Julio jerked his eyes open in the darkness.

Ezio sat at the end of his bed and greeted in a brisk tone, "Good evening," he said, "Honorable Archbishop Lucca." He smiled: "I'm glad the bishop's crown didn't cover your ears either." ”

The fact that Giulio didn't find Ezio by hearing or seeing was a mysterious feeling, but he didn't want to explain: "I haven't seen you in a long time." He said, "You don't even give me a letter." ”

Ezio was silent for a moment, "The Medici have been exiled by the Council of the Seventy in Florence. ”

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Jo thought himself strong, but he fell as he got out of the carriage, and his attendant immediately lifted him up, and he still lost a tooth, but he didn't feel any pain, and he was lilt, as if in a dream, and he pushed his attendant away, and threw himself at the door of Picomini's house, and struck hard. For a few minutes he feared Cardinal Picromini being as indifferent as Pope Alexander VI had turned him away, but before he could knock a third time, someone opened the side door and welcomed him in.

At first, Joe was still thinking that perhaps Picromini had not heard of the bad news, but when he came to the parlor and saw the cardinal, who was well-dressed even in the middle of the night, and had no sleep, his heart beat violently, and it was clear that Cardinal Picromini was also well informed in Rome, and he even wanted to escape, but the Medici family was like a dagger against his back. "Please...... I beg your pardon...... Disturb you in the middle of the night like this......"

Bishop Picromini gave a smile that made Joe's lower abdomen tighten: "That's not what you need me to forgive. ”

Bishop Picromini was also hesitating, anyway, Lorenzo. The Medici had absolutely nothing to blame for Giulio, and after handing over the infant Giulio to himself, he was given twenty heavily armed retinues and a good travel fee; was able to return to Rome and regain the power of Picromini, in addition to Borgia, the Medici family's golden florin also played a role that could not be ignored; Then, even though Giulio went to Perugia and Pisa to attend university, every month the clerk of the Medici Bank still sent him money orders worth 5,000 to 6,000 florins – of course, part of his friendship with the Picromini family, but Cardinal Picromini believed that Lorenzo was more of a thank you to his brother, Giuliano. Although he barely met Giulio, Giulio's martial arts instructors were the hounds and pigeons he left with Giulio, protecting him and the connection between the child and his family, and finally, even in his will, he generously left Giulio a vineyard and two wool workshops...... Well, if it weren't for that, maybe Lorenzo's eldest son, Pierrot, wouldn't have recklessly severed his ties with the family out of jealousy of Giulio.

Not to mention, Giulio's sister Constro grew up in the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, and together with the children of the Medici, they both had a deep affection for each other, although Giulio did not grow up with them, Cardinal Picromini had also heard that brothers and sisters in the same palace had an unusual blood connection, and what Cardinal Pictromini loved most about Giulio was that he valued emotions and virtues, a virtue that is difficult to find in the people of his time. But at this time, it became the cardinal's elbow - he certainly did not want Giulio to return to Florence at such a dangerous time, let alone be drawn into the maelstrom of Florence and the Medici and Charles VIII. The Medici was already the archbishop of Lucca.

There's only one Joe. The people of Florence may not change their minds about the Medici, an archbishop whose diocese is far away in Spain, but if you add an archbishop of Lucca, you must know that one of the two most important ports of Florence, Pisa, is just east of Lucca, and Livorno below, and Cardinal Picromini will almost regret that he has sought this important position for his beloved disciple, even if it is a year to wait.

But Cardinal Picromini then realized that he did not need to think much about it, and a monk hurried in, leaned over and said a few words to the cardinal, and Jo saw the stern-faced elder suddenly show a helpless look, "All right," he said, "let him in." ”

Joe almost burst into tears when he saw the well-dressed Julio, and half of his mentor spoke to Julio in a gentle manner that would make him think he was wrong, and almost dropped his eyes when he saw Julio suddenly hug him...... As they left the house of Picromini, the cardinal draped his cloak over Giulio's shoulders, and Joe could have sworn that even their father had never been so tender to them, and if it weren't for the fact that Julio's countenance was largely the same as that of Giulio. The statue left by the Medici coincides with the portrait, and he would have assumed that Giulio was the illegitimate son of Cardinal Picromini, and the only one.

"What did he do?" On the carriage, which had become particularly bumpy because of the speed of the gallop, Giulio asked bluntly, Rome was still ruled by night, and the silver moonlight poured into the window, illuminating a small piece of Giulio's smooth face, and his cold tone reminded people of his mentor.

Joe unnaturally straightened his wide-brimmed hat, both he and Giulio went directly into the carriage in bishop's attire, which was a silent deterrent in itself, and they also wore rings and amethyst rings on their fingers, and unlike Joe, Giulio also had a sapphire ring belonging to the cardinal, engraved with Cardinal Picromini's surname, which was his protection for his disciples. However, they all wore wide black cloaks and masks on the outermost part, lest the Medici enemies know that they were rushing back to Florence.

"He sold Florence," said Joe, wearily, "in exchange for the Medici family, King Charles VIII of France, for the continuation of the power of Florence." ”

"Idiot." Giulio commented.

Joe sighed deeply.

