Martin. Rudd followed the Lukkas all the way to a pool large enough for a hundred people to bathe in, and the pool was rippling with blue waves, except in such weather, no one would want to jump into such a cold pool unless they wanted to die. There was no one in the pool, only neatly stacked stone bricks, Martin ran over to see that the surface of the stone bricks was very rough, and there were still small bubbles, and he smelled salty, as if from dried fish, and he looked left and right, and saw that no one was paying attention to him, so he reached into the water, scooped up some water, and put it in his mouth to taste it—bitter and astringent.

He was there and there and there he was naturally noticed, but they now had something more to pay attention to, so they let him go—under the command of Danilo, the head of the Guiniki family, several workers fished out a few bricks from the pool, and one of the scholars went up and knocked them with a small hammer, and put them in the sun to look at the colors.

"It's going to take more time to be perfect," Giulio said, "but it's enough to do that now." ”

Little Martin looked around, and he saw some workers busy burning limestone, shells, and small pieces of pumice stone to the powder, stirring them well, and putting them into the molds of wood. He walked over, and a worker disgruntled to him "Shhh ”。 He had to walk away in a huff, and there were more stone bricks piled up not far away, but before he could get closer, more people glared at him.

"These bricks will last two days." Brother Desi dragged him back, "They're fragile now. ”

"Is it brick burning?"

"No, it's cement." Brother Desi whispered.

"Cement for the Greeks and Romans?" Martin asked, but before he could get an answer, a commotion and noise suddenly broke through the silence.

"What's going on?" Martin said that this time he didn't wait for an answer, but ran over in a hurry to find the cause of the accident himself.

He saw a group of workers coming with a man pressed down by them, and the workers were indignant, but the thief, well-dressed and ruddy, did not look like he needed to steal for a living, and as soon as he saw the archbishop of Lucca, he immediately knelt down and kissed his feet, but the archbishop immediately retracted his feet, and he was immediately pressed to the ground.

"What did he steal?" Alfred. Castrolicio asked.

"Stone bricks." The worker replied, and everyone looked as they should have been, except for Giulio who couldn't help but hold his forehead.

"Why did he steal the bricks?" Martin asked in a whisper outside the crowd, and Brother Desi replied in a quieter voice, "Because he thought it was a holy thing!" ”

Martin. Red could now hear the jingle of gold coins whenever he heard the word relic: "What kind of relic?" He glanced around, if it was a holy thing, it was too much, too heavy, even the Roman priests were not so crazy. It's not a holy thing," said Brother Desi helplessly, "but the people in the neighborhood think so." ”

"I don't understand." Martin said confusedly.

"Well," said Brother Desi, comparing the foundations of the earth around them, "count with your clever heart," he said, "such a ditch encircles the whole of Lucca, fifteen thousand feet, and Lucca has about four thousand five hundred strong men, how much time do you think it will take for these men to finish this work?" ”

Martin lowered his head and quickly gestured with his fingers, squirming his lips silently, as Brother Desi assured, he was indeed good at mathematics, and in a few moments he came up with the answer: "Three years? ”

Brother Desi shook his head sympathetically.

Martin's already round eyes widened, "Three months? He shouted incredulously.

"My poor child." Brother Desi said, "It's three weeks." ”

"It can't be!" Martin cried out, but Brother Desi immediately pressed his mouth: "Yes, that's right, I saw it made with my own eyes." ”

"Woo......"

"So you can see why those people thought it was a holy miracle!" "Think about it, you live in a city, day after day, year after year, and then one day, all of a sudden, they go outside the city and see a huge ditch like a river in front of them...... It was like a thunderbolt from the sky, but it was so neat and magnificent, not to mention the people inside and outside Lucca, even those who worked with their own hands, often took a little cement and put it in a cloth bag to make amulets, because they didn't understand how they could complete such a terrible project. ”

Brother Desi put down his hand: "Some people say that it is the angels who come down from heaven at night, when people are asleep, to help the Archbishop of Lucca shovel the earth - like a child drawing a line on the earth, it is entirely because the Archbishop of Lucca is a pious man, and God heard his prayers and sent angels from heaven to help him, which is not something that mortals can do - but he did it." ”

——————

And on the other side of the Giulio. The Medici was also having a headache, according to the law at this time, the crime of theft was very serious, and it almost all depended on the mood of the law enforcer at the time, as well as the identity of the perpetrator, a peasant who poached the lord's pheasant was hanged, a nobleman who stole someone's chastity might only be fined a few gold florins - but who would tell him what kind of punishment should be imposed if a person stole a cement brick?

But if they don't punish them, they keep stealing, and if they just steal back to build walls and pave the floor, Giulio won't be so embarrassed, the problem is that they take it back and worship it as a holy relic—in addition to putting it on the altar, hiding it in the reliquary, breaking it and putting it in the reliquary, they also take it with great care...... Eat!

