The French eventually captured an important town between Alexandria and Milan, cutting off the Austrian retreat in one fell swoop.

Although the road to Turin, which was also the rear, was still open, it was a huge threat to the Austrians, because Turin was originally used as the rear of the temporary garrison of the Austrian army retreating from Switzerland, and the hoarded supplies were not enough for the 50,000 troops, and more supplies still needed to come from Austria itself, and then Milan became a supplementary base for the Austrian army, and now the French cut off the road to Milan, in addition to the existing food in Alexandria, the Austrians are likely to go hungry.

This is a terrible thing for an army of tens of thousands of people, especially those thousands of Swiss, who may run away at any time if they are not paid, and even worse when they hear the news, Louis XII may not be impossible to buy them with high salaries, after all, these Swiss have just become independent from Austrian rule, and it does not seem so difficult to buy them.

It was also this winter that the two sides engaged in a fierce battle in the icy and snowy northern Italy, a very rare war, in which the two sides marched snowy days, confused in search of the enemy in the white world, and then held the cold weapon with almost frozen fingers, and pounced on the enemy with mist in their mouths.

In such weather, every step is often difficult, the cold armor is extremely uncomfortable on the skin, the cold wind pouring into the cracks of the armor will make people feel as if the bones are frozen, and the blood spurting out will soon freeze, this is a bitter battle that neither side actually wants to fight, but has to fight.

Louis XII hoped to defeat Maximian I before the armistice with Montina expired, at least to turn the situation in his favor, to drive the emperor further north, and if it was possible to expel Italy for the time being, which was the best outcome in the heart of the French king, and as for the possible conflict with the Montinnes, the French king felt that it would be much easier.

According to Louis XII's estimates, even with the addition of the Pisa and Neapolitan armies, the total strength of Montina's army should not exceed 15,000, and this can be said to be the largest force that Alexander can take, even if only the French attack by land needs to be considered in this case, but there is still a sufficient number of garrisons left in various places.

Louis XII would still be a little worried if the Montina joined the battle, and he was so impressed by Montina's army that he thought that he would have to pay heavy casualties to defeat his opponent with twice as many troops, and Louis XII felt that this enemy was really difficult.

So all he needs to do now is to defeat the Emperor first before the armistice expires.

The winter campaign in northern Italy, which began in mid-December, was a fierce battle that was beyond the imagination of many people, and one could not imagine that the French had changed their aristocratic and graceful style of conduct, and instead brought the war like a thug into a world of barbarism and bloodshed that they had never experienced before.

When the enemy retreated, the French uncharacteristically did not show their honor in the traditional way of standing on the battlefield for a long time to declare victory, but pursued all the way without relenting, and in this ice and snow, their knights had to give up their proud column charge, but formed a small team to hunt all the enemies from nobles to knights, from officers to men on the battlefield desperately.

Eventually, the Austrians could not bear the frenzied play of the French, who had completely abandoned their honor, and the Austrians, who had intended to drive the French army and open the road to Milan, had to retreat to Alexandria, where they tried to use the city's strong defenses to resist.

However, Maximian I saw the danger that Alexandria would not be able to supply so many Austrian troops, and if he retreated to Alexandria, then what awaited him would be the collapse of the whole army after the siege, just like Charles VIII had at the beginning.

After some consideration, the Emperor finally made the decision to withdraw his troops from Turin.

Although Turin's reserves are still very tight, this is undoubtedly the only option at the moment.

Just as the Austrian army decided to withdraw its troops from Turin, Alexander received a letter from Montina.

In the letter, Barendi told him about some of the events that had taken place in Montina during this time, including some of the contents of the letters between the two men, as well as her views on the current situation in northern Italy.

The letter was written in a formal manner, in perfect harmony with the politeness and wisdom expected of a noble woman, but Alexander sensed Barentia's desire to return to Montina as soon as possible.

"I know you won't be able to come back before Christmas, but I still hope that you will be able to preside over the New Year's Mass in Montina, which is important for all of us, especially at this time when everyone in the realm wants to see the lord with them."

The letter touched Alexander's heart, and he knew how difficult it had been for Barendi, especially after the family's near-betrayal and the initial setback defeat of Montina's army.

And Barondi's words are indeed right, she should be with her at this time, because the series of changes that will happen next are the most testing.

The winter truce of 1499, which did not appear, had embroiled the Franco-Austrian armies in more wars than ever seen in history, and even Alexander did not know what would happen next, so he could not provide any clues or help to Barentia in Montina, and everything had to be improvised.

History is already changing, and it is no longer a few city-states that are involved, but the most powerful countries on the continent.

Of course, this was no longer something that Barendi could handle, and Alexander felt a sense of uneasiness that she had not expressed in her letter, but which she could perceive.

