The Republic of Pisa, the city is by no means a good place for Alexandria.

Historically, Pisa was a small but glorious miniature republic that became the overlord of the Tirenian Sea after winning the war for sea power with Genoa.

Pisa has always been a republic, and although the Zaloni family overthrew the republican system and established an aristocratic principality nearly a hundred years ago, the Pisan people have never been interested in aristocratic rule.

Just three years ago, the citizens of the city staged an unannounced uprising, driving out the Zaloni family and re-establishing the republic.

Or it should be said that it is not without warning, just after the riot in Florence, less than 40 miles away from Pisa, which overthrew the rule of the Medici family, the call for the re-establishment of the republic has already resounded throughout the city of Pisa, and now Pisa is completely modeled on the Florentine way to establish a republic city-state governed by the citizens themselves, ruled by themselves, but although Pisa has been influenced by Florence too much, but for some special reasons, the city has not had a good relationship with Florence, on the contrary, Because of the fight against Florence, the relationship between Pisa and the Vatican has become even closer.

For Alexander, Pisa is clearly a place of crisis.

He quickly looked back at Lucrezia next to him, and seeing the excited look on her face, he was even more sure of his thoughts, and it was clear that Lucrezia was happy to be on "her territory".

"Ma'am, you'd better be careful." Alexander said as he stretched out a hand and gently wrapped his arms around Lucrezia's waist, although he didn't have much strength, but Lucrezia could feel the slight tremble of his short sword hidden in his cuffs cutting through her skirt on her skin.

"Do you think I'm going to betray you?" Lucrezia asked softly as she looked at the small group of cavalry that was approaching.

For a moment Alexander wanted to believe that she wouldn't do it, but he didn't dare take the risk.

Lucrezia is a very strange woman, now she has the innocence and romance of a girl, and in the future she has a woman's unique dedication and passion for love, but she is also obviously fickle, not only because of her well-known previous marriages, but more importantly, even if in the future she finally broke free from the control of her father and brother and found a reliable and loving husband, this woman finally could not resist the desire for new love, And find one lover after another to satisfy her desire for novelty.

Therefore, Lucrezia in front of her is a fickle woman, even if she is still young, but Alexander still can't trust her easily, and he doesn't want to risk his life on her.

Because of this, the short sword in his hand did not retract, but instead sent it forward slightly, and the cold sword surface gently slid against Lucrezia's smooth skin, and the feeling made her smug smile freeze instantly.

The small group of horsemen had already reached them, and as they passed them, one of the knights under the banner at the front suddenly slowed down, and he stared at Lucrezia with an undisguised look of surprise in his eyes, and he took the reins of his horse and stopped, and then looked straight at Lucrezia on the side of the road.

Alexander cursed secretly in his heart, he felt that he knew why Pisa gradually declined after a period of glory in history, after all, such a frivolous person can become a patrol leader, it can be seen that although the Republic of Pisa has a government that is known as the closest to civilization in this era, these Pisan people are really overwhelmed.

"If it weren't daylight, I'd wonder if Venus had come out of her temple ahead of time," said the knight, in a tone of heartfelt admiration, as he turned over and dismounted, and walked directly to Lucrezia without looking at Alexander, "Dear lady, though you are a stranger, please accept the warm welcome of a Pisa. ”

"How do you tell I'm a foreigner?"

Lucrezia asked with a smile, her smiling appearance caused him a wave of displeasure in Alexander's eyes, and at the same time, in order to warn her, Alexander's hand couldn't help but tighten slightly.

"Of course, if there was a beauty like you in Pisa, you would have become a flower queen on St. Jeromy's Day." The knight laughed, his gaze swept over Alexander, first slightly surprised by his handsomeness, but then his attention was completely focused on Lucrezia's body, "May I ask where you came from, the travel is not very peaceful now, and there may be robbers outside the city at any time, please allow me to protect you into the city?" ”

"If there were robbers, they would have robbed us long ago before you appeared." Alexander muttered in a low voice, how he looked at this guy who had nothing to do, especially when he saw that this knight actually stretched out his hand to Lucrezia, he finally couldn't help but pull hard, and in Lucrezia's unintentional moan of slightly pain, he completely pulled her into his arms.

There was a hint of unhappiness on the knight's face, and he stared at Alexander with a gloomy face, but then relaxed slightly.

"Madam, if you need anything, just tell me, I'm Giovanni Zaloni, the captain of the patrol of Pisa, and I'm at your service." The knight nodded slightly, then he looked at Alexander again, turned on his horse with the help of his companions, and then raised his hand again to greet him, and then continued on with the group.

"It's Giovanni again, isn't he afraid of death?" Alexander casually said that in his memory, everything named Giovanni seemed to end well, Giovanni Sforza was, and if nothing had happened, it would not be long before Giovanni Borgia did so.

