The flames of war were blocked north of the Alps, while to the south, people had enjoyed ten precious years of peace.
Before the Emperor pacified this region, the Milan-Venice War had lasted for nearly forty years, leaving deep and painful memories throughout Northern Italy.
Because they had experienced the suffering and decay brought by years of war in the past, the people of Milan today finally accepted the Emperor's rule willingly.
As the Emperor's designated center of Northern Italy, Milan's development over the past few years had been extremely rapid, with its population once reaching 130,000 and various industries flourishing.
Not to mention those royal family members who had never visited the place, even Laszlo, who came once every so often, was slightly shocked by Milan's prosperity.
Workshops selling various goods could be seen everywhere along the streets, and ships on the canals were loaded with sought-after goods from Venice and Genoa, slowly sailing toward the riverside markets.
The sound of bells rolled beneath Gothic spires, and people in colorful clothing spoke in various languages at the market, where shouts and cries of vendors mixed with the clink of silver coins falling into pouches, filling every corner.
The bustling cobblestone streets quickly became orderly under the efforts of the guards. People crowded the roadsides, alley entrances, and even the windowsills along the street, with citizens cheering enthusiastically to welcome the Emperor's arrival.
Although remnants of the Republican faction or ambitious men seeking Milanese independence still lurked in the city's dark corners, most of the populace no longer rejected the Emperor's rule.
Though called rule, Milan actually possessed almost the highest level of autonomy among all regions under the Emperor's jurisdiction, provided they paid enough money and provided sufficient troops during wartime.
This was not a harsh requirement for the Duchy of Milan, which had become increasingly prosperous and wealthy due to the greatly improved geopolitical environment.
From every perspective, Milan was a prize that everyone coveted.
The Duchy controlled two important mountain passes to the north, one leading to France and one to the Empire. At the same time, Milan bordered Venice to the east and Genoa to the south. Its natural conditions were inherently superior, and its economic development was at the top level in all of Europe.
This allowed Laszlo to gradually understand why 'Barbarossa' Frederick I had not hesitated to launch six expeditions to conquer this wealthy metropolis.
The Italian Wars in history, though sparked by Naples, almost always revolved around Milan in subsequent struggles—France wanted it, and the Empire wanted it too; Milan indeed possessed such charm.
Since touring this prosperous metropolis would likely take an entire day, Laszlo ultimately chose to conclude his tour at the Milan Cathedral.
Unsurprisingly, when his wife and children saw this flawless, magnificent Gothic cathedral, they were stunned beyond measure.
Even Joanna, who had personally visited Hagia Sophia, was shocked by this 'work of art' forged from cold marble. After a long silence, only an irrepressible awe remained in her eyes, causing even the noisy little ones to quiet down.
However, this cathedral was still far from finished. Its characteristic abundance of sculptures and forest of spires were only partially completed. Even so, the cathedral still attracted a large number of pilgrims who wanted to experience the 'otherworldly' beauty promoted by the clergy.
After touring the inside and outside of this cathedral, which could be called a mountain of marble, Laszlo followed custom and donated a sum of money for its construction—he had previously taken the Iron Crown of Lombardy from here, and in exchange, he had to donate construction funds to this unfinished church.
Of course, this money would ultimately be billed to the Milanese government.
After finishing the tour of this Milanese landmark, evening had quietly arrived. The touring procession then arrived at the Visconti Castle, which was the Ducal Residence of Milan—and was now Laszlo's temporary palace.
That night, Laszlo went to his bedchamber early, intending to get a good night's sleep to relieve the fatigue of the journey.
He could almost no longer count how many times he had crossed the Alps, or how many tours and personal expeditions he had undertaken; regardless, he always felt as if most of his nights were spent in crude temporary tents.
Every time he came to Milan, Laszlo slept particularly well because the large beds here were truly comfortable.
However, his bedmate did not seem very tired at this time, tossing and turning beside him, unable to fall asleep.
