"Hahahaha...... Welcome to my new empire, Hong, you haven't been to Naples yet, have you? I'll take you around and take a look at the university by the way...... Hey, why didn't you bring an exchange scholar with you this time? Contrary to what Hong Tao had imagined, when he met Friedrich II a few days later in the port of Naples, he did not frown, nor did he seem to be smiling, as if the matter was not as serious as Karl had said.

"You're almost a battlefield here, and I'm not going to risk it with scholars. Carl told me that he was worried about you, but I don't think you were bothered, could it be that he was deliberately exaggerating? Hong Tao didn't want to play in circles with this emperor, he didn't have much time, and he didn't have this interest.

"I've fulfilled my father's, my grandfather's and my own wishes, so what's there to worry about? As long as this empire exists, I have nothing to regret. Let them come, I'll be waiting for them here. "Friedrich II didn't expect Hong Tao to be so straightforward, and he mentioned this matter as soon as they met, and he didn't even go through the motions.

"That's not going to happen, these universities, these libraries, and hospitals you built can't be destroyed in vain, and they won't give you the opportunity to become a scholar, so you'll die. I'm here to help you, not to see an emperor who has become discouraged, if you don't want to fight for it yourself, what are Carl and I going to waste our brains? Hong Tao understood that Friedrich II did not really want to open it, but was completely discouraged. This can't be done, if he gives up now, how can he fish in troubled waters.

"You're also an emperor, what would you do if you were me?" Friedrich II was not really self-defeating, he was not a fool, and since he had the courage to attack the Papal States, he must have had his own plans. It's just that the consequences may be more serious than he thought, leaving him a little helpless.

"If I were you, I would have squeezed the Venetians to the point that they could not even wear shoes, and then I would take them with me to trade and control the trade of the Saracens, Byzantines, and Berbers. Then I will use the resources I have obtained from them to bluff all the German princes honestly, and whoever dares to disobey me will destroy his whole family. As for the Papal States, I will leave Rome to them, and I can't let them go if they want to. Every time I want to hit someone, I go under the banner of the church, this is called righteousness, understand? ”

"There is an allusion in my country, which is called coercing the Son of Heaven to order the princes, and the principle is similar to this. It's a pity that you haven't done any of the same now, but you have rushed away from the Papal States to your greatest enemy, Louis, which is not the same as sending the hilt of your sword to someone else. There is enough reason why people can hurt you with their hands now, and even the princes of your own empire will not be able to fight alongside you. How long do you think you can hold out in a situation like this? I feel that the longer it drags on, the worse it will be for you. When Louis and the Pope's hands are withdrawn from the Iberian Peninsula, your empire will fall apart from within, without fighting with all your might. In the end, all you will have left is that crazy army! Oh, and your loyal Saracen friends, and your Saracen advisors have advised you on this matter? Since William lowered his posture and didn't plan to have a conversation between the emperor and the emperor with himself, Hong Tao also said it bluntly.

To be honest, he was really disappointed with Friedrich II's actions this time, and three years ago he had promised not to rashly attack the Papal States in exchange for his own loans. As a result, not long after he left, he couldn't help it, and it must be a lie to say that no one was egging him on behind his back. This emperor was very intelligent, but he also had a very extreme personality, and the circumstances of his life as a child left a deep imprint on him, and anyone who caught his weakness and could gain his trust could easily make him impulsive.

"If only you could have said this to me a year ago, the battle in the Iberian Peninsula is as you expected, the two sides are in a tug-of-war, and Louis and Henry are miserable. The Pope wanted me to send troops, and we both quarreled over this issue, and I made this choice after adding a few other questions. I thought that without the support of the Papal States, the Venetians would fall over to my side, so that I could use them to persuade the German princes. But in the end, the Venetians were the first to jump out against me, and they also colluded with the German princes to put me in trouble. ”

"But I unified the peninsula, didn't I? I've been working on this goal since my grandfather, and now I've achieved it, and it's really unified, even if it won't be too long! Friedrich II was normal at first, admitting his mistakes in judgment and rashness, but as if he were a different person, his expression was agitated, his facial features were distorted, and he paced back and forth in the hall, his voice high and poignant.

