After the great battle, Venice quickly returned to its former prosperity, with boats coming and going on the water, crowds bustling on the banks, a dazzling array of goods, and constant hawking. It was as if nothing had ever happened, and as if the war was already over.
Inside the lavish banquet hall, lights sparkled, and a group of old Venetian nobles clinked glasses and chatted merrily, celebrating their survival and a bright future.
Many vested interests had either died or fled, and those who remained and promptly submitted to the Papal States, as examples, would undoubtedly receive a larger share of the pie. Even a lowly person like Wyatt could receive such preferential treatment, let alone these powerful figures.
"You see, I told you long ago, no matter who becomes the master of this city, they will still have to rely on us, won't they?"
A lavishly dressed, pot-bellied noble slightly swayed the wine glass in his hand, boasting smugly. He was the first among this group to make contact with the Papal States, and he had made significant contributions to the smooth submission of these people to the Papal States.
"Yes, yes, fortunately, we listened to you and stayed, not fleeing in a panic with those fools," another noble quickly flattered with a smile. "What was the result? They hid like stray dogs, and all the industries they had painstakingly managed for so many years went up in smoke. And we not only preserved our previous wealth but also effortlessly received their share! I'm sure everyone has already gained something!"
This was followed by a chorus of approval, with words like "far-sighted," "prepared for the unexpected," and "decisive" echoing in the air, making the fat noble feel somewhat light-headed, his face flushed with a slight tipsiness.
But there were also dissenting voices: "We still need to be careful. The higher we stand, the more people will envy us, and the more dangerous it becomes, especially for nobles whose interests have been harmed and the staunch loyalists of Venice. In my opinion, the Papal States elevating us so high may not be a good thing!"
"Hey, if you don't want to stand so high and be envied by others, you can certainly offer your share, and we'll help you bear the risk!" a noble joked half-seriously.
His mood dampened, the fat noble was visibly displeased: "Venice has already been utterly defeated; what waves can they still stir up? In a few days, the entire Venice will be completely taken over by the Papal States! They couldn't defeat the Papal States, so are they going to be aggressive with us instead?"
"That's true, they are no match for the Papal States on the battlefield, but it's hard to guarantee they won't retaliate against us. An open spear is easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow is hard to guard against. We should still be low-key in our daily lives and strengthen our security measures."
"Strengthen security measures, how? Wyatt not only strictly limits the number and equipment of our guards, but even household servants and laborers are no exception. Are we supposed to arm our concubines?"
A helpless joke drew a burst of laughter from the entire hall, but it also ignited the dissatisfaction of some.
An older, distinguished noble cursed with a bristling beard and glaring eyes: "Wyatt, he's always been a dog-like thing! Relying on good luck, he joined the Papal States early, taking a chicken feather as an imperial decree, and now he dares to boss us around!"
"Watch your words!" A noble beside him, startled, quickly stepped forward and covered his mouth. "Wyatt is now the Papal States' appointed agent for Venice; it would be terrible if these words reached his ears!"
"Am I afraid of him!" The distinguished noble grew even angrier after hearing this and continued to curse, "The Papal States treats us politely, and he, a dog relying on others' power, dares to defy heaven?"
Seeing the atmosphere turn somewhat sour, the leading fat noble chuckled to ease the tension: "Wyatt is completely undeserving of his position now; he won't stay in this position for long. Once the war ends, he'll go back to where he came from. By then, won't Venice still be our domain? Don't think about those unhappy things. Today is a banquet; enjoy this wonderful time. Good days are still ahead!"
...
Elegant music filled the entire banquet hall, intoxicating everyone. So much so that no one noticed the commotion outside, still holding their wine glasses and embracing dancing girls, lost in revelry.
When intense fighting sounds erupted, dozens of masked men armed with weapons had already kicked open the door, throwing in a still-bloody head. Behind them were bodies lying in pools of blood.
"Who are you people? How dare you commit murder here! We are local Venetian nobles who have submitted to the Papal States. If you dare to touch us, the Papal States will not let you go!" The leading fat noble's face was filled with terror, his legs trembling uncontrollably, yet he still maintained an air of superiority.
"We're here to kill you traitors! Kill them all, leave no one!"
A pure Venetian accent declared their identity and also declared the death of everyone present.
After a predictable massacre, the assassins chopped off the heads of all attendees and neatly placed them on the table, a display of defiance to all traitors. Then they swaggered away, leaving only the elegant music still echoing in the banquet hall.
Upon hearing the terrible news, Wyatt expressed deep sorrow and immediately ordered a city-wide lockdown. At the same time, he dispatched the guard unit Karl had prepared for him to conduct searches and thorough investigations.
Before nightfall, all the assassins were either killed on the spot or arrested and brought to justice. The investigation took almost no effort, and the mastermind quickly surfaced. Many local Venetian nobles were more or less implicated. While not all evidence was conclusive, in such matters, guilt is often presumed when there is suspicion.
Wyatt showed no mercy to these hostile elements who outwardly submitted but secretly undermined the unity of Venice and the Papal States and murdered local nobles serving the Papal States. Without consulting anyone, regardless of past acquaintances, he dispatched mercenaries to exterminate their families and confiscate their properties one by one.
Overnight, dozens of influential Venetian noble families were utterly annihilated, with thousands of people dying. Whether innocent or not was no longer important.
The confiscated family properties were all nationalized. Of the direct proceeds from the confiscation, half went to the public treasury, and half was distributed to the local poor. Directly giving money, while only a temporary solution to poverty, was extremely effective in winning over people's hearts.
Of course, only the hearts of the lower-class citizens could be won over. The old Venetian nobles would only feel that everyone was in danger, but fortunately, not many of them were left.
A power vacuum needed to be filled. If those who should be in power are not, then those who shouldn't be will take over. Next, newly promoted local nobles and loyal Roman upstarts would fill the power vacuum.
For the victims of this incident, Wyatt arranged a high-standard funeral and personally attended.
As the heads of some families and their heirs died in this incident, the Papal States was forced to take over their inheritances; and for some families whose surviving heirs were still young and unable to manage the family business, the Papal States had to temporarily manage these properties, to be returned after they came of age and passed a test.
After this night, the local forces of Venice were completely purged, and the entire Venice was firmly in the hands of the Papal States. Thus, Wyatt successfully completed the additional work Karl had left behind, which was also the task Augustus had given to Karl before the war began.