This made Laszlo sigh inwardly: being eighteen is wonderful.
He had been just as energetic back then, but now he felt a bit lacking in strength.
"What's wrong? Can't sleep?"
With a faint sigh, Laszlo turned his head to meet Joanna's gaze.
"Yes, a little..."
"What are you thinking about?"
"That beautiful cathedral from earlier. I've never seen such a magnificent, or rather, beautiful building in Portugal. It's almost like a miracle."
"Indeed. Come to think of it, it's all marble. I wonder how much more money it will take to finish..."
Laszlo had always adhered to a pragmatic viewpoint and firmly believed in the theory that wonders could ruin a nation.
However, for wonders that were already established, such as Hagia Sophia or the Milan Cathedral, he didn't mind investing some money to enhance the dynasty's prestige.
For instance, at the Candoglia Quarry, which provided marble for the Milan Cathedral, the contractors had previously enjoyed tax-exempt privileges for over eighty years. Laszlo did not cancel this privilege; he merely set a deadline—the day the cathedral was completed.
But judging by the current progress of the project, he feared he wouldn't be able to collect even a single pfennig in taxes from that quarry in his lifetime.
"Laszlo, why do you always like to relate everything to money? You clearly aren't short of it..."
Joanna puffed out her cheeks, dissatisfiedly criticizing Laszlo's killjoy words.
"If one isn't careful with calculations, no matter how much money... Sorry, force of habit."
Laszlo had wanted to argue back, but to ensure the quality of his sleep tonight, he ultimately chose to be submissive.
"Let's not mention that. This is an interesting city. How about we go for another stroll together tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow," Laszlo thought for a moment, showing a troubled expression. "Tomorrow I have to meet with representatives from various Northern Italian states and also hold a local estate meeting for Milan. I probably won't have any free time to tour the city."
"Alright," Joanna could understand her husband's hard work, though she was inevitably a bit disappointed. "Then can I take the children out to see?"
"Hmm... take the girls and little Albrecht with you. Christopher and Maximilian have to stay with me. I plan to choose one of them to serve as the Governor of Milan later, so I want them to get familiar with the situation first."
Laszlo proposed his plan.
"Given their age, wouldn't it be too early?"
"It's not early. Mustafa of the Ottoman Empire is about the same age as Christopher and has already become Sultan. Before that, he was the governor of the Konya province, which was a border province on the Karaman front."
Mustafa I had indeed ascended to the Sultanate at a young age, but Laszlo didn't say a word about why he became Sultan, and Joanna didn't know what to say to him.
"Fine, you take care of the boys. It just so happens I'm not good at dealing with them anyway."
That being said, Laszlo always felt Joanna seemed a bit lost, so he spoke to comfort her: "Don't worry too much, they'll accept you sooner or later."
Christopher was sensible enough, so there would definitely be no problem. As for Maximilian, Laszlo himself wasn't sure.
After chatting for a while, both were a bit tired and soon fell into a deep sleep.
Early the next morning, Laszlo took his two sons to receive a large number of petitioners in the temporary palace, while Joanna took the children interested in the outing into the city to go shopping.
Throughout the day, Laszlo was busy introducing his two sons to dignitaries from across Northern Italy, though primarily to the Milanese.
In this process, the current Governor of Milan, William, also helped a lot.
He guessed the Emperor was smoothing the way for the princes, but this did not cause any dissatisfaction in his heart.
After all, William was now over fifty, his energy was gradually declining, and he had recently been facing a headache-inducing succession crisis.
His two consecutive marriages had both ended with the early death of his wives, and both wives combined had only left him one legitimate daughter.
Although the old Marquis had had many romantic escapades while adventuring as a free mercenary in his youth, leaving behind more illegitimate children than he could count on both hands, when it came to the crucial issue of succession, those mistakes made in his youth were of no use at all.
Furthermore, because he had worked long for the Emperor on Northern Italian affairs, coupled with his work as Governor of Milan, he had somewhat neglected the management of his own Marquisate of Montferrat and could only entrust his brother, Bonifacio, to manage the marquis's territory on his behalf.
