeing that Groganin was not annoyed by his words, Alexander admired the man's good temper a little, but he knew that the attitude of the Low Ground was so good, it should be entirely because he needed his help now, "I did not respond to you at that time, because the time was not right. ”

Hearing the meaning of Alexander's words, Grogenin showed a little interest on his face: "Count, do you mean that now is the time?" ”

Alexander nodded slightly, since he had decided to meet with this person, he had nothing to hide.

"I have a guest here who may be of interest to you, and I think you can meet and have a good conversation."

Alexander led Grogenin out of the hall, and as they walked through the short hallway into the small drawing-room, he heard Grogenin's cane on the floor.

"This is the venerable Imperial Minister, Kotschach of Harzburg, I think you must know," Alexander looked at the palace minister who stood in the hall arrogantly and looked at Grogenin, "and this one ......"

"Hubert van Groggening, a humble and ordinary businessman, is willing to serve your lordship." Gragenin bowed to Kotschach.

"Earl, you're just going to let me see this man?" Kotschach looked at Grogenin with blazing eyes, "Grogenin, I have heard of this surname, a very prominent merchant family in the lowlands, very rich but also very dangerous, and your family members have participated in riots against the emperor. ”

"My lord, it was only a protest and a plea," Grogenin said quietly, "We have elected a group of delegates to ask the Emperor to listen to our request, but His Majesty has rejected our petty request. ”

"So you laid siege to the Emperor, and even barricaded him in a small inn, until the Duke of Austria sent someone to rescue him," Kotschach interrupted Groganin, "you are a band of robbers and bandits, and if it were not for Rome, and this is not Marino's Palace, I would order you to be arrested at once." ”

Kotschach waved his hand to Alexander as he spoke: "Count, I think I have to leave, I can't tolerate myself being in the same room with such a person. ”

Gong Xiang said as he unceremoniously pushed away Grogenin in front of him and walked towards the door.

"Wait here."

Alexander whispered a word of advice, and walked quickly behind the palace minister to the door, leaving Grogenin standing motionless in the middle of the living room with his cane clutched.

Kotschach, who had walked out of the living room, did not go far, and when he heard the voice of Alexander following behind, he slowed down, and then turned to look at him.

"I don't know what you're going to do, Earl, but is it really necessary for a lowlander to get involved in our business, what do you think such a man can do to our plans," Kotschach waved his hand to stop Alexander, who was about to speak, and continued, "I know that those lowlanders are very shrewd, and some of them are good at business, especially since they have an influence in the Hanseatic League that makes many people jealous, but don't forget that they are just a group of merchants, and they start to oppose the emperor, But as soon as the emperor's son became their governor, they immediately obeyed like a flock. ”

Alexander listened to Kotschakh's words, and he noticed that when talking about the emperor's son, although he was well disguised, he still vaguely heard something strange.

Alexander knew that the emperor's son was the husband of Juana, the daughter of Queen Isabella of Castile, and the famous and beautiful Philip.

Emperor Maximian was unusually fertile compared to many monarchs of his day, and the Holy Roman Emperor from the Austrian court compiled a vast web of his sons and daughters, while distributing his children to their respective domains.

This is how the beautiful Philip was put on the throne of the Duke of Burgundy and the Netherlands by his father.

The Low Traders opposed Maximian, but welcomed Philip as ruler of the Netherlands, which was nothing new to the well-informed Romans.

Now looking at Kotschakh's slightly excited look, Alexander was a little curious as to why the palace minister reacted so much.

"Those Dutch are cunning counts, you have to watch out for them," said Kotschakh, who seemed to search for words, "can you imagine that they even tried to sow discord between the Emperor's father and son, but they did so, and they even instigated the Emperor's son to tamper with the Imperial decrees against the Netherlands, do you think such people could be our partners?" ”

Alexander was slightly stunned, but the palace minister's words vaguely reminded him of the news that he had heard that Philip had implemented some reforms in the Netherlands, although these news did not sound so reliable, but because this Philip was Queen Isabella's son-in-law, Alexander never forgot it.

Hearing Kotschach mention it now, he couldn't help but feel a little strange in his heart.

He knew that Kotschach had come to Naples to seek some help, or to find allies for their lowlands, but if they could all influence Philip, who was regent of the Netherlands, why waste their time.

But at this time, apparently there was no time for him to think too much, and he sent Kotschach to the door, and watched the carriage disappear into the distance, and Alexander had just turned around and saw Lady Olgara standing not far behind him.

"Madam, I may be about to disappoint you," Alexander walked over, and when he saw the obvious gloom in Lady Olgala's eyes, he shook his head slightly, "It seems that the palace is not completely fascinated by your charms, and you should be able to tell that he is very unpleasant. ”

"He's an arrogant idiot." Lady Olgala had a rare look of anger, but Alexander could not help but admit that even when he was angry, there was still an aura of seductiveness in this lady, which made him feel that it was a mistake to say that she was not attractive enough.

