Vol 4 Chapter 205: Snow and Spring

The cold river of the Arno flows down the shallow valley to the west. Occasionally, a few pieces of ice floes float in the river when they sink.
The snow on the river bank is very thick, and the river water sometimes wets the snow piles hanging on the stones on the bank, forming hollows in the snow.
Balenti was wearing a thick dress and covered with a furry fur cloak. The whole person looked a little bulging, which was quite different from her slightly thin appearance.
Because the weather was too cold, she shrank her head completely in the hood of the cloak, leaving only a slap-like face exposed, and her eyes were fixed on the road leading to the other side of the river.
Uliu arrived in Montina 2 days ago and reported to her that the Alexandria had returned and that the Moors brought her a letter from her father.
In his heart, the cardinal told Barenti that her wedding was not delayed, because Alexander was about to go to Hungary.
Seeing the news, Barendi was a little annoyed. She did not want to get married as soon as possible, but she felt a crisis when she thought of Lucrezia in Pisa.
Barendi knew that Lucrezia had ambitions. Perhaps this ambition was different from her father, Alexander VI, but perhaps it was based on the intuition of women. Barendi felt that Lucrezia would not be so willing to be the only one in Pizza is willing to wait for the man's mistress.
If Alexander goes to Hungary, their wedding may be delayed for at least the first half of the year or perhaps longer, which makes Barendi feel very unhappy.
In the distance, a black spot appeared in the white snow, and Barenti moved his already frozen feet, struggling to stand a higher altitude and look away.
"It's a lord," said Uliu, who was with him first, and then he turned around and led Balenti's horse over.
Seeing the horse next to him, Barendi somehow suddenly remembered the fact that Alexander had dragged her on the horse before, which made her breath a little short.
The team in the distance is not slow. When they came to the bridge across the river, the team first stopped and then a figure came out of the team first.
Balendi stood in the middle of the bridge, looking up at the man slowly coming to her, the breath from the nose of the mount came on the face, and approaching, Pagasos stretched out his long horse face in Balendi Rubbed his forehead.
Alexander stretched out his hand, saw Balenti looking up at him silently without speaking, and then bent down slightly and stretched his hand on her shoulder, laughing and saying, "If we keep insisting so much, no one will Speak first, maybe both of us will freeze here in the end. So ma'am, do you need me to take you for a while? "
"Then you'll be tired." Barendi raised his arms, his wide sleeves sliding down his wrists, revealing a smooth arm.
Alexander first stretched out his hand and held Valenti's wrist, then bent over and put a little pressure on her armpit with the other hand, she took her on horseback.
Pagasos hissed and slowly walked forward.
A sense of warmth came from behind and felt a bit cold. Barenti could not help but shrink the man's arms behind him.
"Have you waited a long time?"
"It didn't take long," Barendi shivered slightly, and she didn't want him to know that she was preparing before dawn. "When are you going to leave?"
"Probably for the past few days, I was waiting for some news, but Aufrei reported to me that the army was ready."
Nodding slightly, Barenti knew what Alexander was saying, but she was still worried.
"And the Venetians, you want to take those Genoese with you this time, and I worry that the Venetians might take the opportunity to hit Montina's idea."
"Relax, they don't have so much energy to do these things during this time. Know that Ottoman is enough for them to have a headache, and I suspect that the French will soon be mixed in."
Barondi did not speak this time. She knew that Alexander was right. From her father, she already knew that King Louis XII seemed to intend to continue Charles VIII ’s invasion of Italy, and that the new king was not only ambitious but also temperamental. , So the war probably won't be dragged to next year at the latest, but will probably erupt within the year.
"You shouldn't leave at this time," Balendi said after a moment of patience. She already knew that Alexander's trip to Hungary seemed to be preparing to participate in the allocation of Hungarian mineral resources. All of them will benefit greatly.
Even so, Barrondi felt a little unhappy about the delay in their wedding.
In the distance, the castle of Montina was faintly visible in the snowstorm. The whole castle and the hillside were a bit blurred in the snowstorm. A team of cavalry came on the face and saw the waving flag. Alexander smiled.
Oflai Lei farewell on the horse, but it may be too snowy, his voice does not sound very clear.
"Sir, your army is ready. According to your order, the Genoese will start as the forward of this expedition."
"I am glad to hear the news, but O'Lei I suggest that you do not use the term expedition, because I really don't want to meet Nayass."
Alexandre's words made Aufrei a little helpless, he did not know what the other nobles would be, but such an unabashed expression of timidity as his lord had never heard of.
But Alexander obviously didn't care about the idea of ​​the commander of the army. He urged the horse and O'Fly to pass by and ran towards the castle.
"Let's go back to rest first, and I will talk about something tomorrow."
Hearing this command from the snowstorm, Aufrei glanced at Ulliu who was following him.