But to be punished...... Even if it was just a fine, Giulio found himself unable to do it, well, not everyone had the face of a Roman priest.

"Punish him for three days of work here." So that he wouldn't think of what he had made as a holy thing, Giulio said.

What he didn't know was that by this time, Cardinal Picromini, who was far away in Rome, had received letters from the monks of the family, with samples of cement.

"It's time!" He exclaimed, "This is exactly what I need!" ”

The old man, who was over sixty years old, jumped from his chair as if he had returned to his youth, and while calling his servants with a loud voice, a number of messengers galloped out of the Palazzo Picromini in Rome, who disappeared into the darkness with title deeds, bills of exchange, papers, etc., and quietly departed from the mansion of some noble courtier or dignitary.

Pope Alexander VI, who was busy with the affairs of France and Naples, was not until the internal meeting of the Holy See, Cardinal Picromini openly submitted a petition from the diocese of Lucca, asking the Holy Father to send a sacramental investigator to investigate the miracles of Lucca, who was well aware that the investigators were often called "devil's apologists", because they often did not really speak according to the facts, and sometimes had to see if the bribe could satisfy their appetite. Whether it was an exchange of power or an exchange of interests between in-laws, or a secret order from the Pope or a cardinal – but since Cardinal Picomini had already brought it up, it showed that he had already arranged it.

The Pope replied angrily to the Vatican Palace, and he summoned Cardinal Lovere, but Bishop Lovere did not know why, and the Pope immediately remembered Joshua. Lovere was no longer with Cardinal Picromini, and he had a terrible headache, and he had to call Joshua to treat him - and sure enough, on the very day of the internal meeting, Luca's miracle spread to every corner of Rome, and everyone was discussing it, although some did not believe it, but what was the most in Rome during the Holy Year? The most devout and fanatical believers, of course, were a shot in the arm for them, exhausted by the extortion of the monks and clergy, and they began to go from church to church and pilgrimage to thank God and the Holy Spirit for the miracle they bestowed on mankind at the end of the Holy Year, and anyone who dared to question it in public would be torn apart by their bare hands.

Alexander VI did not send an investigator in the name of illness, but Cardinal Picomini did not care at all, although the Church today does not consecrate a living person, but if anyone can perform a miracle before returning to God, it is Rodrigo. Borgia ...... What to do must be carefully considered – just as Cardinal Picromini is now more and more afraid of Cardinal Picromini and never dares to act rashly – his glory and power are being derived from the faith of the people, and the faith of the people can destroy him.

Cardinal Picromini's purpose has been achieved, and Giulio Brown. The Medici were able to return to the sight of the Romans in a glorious manner, and with the erection of the walls of Lucca, such miracles, or perhaps personal miracles, would only become more and more real, and when the people had made a pilgrimage to Lucca, Alexander VI could not expect to threaten Giulio by pointing a Dominican monk to the past, as he had done before. Medici.

_________________

"Julio. What kind of person was the Medici? Alexander VI asked in distress, and Joshua was the only one with him. Lovere.

Joshua's movements paused for a moment: "Julio. Medici ...... Yes," he said reluctantly, "an excellent man." ”

"I don't think anyone can be better than you," Alexander VI said reassuringly, "but I think you know him well." ”

"Teacher Picromini said," Joshua whispered, "He was born spiritual, and no one can compare to him." ”

Alexander VI smiled, he did not believe this, it is true that man is born guilty, and he was happy to enjoy it: "Cardinal Picromini is too stubborn, he is deceived by the villain, and he cannot see which of you is the best. He watched Joshua's face intently—but what he saw made his heart heavy, and of course he knew, Joshua. Lovere, as a disciple of Cardinal Picromini, was a disciple of Giulio. The Medici were always jealous, and so was Caesar, and Cardinal Picromini was jealous of Giulio. The Medici's eccentricity was entirely bare-bones and undisguised—but Joshua's look showed that he was not unconvinced by anything other than jealousy.

"I'm sure there must be something bad about him, but your teachers can't see it." Alexander VI further exhorted.

"If there is anything wrong with him," said Joshua, "it is probably too gentle and naïve, which Mr. Picromini is not happy with, but ......" he hung his head, "Giulio is the kind of person who really has a merciful heart." ”

The Holy Father pursed his lips. When he got the answer, he sent Joshua away and called his secretary Duarte.

Duarte bowed to him: "What is there to command me, Holy Father?" ”

"I remember before Caesar went to France," said Alexander VI, "he burned a heavy letter in the fireplace of his room, and do you still have those mutilated papers?" ”

"I'm sorry," Duarte said embarrassedly, "you were ...... then"

"Okay." Alexander VI waved his hand: "I know you have a good memory, so you go and find out if there is any Julio. If the Medici's handwritten letter or copied document matches the words on the fragment? ”