If given the chance, he really wanted to withdraw from Imperial affairs and focus on developing his own territory, and incidentally obtain a legitimate heir as soon as possible.
Laszlo was unaware of the predicament William was currently facing, but that did not stop him from greatly praising the loyalty William displayed.
After the formal decision on which son would serve as the Governor of Milan, William's work likely wouldn't become much easier. After all, these two boys still had a lot to learn, and William was a suitable mentor.
By the afternoon, the busy work finally ended. Just as the two brothers were looking at Laszlo expectantly, wanting to take a break, another special guest came to visit.
"Antonio? It's been a long time. I didn't expect you to come in person; I thought you would send another craftsman."
Laszlo smiled, putting on a friendly attitude.
This long-unseen business partner had provided Laszlo with no small amount of help—economically, militarily, and even politically—so Laszlo felt very happy to see him again.
The two little ones sitting beside Laszlo didn't think so.
Seeing the sturdy arms of this burly, gray-haired man before them, they concluded that this man must be a strongman.
And this nearly fifty-year-old strongman seemed to be scrutinizing the two of them with a strange gaze at this moment.
"Your Majesty, the honor of custom-making the first suits of armor for the two noble princes is not something I would easily give up to others."
Antonio Missaglia also responded with a smile.
This world-renowned master armorer had crafted exquisite armor for the Emperor, the King of France, and many Imperial Princes. Ordinary orders could no longer pique his interest, but this time the Emperor's order had made him feel a long-absent excitement.
After all, this was the first set of plate armor for the two princes; the commemorative significance clearly outweighed the practical value.
Precisely for this reason, this arms tycoon, who owned the largest armor factory in Europe and also occupied Milan's largest copper mine, couldn't help but want to personally take on this rare order.
After settling all the details of the order, Antonio began to measure the body dimensions of the two princes. Considering they were both at an age where they were growing, the plate armor to be crafted would need to be oversized based on these measurements.
"Antonio, how is business at the armory lately?"
Laszlo glanced at the working Antonio and asked casually.
"Thanks to you, life is manageable. The Imperial Army's orders are as stable as ever, which is already enough to consume the inventory accumulated over this period.
However, since you promulgated the peace decree in the Empire, the sales of low-end armor within the Empire are no longer what they used to be. The high-end armor provided for princes and great nobles hasn't been affected much.
For the next period, the factory will likely have to rely on orders from France and Burgundy to maintain operations."
Antonio's tone was very gloomy, but he didn't dare to complain too much. After all, Imperial peace was now widely considered one of the most important among the Emperor's many great achievements.
Laszlo hadn't thought that the previous Imperial Conference of the Gan Army would cause such an impact, but on the contrary, he felt it wasn't a bad thing.
"Rest assured, this continent lacks many things, but what it lacks least is war. Therefore, you need not worry about a lack of orders.
Speaking of Imperial matters, I recently intend to urge each circle to quickly establish a standing force for maintaining order and executing judgments. Arming these forces will likely generate quite a few orders."
"Then I look forward to your plan being successfully implemented."
Antonio didn't know much about the Imperial Circles, but even as an Italian, he felt this plan proposed by the Emperor was not very realistic.
After all, that was the Empire—a mess of an Empire.
Moreover, if an Imperial Army were truly to be formed, the armorers of Augsburg, Nuremberg, and Basel, and even the Royal Armory in Innsbruck, would likely not easily let this opportunity pass.
Therefore, Antonio was not happy eating the 'pie' the Emperor had drawn.
His old customers who used to place orders with him were all bellicose princes; now, every single one of them was prostrate at the Emperor's feet, not daring to make any move that openly violated Imperial decrees.
Fortunately, the Emperor was not a peace-loving person either. Look, just back from the East, the Emperor had triggered a major war because of the coronation of the Duke of Burgundy.