"It's over, Carl, William is schizophrenic." Hong Tao looked at the figure of Friedrich II reflected on the wall, and Hong Tao seemed to have seen a movie. The emperor is really acting like a mustache in later generations, or the hysterical, neurotic Führer in the late stages of the war. It seemed that he was really, really stressed, but he didn't want to admit that he had failed, so he grabbed something that looked like a straw and didn't let go. And then one mistake after another, until you play yourself to death with the Empire.

“…… You help him, I know you have the ability. Carl is about to become a bear in the zoo, holding his two hands and waving Hong Tao.

"I have a fart ability, I can't even control my own country......" Hong Tao glanced at Carl, this big pit is really deep, whether to jump out or not depends on luck, and I am not sure.

"William, don't be impatient, come, smoke one of my lazy cigarettes. Things haven't gotten to the worst yet, maybe there's room for redemption, let's think about it together. You and I are both emperors, the smartest emperors in the world, is there anything that the two of us can't solve together? "But this busy Hongtao really has to help, in addition to Carl's affection, let this emperor, who is regarded as a thorn in the side of the pope, exist, and it is also a kind of protection for his future oil lifeline.

If he had fallen, the Italian peninsula would have done him little good, whether it had fallen into the hands of the Papal States or Louis IX. It would be very difficult for Karl's armed merchant ships and whaling ships to move around the seas, and it would be fine to protect themselves, but there would be little hope of establishing new trade routes and fixed supply ports.

"I'm sorry, I lost my temper just now...... But you're wrong, you're the smartest emperor in the world. Thank you very much for coming here to see me at this time, you know, I haven't had a guest in my palace for months. I don't like this feeling of coldness, I don't like it very much, it makes me feel the smell of death. "Tobacco does have a calming effect, to put it bluntly, it anesthetizes the nerves. Friedrich II took a few deep puffs of his cigar and sat down at last, but the gap was a bit wide, and he was hysterical and neurotic at first, and now he was a wretched wretched worm.

"Who is the smartest emperor, it is not clear now. I don't know it, but I've done what I told you before, and now I'm just a symbol of the state, giving most of the power to the parliament and the government. Whether this system is good or bad, I don't know yet, maybe in a few years, I will be the stupidest emperor in the world, and I will ruin my own country with my own hands. ”

"So I'm here to help you, not purely because of friendship, but because I plan to come to you to be an earl or something if my country doesn't want me anymore. When the time comes, can you give me a piece of land, and I will build a fortress and retire in your country. "If you want to convince a person, you must first let the other person come out of some abnormal emotion, the way is to talk to him, distract him, and when he withdraws from the tip of the horns, you can only listen to him when he is serious, otherwise it will be a waste of spitting stars.

"I have to admit that we are both human beings, as long as we recognize one thing, no matter how dangerous it is, we have to do it. You are actually more risky than I am, you must know that an emperor without rights is not as good as a baron with territory, and the longer this emperor title is worn on your head, the more dangerous it becomes, not only for you, but also for your family. Well, I promise you, as long as my empire is still there, you can come at any time, build your castle anywhere, even if it's someone else's territory, I'll buy it for you! Not only that, but if you need it and want to get your rights back, I'm willing to lend you the army! When Friedrich II heard about Hong Tao's situation, he actually smiled, and in this respect he was indeed very similar to Hong Tao, and they both liked to see others unlucky, even if they were more unlucky, they would be happy.

"Well, Carl is a Witness!" Hong Tao stretched out his right hand.

"Smack! Deal! Friedrich II smiled even brighter, and without hesitation reached out and patted Hong Tao. But he immediately regretted it, Hong Tao's palm was much harder than his, and it hurt to slap it.

"Okay, don't gloat for now, let's talk about what's in front of you. Karl has already told me about the general situation on the way, and I have some plans, you listen to them first, and if there is anything that does not fit the status quo, you can remind me. Hong Tao felt that the heat was almost over, and Friedrich II was holding a cigar in his mouth, his body was already leaning back in his chair, and his mood was much more relaxed.

"Okay, I'll hear you."

(To be continued.) )