Continental Warriors Yoo Ma

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After Rinaldo disappeared, Matteo was a little uneasy.

Time is ticking though, and he gives himself a "stupid brother lost" reason and moves on.

He did not intend to go to the castle to negotiate with the governor.After meeting with Sforza's mercenary group on the way, they quietly set up an ambush near the castle, preparing to launch a surprise attack when the other party arrived, and solve the problem once and for all.

Who knew that after waiting for a long time, the governor's team was not there.

It wasn't until Sforza grew impatient and sent mercenaries to scout around that he discovered that hundreds of private soldiers led by Governor Tommaso were also ambushing not far from the castle.

After this rather comical coincidence, the two sides finally started fighting.

The final result is not difficult to guess.

The elite troops led by the famous mercenary general Sforza quickly defeated Tommaso's family private soldiers.While fleeing, the Genoese governor was stabbed in the back by Sforza, who was pursuing him on horseback, and died on the spot.

Seeing the busy scene of the mercenaries cleaning the battlefield, Mateo felt a rush of pride.

The biggest political enemy has been physically eliminated, and the only thing left to do is to return to Genoa as a victor, label Doria and other families who oppose him as "collaborating with foreign enemies to harm the interests of the Republic", and directly eliminate them Lose.

Anyway, the Doria family is said to have contacts with the Marquis of La Manche from France, and their accusations are not groundless.

"Master Mateo, it seems that there will be battles in Genoa next?" Sforza walked over, wiping his blood-stained long sword.

"It's just clearing up some scattered noble private soldiers, and it won't take much effort."

"You can't say that, Mr. Mateo. My boys are already tired. There were a few casualties in the previous battle. If there is no extra reward, I'm afraid they won't be motivated..."

"A bunch of greedy maggots!" Mateo cursed inwardly.

He is not unclear about the virtues of these mercenaries.This kind of sudden change of mind in the middle of the battle and the behavior of sitting on the ground and raising prices are not surprising.

Many city-states in Italy rely too much on mercenaries in wars and do not have enough deterrent power, so they are often blackmailed by those mercenary leaders, and even doves occupy magpies' nests.

However, at this critical moment when he is about to seize huge power, Matteo has no choice but to meet Sforza's request: "Do you know the newly opened Venus Club in Genoa?"

"Of course." Sforza looked excited, "Even in Milan, I have heard of that unprecedented entertainment venue. I heard that the women there are beautiful and enthusiastic, and the food is exquisite and delicious, even the king's banquet can't compare .There are also various interesting entertainment activities, and refreshing baths..."

"I can let your mercenary group rob there as much as they want." Mateo said with a stern face.

"You are so generous? After this period of operation, I am afraid that a lot of wealth has been accumulated there." Sforza looked at Mateo with great interest, "Besides, it is said that it is Ma Youfu's property. How dare you offend the powerful the Marquis of Lamanche?"

"Hmph, Mayouf can't represent the whole of France. Will Genoa be weaker than a marquis when mobilized? With Milan's support, I won't be afraid of the other party at all. Moreover, Mayouf's top priority now is to eliminate the undead pirates. Then came the Crusades. He could not do without the help of the Genoese navy, and in the end he had to bear the humiliation."

Matteo sneered, "No matter what kind of gorgeous coat he wears, I can tell that the Venus Club is Ma Youfu's wedge into Genoa. He wants to use this as a base to bribe Genoese nobles and interfere in the internal affairs of the Republic! From The nobles of France always have ambitions for Genoa. I will never allow outsiders to reach out to my city!"

"If I hadn't personally participated in your collusion with the Duke of Milan to murder the Governor, I would almost have thought you were a real Genoese patriot..." Sforza mocked inwardly.

But since Mateo wants to give himself the fat and juicy meat of the Venus Club, he has no reason to refuse.

I heard that the owner of the Venus Club is the most beautiful girl on the northern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. If you can get her...