"You're jealous, aren't you?" Lucrezia suddenly asked, "Then why don't you stand up and challenge this man, or just tell him to stay away from me?" ”

Alexander glared at Lucrezia, who was sure by this time that she was deliberately trying to get the attention of that Zaloni and then wait for an opportunity to escape, which aroused his alarm.

Now that he had attracted attention, Alexander simply got on his horse again, and with one hand he put his arm around Lucrezia's waist, and with the other he secretly stroked the musket hidden under his cloak.

The city of Pisa is not very large, a gate that is not too high to compare with the gates of Rome or Naples from a distance, and the city that was once a harbor still retains some of the characteristics of a port, especially the fishing boats that paddle directly into the city along a river under the city walls, and the smell of the sea and the rotting fish and shrimp thrown on the side of the road make the city gate look dirty.

Lucrezia raised her hand to cover her nose, and just as she watched the group at the gates of the city waiting for the people to enter the city with annoyed expressions, a hurried sound of horses' hooves came from behind.

Alexander quickly turned his head, and his brow furrowed.

Because he saw that the haunted Giovanni Zoloni had actually run back with the team, and judging from the sweaty appearance of his mount, it was obvious that this guy had not spared any horsepower all the way, and might even have simply taken a turn around the neighborhood on an errand and couldn't wait to rush back.

Sure enough, seeing Lucrezia, who had not yet entered the city, Giovanni Zaloni's face immediately showed a look of joy, and he hurried through the crowd to Alexandria, and then deliberately said in a slightly surprised tone: "Why haven't you entered the city yet, haven't you told the guards that you are my friend?" ”

Lucrezia had a smile on her face, although she was still young, but the experience of growing up in the Roman court for many years had made her see through the purpose of the person in front of her, and the scheming from the Borgia family inherited from her bones made her instantly think of how to use the person in front of her.

"I'd love to say I know you, but you know, maybe it's not good." Lucrezia deliberately said the latter sentence very lightly, she winked after intentionally or unintentionally, and at the same time leaned forward slightly, so that her neckline inevitably leaned forward, although she was now wearing only the clothes of an ordinary country woman, but the large snow-white still made the Giovanni Zanoni look straight.

"I don't understand what you mean by that, you

There is no need to endure this strange smell with these people," said Zaloni, who glared fiercely at Alexander, who was sitting behind, and said in a deliberate loud voice, "Is it possible for a man to be so narrow in bearing that he refuses to accept sincere help from others just because of a small amount of dignity?" ”

Your sincerity is all in your eyes that are about to fall out. Alexander cursed in his heart.

He was annoyed by this inexplicable courteous fellow, but he was even more angry at Lucrezia's beckoning bees and butterflies.

Only now he couldn't offend this self-proclaimed personable peacock knight, and just as he was pondering how to find a way to get rid of this follower as soon as possible, a very thick but unusually loud voice suddenly came from the ranks waiting to enter the city.

"Is this what the Pisan people do? By substituting the privileges of the nobility for the rights that all people should enjoy, didn't the great pioneers of Pisa pass on what it means to be fair? ”

Taken aback by this sudden question, Zaloni looked at the crowd in amazement, and soon noticed something special looking among them.

Alexander also noticed the man.

It was a very capable-looking man, his hair was cut short and stubbornly erect, his lean face had a tenacity, his eyes were bright but a little free, and he seemed to be curious about everything around him, but when he deliberately looked at a person, he found that his gaze was not focused on the outside, but on a kind of persistence that penetrated the outside and hit the inside.

"Who are you?" Zaroni asked unhappily, "Pisa welcomes friends, but it doesn't welcome ill-intentioned people." ”

Zaloni's words immediately caused a commotion all around, and people left the man one after another, as if they were afraid of having something to do with him.

The man was not timid, he stepped forward and stared at Zaloni, who was on his horse and looked down on him condescendingly.

"I've heard of people in the Zaloni family who are willing to stand with the Pisians because they sympathize with the people, but if it's all like you, I don't think the best people in the family are much better than the worst of the Medici."

The man finished without fear and waved his hand slightly to the entourage behind him.

The attendant quickly took out a flag from the package, and as the flag unfurled in the wind, a flag with the same embroidered cross, but with different symbols of birds, beasts, olives, and spears on the four corners of the banner, was displayed in front of the people.

"My name is Nichiro, Nichiro Machiavelli, a member of parliament from the House of Hundred in Florence, a diplomat appointed to the mission!"

The man announced loudly.

Hearing this name, although Zaroni was a little surprised, he was only stunned, and the people around him looked at this foreigner who reported his home with blank faces.

Only Lucrezia noticed Alexander's strangeness.

He tilted his head slightly to the side, as if startled, then straightened his neck, then looked up at the sky, and muttered as if to himself, "Today is a good day." ”

Nikolo Machiavelli, who at this time was only one of the lowest members of the House of Three Hundred in Florence, was now a little-known figure compared to his later rise to the position of Florentine state minister and defense secretary because he was appreciated by a certain big person.

