Eastern Romans from Crete.

This is a very common thing in this day and age.

Earlier, with the fall of Constantinople, there was a large number of Eastern Romans fleeing to Europe, although the momentum of this wave gradually decreased a lot, but with the Ottoman Empire's extermination of the original remnants of Eastern Rome in the Mediterranean, in this nearly half a century, the increasingly unstable environment still drove groups of descendants of Eastern Rome to flee to the European continent.

It's a very common thing.

But if this kind of thing is associated with a person who does not belong to this world, it is not normal.

Because of the years of war, even some of the fugitives themselves did not know where their ancestors had originally been, but this did not include Alexander, and no one knew his own origin better than him, he knew that he did not belong to this era!

This is Alexander's secret and the basis for his survival in this era.

So what secret should not be told to anyone, and that is where he came from before entering the monastery of St. Sebalon.

He told him the secret because he needed her help, and the other person who knew his secret was Sophia.

In fact, Alexander did not tell Sophia all this, but often described to her the oriental scenery, the sunshine from Greece, the warm sea breeze of Crete, and the rich exotic atmosphere of Istanbul in later times, where the secular and religious atmosphere were condensed.

It was a time when Alexander was restless when he first came to this era, and although he could not tell the truth about himself, he was able to force himself not to forget where he came from by telling Sophia those specious stories.

Because he is afraid that with the passage of time, he will gradually forget who he really is, and he is afraid that there is a real past in this world at some time.

These stories were only told to Sophia, not even to Josha.

So how is there such a specious legend circulating now?

Alexander's face was so surprised and shocked that he didn't even need to hide it, because the news was so incredible that even the mere mention of the exile of Constantine XI's descendants in Sicily was enough to make him look like this.

"Surprised," Ashulk looked at Alexander with a hint of interest, as if pleased with his reaction, "who would have imagined that a small Romani woman beside him could actually be a descendant of the Roman Emperor," said the Ottoman, leaning forward slightly, and said in a smaller voice, "and may even be the rightful successor of the Roman Empire." ”

The Ottoman's words made Alexander's heart jump instantly, and he already understood why Ashulk was so concerned about Sophia.

The right of inheritance, which is very important in this era, is a sign of whether a person or even an empire can be recognized.

On the day he conquered Constantinople, Mehmed II declared himself the rightful successor of the Roman Empire, although he walked into the great capital with the corpses of Eastern Romans and blood that almost drowned his ankles.

After one of Constantine XI's nieces fled the war and went to Europe, she became the wife of a certain Russian Grand Duke, and since then the Russian tsars have taken the Roman double-headed eagle as their coat of arms, and then claimed to be the third Rome without shame.

And according to Ashulk, what would be the impact if news spread that Constantine XI had a daughter whose whereabouts were unknown?

According to Alexander's vague memory, Constantine XI did have an expedition to Greece and conquered the Duchy of Athens at that time, although it was defeated by the Ottomans to support the Athenians in a short time, but if it is really as the legend says, Constantine XI once left a daughter there during the occupation of Athens, what kind of huge impact will this have on the entire Balkans?

The descendants of an emperor who fled from Crete to Europe and the Roman royal lineage that has been passed down in Greece have been mixed together for some inexplicable reason.

No one cares about the contradictions between these two legends, more of this legend, which has become somewhat vague when combined, seems to have attracted the attention of some people.

However, to Alexander's surprise, even though he told Sophia about Crete, didn't Sophia follow Nashan to Prague.

How could you hear a legend about her in the mountains of the Barkans?

Alexander was tempted to ask Ashulk what was really going on in the mountains of the Balkans, but the Ottomans' mouths were clearly not so easy to pry open.

Although he was a little anxious to know about Sophia's whereabouts, the news brought by Ashulk quickly made a vague thought quickly flash through his mind.

The thought was really confusing at first, but a faint lightning inspiration made him sort things out in the next moment.