Inspired by desire, Sforza picked up the whistle hanging in front of him and blew a few times, quickly summoning the mercenary group: "Partners, the generous Mr. Matteo has promised that he will In addition, give us a special reward. After the victory, the Venus Club in Genoa, which is like a paradise, will be completely at our disposal! Beauties, gold coins, everything you can imagine, can be obtained!"

Accompanied by bursts of cheers, the mercenaries all showed bloodthirsty and greedy expressions.

A tinge of fear crept into Mateo's mind.This kind of army is extremely powerful in combat, but it also causes great destructive power.With such a strong army, it is no wonder that the Principality of Milan can dominate Northern Italy.

The Milan mercenary group with high morale returned to Genoa together with the private soldiers of the Adorno family.At this time Matteo had completely forgotten about his younger brother Rinaldo.

It was already eight o'clock in the evening when we arrived under the city of Genoa.

The city gate officer, who had already been bribed by Matteo, let this army into the city.Then, a spy arranged by Matteo in advance came to report: "My lord, after Governor Tommaso lost contact in the afternoon, those nobles who opposed you realized that things had changed, and all went to the Governor's Palace to discuss countermeasures. Until now , none of them left."

Matteo brightened instantly.

This is a good opportunity to wipe out all the enemies in one go!

He and Sforza led the troops to the Duke's Palace aggressively, lined up, and then began to shout: "Listen, people inside, Tommaso di Campofregoso colluded with the French and tried in vain to negotiate with the French." Ambush me, I have already been killed! In this critical moment, in order to defend against foreign enemies, I, Matteo Adorno, will succeed to the lifelong post of Governor of the most honorable Republic of Genoa in the name of St. George! If you agree to this appointment , come out and kiss my ring. If you disagree, then I will regard you as a traitor who colluded with the French and harmed the interests of the Republic!"

After his shouting was over, several light spells were suddenly fired in the Governor's Palace opposite, illuminating the square in front of the palace like daylight.

Immediately afterwards, the windows of the Governor's Palace were pushed open one by one, and hundreds of black gun barrels protruded from the inside.Although the room was pitch black, the orange flame of the burning match could be faintly seen.

There are also changes in the streets at both ends.

Teams of soldiers in blue uniforms and half-plate armor blocked the street and began to set up artillery.

This arrangement is completely intended to close Mateo's door and beat the dog.

At this time, a man wearing a bishop's robe came out from the Doge's Palace. Under the protection of several shield-raised soldiers, he walked carefully to the fountain in the square and shouted: "Mateo! You traitor of the Republic! Desperate conspirators, we have seen through your plan long ago! Although you killed my brother, the Campofregoso family will never submit to a tyrant like you!"

The speaker was Giuseppe di Campofregoso, bishop of Genoa.

The fact that the Campofregoso family has been able to dominate the Adorno family for a long time is that they not only hold the highest secular power in the Republic of Genoa, but also often monopolize the religious power in Genoa.

The eldest son of the Campofregoso family is the governor, and the second son is the bishop, both of which are basic operations.

If it weren't for Tommaso's performance this time, it would be difficult for the Adorno family to launch a substantial threat to the rule of the Campofregoso family.

In the most unfavorable situation, Matteo regained his composure after a moment of panic and tried to save the situation.

He loudly refuted Giuseppe's accusation: "Nonsense! Tommaso is the villain who betrayed the Republic! You say I am a traitor, do you have proof?"

Giuseppe stalled for time, and quietly gave an order to the family mage to use spells to contact forces loyal to the Adorno family throughout the city.He now has a huge reputation, as long as he can mobilize the citizens, he still has a chance of winning.

"Evidence? Of course I have evidence!" Giuseppe pointed behind him.

I saw a person who Mateo was very familiar with came out: "Brother, you actually betrayed the family!"