At least Zaroni hadn't heard of the name, so after a moment of stagnation, the knight only slightly retracted his arrogant expression, but his eyes immediately became fierce when he looked at Machiavelli.

"I'm sorry Senator, I didn't know you were an emissary, but your quiet appearance is not what a diplomat should be, and it is easy to misunderstand."

Zaloni's overtly threatening words startled the retinue with the Florentine flag, but Machiavelli only glanced at the former Pisan nobleman with a cold expression.

"I have brought my leader's credentials to the members of the Pisa Committee, and as for myself, this is my second visit to Pisa, and I wish I could have stayed here longer."

Zoloni snorted slightly, he slowly led his horse, and after glancing at Lucrezia again with admiration, he waved to the guards guarding the door and ordered: "Blow the horn to announce the arrival of the Florentine messenger." ”

Machiavelli puffed up his chest, his gaze swept over Zaloni, pausing slightly as his gaze fell on Alexander and Lucrezia.

"Friend, I'd like to make friends with you if you're going to stay in Pisa for a while," Machiavelli said with a sudden smile, but then he smiled wryly, "but forgive me for not being able to ask you to drink, for for for us alcohol is as much a thing that destroys people's minds and spirits as poison." ”

"I'm honored to have your invitation, but I'm just an ordinary civilian." "And we won't be staying in Pisa for long, maybe we'll be leaving in the afternoon." ”

Alexander's words made Zaloni next to him look disappointed, and he looked at Lucrezia carefully, as if he wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to imprint her appearance deeply in his heart.

Machiavelli also seemed a little disappointed, and he looked at Alexander earnestly, his eyes that seemed to be used to see through people's hearts with an interested look.

"Although you are dressed as a peasant, I still believe in my eyes, and I admit that you are a commoner, because we are all commoners before God, and Florence has overthrown the tyrants who oppressed the people, and our country was founded by all the Florentines of decency and integrity," Machiavelli said with a smile, "but you say that you are an ordinary person, I don't think so, although you may not be able to be honest with your name for some reason, but I am still glad to have met you in Pisa." ”

Machiavelli bowed slightly, and then strode towards the city gate, accompanied by his attendants.

Zaniro looked at Alexander and Lucrezia suspiciously, Machiavelli's words caught his attention, but the way he looked at Lucrezia became more intense.

Obviously, the Zaniro family had already begun to consider whether or not to confide in his admiration for the beauty he had never seen in his life, and if he might have felt that Lucrezia had some status gap with her because of her clothes, Machiavelli's words seemed to give him a good enough reason.

Just looking at Machiavelli's back, Alexander's face sank.

He didn't expect that he would meet such a famous person in such a situation, but he didn't expect that this Machiavelli would put him in crisis with a few casual words.

The Pisan people seem to have a good relationship with the Vatican, and the thought of this Alexander makes him feel that the city in front of him is actually in danger.

However, if they refused to enter the city at this time, it was likely to arouse the suspicion of the Pisa, especially at this time, when Milan and the Venetians invaded Romagna in a big way, which made all the nearby city-states wary and suspicious.

If you turn back at this time, you will most likely be surrounded by Pisaans before you leave.

"Are you afraid I'm going to betray you?" Lucrezia suddenly whispered in Alexander's ear, her lips brushing over Alexander's earlobe, looking like a sweet whisper between lovers, no one could have imagined what she said, but it was a matter of life and death.

Alexander was stunned for a moment, and then he remembered that for a moment, he only thought that he might be suspected by the Pisa, but he did not think that Lucrezia would betray him.

Am I really starting to believe the woman in my arms? Alexander couldn't help but ask himself, and then he was a little surprised to find that he really didn't think that Lucrezia would betray him.

Alexander felt that he would trust Sophia, because they had lived and died together, and they had a friendship that only they could understand.

He also felt that he would trust Josha, because his "sister" was more familiar with his inner thoughts than the others.

But he wouldn't trust Barondi, because he knew that for Barondi, everything in the Rovelle family was what she really cared about.

Lucrezia......

Alexander felt like he was going a little crazy, when did he start believing that Lucrezia wouldn't hurt him? Was it from the moment he was unconscious, or the moment he was forced to kiss her in that alley?

He couldn't help but think of the words Lucrezia had whispered in his ear when he pretended to be unconscious, that she would conquer him and make him forget about Barentia completely.

Alexander didn't know if he would forget about Barondy because of her, but he was sure that he was about to forget that she was his enemy.

"Let's go into town!"

Alexander suddenly raised his head, he looked forward at the small gate of Pisa, and then at Zaniro, who was staring at them with jealousy not far away, and then gently grabbed Lucrezia's waist, and his feet between the horse's belly.

As Pagasus stepped into the shadows of the city gates, Alexander whispered in Lucrezia's ear: "When I get back to Rome I will go to see the Pope, and my brother whom I don't like, Alfonso of Bisacebili." ”

"Huh?"

Alexander's words left Lucrezia stunned and confused.