"Master may be tired." Uliu said, and immediately followed to face Alexander.
Aufrei shook his head slightly, he knew he would not go to Hungary with Alexander this time, but thinking about Venice like a bad neighbor, he knew that although he stayed should not be easy.
The dome room has lit a very strong fireplace, making the warm room and the snow outside the window like two seasons.
The ground in the middle of the vault was covered with several layers of very thick skins, and the soft ones sitting on it seemed to be trapped in it.
Alexander looked at the fire in the distance while holding a glass of wine, and then his eyes fell on Barenti, who was sitting on the side, looking serious.
Barendi had taken off her cloak and coat, and only wore a long skirt. At this time, she was sitting sideways at the table. The legs under the skirt overlapped each other, and she looked from the direction of Alexander. There are quite attractive curves.
"Those farmers are really abominable. I sent a tax collector to recheck their accounts. I found that many farms were concealing the harvest. The most serious of them actually paid nearly half of the taxes in kind. You know that they planted us The land, but dare to do such unscrupulous bad things, so those people must be severely punished. "
"You put them, I mean you didn't hang yourself or cut someone's head?"
Alexander asked a little uncertainly. He knew that Barenti was not a benevolent person, perhaps because she was very strict with herself, so she was stricter with others.
"I asked people to hang those people up and hit them with a whip, which they deserved. In addition, I punished them not only to pay off the missing taxes and food within the next year, but also pay a fine."
"Oh, that's okay. I want to know that the farmers are our leaders. I don't want to have a reputation for being harsh and ruthless. In addition, I need them to do something, so I can't be too harsh on them."
"What are you going to do?" Barendi asked curiously.
"I want them to grow grapes," Alexander laughed, and then he saw the unexpected look of Valenti. "I know you must be wondering why I had this idea, but rest assured that you will know this How correct the decision is, but you have to do this, so be nice to the farmers, after all, you are their hostess. "
Balenti's mouth moved. It seemed that she was a little uncomfortable because of the hostess's name. Her legs moved under her skirt, exchanged the posture of stacking, and picked up another account book.
But waiting for the opening, Balenti's body suddenly suddenly, her eyes still on the account book in her hand, but her face became more and more red, and finally with an uncontrollable low hum, Balenti's account book in hand Landed on the table.
She looked at the person sitting on the ground, kissing the man who stepped on the smooth ankle of her on the carpet softly, and then whispered again, her person was gently placed on the thick animal skin blanket.
"Constantine they did a good job in Genoa," Alexander lay next to Barrondi and wrapped them in animal skins. Then he smiled and said to Barrondi, who was blushing, "Your father has told me, The Calgino family seems to have accepted the proposal made by your uncle and is willing to accept a person recommended by your father as the governor of co-government. This result is much better than what we had guessed. "
"Yeah, Constantine hasn't completely disappointed," Barrondi said next, but as the blanket of animal skin covering her rose and fell, her face appeared as if it was unexpected and like Terrified look.
"As for the Venetians, I ’m still waiting for their news," looking at Barrondi ’s seemingly panicked expression, and Alexander looked at her funny. "What are you doing so nervous, you know that you are my fiancee now, and soon My official wife is now. "
"But don't you have no interest in me?" Barendi asked blankly. "I know you like beautiful women, like ..."
"Don't talk," Alexander suddenly lowered his head and kissed Barenti's lips until she couldn't breathe. "Listen during this time, I need you to regent for me in Montina. Only when you are here, I can rest assured. , As for the others, do n’t be cranky. "
"Did you know what?" Balenti asked, a little puzzled. "You know that Aufrei did a good job and is very loyal. He can hold Montina for you."
Alexander could not answer Barendi ’s question. Although he knew that the French invasion was imminent, he could n’t tell Barendi that he knew the exact time of the French invasion was five months later.
His plan to go to Hungary this time originally thought he could be rushed back before the French invasion, but he was broken because he unexpectedly knew that Sophia might be in Bucharest.
Therefore, Alexander can only count on Barenti as a member of the Rovere family to delay the French for him as much as possible.
And in his memory, although Louis XII was ambitious, he did not intend to annex all the city-states of Italy, especially because of the Borgia family. The King did not show much to Tuscany and Romagna. Ambition.
"It's important to help me hold Montina, and when I come back in a few months, everything will be different."
Balenti responded in a low voice, but then exclaimed again, because the long petticoat originally set on her had been thrown out under the blanket as the animal skin lifted.
The wind and snow outside were still there, but there was no trace of cold in the warm vault. Even when happiness rushed to the extreme, Balendi's skin shed fine sweat beads because of intense joy.
And when she finally lay quietly in the arms of Alexander after covering her with a blanket, she heard Alexander say in her ear: "You are such a surprising little person."
Surprising little man.