"No, my stupid brother. I am standing here just because I don't want the whole family to follow you on the road to perdition." Rinaldo said, "You colluded with the Duke of Milan and murdered the previous governor. , From the plan to the process, I have made it public. No one will respond to the call of you, a traitor to the Republic. I have said long ago that you cannot succeed by relying on lies."

Betrayed by his most trusted relatives, Matteo almost fell off his horse as a blow.

He took a deep breath and said, "Before I admit defeat, I have a question."

Matteo pointed to the unknown army that surrounded him, and asked: "Who are they and where do they come from? As far as I know, most of the troops guarding Genoa were transferred to the north to defend against the Milanese. There shouldn't be such a well-armed army in a city. They even have cannons and muskets!"

"They are marines from the Rouen."

Although Mateo didn't know what a new thing the "Marine Corps" was, he still showed a look of sudden realization: "Haha, it really is that Sirisian. I have nothing to say when I lose to such an opponent..."

Matteo was about to surrender when the mercenary captain beside him suddenly said: "Everyone, I am Francesco Sforza, and I am just fulfilling the contract with the Adorno family. Since Matteo Lord Ao has already conceded defeat, why don't you put down your weapons. There is no need to make the situation so tense, I will lead the mercenary group to leave the city immediately."

After hearing his self-reported name, a man's voice sounded in the Governor's Palace: "Sforza? That must be eradicated. Fire!"

Following his order, the three-pound gun moved down from the Rouen was the first to roar.

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There is no suspense in the battle.With both military strength and terrain at a disadvantage, Matteo's private soldiers and Milan mercenaries surrendered after quickly paying one-third of the casualties.

It's just that at this time, Matteo and Francesco Sforza had already died under the indiscriminate volley of grape bullets.

Matteo's death was not a pity.He was the murderer who murdered the former Governor of Genoa, or he was an ambitious man who introduced foreign enemy forces in an attempt to subvert the Republic regime.Even if he surrendered and was arrested and tried, he would most likely end up with the death penalty in the end.

It is the death of the young and promising mercenary captain Francesco Sforza, which makes people feel a little regretful.If he can be caught, he may be able to demand a large ransom from the Sforza family.

It's just that the Genoese nobles feel regretful in their hearts, but they dare not criticize the big man who made this decision-Ma Youfu.

Ma Youfu came to Genoa from Provence just yesterday.He did not come with a strong army, so as not to remind the Genoese of the old days of Charles VI.It's just that with the sailors and marines on the Rouen, it is enough to gain an absolute advantage in force when the city of Genoa is empty.

"Everyone, it's getting late now, why don't you go back and have a good rest, and wait until tomorrow morning, after the square of the Governor's Palace is cleaned up, let's have a meeting and decide the future of the Republic together, how about it?" Ma Youfu suggested. .

Others are all right.

Even Giuseppe, nodded in agreement.

He didn't know that Ma Youfu would come to Genoa at the invitation of Doria's family, and he didn't know that there was actually a small but elite army on board the Rouen.This kind of late-knowing sense of crisis made Giuseppe very wary of Ma Youfu's existence.

It's just that if it wasn't for the Seres people tonight, I am afraid that the oligarchs in Genoa will be wiped out by Matteo.

However, the alliance that originally fought against the Adorno family fell apart at the moment Matteo died, and turned against each other in order to fight for the power of the next republic.

Giuseppe made a slight estimate of the strength of the two major political factions in Genoa today, and a big stone fell to the ground in his heart.

Now it seems that the Doria family is the force that is desperately relying on the French.Giuseppe felt that as long as Charles VI occupied Genoa and turned the free republic into a puppet of France, he would awaken other people's fear of France, and then accuse the Doria family of betraying the country, which would be enough to slander the other party's influence strength.

In addition, looking at Rinaldo's appearance, he seems to have taken refuge in the Marquis of La Manche.I don't know what kind of tricks the Seres people had, so that this Genoese hero betrayed his brother.