"Looks like I've got to go back to Montina." Alexander Xiang sat across from him, just looked at him in silence and said, "You already know what we're going to do next, so I can wait for your good news." ”

Jisha just looked at him silently, and after a while suddenly said, "Do you like your wife very much?" ”

Alexander was stunned for a moment, and then smiled helplessly: "Have you forgotten that not long ago you said that you think Barondi is the most suitable for my wife?" ”

"But now I don't think she's suitable, very unsuitable," Deliberately emphasized, she looked back at the window, the weather outside had become gloomy and gloomy again, and the wind was so strong that even if you were in charge of the window, you could hear the whistling wind, "Do you want to take a boat and go?" ”

"It's too much time on land," Alexander said, looking at the weather outside, "I'm going to get back to Montina before the truce with Louis XII expires, and then," said Alexander, who walked up to Josha and bent down, so that their foreheads touched together, "We're going to do something that everyone can't believe." ”

Josha looked away, and reached out a finger and gently poked Alexander's forehead away from her, staring at him with a blazing eye.

"It's not the letter, is it?"

"What?"

"I mean, it's not because of Barondy's letter that you're leaving, you're ready to go back to Montina?"

Facing Jisha's inquiring gaze, Alexander nodded slightly: "You know I have to go back, everything that has happened now is no longer something that Barendi can solve, especially what I have to do next is not something she can do, so I have to face the current situation myself." ”

Ji Sha's fine eyebrows were slightly raised, this is a small movement she will make when she seems to have any doubts in her heart, seeing her like this, Alexander involuntarily gently brushed her forehead with his fingertips: "Don't frown, it's easy to wrinkle." ”

"I'm only 20 years old," Josha raised an eyebrow again, but this time it seemed to be because she was upset, "I think you must have some kind of conspiracy." ”

"You say that's what your brother says, 'Conspiracy'?" Alexander asked with a smile.

"An older brother who wants his sister to give him a baby?"

After saying that, Jisha looked at him with a smile that seemed to be not a smile.

These words made Alexander instantly feel that he seemed to be some kind of traitor, he raised his hand and touched the tip of his nose, and was about to say a few words about his very medieval behavior, but Zhensha had already learned his example, first pulled him by the collar and made him lower his head, and then pressed his white and tender forehead against Alexander's head and whispered: "Tell my brother, what do you want to do, maybe I can help you." ”

Alexander thought about it, although he felt that his idea might be too bold and risky, so he didn't tell Josa in advance, but now it doesn't matter, these thoughts, Alexander turned his head and whispered a word in Josha's ear, which made her stunned: "Milan." ”

For a while, Josha didn't seem to react, just looked at Alexander calmly, and then her eyes gradually became sharper, she stared at Alexander's eyes carefully, as if trying to know if he was joking, when she was finally sure that he was serious, Josha did not show too much surprise and too surprised look, but her smooth and delicate shoulders fell down slightly, and then exhaled lightly.

"That's what you've been thinking about," Tsusha tilted her pretty little blond head slightly, and then a smile slowly tugged at the corner of her mouth, "This is your real purpose in provoking war between Louis and the Emperor, you have long wanted to seize Milan, right?" ”

Alexander thought for a moment, then nodded, he felt that this was the best excuse he could give to Josha, after all, Josa was still unhappy about the large sum of money he had asked for.

After all, the Xiaoice period, the British, and the beautiful Philip, these are really not reasons to ask for money from my sister.

It was clear that she would not be stingy with her brother, not to mention the more distant things Alexander had described to her, but just Antwerp was enough to make her willing to invest a lot of money.

Perhaps under the influence of Alexander, or perhaps because she had a heart in her body that was unwilling to be resigned, she had become deeply infatuated with this passionate life that made her every day unstable.

Now Naples is hers and his, but this can no longer satisfy her, and she longs to do more exciting things with Alexander, or she longs for the day when she can stand by his side openly without caring about the eyes of the world, and accompany him to the moment of dawn that he speaks of.

"Tell me Alexander, what do you want?"

Josha whispered in Alexander's ear in a low voice.

Looking at the seemingly hazy eyes of Jisha, Alexander couldn't help but feel a ripple in his heart.

He held the face of the Buddha with his hand, and his gaze was deeply injected into the depths of the eyes that were as blue as the sea: "You know, the world is big, much bigger than you can imagine, there is a far away land that is wider than Europe, and these are the places I have always wanted to visit. There we can get enough wealth that would make anyone jealous, and we can have fertile land that even the largest nations would covet, but without you by my side, it would be meaningless for me to get it. ”

"Then let me go with you," said Josha, who reached out and gently hugged Alexander, putting her head on his shoulder and looking out of the field, while whispering like a dream, "Promise my brother that you will go with me no matter how far you go?" ”

"I promise you."

Alexander also hugged Josha's waist, and his heart was at peace in this moment, which was different from that of other women.

She was spoiled when she was with Sophia, because the bohemian girl was still a willful and grumpy child, even though she was about to become a mother herself.