His origins have always been a fatal weakness for Alexander, and he has thought more than once about the terrible consequences of being revealed, at least Count Mordilo will not let him go, and then everything he has will come to naught.

His only way out is to remain incognito, and then he will never stop fleeing.

Maybe he's lucky enough to make it to the New World, but if he's unlucky, maybe he'll have his head cut off.

Because of this, he chose to tell him his secret, he needed to get his help, he needed someone who could defuse this danger for him.

And now, another opportunity has arrived!

A bohemian with a mysterious origin, a girl from a wandering tribe whose origin no one can tell where she came from, and a mysterious descendant who mixes two different places, but seems to have a basis for both.

Alexander felt as if God was really helping him!

The origins of two people who are confused with each other, their identities that are confused with each other, and even their genders that have been confused.

What better way to provide him with a safe disguise than this confusion, and in an age of legends and rumors, perhaps in a moment even Alexander himself might not be able to tell which of these legends belonged to him and which belonged to Sophia.

Alexander knew, of course, that apart from being unusually beautiful, Sophia was just an ordinary gypsy girl, and that she would not be a descendant of Constantine XI, nor should she have any other eccentric identity other than that of a gypsy.

But this does not affect her being put on a veil of mystery intentionally or unintentionally.

Is it true that Joan of Arc of France, an ordinary peasant girl from the countryside, is she so incredibly charismatic and courageous as the legend says that almost half of the French stand by her side and are willing to obey her?

Thinking about this, Alexander slowly picked up the cup on the table, which had cooled down a little, and looked at the strong black coffee inside, Alexander smiled in surprise: "I know her father, a very interesting person, a Bohemian warrior and a terrible warrior. ”

"I know this man," Ashulk nodded, "I was told that this man has a formidable sword technique that even our bravest warriors would not dare to duel him alone. ”

Alexander nodded silently, he was sure that it was the father and daughter, but although he still wondered how they could have ended up in a place like Moldova, now was not the time to say this.

Now that you have decided to confuse yourself and Sophia's identities with each other, you must seize this rare opportunity.

"As for Sophia's mother," Alexander said with a deliberate pause, and he noticed from the corner of the raised coffee cup that Ashulk's hand holding the hookah holder seemed to clench slightly at this moment, "I have not seen her, she died very young, I heard that she was a very beautiful woman, one that Nashan will never forget, so that only in those noble ladies can find comfort and memories," Alexander was stunned at this point, and then continued thoughtfully, "Woman......"

"Only in the noblewomen can you find comfort and memories?" Ashulk looked at the door, and then nodded knowingly, "Yes, a strange woman who makes him no longer look down on ordinary women, what is she like?" ”

Looking at the Ottomans' empathetic looks, Alexander wanted to say, "You're really thinking too much this time." ”

For the first time, however, Alexander admired Nasanna's taste for married men and noblewomen.

"Now, can you tell me the name of that person?"

Alexander felt that he had said enough, and that he needed to be rewarded now.

"Isaac," Ashulk said, by name, "he runs a gold shop in that ghetto, a small shopkeeper, but this man knows a lot of wealthy Jews, and I think you know who I'm talking about. ”

Alexander nodded silently.

The Jews have always been excluded from Christendom as a whole, and it seems that they are being excluded everywhere.

But it was probably also due to jealousy, as one of the great plays called The Merchant of Venice put it: "The Jews always find gold from stones and flames, and we get scars of pain and burns." ”

What a rich Jew would look like, Alexander could imagine.

It should be some kind of people who usually wear inconspicuous clothes, live in low, ordinary houses, and seem to be smiling and completely harmless to anyone.

It's just that once these people return to the safety of their homes, they will become a different person.

In the middle of the night, they would pull out the clay pots and purses full of clay pots and money bags from their hidden closets, look at the glittering treasures, and mentally wonder which unlucky bastard to prey on next, snatching the last copper plate from him in one fell swoop, and even stripping him naked.

Alexander knew he was taking it for granted, but it was a true picture of the Jews of this age, after all, Jews were unpopular in almost all of Europe, except for a few places like Venice that could barely get by.