They galloped on for a night, the mist of dawn dissipated in the golden needle sun, and the friends and guards who accompanied them slowed down, and after the Medici were driven out of Florence, Giulio's sister Constena, especially Pierrot's, settled in a village not far from Florence, and before Julio and Joe could get out of the carriage, a hoarse voice was heard cursing and cursing.

Constena walked out, her eyes welling up with tears of excitement when she saw Joe and Giulio, and when the army of King Charles VIII of France besieged Florence, Pierrot was at first panicked and then suddenly full of confidence, he had always considered himself the prince of Florence, the king of the Medici, and undoubtedly succeeded his father Lorenzo. The wisdom and glory of the Medici, he thought he could force Charles VIII to withdraw with his tongue - he was so unprepared, oh. No, he hired three hundred mercenaries, but before he reached the camp of the French army, these people were exterminated by the soldiers of Charles VIII, and after losing his reliance on force, he panicked like a child who had never seen the world, stammering, incoherent, and most importantly, Charles VIII, the young king of France, did not let go of this opportunity, although the process was not clear, but after the Council of Seventy, Constina still managed to get the treaty signed between Pierrot and Charles VIII, Even if she was just a woman, she couldn't help but gasp when she read the contents.

Giulio unfolded the crumpled piece of silk (as if torn from his shirt), it was a manuscript copy, scribbled, he glanced at Constena, and his sister immediately turned her head, now was not the time to investigate how Constena got the facsimile, and if it was correct, he also thanked the Council of the Seventy and the people of Florence for not hanging Pierrot directly from the bell tower, and to be honest, he was a little inclined to do so.

"Florence surrendered two seaports, Pisa and Livorno; Florence surrendered all the fortresses that sustained its existence; Florence immediately handed over two hundred thousand gold florins to King Charles VIII of France......" Giulio read it in his pleasant voice, and then looked up incredulously: "Pierrot, why don't you put yourself on the board and let Charles cut you and feed your dogs?" ”

At this moment, even Joe showed a stunned look, you know, Julio in his impression, is completely a gentle and lovely little brother.

Pierrot's face suddenly turned a shy red, and then turned blue again: "I don't need you to put your beak for what I do, you bastard!" He glared at Constina: "And your bastard sister! "When he tried to take the horses and order the men to go on, Consterna knocked him unconscious with his own hands, and was bound by him, though in soft silk, which made him feel ashamed, and if he had not, he would have pierced the breasts of the two bastards with a dagger!

He looked at Joe again: "Joe! Joe! Joe! My brother, you just watched them humiliate me!? I am your brother, my father's eldest son, and I am the head of the Medici family! ”

"The brother who drove the Medici to hell." Joe said with a gloomy face, Giulio gave it to him directly after reading the copy, and he also saw the second half of the agreement, after giving so much, what did Florence get? A so-called "ally" under the protection of France, and the Medici family's dominion in Florence...... When did the Medici need "dominion"? Jokes, both their grandfathers and fathers have repeatedly warned them that the people of Florence have been free for more than two hundred years after separating themselves from the Romans and Lombards, and they don't need a king or archduke, even if in essence, the Medici family is indeed the uncrowned king of Florence, but to really give the charming woman the Medici surname, they need more time, or, a great catastrophe, Completely destroy the existing system in Florence, and then re-establish the order they needed by the Medici.

But it was definitely not what Pierrot did, in this way, even if the Medici family could really control Florence with the support of King Charles VIII of France, he was also the enemy of the whole of Florence, the more so, the more he could not leave the protection of Charles VIII, but would Charles VIII easily let go of the Medici family and Florence? He would have regarded Florence as an accidental cow and would not rest until its blood and milk were squeezed clean – a dead end awaited the Medici.

Jo stood up, but did not untie him as Pierrot thought, but took out his handkerchief and gagged him tightly, and everyone present was immediately relieved, as Pierrot said, he was the Medici's head after all, and it was already quite arrogant for Constena to tie him up, and the eldest sister who married into the Salviadi family did not follow them out of Florence, Madeleine was still in the convent of Rome, and then Constena, and their youngest brother Giuliano, He has the same name as Giulio's father, and he is only 14 years old this year.

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The news that the two archbishops of the Medici had arrived in Florence immediately alarmed the Council of Seventy, and they quickly gathered at the Medici Palace, Palazzo Vecchio, to discuss countermeasures.

Headed by Piero. Carboni listened quietly for a few moments to their discussion or dispute, and finally tapped his finger on the table, and everyone fell silent, waiting for his opinion, for he was their leader in the overthrow of the Medici, and he was the first to say: "It is time to take Florence back from the children of the Medici." It was he who prevented the retribution and plundering of the Medici, who he believed should also be respected, in addition to the fact that the Medici still had some hidden friends in Florence. Medici, and Lorenzo. Medici's contribution to Florence.

He was a fair man, so people were willing to listen to him, he looked around, saw the faces, and then pointed to the map hanging on the wall: "Can we avoid Luca?" ”

Some shook their heads.

Carboni then asked, "Can the Archbishop of Lucca collect and set the taxes in his diocese?" Can a license be issued? Can the priesthood be conferred or denied? ”

Some nodded.

"So what else is there to say," Carbony shrugged and spread his hands, "let's greet the Bishops." ”