It's just that the Adorno family is now implicated by Mateo, and it is bound to accept a large number of investigations by the Senate and the Procuratorate. Only peeling off the skin is considered a good result.Rinaldo will definitely not be able to participate in the next race for the position of governor.

Giuseppe counted with his fingers, and found that the Campo Fregueso family, which has been hit repeatedly for a long time, now has the upper hand.

Giuseppe himself controlled the power of the Genoese church, and the last governor was his elder brother. According to the practice of "brother end brother", if he resigned from the bishop and returned to secular life, he should take over as the governor of Genoa as a matter of course.

Well, if the Governor of Genoa dies in office, there is no customary succession.Both cases occurred, whether a new governor was elected from the same family as the previous governor, or one from several other oligarchic families.The result purely depends on which family is superior and can win the political struggle.

Before the meeting adjourned, Giuseppe made a suggestion to Mayouf: "Master Marquis, the Rouen has been anchored in Genoa for a long enough time, shouldn't it be time to sail back to Provence?"

He is digging a hole for the opponent.

After Ma Youfu demonstrated his powerful force, if the other party rejected this proposal, then Giuseppe could declare to the citizens of the Republic that it was extremely dangerous for the French to leave a powerful warship in Genoa.

In case the oligarchs and nobles are meeting in the Ducal Palace, a cannon fires on the Rouen, and the revolutionary sailors rush in...

Um, stop, stop, we're crossing the stage.

The Rouen, moored in port and able to attack the Ducal Palace directly with artillery, was indeed a potential threat and a tool that Giuseppe could use to awaken Genoese fears of France.

If Ma Youfu does not want to become the target of the Genoese, he must let the Rouen leave.But after the warship left, the greatest advantage in the hands of the Serisians—the powerful military power—disappeared.

Giuseppe felt that his move was a stroke of genius, an upright conspiracy.No matter which choice the other party makes, they will suffer huge losses, thus losing the power to influence Genoa's political arena.

He thought Ma Youfu would hesitate for a long time, and even prevaricate with ambiguous words.Unexpectedly, Ma Youfu nodded simply, and said, "Yes, the sailors of the Rouen have returned to their hearts, and it's time for them to return to Provence."

Ma Youfu's blunt attitude made him puzzled, but since he had achieved his goal, Giuseppe didn't say anything, just bowed to the other party, and then left the Duke's Palace.

Ma Youfu asked everyone to go back to their homes and have a good rest.

That's what he did himself. After leaving the Duke's Palace, he went straight to the Venus Club. After eating a delicious "night snack" at Antoinette's, he hugged the girl's sweaty body and felt comfortable. Sleep till dawn.

However, Giuseppe, who regarded him as an opponent, did not have such a leisurely mind. After returning to the mansion of the Campo Fregueso family, he immediately began to write secret letters, and then sent them to those who he thought had not fallen to Seres. family and persuaded them to support him as Governor of Genoa.

After a busy night, Giuseppe ate breakfast in a dizzy state, and took a carriage to the Ducal Palace.

In the largest chamber of the palace, he successively communicated with eight of Spinola, Grimaldi, Doria, Durazzo, Adorno, Defranchie, Giustiniani, and Giovanni. A representative of the family said hello.

Together with Giuseppe's own Campofregiso family, the Republic of Genoa has nine surnames eligible to enter the Senate, all of which are genuinely qualified oligarchs.

Last night, Giuseppe had written to five of the families.Although he didn't get all the responses, he believed that at today's meeting, he would definitely get the most support and become the new governor.

He rubbed his temples, which were swollen from lack of sleep, and looked at the expressions of the others.Seeing that the head of the Doria family, Beneditto, looked confident, he couldn't help but sneer: "Mr. Beneditto, you must be very confident about winning the position of governor. It seems that Laman Marquis Shi has given you a lot of support."

"I really hope to become the Governor of the Republic and have a taste of the supreme power. But right now, that's not what I'm thinking about." Beneditto shook his head with a smile.

"Then what are you thinking?"