"Those people seem to have made a deal with some big man in the Vatican, and I know one of those Jews."

Ashulk grunted and slowly got up from the mat.

"You helped me, and I helped you," the Ottoman said with a smile, "Now that you've got the clues you need, what do you do next?" ”

"Find the murderer."

Alexander's eyes flashed red.

In Delacala Square, a flock of wild birds screamed and searched for food on the stone floor.

Since Giovanni's murder here, Piazza della Cala has become a lot deserted.

Children are forbidden to play, and adults try to avoid the place that scares them.

It gradually became a habitat for wild birds, and looking at the falling weeds and guano all over the ground, Alexander seemed to see a microcosm of the whole of Rome's rise and fall.

The wild birds scattered because they were frightened by the visitors, and Alexander slowly walked up to the square and came to the place where Giovanni's blood had been stained.

There was no trace of it at this time, except for the dust and black stains on the ground, and no one knew that a noble duke had ever died here.

Paolo Busako looked around vigilantly, although the possibility of two murders in the same place was too small, but thinking about the fate of Duke Gandino could not help but make Paolo Busako extremely cautious.

Alexander looked not far away at the Jewish Ghetto, where the large houses of high and low rows looked black.

Isaac, this was a very common Jewish name, and if Ashulk had not told him the name of the gold shop that this man owned, it would not have been so easy to find in that ghetto, even if he knew that there was such a man.

Ulliu's figure appeared at the intersection on the other side of the square, and when he saw Alexander, the Moors came running with a quick and quick pace.

"My lord, that Isaac is on a street not far from here, the gold shop he opened is called 'Iron Chisel', it is a small shop, this person usually has a bad reputation, he is a famous miser, but he is very shrewd, although many people don't like him, but I have never heard of him offending anyone, it is a businessman."

Listening to Ulliu's report, Alexander gradually formed an image in his mind of a cautious but stingy person.

Looking at the large area of low houses in front of him, Alexander suddenly felt that this kind of place seemed to be born for such a person.

"Is that person in the store now?"

"My lord, he never leaves his shop, he sits behind the counter and stares like an owl at everyone who passes by the door."

Alexander nodded, and according to Ashulk told him, the Jew named Isaac seemed to be a broker who was a matchmaker for some of the Vatican's bigwigs, and this man was inextricably linked to the rich Jews.

"Take me to meet this person." Alexander waved to Paul Busako and motioned for him to follow.

"My lord, will it alarm him to go to that Isaac like this?" Uliu asked, a little confused.

Alexander smiled, as if unintentionally, glanced at a few people in the distance, and then he lowered his voice and said to Ulliu, "Didn't you tell me before that those who followed Pelotto Cadron were killed by that Ashulk's men?" ”

"Yes, my lord," Uliuu was stunned for a moment, then understood something, "My lord, do you mean that Ashulk will send someone to follow us?" ”

"I don't know what he did in this matter, but he clearly wanted me to go to the Jew, and I can't let him down."

After saying that, Alexander gently pushed Uliu, asking him to lead the way.

The Jew Isaac's shop, not too far from Plaza de la Calla, bears the name of the 'Iron Chisel' and a slightly old wooden sign that squeaks and creaks in the evening breeze.

Sure enough, as Uliuu said, as soon as he entered the door of the store, which was one step lower, Alexander saw the unusually large eyes on the face of the thin man behind the counter opposite.

Sitting in the shadows, Alexander couldn't see the man's face clearly, but his bright eyes made a deep impression on him.

The man was dressed in a wide dark gray robe, and a large coat was placed on the counter in front of him, which was now full of all kinds of small bits and pieces, and when he saw Alexander with his guards and servants, the Jews immediately put them into the big pockets of the coat.

"Is there anything you need to do, sir?" The Jew stood up, walked around from behind the counter, walked over to Alexander, and asked cautiously.

