Julio was woken up by a slight itch on his neck.

"Wake up," asked Cardinal Picromini, "would you like some water?" As he spoke, he withdrew his finger - who was the person who was curiously harassing his disciple who was still sick and asleep? Of course it's not him.

Giulio drank from Cardinal Picromini's honorable hand, his mind was still a little drowsy, but it was much better, and he did not insist that the cardinal leave his room. "What time is it now?"

"It's night." "Don't worry," said the cardinal, "I have come out in the name of a pilgrimage and can stay here for several days." When you're a little better, let's go see little Cosimo together, okay? He was satisfied to see that Giulio's eyes suddenly lit up, Machiavelli's complaint (although he was very dissatisfied with it) was not in vain, he knew that Giulio had always held on to little Cosimo with great enthusiasm for his father at this time, and if he could not hold it in his hands and rub it from time to time, both the father and the son would be a little lost, but Giulio must also admit that Machiavelli was right, little Cosimo is still so young, if anything changes...... No amount of remorse can be reversed.

But if there is a reason, Giulio is still very willing to go and see the child, last time because of the reliquary, when he left, little Cosimo was still angry, it can be said that he broke up unhappily, and now he ...... He probably ...... I've forgotten about it.

"That's right." Cardinal Picromini reached out and brushed Giulio's neck, "What is this?" I didn't see it the last time I came, it was Cosimo Jr.? "It looks like a thin red thread that runs from the base of the ear to the collar.

"Oh, this one, it was injured when I was in France." "It comes when you have a fever, but it doesn't have any effect on your body," Giulio said. ”

"Is it only when there is a fever?"

"When you're emotional, too." Giulio said.

Cardinal Picromini fiddled with his fingers and thought for a moment: "Julio." ”

"Yes, teacher?"

"Make the collar higher, cover it or use a little lead powder," said Cardinal Picromini, "and don't let people see it." ”

Giulio didn't know why, but he agreed.

When the red mark on his neck disappeared, Giulio happily packed up the toys for little Cosimo (mini-cranes, pulleys, etc.) and set out with Cardinal Picromini to visit the cat...... No, the road of Cosimo Jr.

——————————

Life in Platuo is laid-back and peaceful, and there are times when Giuliano. The Medici would have the idea that it would be good to live like this, and in March, the courtyard was full of jacarandas, buttercups, and crab claw orchids blooming like a carnival, and the oak and olive trees began to stretch their leaves, and the fine grass on the ground was as lush as a thick silk carpet, and at Giulio's orders, when the weather was fine, little Cosimo was taken out and placed on a real silk carpet, and moved to the courtyard to enjoy the sun—although Bianca, who was too cautious, let the servants set up a silk tent, Avoid strong light damage to your child's skin and eyes.

Little Cosimo crawled up and down on the silk carpet energetically for a while (during which Bianca stared at him without blinking, preventing him from climbing to the flowers), and after eating some sweet eggs, he finally felt tired, Bianca held him and fell asleep on the carpet, Giuliano looked at them, and felt that his heart had never been so satisfied, and just when he could not help but be tired and wanted to sleep with his wife "son" for a while, a servant with a haste-looking look ran over and glanced at his mistress, A few words were spoken in Giuliano's ear.

When Giuliano heard this, he quickly got up from the silk carpet and dressed neatly before hurried to the small hall where the guests were entertained.

Katerina. Sforza rightfully occupied the most ornate chair, with tea and snacks in front of her, but they never moved, and when she heard footsteps and turned her head towards little Medici, even Giuliano couldn't help but hold her breath for a moment—Bianca was completely different from her mother, she was beautiful, but she was gentle, amiable, and a little weak, and what about Katarina, her beauty was fierce, threatening, and could make people's blood boil at a glance.

Giuliano saluted Caterina respectfully, and although Bianca never mentioned it, nor did he want to admit it, and what this mother did made her unworthy of it, but he still thanked her for giving birth to Bianca, and did not really watch her die, and for that he was willing to respect her.

It's just that he won't let her hurt Bianca either.

But what puzzled him was that Caterina's eyes were clearly anxious and uneasy.

"Where's Bianca?" As soon as she saw Giuliano, Caterina didn't even have time to exchange a polite exchange and asked eagerly.

"With the child...... "Juliano said only to realize that something was wrong, "in the courtyard, do you want to see her?" I'll call her right away. ”

"Stop!"

Caterina snapped, not giving Giuliano a chance to change his story: "This is the first time I've heard that my daughter has given birth to a grandson. ”

She smiled cruelly and sarcastically, "But I remember that you have not been married to her for half a year, Medici boy, tell me, why did this child come so early?" ”

"I ...... We ......" Giuliano said with difficulty: "We ...... Something wrong ......"