Antonio now more or less understood that whether Europe was in chaos or not was up to the Emperor.
As long as the Emperor's ambitions remained unsatisfied, there would always be another war brewing.
Thinking this way, Antonio's mood suddenly improved again, and he no longer felt anxious about business being difficult.
"Your Majesty, the measurements are done. I shall take my leave now."
"Hmm, then let me look forward to your work."
"You will not be disappointed, and neither will the two Highnesses."
Antonio said confidently, then turned and left the castle.
The two little ones were exceptionally excited about soon obtaining a set of armor of their own. Especially Maximilian; this special gift even caused his mischievous nature to be restrained somewhat, which pleasantly surprised Laszlo.
Laszlo stayed in his palace in Milan for a week, only feeling relieved enough to continue his journey after the latest battle reports from north of the Alps were delivered to him.
According to the latest intelligence, the French Army in Dijon had suffered heavy casualties during three consecutive days of intense assaults and had been forced to abandon the storming of the city, turning instead to preparations for a long-term siege.
This was not beyond Laszlo's expectations. Back in the day, Janos had led a few thousand men in Belgrade to a stalemate against Mehmed II's army of sixty to seventy thousand; Matthias, who was only just over ten years old at the time, had personally experienced that brutal battle.
Now, after years of tempering in the border regions, the only gap between Matthias and his father lay in experience and maturity; in other areas outside of military affairs, his talents even surpassed those of his father.
With him coordinating and planning for the army, combined with the extraordinary bravery of Gunter and his elite mercenaries, it was not difficult to stall the French beneath the walls of a fortified city.
Once the French Army's logistics could no longer keep up or they failed to pay the troops, the collapse of the army would only be a matter of time.
However, the end of the report mentioned that some significant unrest had occurred in the former territories of the Duchy of Savoy, primarily in the regions north of the Alps; centered around Geneva, an uprising seemed to be brewing.
The region south of the Alps, meanwhile, had largely eliminated the possibility of rebellion due to the military commander of Milan, Piccinino the Younger, personally leading several thousand troops to station in Turin.
This news immediately struck Laszlo's sensitive nerves, and the figure of that man instinctively surfaced in his mind.
Laszlo knew only one person who relied on inciting rebellion to strike and weaken his enemies, and who was successful every time he used such a tactic—Louis XI.
Although he did not yet possess any tangible evidence, Laszlo was almost certain that the French King was the one behind this.
Louis XI was currently racking his brains to weaken the power of Charles. Now that the main Burgundian force was concentrated on the Low Countries front, the defenses for the Savoy region north of the Alps were inherently weak.
The Savoy territories centered on Geneva and Chambéry were lands that Burgundy had only acquired through military conquest in the last decade; not only was control weak, but the local population's resentment toward the Burgundians had never been eliminated.
Louis XI's wife was the favorite daughter of the last Duke of Savoy, and he could entirely support the Savoyards' struggle for independence under the guise of being a liberator.
Furthermore, the heart of the Savoy region, Chambéry, was adjacent to the Dauphiné, the territory of the Dauphin of France, and Louis XI's control over the Dauphiné was very strong.
Since Charles VII granted the Dauphiné to Louis XI in 1440, he had built it into his own "state within a state"; it was by relying on the financial and military power of the Dauphiné that he was able to launch three rebellions against his father.
Although he was later exiled by Charles VII after his rebellion failed and the Dauphiné was confiscated, Louis XI immediately seized the territory firmly back into his hands after ascending the throne—one important reason for this was that he had no sons before, so he naturally could not pass this princely territory to the next generation.
Now, while Louis XI could not spare more troops to directly cross the mountains from the Dauphiné to attack the Savoy region, he could incite a well-timed rebellion through financial and material support, causing the ancestral lands of Savoy to slip from Charles's control.
The only good news at present was that most members of the House of Savoy were under house arrest by Charles in Dijon.
