Although Cardinal Picromini almost mockingly drove Joe away. The Medici, but the news that another Medici had become the Archbishop of Lucca spread quickly through Florence and the honorable merchants and bankers, but within a dozen days, even the court of Charles VIII of France began to spread about the Giulio. According to the legend of the Medici, the archbishop of the Medici family was not only young, but also the Giuliano, who was famous for his handsomeness throughout Rome. The illegitimate son of the Medici, who is said to be better than the blue himself, is a very normal thing for women to be interested in him in an age when the clergy can have lovers and children.

Such was the case with the ladies gathered around the Queen of France, richly decorated, holding fans, and under the cover of ivory handles and feathers, exchanging stories about the possible affairs of the future beautiful man, wondering whether he was still a virgin, when he would choose his first lover, and what kind of girl he liked. Blonde or brunette? Blue eyes or gray eyes? "Maybe it's brunette," said one lady, "he's brunette himself, and he'll love it." "I don't think so, men like freshness," said another lady, "and I think he'll like lighter hair colors." When the female officials who had a bad relationship with her heard this, they glanced at each other's pale yellow curls and smiled contemptuously, "I heard that he has a pair of devilish golden eyes." "One of the female officials said that her uncle was a priest in Rome and that she knew more than anyone else." So he's black-haired and golden-eyed? The yellow-haired lady continued to speak cheerfully, "I hope he is fair-skinned and has long fingers, so that he will fit almost exactly the image of the lover of my dreams." "I haven't seen golden eyes yet," said another noblewoman, eagerly, "but it does sound very attractive." "Recently, the Vatican has indeed had a lot of beauties." One of the most vocal of them all said that her surname was Lovere, yes, the cousin of Cardinal Lovere, who was not only the brother of a cardinal, but also the new lover of King Charles VIII of France, and was second only to Queen Anne in the French court: "Some say that Caesar, the 'nephew' of Pope Alexander VI, has the face of an angel, while others say that another disciple of Cardinal Picromini has blond hair like the morning light and blue eyes like a lake." Her remarks aroused the curiosity of others who asked about the two, and she quietly shifted the conversation to Joshua. Lovere's body, to say that she also had a relationship with Julio. The Medici were more interested, but Joshua was her cousin's son, and she had to pave the way for him.

"It sounds," said King Charles VIII of France, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation of the women for a moment, smiling as he turned to the cardinal beside him, "and you have a very good heir. ”

"While I want to stay humble," said Della. "But at the mention of my child, I cannot suppress the pride in my heart, so forgive me, Your Majesty, I must say that there is no more intelligent and beautiful child than him," said Lovere. ”

Charles VIII laughed sincerely, he lost his father at a young age, but his father did not cherish him, so he liked all fathers who loved their sons, and sons who loved their fathers, "Then you should take him with you to France." He said. I hope so," said Cardinal Lovere, with a pretentious gesture, "but he was very stubborn at times, especially when it came to his studies, and perhaps I mentioned to you that his mentor was Picomini. ”

"Alas," said Charles VIII, "that is an elder of supreme wisdom, and your son's choice is very correct. ”

"Not only that, Your Majesty, although it is said that sons should obey their fathers, more often than not, it is only the father who retreats."

"That's because of love." Charles VIII sighed.

"It's because of love." Cardinal Lovere continued.

They entered the room one after the other, and the women rushed up to greet them, Queen Anne was the last to stand up, and Charles VIII looked at her with an unusually soft and loving gaze, like looking at a fat and burnt rabbit: "Good afternoon, my Queen," he said, "the sun is very warm today, isn't it?" ”

"Yes, Your Majesty." Queen Anne said that she did not even give a single glance to the cardinal beside the king, "I feel a little hot, your majesty, may I go back to my room?" ”

"Go," said Charles VIII tolerantly, "rest well, my love, and I will go to you in the evening, and I have prepared a gift for you." ”

"Thank you very much." The queen said dryly, and then she took her maid and walked away without looking back.

Charles VIII shook his head helplessly: "You see," he said, "Dela, she still doesn't like me." ”

"Women are always duplicitous," said Cardinal Lovere in a low voice, "and they only dictate to their lovers. He paused slightly: "If she really has any complaints, then it will only be directed at me." Charles VIII laughed when he heard this, in fact, before the death of the Duke of Brittany, he managed to find a marriage for his heir and daughter, that is, after Anne met the requirements of marriage, she would marry Maximilian I of the Holy Roman Empire, Brittany was not close to the Holy Roman Empire, so that Brittany could still retain its independence and freedom. Charles VIII, of course, could not watch Brittany fall into the hands of a monarch outside France, and his subordinates rushed to the Vatican with bills of exchange and securities to bribe Pope Innocent VIII to dissolve the marriage between Anne of Brittany and Maximilian I of the Holy Roman Empire. While Borgia was busy looking for the right boy, Della. Cardinal Lovere intervened, and after the Holy See declared that the marriage contract between Maximilian I and Anne was invalid because the intercourse had not been completed (at that time Maximilian I had only sent his own emissaries to fulfill the obligations at the wedding), he was not only richly rewarded, but also received the friendship of Charles VIII.

At the time of Bolgia's final victory and Mixed Rodrigo became Pope Alexander VI, Dela Rodrigo became Pope Alexander VI. Loveret was also aided by the King of France because of this precious friendship, otherwise he might not have been able to escape from the Templars to France.