"Or maybe it's because he didn't have something that could change his mind," Alexander whispered, although he didn't know why Kotschach seemed a little too emotional, but he knew that the palace minister was obviously very tempted by his plan before, and even when he scolded Grogenin just now, he didn't throw that plan away, but took it away.

Perhaps, is it the lowland merchants involved in this, or something else?

Alexander didn't have time to think about it, he accompanied Lady Olgara back to the hall, and when he saw Grognin, who was still standing alone in the hall, Lady Olgara walked over and gently took Grogenin's arm and walked to the chair.

"I don't think I'm here at the right time," Gragenin smiled reluctantly at Alexander, "Beard, I should have been in a different capacity, perhaps better if it was a merchant of the Hanseatic League rather than a Dutchman." ”

"What the hell is going on," Alexander's face sank slightly, he felt that the good mood at the beginning of the day had ruined the successive groups of guests, although he needed the help of these people, but if these people liked to make trouble for him, then he would not be polite to them, "Tell me why you went to Naples in the first place, who you are looking for or what you need, you must know that no matter what you try, you must first let me know if it is worth it." ”

"Count, you're Sicilian, I mean Sicily."

Alexander nodded, he knew that these Grogenins should have known from Sophia.

"Then I wonder if you owe allegiance to your king, and I'm talking about Ferdinand of Aragon."

Alexander looked at Grogenin, he sensed that this answer seemed to be very important to Grogenin, and after thinking about it, Alexander said, "I am now the Count of Montina, I don't know if this answer will satisfy you." ”

Rootnen was stunned, he didn't seem to expect Alexander to say such a plausible, but if he thought about it carefully, he seemed to have answered his answer.

But despite this, Grognin felt that he had got the answer he needed.

"Earl, the fact that the palace is understandably hostile to me, or to the Dutch."

Grogenen was careful to say that he had always been so careful, because he knew that the slightest carelessness could lead to terrible destruction.

"As a very important part of the Hanseatic League, the Dutch people have not only created countless riches for the League, but also made extraordinary contributions and sacrifices to the rise and fall of the League at some critical moments, while the Dutch people do not ask for much, we only want to get everything that belongs to us."

Grognin said as he noticed the look on Alexander's face, and seeing that he did not show anything unusual, the Low Men continued: "We begged Maximian, who was then the Archduke of Austria, to be recognized as our rights, but we received a brutal refusal and a brutal repression that followed, and for this Low Man was severely punished, and the Archduke imposed heavy taxes on the Netherlands, and even sent troops to expel all the district councilors of the Netherlands, which was the most humiliating of all, We tried to protest, but we were suppressed like a mob, and many of us lost hope until the Emperor sent his son as governor of the Netherlands. ”

Hearing this, Alexander, who had always played the role of a qualified listener, finally moved, he first raised his hand slightly to stop Grogenin, and then asked with some uncertainty: "Wait a minute, are you going to tell me that beautiful Philip you are trying to incite against his father?" ”

Looking at Alexander, Grogenin paused, then nodded.

"That's true," even if he guessed, Alexander was still a little surprised, and looked at the Dutch man opposite him curiously, "You actually want to provoke that Philip against his father, what promise did you give him, the Duke?" ”

"It's the King of Germany."

Gragenin said slowly, and then saw Alexander's stunned expression with his rather satisfaction.

For a moment, Alexander had to admit that although he knew what these lowlanders were doing, he really didn't know enough about the ambitions of these Dutch people.

Or should it be said that he trivialized the ambitions of the entire Hanseatic League.

Obviously, the Hanseatic League was planning to invest heavily in the Dutch regent and put him on the throne of the German princes.

"But what made you change your mind," Alexander recalled, from the signs that Grogenen had first appeared in Naples, then had sent Orgala to Rome, and then had heard that he had been to the East, and that he had noticed something unusual, "I have heard that Philip is still very respected in the Netherlands, and although it may lead to a conflict with his father, it is only good for you, tell me what makes you feel that he is unreliable?" ”

Alexander's inquiry made the atmosphere in the room tense suddenly, and Lady Olgara secretly tightened the lining of the decorative armcage, and her gray eyes looked nervously at Grognin, as if to persuade him not to say it, but her hint was obviously useless, and she noticed that Grogenin's fallen shoulder was raised upward.

Just as Lady Olgara could not resist it, Grogenin had already spoken: "In fact, we find that not only have we failed to get Philip's support, but on the contrary we may soon have a group of even worse rulers. ”

Looking at Groganin's expression of helplessness and disappointment, Alexander pondered for a moment and suddenly realized!

Just over 1 year ago, Maximian's son, the beautiful Philippe, married Juana.

And this is not good news for the Dutch people.

Whether it was Philip's father Maximian or Juana's parents Ferdinand and Isabella, they were only cruel and ruthless to the Low People.

Maybe Maximian is a little better than the two of them.

How could the Dutch people tolerate such a group of rulers, and perhaps even the descendants of these people as rulers in the future?

Thinking of this, Alexander's eyes changed slightly, and he looked at the Dutch merchant in front of him, who looked depressed, and he suddenly wanted to say to the lowlanders: "You are really lucky, because you have met me." ”