Joanna was not comfortable living in the town, especially after she sent people to Rome, and as time passed, the queen's temper became worse and worse, and even a favored maid beside her was scolded by her.

Joanna can't be blamed for this, the queen has great hopes for this trip.

But Joanna suffered a lot of frightening torture along the way, and what made her unbearable was the frenzied attack on her convoy by the Frenchmen she met in the Bruini Valley, who did not care about her status and dignity as the queen of Naples.

The battle not only frightened Joanna, but also completely shattered the last bit of decency, which made Joanna feel a little less confident about the rest of the trip, and she couldn't imagine how she could convince the cardinals, let alone Alexander VI, who was known for his greed and ambition, if even a group of ordinary French nobles dared not to take her seriously.

Joanna was very unwilling, although it seemed to others that she had given up everything and left Naples, in fact only she knew how she angrily cursed Frederick and the Neapolitan nobles who abandoned her in the middle of the night when no one was around, and she cursed them all to hell when they died, and even more so to suffer hellish when they lived.

It's just that these curses are useless, after all, she has lost the queen's crown, and has been almost swept away from the country that belonged to her.

"These people should all be punished, they should be subjected to Syxx-style torture."

This is after knowing that she has met someone from the Ronale family, and these days she often says a word in secret.

The so-called Syx-style torture refers to the punishment in the Inquisition established by Pope Syxkes II in Castile many years ago.

Queen Isabella of Castile is well known for her piety, but her hatred of heretics and heretics is even more familiar to all, and it is for this reason that the Queen asked the Holy See many years ago to establish a special Inquisition to judge "the enemies of God and Jesus Christ".

Soon, the horrific torture in the Inquisition became a legend that spread throughout Europe, and Pope Sixkes II was remembered.

Especially as there was no news from the people sent out, the queen's restlessness grew, and she was worried that the person she asked to see would not see her, and that the person would simply betray her.

The more she thought about it, the more uneasy Joanna's heart became, if she hadn't been outside Rome, she might have fled far away.

In the midst of this thought, the attendant reported that Agri's Gombray had asked for an audience.

Joanna didn't really want to see Alexander, she had an inexplicable feeling that the Alexander didn't seem to respect her, and despite his courtesy, she could feel that the man didn't seem to take her status as queen in his eyes, and that feeling disgusted her even more than the blatant contempt of the French.

When Alexander saw Joanna, he couldn't help but smile secretly when he saw the indifference on her face.

Of course, he knew that Joanna didn't like him very much, or simply hated him, but thinking about what he had done, he felt that even if he was resented, he didn't seem wronged.

This was already the second day after the previous meeting with James.

The soldiers who had been ordered to find Joanna disappeared after following Alexander and them out of the tavern.

In such chaotic times, and where the two armies are facing each other, the disappearance of two or three soldiers is really insignificant, and those people have not yet been seen.

And the squire who had been sent into Rome by Joanna was left in the city, so things were much better.

Alexander didn't really care if the food could reach the French, or even the Count of Mordillo didn't care if the French would go hungry in winter, they had only one purpose, and that was to find a way to prevent the French from being defeated in Italy so quickly.

This was not only the wish of the Count and those behind him, but even what Alexander wanted to see.

It seemed like a lucky thing to be lord of Agri, but Alexander was well aware that the whole south coveted the plain of Agri, whether it was Naples or Taranto, or Cosenza, and that he should covet Naples as much as he hated him.

It's just that these Italian monarchs don't have the time to deal with him now, and the threat from the French has forced them to retract their greedy claws, so at least until the French are driven out, his Agri is safe.

But what if the French were driven away?

Alexander could imagine what would happen next, at least Frederick wouldn't have to put up with the amount of bread on his plate in the hands of someone he hated.

So for Alexander, Charles and his army at this time were more useful than the Neapolitan nobles who had once paid him respect and gratitude.

"Your Majesty, I have a message for you," Alexander saw that one of the hands she placed beside him seemed to be slightly clenched as he bowed to Joanna, of course he didn't know that this was because in Joanna's eyes, he felt that even if he saluted, he had an indescribable perfunctory meaning, "Legend has it in the town that someone has seen several people from the city of Rome looking for you. ”

"From Rome?" Joanna's eyes lit up, although it was Alexander who brought her the news, she was so happy that she immediately smiled, "Where are those people, I'm going to see them now." ”

"Your Majesty, this is yesterday," Alexander shook his head, "it was Nashan who heard the news, and you must remember him, the captain of the guard beside the Queen of Bohemia." ”

"Oh, I think I remember that man," Joanna said absentmindedly, though disgusted by Nashan's name, and then she continued to ask with some impatience, "Where are the messengers from Rome?" ”

"Your Majesty, I have come to tell you the sad news," seeing that the expression on Joanna's face slowly changed, Alexander said helplessly, "they were found to have been killed not too far from the town, in a wasteland, and all three of them were killed. ”

At first, Joanna didn't seem to understand, but when she saw Alexander nod at her, she seemed to suddenly understand what was happening.

Joanna's eyes widened for a moment, and she looked at Alexander as if she didn't know what to say.

Then she suddenly shouted.