Barendi didn't know whether this sentence was a compliment or a disappointment. She only knew that she wanted to lie there lazily afterwards, and the food that Alexander sent her was too lazy to take a look.
Even the books on the table that she had always regarded as responsibilities seemed to have lost interest for a while.
On January 6, just 10 days after Alexander sent the letter to the governor of Venice, Venice finally sent a messenger.
Slightly beyond Alexander ’s expectations, the Venetian ’s proposal to sign a one-year contract did n’t care, but he was very interested in his trip to Hungary.
Venice sent a real diplomat, that is to say, this is a person who is really difficult to deal with, and the conditions of the Venetians are also very simple.
To be peaceful, yes, and military expenses are not negotiable, but all this must be exchanged for the benefits obtained from Hungary.
While secretly lamenting that cheap is really not so easy to occupy, it is not that he did not expect this possible Alexander to finally reveal his own card.
"Crete?" The Venetian looked at Alexandria in amazement. He thought he had heard it wrong, and then violently thundered, and even threatened to stop the negotiations. "Who will agree to such a condition, know if I am in such an agreement Sign it and wait for me to be judged by treason. "
"Your rule over Crete has lost its effect."
"It was only temporary. The Ottomans could not capture the entire Crete so easily, and the Venetian fleet will protect our interests at sea."
"But if the Ottomans occupy the whole of Greece and Hungary, and even their fleet can directly threaten the city of Venice along the Adriatic coast, what is the significance of your maritime interests?"
"This is blackmail." The Venetian said angrily.
"Negotiating is blackmail, we all know this." The man opposite Alexander, he knew that the anger of the Venetian was completely pretended, or that although the conditions he proposed seemed to be harsh, in fact, it was not so for Venice Difficult to accept.
"No, Crete is too important to us, and any idea to play with it can't be tolerated, even at a high price." The Venetian shook his head stubbornly. "This is not negotiable."
"What if I can guarantee that Venice's plantations in Crete will have a third more harvest than before?"
The Venetian's expression was startled, as if he thought he had misheard, his head turned instinctively to the side, and his ear moved slightly in the direction of Alexander.
"You ’ve heard it right, if I remember correctly, the harvest of Venice ’s plantation in Crete in recent years is about 1.2 million Pute per year, and this is much lower than in the past, and I can promise to pay you according to this amount. One-third of the rent is 400,000 per year, so that you can get it every year ... "
"1.6 million Pute," the Venetian looked a little dull, and his eyes flickered when he murmured the number, with a slightly sly smile in his eyes. "But I wonder how you can be so sure. Earl, if you know that if the Ottomans continue to attack, Crete may really fall, and then all your investment will be thrown into the sea. "
Alexander didn't answer the Venetian question. He smiled at Barenti who was sitting on the side and watching them: "My lady, I think you have something to say."
Barendi nodded. She looked at the Venetian indifferently. The hostility she grew up with made her want to say nothing to this person at all.
"I will be the regent of Montina while the count is out," Barenti said blankly. "I can assure you that at any time, Montina will not join any alliance against Venice. I suggest that Ferrara be the boundary and both parties sign a contract. "
After speaking, Barendi looked at the Venetian on the opposite side intently until she saw the dignity on the Venetian's face with satisfaction.
"400,000 Pute's sugar tax?"
"Correct."
"Even a pope or cardinal leader ~ EbookFREE.me ~ will not participate in the promise against Venice?"
"Correct."
The Venetian bit his lips slightly.
The messenger of what 400,000 Punte's sugar tax means for Venice is very clear.
With the successive setbacks in maritime trade and the shrinking of overseas colonies, the days of Venice have become sad year after year.
Sucrose, which could have brought huge profits to Venice, has affected Venice ’s economy for several consecutive years due to production cuts. Even the largest chambers of commerce have experienced difficulties due to a poor year, and some smaller chambers have begun Make ends meet.
So when he heard about the 400,000 sucrose tax, he barely controlled himself.
And then Barenti's promise gave him another heavy blow.
Perhaps Montina has not yet reached the point where it threatens the safety of Venice, but the unique geographical location has made Venice have to be cautious at all times. Montina can be a stumbling block for them to enter Romagna. The same is also theirs. The enemy attacked a portal in Venice.
In order to prevent the threat posed by Montina, Venice had to send troops to be stationed all the year round. This actually helpless poor soldier had a great influence on Venice.
Now, Barrendi's promise has given the Venetians hope. At this moment, the messenger really has to think about it. Whether this negotiation is profitable for Venice.
"Help me pay a military fee in advance, but get my help, and agree that the transfer of Cretan land will allow Venice to get more. A real businessman knows the choice."
Listening to Alexander's words, the Venetian remained silent for a long time, and finally sighed softly: "I don't know if I am a qualified businessman, and your count is definitely the best businessman."