Warlock Royal Family

() The resplendent and resplendent hall is filled with the mist of burning top spices, beauties of various skin colors are dancing, and the table forks and wine vessels are all exquisite porcelain from the Far East.

Although Shylock spent most of his life in Venice, this was the first time he had the opportunity to enter the temple that represented the grace of Goddess Vol'jin.

Don't get tired of food, don't get tired of fine food, and spend extravagance in luxury.

This is a feast for the Republic of Venice to receive the Austrian envoy, one of the highest courtesy in the entire human civilization.

How many phantoms of Sherlock have he become part of this feast in his dreams? Although he is not the master, the most honorable envoy also makes him very satisfied.

But Sherlock's satisfaction has almost disappeared as the banquet progressed.

At first, he thought it was the loss after getting it, but after thinking about it carefully, he realized that it was because he had seen better things.

All these luxuries are not comparable to the gloomy and depressing study in Ladislaus. Every time he enters the study used by the heads of the Habsburg family, Sherlock feels the mountain of pressure and intoxicated. pleasure.

Power is a better thing than money. The Republic of Venice may gather power in money, but it is still much worse than the aura gathered by the ancestors of the Habsburg family.

Therefore, the Goriti consul's introduction to the treasures in his hands was a bit dull: "The blue sky is like bright jade, and the wings of summer cicadas are like the stars in the sky. This is from the cave dwelling named 'Your in the Eastern Empire. The porcelain produced here is said to be doped with agate powder. Of course, this is all speculation. Although any method of firing porcelain is a secret that the Orientals desperately keep from us, it is said that this craft is popular among the Orientals. The interior has also been lost, and any similar piece of porcelain, even if it appears in the East, will attract the attention of the brightest emperor."

Ru kiln is indeed the first of the five famous kilns in the Northern Song Dynasty.Art has no boundaries, and art connoisseurs from different cultures and backgrounds all fall under the charm of Ru Kiln.

This Ru kiln treasure is indeed better than the porcelain of the Spanish princess. After all, the Spanish Kingdom has only controlled the sea for too short a time. For the time being, the Venetian Republic, which controls trade, has the deepest wealth.

It's just that Sherlock saw the crisis in Venice from this treasure. Bilatuslaus's simple study room showed crisis and decline everywhere.

"In the court of Vienna, I have never seen such a treasure. It is really, really my honor to be able to touch this treasure." <>" Sherlock took a sip of wine from the shallow saucer carefully.

Of course, even people with different cultural backgrounds can realize the preciousness of this thing.But no Europeans with writing brushes.Still drinking with a pen.

"Please forgive my presumptuousness, how much is this treasure worth?" Sherlock knew that although this was indeed rude, it was the kind of rudeness that Venetians like most.

"Don't talk about money, it's vulgar to talk about money." The Goriti consul wanted to welcome but refused.

"Please be sure, tell me." Of course Sherlock knew how he should behave.

"Let's just say, it's worth a battleship, hahaha." Goriti Consul was in a good mood.

"You must not tell this matter to those Austrian officials who are about to go crazy in order to raise the construction cost of several inland warships. After all, those farmers and soldiers hate us businessmen." Sherlock knows the secret of the negotiation, that is, how Turn "them" into "us".

"Hahaha, you'd better not say that in front of farmers and soldiers. Now you have penetrated into the enemy's interior." Goriti Consul pretended to glance at the Austrian resident in Venice who was also attending the banquet. The ambassador, and recently the ambassador is also on the run trying to make sure that Venice does not once again form an alliance with France.

"Haha, of course, of course, but His Royal Highness Habsburg is different from those people. Since His Royal Highness Habsburg took over the Grand Duchy of Austria, he has adopted a very friendly attitude towards the Republic of Venice." Sherlock's remarks showed that he was of course not fighting. Merchants who entered the enemy's interior.

"His Royal Highness Habsburg's goodwill towards the Republic of Venice, of course, I keep in mind, but many members of the Republic of Venice feel unforgettable about the loss of Friuli to Austria and Islia to Hungary." Goriti Consul finally After the temptation is over, the Republic of Venice is indeed obsessed with the lost land on the east coast of the Adriatic Sea. "Especially now that the Kingdom of Hungary has decided to return Islia, the state of Austria's occupation of Friuli has become unbearable."

"The Kingdom of Hungary decided to return Islia to the Republic of Venice?" Sherlock was shocked.This is a big deal.

"Yes, the King of Hungary has decided to form an alliance with the Kingdom of France." Shylock was not only surprised but also terrified by the words of the Goriti consul.