Moreover, Louis XI's father-in-law, Ludovico, the last Duke of Savoy, and Ludovico's eldest son, who suffered from epilepsy, had both died mysteriously a few years ago, leading to the direct extinction of the main line of the House of Savoy; it was unknown whether this was the work of the Burgundians or if their time had simply come to an end.
The only member of the House of Savoy who still possessed personal freedom, besides Charlotte, who was married to the French King, was Ludovico's second son, the titular King of Cyprus, Count of Geneva, and Duke of Savoy, Luigi.
Speaking of Luigi... Laszlo put down the intelligence and rummaged through a pile of documents on the desk for a moment, quickly finding a letter recently sent by Adorno, the Governor of Genoa.
The letter mentioned that Adorno hoped to have a face-to-face meeting with Laszlo regarding the affairs of Cyprus, and that the Queen of Cyprus, Charlotte de Lusignan, would also accompany him to an audience with the Emperor.
However, the Queen's husband, Luigi of Savoy, was not mentioned in the letter.
This unfortunate couple, who received protection from the Holy See in Rome and maintained a Cypriot court-in-exile, had always been inseparable; now they seemed to be acting separately.
This quickly caught Laszlo's attention. If nothing else, that Luigi had likely been bewitched by Louis XI and had abandoned his wife to return home and reclaim his country.
Thinking of this possibility, Laszlo's expression was no longer as relaxed as before.
Although no battle reports had arrived from Charles's side due to the distance, given Louis XI's cautious character, Charles's battles would likely not be particularly smooth.
At such a time, if the legitimate heir of the House of Savoy returned to his ancestral lands to lead an uprising, it really could bring some negative impacts to the war situation.
Laszlo couldn't help but sigh; this Louis XI was indeed better suited to stay on the battlefield, where he could both undermine his own French Army and have less leisure to engage in conspiracies.
Now, having truly recognized where his strengths lay and finally choosing to relinquish battlefield command of the army, Louis XI, nestled in Paris, was likely constantly coming up with clever ideas that could give Charles a very hard time.
Laszlo was almost certain that without his support, Charles would lose a layer of skin in this war, if not his life.
Of course, there are no "ifs" in reality; having vaguely sensed Louis XI's schemes, Laszlo would certainly not let him succeed easily.
He immediately sent someone to Turin to deliver orders, requiring Piccinino the Younger to deploy more spies to watch the situation in the Savoy region north of the Alps; should an anti-Burgundian rebellion occur there, the Milanese army must immediately control the mountain passes from Turin to Chambéry, whether by taking them over from the Burgundians or seizing them from the Savoyards.
This was not because Laszlo wanted to take advantage of the crisis—though he did have a bit of that thought—but ultimately, it was all to protect the security of Northern Italy.
If the French or the Savoyard rebels controlled the passes, then the passage for the French Army into Northern Italy would be opened once again, which Laszlo could not allow, even if the French currently had no spare strength to attack the Italian regions.
Since Louis XI chose to muddy the waters, Laszlo didn't mind fishing in those troubled waters; after all, he had used this trick so many times it was almost worn out.
Once everything settled, even if Charles came to demand control of the passes, Laszlo would have a way to deal with him.
Just as the messenger departed, a servant brought several guests to visit, namely the Governor of Genoa and his party.
"Adorno, introduce these two guests to me."
In the audience hall, Laszlo sat firmly on the Duke's throne, looking at the two people besides Adorno with a scrutinizing gaze.
Standing alongside Adorno was a young woman, about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, of medium build, with bright eyes and a complexion between black and white, which could be said to have very Eastern characteristics.
However, she was dressed in French court attire, exuding an air of nobility, and her etiquette was quite impeccable.
Behind her followed a boy of about ten years old; he was not trembling with fear like most people during their first audience with the Emperor; in fact, he was almost too calm.
Laszlo felt the child looked somewhat familiar but couldn't think of where he had seen him.