He had been in Rome for a long time, so he had a pair of eyes that could read people, and the young man in front of him should be a person of great status, which could be seen not only from his own clothing and demeanor, but also from the retinue that followed him.

"Your name is Isaac?" Alexander looked at the Jew, saw that his face changed slightly, and then nodded meekly, and Alexander got to know the man better.

A very clever guy.

"I wonder if you know Duke Gandino?" Seeing that the Jews were stunned for a moment and then began to shake their heads, Alexander raised his hand.

With this gesture, Paolo Busako, who was standing next to him, stepped forward, grabbed the Jew by the collar, lifted him up and pressed him tightly to the counter!

"Answer the words of the adults, or I'll shove these gadgets of yours into your mouth." As he spoke, Paul Busako grabbed a handful of gold and silver from the jacket on the counter and pressed it the Jew's mouth, then twisted it in his hand.

The Jew shook his head in panic and pushed his body upward, trying to break out of the clutches of this terrible man, but he was obviously not as strong as Paul Busako, and when his mouth was punctured by the edges of several sharp gold and silver objects, the Jew finally couldn't help but cry out indistinctly: "I say, I say, I will tell you everything you have to know, please don't do this!" ”

Paul Busako stepped aside, still clutching a silver brooch stained with Jewish blood.

Looking at the strong man who kept staring at him with the brooch in his hand, the Jews couldn't help but be frightened again.

"Do you know Duke Gandino?" Alexander continued, "I was able to find you because someone told me something, and now I just want to get proof from you, so you should be smart and tell me what you know." ”

"My lord, I don't know the duke," said the Jew, who said first, and then he said when he saw Paul Busako moving slightly, "but I hear that he is inquiring about something, about a certain cardinal." ”

"A cardinal?" Alexander asked in a low voice.

There are many cardinals in the Vatican, but few can get Giovanni's attention, and who will it be that Duke Gandino can condescend to come to the ghetto to inquire in person?

"Yes, I have seen the Duke inquire about a man in the vicinity, but I don't know who it is," said the Jew, who was frightened and hurried to continue, seeing Alexander look at the terrible man again, "but I have heard that the bishop seems to have made a deal with someone here, and the Duke probably wants to know what the deal is all about." ”

"Is it some of the people in this house?" Alexander looked out the door at the narrow street.

"Yes, it's the people here." The Jews hastened to say, "That's all I know, and nothing else." ”

"But I hear you seem to be familiar with everything here." Alexander walked over to the table and looked at the gold and silver vessels scattered around the coat, "And you seem to be a famous rich man here, I think you must know a lot of rich people among you, in that case you can't have heard of a deal involving some of the Vatican's bigwigs." ”

Paul Busako immediately came over, grabbed the frightened Jew again, and pressed the brooch with the sharp corners of his hand to his mouth!

"Don't, I say!" The Jew finally broke down, and he made a weeping sound as he fell down.

"Say it." Alexander looked at the Jews coldly, he knew that he could only be ruthless at this time, and the news obtained in exchange for Sophia's "secret" must be worth the money.

"All I know is that someone seems to have borrowed a lot of money from some people here and is going to do something with it, but I really don't know who borrowed it and who is the creditor."

Looking at the weeping Jews, Alexander thought for a moment and beckoned to him.

"You know a lot of people, so now I'm leaving this matter to you, and go and inquire about what I want to know," Alexander whispered, "Listen, if you dare to lie to me, you should know what to expect." ”

As if he had just remembered, Alexander added: "I forgot to tell you that I am Alexandre Juliant Cambrai, Count of Montina." ”

With that, Alexander ignored the stunned Jews and turned to walk out of the store.

Isaac sat in his shop, it was already dark, but he remained motionless.

I don't know how long it was, but when it was completely dark, the Jews suddenly moved.

He quickly cleaned up the shop, then cautiously walked out the alley through the back door, and then, after looking around for a while, he put his hood over his head and blended into the crowd.

And not far from the back door of the Jewish gold shop, Ulliu watched Isaac's back from a distance.