Machiavelli didn't wait for an answer, and the hand, emaciated by injury and illness, was retracted and placed on the fuchsia bishop's robe.

"Maybe I misheard," said Giulio coldly, "a man who four years ago regarded the Medici as a cancer in Florence is asking for a Medici to become the ruler of Florence." ”

Machiavelli did participate in the expulsion and exile of the Medici in 1494, although he was still an ordinary clerk and not a member of the Council of Seventy, but he also wrote many articles denouncing the Medici and publicly criticized Pierrot. Medici's speech. But even though Giulio had pointed it out, there was no shame or retreat in his eyes when he looked up.

"If you want to condemn me, listen to me, and if you want to punish me, I will be equally willing, but your Highness, do you love Florence? You must love it, and in that case you should be able to hear my voice coming out of my chest, from my heart, from my lungs, from my liver—they all exist for the purpose of the prosperity of Florence! It is not out of personal desires or other interests that cannot be revealed to the world. Just as I did not fear the soldiers and assassins of the Medici when I spoke out in the streets of Florence, I now bend my knees to you and beg you to be the savior of Florence, and not because of the robes you wear and the rings you wear on your hands. ”

"Cosimo. The Medici also became the savior of Florence," Giulio said, "but he was also exiled, and when the Florentine people welcomed him back, they swore that the Medici would be with Florence, but within a few decades his descendants were almost killed by the people who had once supported him." ”

"That's Pierrot. The fault of the Medici, or rather, Lorenzo. The fault of the Medici, because of his selfishness and preference, chose a cowardly and incompetent man to be the monarch, he should bear the sin of making the wrong choice, if he chose you in the first place......"

Machiavelli was interrupted by a sarcastic smile: "You didn't choose me in the first place," Giulio said, "I remember that at our trial of Savonarola, you seemed to prefer to be Caesar. Supporters of Borgia. Giulio's memory was so good that he remembered going in and out of the mansion to visit Caesar. Borgia's entourage, etc.

"It was short-sightedness and ignorance that blinded me, but you are just as wrong, Your Highness."

Ezio sat up straight.

And Giulio turned his head and looked for the first time at the reckless Florentine—Machiavelli, born in 1469, was only a young man who had not yet stood up, and his countenance did not correspond to the aesthetics of the fifteenth century, with a raised forehead, sunken cheeks, and high cheekbones, which made him smile with a sly tone, his round eyes and hair were dull dark brown, and for some reason, his hair was cut to the roots, making him look like an ascetic.

"You see, humility is a virtue that people admire." Facing the archbishop's cold gaze, Machiavelli did not have a trace of fear, hesitated, he stood up, his hands clenched into fists, "But in fact, the world is so dull, they often can only see the surface, unable to understand the deep inside, so as a monarch, you should have displayed your intelligence, talents, and strength in front of people, and made them fear, tremble, and prostrate under your knees, but you didn't, you hid yourself, transferred glory and merit to another person, and let him trample you to a high position—maybe you think, Sincere emotions speak louder than all fame, but alas, people are always very forgetful, and you try to suppress your sharpness and sharpness, but they are unaware that as time goes by, they will think that you are nothing but a weakling, weak, Your Highness, not only in the flesh but also in the soul, but in either case, you will be punished! Yes, you have already been punished! Your Highness, your behavior has made everyone despise you, they don't care about you, they do what they want, they don't care about offending you, they don't mind hurting you, God is above, human beings are like that, the good will be humiliated, and the evil will be surrendered! Because they know very well that they will not be punished! Whether it's on earth, in hell, or in heaven...... They can all look down on those who are suffering because of them and laugh......"

"Enough!" Ezio shouted, and he leapt from his chair, holding Machiavelli with one hand, and pushing him out the door.

The room was quiet and oppressive again.

"I'm sorry," said Ezio, "he wasn't that mean, Giulio, he ...... I've been experiencing something lately......"

"I can probably guess a little." Unlike Ezio's fears, Giulio's expression was very calm, not like he had been stabbed in the wound viciously: "Although it is said to be diplomacy, the current Florence is not qualified to deal with any country, especially France, after all, according to the agreement signed by Pierrot, Florence almost became a part of France." ”

"That's a demon's work." Ezio said quietly, "Isn't the Inquisition already handed down its verdict?" ”

"Everybody knows what's going on."

"In any case, he went too far."