"Military alliance against Austria?! What does this have to do with the return of Hungary to the Islia region of the Republic of Venice? Is Venice also joining this alliance?" The permanent ambassador of Austria also joined the conversation at this time, and he was completely shocked by the news. Terrified.This prospect would not only pose a great risk to the very existence of the Grand Duchy of Austria

It will also completely destroy his career.

"Please don't be impatient, Your Excellency the Ambassador, if His Royal Highness the Consul intends to do this, then this conversation will not happen, will it?" Sherlock was much calmer.

"Indeed, I personally welcome the policy of encouraging trade recently adopted by the Habsburg Cardinal. I also have great expectations for the long-term friendship between Austria and Venice. Although the envoys of France and Hungary are constantly urging me to Joined the alliance against Austria, but I did not agree to them, but under the pressure of many congressmen eager to regain the lost land, I had to agree to pay 200 million thalers to the Kingdom of Hungary, and return the Islia region as the king of Hungary. Good deeds are rewarded.” The Goriti Consul was apparently still considering joining the French and Hungarian alliance. "Considering that the Kingdom of France has already occupied the Milan area, Austria must also need funds to rearm its armed forces. Returning Friuli to the Republic of Venice in exchange for the same 200 million talers, isn't this a win-win option?"

"I will contact Vienna immediately and give you an answer as soon as possible." Sherlock knew that he could not deal with this situation with his authority.It must be left to Ladislaus to decide.

"Then I'm looking forward to the good news." The resident ambassador had already hurriedly left, and the Goriti consul sent Shylock away alone. He had some private words. "If you can facilitate the redemption of Friuli, I assure you that I will personally receive a commission of [-]% of the transaction amount."

A huge bribe of 20 talers, even though Sherlock was once a wealthy businessman, he never thought that he could earn so much in one deal.

Shylock did not let the messenger go to Vienna with the news he had received in Venice, which was too important.

Instead, after the banquet was over, he immediately rushed back to Vienna with several escorts. He even formed an alliance between France and Hungary without washing up, and Venice threatened to join this alliance unless Friuli could be taken back.

Ladislaus and Machiavelli looked at Sherlock.It must have been pretty bad knowing the information that would have made the Venetian merchant so nervous.

After listening to Sherlock's report.Ladislaus said: "It's hard work, please go take a shower and sleep, I will summon you again."

When Sherlock left, he admired Ladislaus' composure.

Ladislaus was actually not so calm.

"French-Venice-Hungarian alliance?" Although he was already mentally prepared, the news still made Ladislaus feel a lot of pressure. He just didn't show it in front of Sherlock, as in Machiavelli. Such concealment is neither possible nor necessary in the presence of the best clairvoyants and most senior confidants.

"The Republic of Venice, especially the consul of Goriti, does not want to fight us." Machiavelli and Shylock thought so for the same reason. "This meeting shows that they don't have much will to fight, they just want to buy Friuli back with money."

"Once Hungary and Venice join the war, can we expect the support of the Kingdom of Poland or the Principality of Bavaria?" Ladislaus immediately expressed his attitude towards the proposal of the Goriti Consul.

He hated ceding territories, not to mention capturing Friuli, which was his most important source of prestige, and the underlying reason why he could easily suppress the great nobles in the Vienna State Council.

Having just lost the Milan region, giving up Friuli immediately would do a huge damage to his reputation.

Land is the source of power, a resource more precious than money.

"I think this is unlikely. The Kingdom of Poland has entered a critical stage in its contest with the Teutonic Knights and the Elector of Brandenburg, and the Italian mercenaries of the Duke of Bavaria have already set off for the Elector of the Rhine-Palatinate. Heidelberg." Austria could count on more than unreliable allies.In fact, it is still threatening the authority of the Habsburg family.

"Oppressed by powerful forces outside, fighting among the princes inside, and I. The emperor's agent in the empire is helpless. I am really ashamed of my ancestors." Ladislaus was originally prepared to lose Milan after a long siege, but The rapid fall of Milan and the changes in Hungary made him quite frustrated.

"Your Highness, I understand your feelings, but the wise man knows what to abandon. The Kingdom of Hungary is already in great trouble. We can't afford the Republic of Venice to join the war against us. I think the best way is to return Friuli. In this way Spain is against France, and we are much better off against Hungary.” Machiavelli also needed funds to reorganize the force and advance urban construction. "What's more, 200 million thalers is a fair quotation. This figure is more than twenty times the annual tax revenue of the province of Friuli."

"In this case, what else can I do, but doesn't the king of Hungary understand that he needs the support of me and the king of Poland very much now, can't she see that the enemy in the east is sharpening their knives and will launch the most violent once they are ready The Ottoman Empire is his biggest concern." Ladislaus shook his head while speaking.

"You can't expect your opponents to be wise and always be able to make the right choices." Machiavelli said the helplessness of life. (To be continued.