The number of displaced people living outside Lucca was as high as 20,000, and the Luccas had been worried about it, after all, the number was too staggering, and their daily consumption was immeasurable, and some pilgrims insisted that there were angels who distributed endless manna to these pious people, or that Christ had never lacked bread and fish on their plates, and even some of them lived in cement huts, which they said were warmer than houses with burning fireplaces— Ignoring Luca's doctor's warnings, they were having a fever.

Of course, the doctor also had to receive people who jumped into the pool to catch the bricks, or were hit by the bricks, or choked after eating the cement powder. The Medici's guidance didn't heal anyone.

But more pilgrims preferred to trust the monks who would make daily rounds and prayers outside the city, unbeknownst to them, that the monks were more than chanting to observe the newcomers, lest they bring the plague - 20,000 people, close to a large village or town, next to Lucca, and if the plague spread, even Giulio could not afford the consequences.

It must be said that the benefits brought by these pilgrims are probably the change in the mental outlook of these displaced people - in the beginning, although they were able to get shelter, food and safety here, they were like stray cats that were used to being bullied, or wild plants and trees without roots, even if they were well fed and slept, but there was still an indelible panic in their eyes, and they were also at a loss for the future, they did not dare to return to Romagna, and the walls of Lucca would always be completed one day, and by that time, Where can they go?

Now they are proud because they are different, and who can work for a saint like them, with the angels? The pilgrims bought holy things from them - they were determined not to sell them! It was a stone brick that the saint had touched! To live with them in the sacred house is not something that only Kimflorin can say, but also depends on whether the person is pious and has committed a crime! Even the fish, rye, and water that the archbishop gave them, they ate and drank with 120,000 gratitude, and although they looked no different from ordinary fish, rye, and water, every homeless person would swear that they had never eaten such delicious fish, so fragrant wheat, and drank so clean and sweet water, and although it was different from the legendary manna, they did feel that their eyes were brightened, their voices were louder, and their complexions were ruddy.

- Isn't it because you've been on the move, hungry and cold, and now you're finally full of food and drink? Martin. Lud thought to himself, but the food in Lucca was really much more delicious than other places - he also saw that when he came to Lucca, the old man who said he had never heard, seen or touched anything about the Holy Gate of Lucca, was leading a group of pilgrims to the unfinished "Holy Gate" with a solemn expression, which was in fact nothing more than the first three bastions built by Lucca—they were close together, because behind them were the Cathedral of Lucca, the Cathedral of San Marino and the Plaza of San Marino, Although the Luccas did not put their submission on the surface, such an act has undoubtedly shown itself to Giulio. Medici's respect and love.

In any case, if the former exiles were merely drifters, they are now as firm as the stone bricks that stand outside Lucca, and they no longer distinguish themselves as Imola, Forlì, Pesaro, or Faenza, but as "the people of the archbishop", and they will not disobey him in the slightest, not even the slightest disobedience, even if the archbishop makes them live according to many complicated rules: such as three baptisms a day (cleaning before meals and bedtime) The water you drink must be purified by fire (drinking water after boiling), a fixed place for excretion, and it is not allowed to dump garbage on the road...... Even men were not allowed to beat their wives every day, only three times a week, and only with their fists, and they obeyed, not only did they obey, but they also taught the new homeless and pilgrims to do the same.

"If this continues, even if he asks these people to die for him," Martin said, "they will be willingly killed." ”

Brother Desi sat down beside him and stretched out from Martin. Roed's pocket touched the fried chestnuts to eat, the chestnuts were already very sweet, and after being fried in an iron pot, they were even more crispy and soft, and sweeter, not to mention that Archbishop Lukka also extravagantly sprinkled sugar on the case of the chestnuts.

"There's no way around it." "Though our lord is wise and merciful, his greatest weakness is that he does not have the power that belongs to him alone, the Florentine, the Lucca, the Spaniards, the Bretons, or the Cardinal Picromini, who are willing to serve him, but who do not regard him as their master, and who cannot trust them, these exiles are different, they are like the Egyptians under the harsh rule of Amenhotep I, as long as there is someone willing to lead them out of their misery, And they were willing to serve the man as Lord, and even if they had to complain that they had been deceived, they would have to wait until they reached Liberdin. (note 1)

"But that lord wouldn't put himself in such an ugly situation." Martin asked.

"Before, perhaps, but now I promise not." Brother Desi said.

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Pope Alexander VI's letter was soon delivered to Caesar. In Borgia's hands, he can be said to have easily acquired Imola, Forlì, Pesaro, Rimini and other places in the past year, and Faenza is almost already in his pocket, he almost forgets Giulio. The Medici, or rather, he was trying to forget, but it backfired.

First of all, his beloved sister Luclayia wrote a letter to him, reminding him to be kind to his subordinates, to keep his promises, to suppress and appease the people, and not to continue to do things that allowed mercenaries to plunder the city, and when people offered him gifts, he had to try to see if they had any problems that needed to be solved urgently - Luclessia, of course, had no ill will towards his brother, and Caesar had to admit that she was right, and that she did the same in Spolette and Lepuy, She even often took her maids and soldiers on a tour of her territory, punishing the wicked, preaching goodness, and sometimes reducing taxes to ease the pressure on the people's shoulders. So even though she was a member of the notorious Borgia and a woman, the people there still maintained a lot of affection and respect for her.