"Wrong......" repeated Caterina, "is it you, or you?" Her gaze suddenly became fierce: "You know about Bianca, and I admit that the Medici always need an heir, but you are only a few months away from the marriage contract, and you let her raise your illegitimate child?" You can't wait?! Or did you plan it that way? Not a wife, but a nanny, a servant? ”

She jerked to her feet, and Giuliano almost fell to the ground in fright, but when he saw Caterina walking into the courtyard, he was so shocked that he chased after her. He was about to shout a warning to Bianca, but Caterina grabbed her by the neck and lifted her up—his toes couldn't touch the ground, Giuliano thought in pain, his throat was clenched, his eyes were black and white, and he could only scratch Caterina's muscular arm in vain.

Caterina scoffed, "Useless little cub! He threw him to the ground at will, and with a bang, Giuliano had the misfortune to kiss the back of his head with the smooth, hard marble.

Some servants stepped forward (in fact they didn't know what to do), but they were all done by the hostesses of Forlì like their masters—Caterina strode in, and as soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw the conspicuous silk tent, and then the man under it.

Bianca woke up suddenly, and as soon as she saw her mother, she immediately hid little Cosimo behind her, but she didn't know that Caterina was even more angry when she saw little Cosimo, and the child was at least twenty months old! That is, Giuliano. The Medici had a one-year-old son before marriage, so was what Ezio and himself were telling a lie? Or did he deceive Ezio? The Medici, a family that had been expelled from Florence, would never have been among the marriages she approved, had it not been for Bianca's insistence and Ezio's guarantee for Giuliano. Medici's loyalty, even if she has another 100,000 gold florins, she may not agree to this marriage!

"Give me the baby!" Caterina shouted as she held out her hand.

Bianca's reply was to pick up little Cosimo and run, and Giuliano, who finally staggered to the end, drew his sword in a miserable posture and pointed at Caterina tremblingly.

"What's going on?" Standing outside the courtyard, Cardinal Picromini looked at the chaos and asked, "Is it playing, or is it some special welcoming ceremony?" ”

After about a quarter of an hour, everyone was finally able to sit down, Bianca was holding little Cosimo, at first they thought he would be frightened, who knew how bold little Cosimo was, Bianca held him, Caterina followed behind, and poor Giuliano chased his breathless hand with his sword, he thought it was a game, and not only laughed, but also clapped his hands in encouragement - obviously, he could also see that the worst of the three was his nominal father.

"Say it." Cardinal Picromini said.

Julio. The Medici raised his fist and put it to his mouth and coughed again, he was still a little embarrassed, although it was common for clergy to have groups of illegitimate children, but ......

Caterina's gaze flickered around the faces of Giulio, Giuliano and Cosimo Jr., and her daughter, followed by an incredulous expression, of course, it was not uncommon for the clergy to have herds of bastards (repeat), but ...... She thought it was ......

"So...... It's ......," she gestured.

"Well, yes."

Katerina's tense face finally relaxed a little.

"Then it's your turn, ma'am," asked Cardinal Picromini, "that you have behaved unusually, I have heard of Fried...... No, the title of lord, you are not the kind of ordinary woman who will suddenly get hysterical, what happened? ”

"My ...... My child," said Caterina in a hoarse voice, "all ...... Dead, except, except for Bianca. ”

"Didn't you send them to the House of Rio?"

"How did I know they were so useless!" Caterina was furious: "I thought that even for the sake of Imola and Forlì, they should take care of those two children!" ”

"It is Alexander VI," said Cardinal Picromini, "that it seems that although Caesar. With Borgia in possession of the titles of Lord of Imola and Forlì, the Pope is still not at ease - he must have threatened the House of Riario. ”

"The family of Liario is not so stupid," said Caterina wearily, "they did not agree to the Pope's terms, but...... Just three days ago, two of my children, one of them, were dragged to death by a frightened horse...... The other, accidentally fell off the clock tower...... Although nominally an accident, all of us know what happened. ”

"Well," Cardinal Picromini said, looking at Bianca, "now Bianca is the only legitimate child of you and Riario - Imola and Forlì...... The sole heir? ”

"She is now the wife of the Medici," said Caterina, "and if I die, Giuliano as her husband. The Medici were the undisputed rulers of Imola and Forlì. ”

"The Borgias won't admit that." Cardinal Picromini said.

"It doesn't matter if you admit it or not." "But they're going to put an end to it," Caterina said. ”

Cardinal Picromini's gaze immediately fell on Cosimo Jr., who did not know about Giuliano for the time being. Medici's hidden dangers, but, if the situation is allowed to develop, then Cosimo Jr., who can almost be confirmed, will have two rich and important territories.

"I say," cried Cardinal Picromini, "what is that stupid boy turning over you?" ”

But no, when the grown-ups were about to die of this new turn of events, little Cosimo had already crawled out of Bianca's arms and staggered over to his delightful father, but instead of plunging headlong into that warm and powerful bosom, as he always did, he drilled and drilled, and tossed and turned in Giulio's chest and under his ribs.

"Well, I guess ......," said Giulio helplessly, "he's probably looking for ...... Reliquary...... bar. ”