With Lucrechia, it was an almost irrational passion that no one could explain, and in Alexander's memory, the two of them were always intimacy when they were together, and the madness that seemed to tear each other and himself to pieces and then become one, even to Alexander himself.

And Barondi, there seems to be more responsibility between the two, marriage is responsibility, maintenance of the family is responsibility, and even when they express their affection to each other in the most intimate way, it also contains the meaning of fulfilling responsibility.

But Josha, his closest 'sister', is more because Alexander feels that he has a tacit understanding that others can't understand, and has not only become his beloved, but also his precious companion.

"Do you want Antwerp?" At this time, Josha looked at Alexander with interest, and when she saw him nodding, she asked again, "But you still want Milan?" ”

"I do need that city," Alexander replied after a moment's thought, and seeing the look of confusion on his face, he explained, "Sometimes there are many interpretations, and Milan is really important to me. ”

Tsusha thought about it a little puzzled, and then decided not to delve into the difference.

"Then I'll help you and tell me what to do?"

Seeing that Jossa had calmed down, Alexandre sat back in his chair and said to her with the same seriousness: "Listen, I have decided to take action against Northern Italy when I return to Montina, and I am doing this to make this war between Louis and the Emperor more intense, and it is necessary to believe me, so although it may cause some trouble for Naples, it is worth believing me." ”

"I believe in you," replied Josha very dryly, her expression looking so casual, very different from that in the presence of the ministers, and then she pursed her lips slightly and looked at Alexander with a strange look with a faint smile, "In that case, tell me what you have in return for me?" ”

Looking at Jisha's expression, Alexander was in a little trance, and then whispered, "A prince, and a crown." ”

On December 23rd, the early morning of Christmas Day, it was just dawn, and Alexander had arrived at the port with a 100-man hunting guard.

A large sea ship is ready to set sail at any time.

Instead of alerting the others, Josa saw Alexander off on the docks with only a handful of retinues.

In the icy sea breeze, her hair fluttered in the wind, and her blonde hair shimmered softly in the morning light that was gradually rising over the horizon in the distance.

"Believe me, Uncle Mordillo is all right," Alexander said to Josha, "and if I am not mistaken, perhaps he still enjoys the life of a hermit now." ”

Before leaving Sicily, Alexander asked Osborne to continue his search for the Count of Mordillo, but from the news from Osborne, Alexander had a feeling that the Count did not seem to want to appear in front of them so soon.

"Actually, I'm more worried about you," said Jossa as she stretched out her hand and hugged Alexander vigorously, then said in his ear in a voice that only two people could hear, "Don't forget that you promised me a prince." ”

With that, he pushed Alexander back a few steps and said loudly, "Don't forget your promise, I will wait for you in the palace until you offer me a crown worthy of my identity!" ”

Alexander looked at Josha silently, then threw off his cloak and saluted her deeply.

On 23 December, the Count of Montina set out with his guards by ship.

On 24 December, the count's party landed in Pisa.

On 26 December, the Count, who had spent two days in Pisa, led the huntsmen to the Château de Montinavaux.

On the same day, the French defeated the Austrian army at Meday, northeast of Alexandria, forcing the Austrians to withdraw from Meday.

The next day, on December 27, the French commander-in-chief, Count Rance, defeated the Austrian Turin army under the command of the Austrian court minister Cotschach, who was trying to get in touch with Milan, at Mede for the second time, and then the Count of Lancyerge ordered the French army under the command of de Borwicken, Count of Proswan, to launch a counterattack against the main Austrian army under the command of the emperor himself.

On the 28th, Alexander returned to the Château de Montina, where the nobles of Montina, led by Barentia, held a grand banquet for the Count's triumph.

It was a true triumph, and when Alexander returned from Bucharest, everyone praised the hero who defeated the Ottoman Sultan, but the Balkans were too far away for many to truly appreciate the magnitude of that victory.

But when he went to Rome, then to Naples, and then even to Sicily, the changes that followed really shocked too many people.

As Barendi said when she was finally left alone, "You now have a duchy, but unfortunately you don't have a duke's crown." ”

"Yes," Alexander replied with a chuckle of regret at Barondi, "Believe me, Barondy, the Duchess may sound noble, but it doesn't tell you who you are. ”

On 30 December, Alexander, who had unexpectedly returned to the territory, stayed at home for only 2 days before leaving the new castle of Montina again.

This time he led the 1st Balkan Regiment, the newly formed 3rd Balkan Regiment recruited from Wallachia and trained for almost half a year, and the Agri musketeers who remained in Montina, totaling 3,700 men, to march westward.

On 31 December, Montina's reinforcements joined up with the Northern Army under the command of Gompati at La Speya.

In the early morning of January 1, 1500, Montina's army, led by Alexander, crossed the natural border between Romagna and Lombardy, Montiolasca and entered Lombardy!

Nine Heavenly God Emperors