It wasn't impossible for Caesar to do these things, but he knew very well that these ideas were exactly what Giulio was. The Medici poured into Lucrecia, and he felt that if he did the same, he would lose to the Medici - something he absolutely could not accept, and he had tentatively restated to Alexander VI some of Giulio's theories about the unification of Italy, and as you can see, the Pope did not take it to heart at all, and his victory has proved that intrigue and violence are the keys to victory, and only the weak need to grovel, And the strong can ignore all the rules.

He reluctantly accepted some of these suggestions, like those Michelangelo had seen, but as a ruler whose every word and deed was closely watched, could the cunning old mercenaries still not guess whether his orders were from his heart? They are also very good at pretentiousness and deception, so, like Julio. The Medici had given Ezio the example that Valentino's possessions seemed peaceful, but in fact the wounds hidden under the fat powder had festered beyond sight.

Caesar did not know that the golden florin, which he had thrown out to compensate for the loss of the small merchants, the farmers, and the artisans, had long since been swallowed up by his henchmen, and that the thieves and bandits, who were said to have committed the most heinous crimes, were captured and hanged by his soldiers, and which, if you look closely, were much thicker than the cocoons of the so-called sword; And whether it was the French army or the Borgian army, their soldiers had already learned to keep their ears and mouths, and if they committed a crime, they would kill the family and all possible witnesses, and then set fire to it......

In this respect, Caesar may be said to have set a good example for them: just as he was preparing for a second attack on Faenza, there was a noble woman named Donotti, whose husband was a commander in the Venetian army, and her adoptive mother, a noble duchess, who had to visit her husband from Urbino, and the Venetian government asked Caesar to guarantee her safety on the Via Emilia on her behalf.

Caesar agreed, but unfortunately the lady was beautiful, and she disappeared with her female companion on the Avenue of Emilia, and Caesar's soldiers insisted that they watched her carriage enter the territory of Venice, while the Venetian soldiers who were waiting for her swore that if they did receive the beautiful lady and let her be plundered by the mob, let the devil eat their tongues.

And most people believed the Venetian version, because the Venetian soldiers waiting for the lady were waiting at a key point, and there were many people who saw them, and a carriage and two ladies were not small things that could be easily put in the pockets of their clothes. Not to mention, two women were seen in a monastery in Forlì being brought into a room by Caesar's soldiers, where the monks heard people weeping and pleading, but they were not allowed to come close, and the soldiers brought them some delicate food that women might like.

The Venetian consuls were furious, even though they made a deal with the pope and were forced to grant Caesar. Borgia honored the title of citizen of Venice and gave 100,000 gold ducats as assistance to the Papal States in exchange for Pope Alexander VI's aid to Venice, but this is not to say that they were willing to let an illegitimate child of humble origin dance above their heads.

But in the face of the accusations of the representatives of the Venetian government, or the envoys of the King of France, or the sons of the Duchess of Urbino (the adoptive mother of that lady), he denied it, and even said: "What kind of woman do I want to rob a married man?" ”

It's just that even Caesar's father, Pope Alexander VI did not believe his son, and he gave Caesar a sternly worded letter saying that Caesar. Borgia had lost his sanity, and Caesar responded by laughing, just as Leonardo. In the presence of Leonardo da Vinci, he threw the letter into the fireplace and confidently declared that the people would soon forget about it: "Because I am about to become the Duke of Romagna." ”

He intensified his offensive against Faenza, and even at the cost of destroying the artillery, he had to pour enough stone bullets on Faenza's walls, and after the walls finally collapsed, Caesar took the lead and rushed into Faenza, in that battle, Faenza died about 3,000 men, and Caesar's army also had nearly 2,000 gaps, and the horses and vehicles were lost innumerable, but it was not without reward, the young lord of Faenza surrendered, and was sent to Rome by Caesar to preach his victory, and Faenza had to give Caesar 40,000 gold ducats, And that's not even counting the looting he made in castles and cities.

Sure enough, the poor woman was not mentioned again, because people were talking more about the lord of Faenza, who was killed by Caesar. Bolkiah promised his life and the Pope promised him a pardon, but as soon as he arrived in Rome, he died, and his body was like that of Juan many years ago. Borgia in general, floating on the Tiber River.

The Pope's angry letter was sent to Caesar again, apparently he thought that Caesar's death of Lord Faenza was inextricably linked, and Caesar was only full of boredom, he did not understand why his father had rebelled, he was afraid of Julio? A Medici whom he rebuked as a lost dog?

A thought that had always lingered in Caesar's mind was suppressed after the Pope recovered, and that was that Alexander VI was still old after all.

Caesar. Borgia felt that he had been climbing the mountain called power since he had gone to France, and now that he was close to reaching its summit, when he looked down, everything became so small, and his fear and jealousy became ridiculous.

He had proved that he had been wrong, that Luclecia was wrong, and that the Holy Father was wrong......

He is the victor, the Duke of Valentino, the master of Romagna, and in the future, the monarch of Italy - he will be fearless.