"Don't worry, I didn't blame him, anyway, he said the truth." "It's my fault," said Giulio, "that when people see a pigeon, they always want to fill their stomachs, and only when they see a poisonous snake do they dodge back." ”

Ezio sighed, "So are you really going back to Florence?" ”

"No," said Giulio, "Florence and I will both attract the attention of Pope Alexander VI, and the combination of the two is even more dangerous."

I'm going to Lucca. ”

————————————

In the halls of Brest Castle, the people were happily singing pastoral songs, accompanied by crisp stringed instruments and bells, and in a relaxed atmosphere, they danced not only the Basdans dance, which emphasizes the procession and the beat, but also the country dance in four or three beats, and the lively and simple minuet from afar, the hall was lit up by the fragrant smell of cetamine candles, and the flames in the fireplace were blazing, and both men and women were crimson and sweaty.

Anne, Duchess of Brittany, soon excused herself from the table, and King Louis XII of France completely let himself go, he invited the duke and the marquise to dance, and let his courtiers invite the lady-in-waiting of the duchess's side to dance, and he did not forget Caesar. Borgia, who put Princess Charlotte's hand in the hands of the Pope's illegitimate son, told him to take care of her, and then, according to his own wishes, invited several women with titles to dance.

Finally he walked to Constina. In front of the Medici, the hot scene turned out to be cold for a moment.

Constina, of course, could not refuse the king's invitation, and they walked into the hall, and every movement caused a wave of gossip - they shook hands, they jumped, they faced each other, they swirled, they staggered, they talked......

"Madame," Louis XII asked softly as they met again, "I know...... Where did you get the recipe for that mirror? ”

"It's from an absolutely legitimate source." Konstera stretched her arms and replied, "It's my brother's dowry." ”

"So," Louis XII nodded to her slightly, "where did he get it?" ”

As soon as Consna tried to answer, they parted, but when they approached again, she replied, "I don't know. She bowed deeply to the king: "But he was indeed favored by his mentor, Cardinal Picromini. ”

"Ah," said the king, "I see." ”

After saying this, the song ended, the king left Constena, returned to the important ministers and noblewomen, Constena suddenly found that the eyes gathered on her suddenly became a lot more sinister, she lifted the skirt uneasily, although she did not want to be the king's lover at all, but others did not seem to think so, and for the French, the king's lover, the court lady is better than the low-level court maid, the low-level court maid is better than the commoner woman, the commoner woman is better than the prostitute Liuying, but the prostitute Liuying is better than a foreigner.

Not to mention, a foreigner who doesn't have any knighthood on him.

Just as Constena was trying to find a reason to leave, a female officer walked through the crowd: "Your Majesty wants to see you." She said.

With the summoning of the Duchess of Brittany, some people also had to withdraw their presumptuous gaze. Constena relieved herself a little, and followed the lady through the corridor to a room, which was a little cold compared to the hall, but the smell was exceptionally clean, and it matched the Duchess of Brittany, dressed in black.

"I call you," said the Duchess, "to tell you that you may leave Brest." ”

Consterna was in ecstasy, some people may regret leaving this vortex of power and money, but she would never, if possible, she would be willing to put on a pair of wings and carry her brother away from Brest forever, but out of caution, she still asked tentatively: "Is this your will?" ”

"Also the King of France." Said the Duchess.

Konsterna exhaled softly, "Then, according to your will, we will leave as soon as possible." She hesitated: "I think we may want to express our sincerest thanks to you, and please allow us to say a solemn farewell to you......"

"No need." The duchess said: "The French do not like you, and ...... Don't use you, there is only one person who has really sheltered your brother. ”

That's me.

Constanna seemed to hear the unspoken words, and she suddenly had an impossible thought, and quickly dismissed it, how could it be—everyone knew that the Duchess of Brittany, who had always been a chaste and stern woman, had never heard of her having a lover, not even a suitor.

But the thought of being forcibly suppressed always tormented her, and she didn't know where she had the guts to come from—she looked around, and there was no time when it was just her and the Duchess in this room.

"Excuse me," she asked, trembling, "what else do you have to say...... Need my brother to bring it? ”

The duchess's head, hidden under the black veil, tilted slightly, as if curious about her audacity.

Just before Constany felt remorse, the Duchess said, "No," and there was a subtle smile in her voice, "but if he has anything to say, he can come and say it to me." ”