However, compared to the grace and trust of King Charles VIII, Queen Anne never said a word to Cardinal Lovere, and more often than not, she didn't even bother to give a look. Lovere found himself less annoyed, perhaps because Anne of Brittany was a rare beauty—she was only 16 years old, tall with a chest of condensed milk, long golden-brown hair, and gray-black eyes that were pious and chaste. And because she is the duchess of Brittany, born honorable and powerful - even if she becomes the queen of Charles VIII, she still has a majesty that no one can match compared to other women because she can keep Brittany, so that men can't help but have a heart of conquest at first sight, which is not even a metaphor, get her and get Brittany.

"You should get her pregnant as soon as possible." Cardinal Lovere said: "There is no mother who does not love her child, and a child who has her blood in her blood should rightfully inherit her territory. ”

"I'm working on it." Young Charles VIII sighed, "But it doesn't matter what else matters, it really depends on God's will." With that, he waved his hand, and the warbler in the room, Yanyan, immediately meekly retreated, leaving the place to the king, the cardinal, and his trusted close ministers.

Two attendants stepped forward and opened a map—a map of Europe—on a table full of needles and threads a few minutes ago.

The patron saint of France, Saint-Denisto, is on top of the map, with his head slightly closed, looking down on the Italian region below, the names of important regions have been written in red paint: France, Milan, Florence, Rome, Naples...... The king's generals exchanged glances, and every French king of Naples, who originally belonged to the French Anjou family, could not help but be angry, especially Charles VIII, who vowed to retake Naples when he was a child, and the preparations for this war began five years ago, but France is on the west side of the Europa continent, Naples is located in the southern part of the peninsula, separated by most of Italy, France wants Naples, it must pass through at least three countries or regions, They had to think about supplies when they were advancing, and they had to think about retreat when they retreated.

"There's something about it." Cardinal Lovere said: "First of all, I would like to ask your Majesty for permission to introduce you to a person. ”

Charles VIII nodded, and Cardinal Lovere said a word to the priest beside him, and he withdrew, and after a while a swarthy man in full costume followed the footsteps of the attendant briskly in the sight of the crowd, and he stopped about nine paces from Charles VIII, took off his hat, and performed an elegant and courteous courtesy, a ceremony that accompanied the constant forward and backward, and the French ministers thought him too fancy, but when he gave his name, they could not help but be amazed.

He is Ludovico. Sforza, the acting duke of Milan, was the de facto ruler.

The submission of Duke Ludovico of Milan ensured that the French army could march directly into Italy, and he promised supplies and mercenary legions to accompany the French army. "And what does he want?" Charles VIII asked.

"The legitimacy of the Duchy of Milan," Cardinal Lovere smiled softly, "and his Grand Dukeship." ”

"He seems to have forgotten his nephew's father-in-law." A minister said.

"When we have to return to Naples," said Cardinal Lovere, "the illegitimate son of Alfonso V will of course not matter, and he will not even have to appeal to the Pope for a ruling to annul his nephew's marriage to Avia of Naples." ”

"And what about Florence and Rome?"

"Lorenzo of Florence. The Medici is dead, and it is only his eldest son, Pierrot, who is now at the helm of Florence, a young man who is thankfully cowardly and short-sighted...... It only takes a little intimidation to solve it, as for Rome ......"

"Alexander VI is said to be unusually greedy," one of the ministers excused, "we can promise a return equal to one percent of the Neapolitan treasury." ”

Della. Lovere's lips moved slightly, as Borgia's sworn enemy, of course he knew that Borgia's ambitions were more than that, but why should he remind these people, when everything was ready, Borgia's refusal would only provoke the monstrous anger of Charles VIII.

"Spain will be a problem."

Charles VIII thought for a moment, lowered his head and looked at the map again: "Dela, my dear friend, there is something you need to do, please go to Spain with my message, and tell Ferdinand of Aragon that if he is willing to remain neutral in the war that follows, then I will surprise him in return." ”

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"I can't say no." Alexander VI said that his son Caesar sat on the steps of the throne with gloomy eyes, and that King Charles VIII of France not only made a request for a passage, but also asked the Pope to send his son with the army - this was only a noble name, in fact, he just wanted a hostage, and now Caesar was the eldest son of Alexander VI, and the most credible and highly regarded of his children, Alexander VI could not give him up easily, Charles VIII also made this request to avoid being cut off during his conquest of Naples.

"What about Venice and Florence?"

"The Venetians remained neutral," said Alexander VI, "and Florence, you know, Pierrot was just a rubbish." ”

"We should have brought Giulio back to Medici in the first place."

Alexander VI shook his head: "No, my dear son, Florence is our future enemy, and if Giulio is indeed as good as you say, I will never let him return to Florence." ”

"Italy belongs to Italy, and we should form an alliance."

"I'm doing that, but I need time." Alexander VI said: "Charles VIII did not give me time. "He had received an important piece of information a few hours earlier, that France had signed an agreement with Spain to cede the region of Lussiro and the region of Celdagne to Spain, and that Charles VIII had made the most important bet at the table, that anyone who prevented him from getting Naples would be his place of death, not to mention that the king had Cardinal de la Plea by his side. Lovere, he must have very much liked to see Alexander VI deposed and replaced by him.

Caesar looked at his father and suddenly realized that his father had asked him to be a hostage of Charles VIII, but on the contrary, he did not give up on forming the Italian League, once Charles VIII realized it, he would definitely be abused or even killed as a hostage, Alexander VI may have loved him, but just like Lucrea, the Pope's hard heart did not waver in the slightest when he asked him to make sacrifices.