"Conspiracy! There's a conspiracy in this! ”

Joanna immediately shouted, she got up from her chair and walked back and forth uneasily, and when she stopped, she looked at Alexander's eyes with suspicion from time to time, "And how do you know this?" ”

"Those men died not far from my commissariat camp, and yesterday my men had seen them inquire about His Majesty."

Joanna began to walk back and forth again, muttering something softly in her mouth, and then asked with some hesitation, "Are there any of those people you know, I mean, have you seen one of my attendants, you have seen it?" ”

Seeing Alexander shake his head, Joanna first collapsed her shoulders as if relieved, and then immediately remembered something and immediately straightened her back and looked at Alexander with blazing eyes.

"I'm going to Rome, and now I have to see Bishop Monteiro," said the queen, a little excited, and seeing Alexander's bewildered look, she added, "Bishop Monteiro is a member of the College of Cardinals." ”

Alexander nodded slightly, indicating understanding.

The College of Cardinals, the most powerful group of people in the Holy See, has been elected from among the cardinals and elected by the cardinals.

It can be said that the cardinals are the ones who exercise power in the place of God in this world.

And the Pope is just the most powerful of them.

Joanna was now told to meet a cardinal, and although he didn't know her true purpose, Alexander believed that his previous act of killing the soldiers was risky, but perhaps he had found an opportunity to help him enter Rome.

"The Coalition has blockaded Rome, and the city is French," said Alexander, as Joanna looked into the eyes, "and if your safety is not guaranteed, it will be a great danger for you to enter Rome." ”

Joanna snorted slightly, of course she knew that the Rovere family's convoy had entered Rome City smoothly before, which had already made her feel that her self-esteem had been hurt, and now when she heard Alexander's words, the queen's face couldn't help but become even more ugly.

"I am the queen of Naples," Joanna thought it necessary to reassert her majesty, but looking at Alexander's indifferent gaze, she couldn't help but be a little discouraged, "Well, as I said earlier, I must enter the city of Rome as soon as possible, so now I need your help." ”

Alexander nodded, and that was what he was waiting for.

When he learned that the soldiers were looking for Joanna, an idea made Alexander decide to take the risk.

Although he didn't know who Joanna was going to contact when he sent someone into the city, he knew that it was someone who could ensure her safe entry into Rome.

With all this in mind, Alexander decided to seize the opportunity.

But even when he lured the soldiers to a secluded place and attacked and killed them, he still didn't know that these people were actually from the side of a cardinal.

"Your Majesty, if you need me to accompany you into Rome, then I must bring enough men with you," said Alexander, seemingly hesitantly, "you know that it is of little use, after all, the city is full of French, but at least it will give me some peace of mind." ”

Joanna waved her hand impatiently, she was obviously not in a good mood at this time.

"Well, I can promise you, as long as the Frenchmen can get your men into town," said Joanna and began to walk back and forth, Alexander was already in charge, and the queen seemed to walk back and forth whenever she was in a bad mood, "but I want to know who killed the men sent by the bishop, and know that I am not hindering any of them now." ”

Alexander knew who Joanna meant by anyone.

The monarchs of the city-states, who had been completely frightened by the menacing French before, had to abandon their long-standing prejudices against each other, and then forge an alliance against the French with the support of Holy Rome, Aragon, and the English, who had also come from afar to mingle with each other.

But such an alliance is naturally full of contradictions, whether it is Venice and Genoa, old enemies who have been feuding for generations, or Milan and Bologna, new rivals who are full of contradictions, the mutual conflict within the alliance has somewhat made the French breathe after several fiascos.

Even for Naples, which was once annexed by Charles, the coalition did not fully support the Aragon royal family****.

Now Joanna has lost the crown of the queen, although she still has the empty title of Queen of Naples, but she does not pose any threat to others.

"You go and prepare, I'm going into town to-morrow," Joanna walked back and forth a few steps before she stopped, her hands twisted into each other, and then asked, "You're going to protect me, I'll pay you enough, and once you protect me and meet the person I want to see, you might get more." ”

Looking at Joanna's uneasy look, Alexander responded with a slight bow.

It's just that until he said goodbye and left, Joanna's words lingered in his heart.

Although she didn't have much contact, Alexander knew that Joanna was a rather stingy person, or perhaps because Ferdinand had left her with too many debts before, which really frightened her, and the queen was more sensitive to money than anyone else.

So when Joanna said he would be paid, he didn't think much of it, but when she said that maybe she could get more, it caught Alexander's attention.

It is clear that Joanna said this in the hope that Alexander would do his best to protect herself, but when she mentioned the person she wanted to meet, she did not say Cardinal Monteiro, but the person she wanted to meet.

This made Alexander wonder who else in Rome besides the cardinal could make her pay more than the cardinal to ensure that she would be able to meet him.

Just guessing like this, a name seems to be coming up.

When Alexander returned to his camp, he saw some coalition troops walking in the direction of the camp, and from the large and small pockets they were carrying, it was clear what they were here for.

"Master, we don't have to go any further, just stay here," Uliu greeted him with a smile from afar, "They will buy all the food, there are already many coalition soldiers who have come to buy food, and more will come soon." ”

Alexander looked helplessly at the satisfied Moors, and turned his head to look at the city in the distance.

Rome, it's finally coming.