"Emperor, this is Her Majesty Queen Charlotte of Jerusalem, Cyprus, and Armenia, and beside her is her adopted son, Alonso d'Aragona."
"Alonso... I seem to have some impression of this name."
"He is the illegitimate son of King Ferdinand I of Naples."
Charlotte patted Alonso's shoulder and stated the child's background nonchalantly in euphemistic words with a heavy Greek accent.
Laszlo realized it was the illegitimate son of the famous 'Bastard' Ferdinand I; it sounded like a nesting doll, and he could only silently comment: your circle is truly messy.
"Well, according to Adorno's letter, you have come for an audience to discuss matters regarding the Kingdom of Cyprus with me. Who will explain the details?"
Laszlo had intended to ask Charlotte about her husband's whereabouts, but considering she likely wouldn't tell the truth, he didn't ask and instead went straight to the main topic.
"Do you remember what I reported to you previously regarding the Venetians' intention to interfere in the Kingdom of Cyprus?"
Adorno was somewhat worried that the busy Emperor would have forgotten such a "small matter," as over half a year had passed and the Emperor hadn't paid much attention at the time.
Although the affairs of the Kingdom of Cyprus were not very important to the Emperor, for the Republic of Genoa, their stronghold in Cyprus was the core for prying into the Venetian trade network in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Although both Genoa and Venice were nominally subjects of the Emperor, and Genoa's status was even a notch higher, neither side had any intention of backing down in commercial competition.
The centuries-old blood feuds between the two sides had not changed at all; the difference, of course, was that a brutal war triggered by trade disputes like in the past was unlikely to happen again, but the underhanded struggles at sea and in various trading posts were even more intense than before.
Due to their earlier cooperation with the Emperor, the Genoese already had a very clear advantage in the Western Mediterranean and the Black Sea; the Republic of Venice, which was now gradually recovering, was determined to hold onto the Eastern Mediterranean trade network and wait for the right opportunity to turn their current disadvantageous situation around.
However, the stronghold the Genoese built in Famagusta, Cyprus, seriously threatened Venice's hegemony in the Eastern Mediterranean trade, and the two sides launched a series of struggles centered around this city and even the entire Kingdom of Cyprus.
The Genoese supported the legitimate Queen of Cyprus, Charlotte, while the Venetians allied with James II, who had usurped Charlotte's throne by force and was now ruling Cyprus; overall, the Genoese were at a significant disadvantage in this confrontation.
Because of this, the desperate Genoese had to find an opportunity to use some outside-the-box tactics to strike at the Venetians' arrogance.
"Have I not already responded to your request? The Venetian Government also guaranteed they would not use any improper means."
Laszlo felt he had been fair enough to the Genoese, so his attitude was no longer as gentle as in the past.
After all, the Republic of Genoa had indeed helped him a lot, but the Venetians also paid him tribute regularly; he could not excessively favor one side in a dispute.
Adorno shook his head with a bitter smile and patiently explained: "Your Majesty, the Venetians indeed did not act directly, but the Cypriot usurper James, whom they support, is now constantly disrupting the commercial order of Famagusta, causing a significant impact on our trade in the East.
Furthermore, that usurper once brought the Mamluk Sultan's army to the island and even captured Famagusta; it was only later through long-term negotiations that the Republic recovered part of that city, but James can still continuously exert influence over our colonial city."
"The Venetians' hands are not clean either; they have placed my niece Charla under house arrest. She is just a child less than three years old, and I beg the merciful Emperor to return her freedom, because the Venetians are very likely to harm her."
Charlotte also spoke up at this time to supplement, stating one of her purposes for seeking an audience with the Emperor.
"I won't ask who this Charla is for now. Ultimately, you want me to support this... Lady Charlotte in reclaiming the throne of Cyprus, right, Adorno?"
"Your Majesty, the Queen has already gained the support of the Pope. You also know that the despicable illegitimate son successfully usurped the throne with the support of Egyptian heathens; the Holy See now seriously doubts whether James has the right to rule what is currently the oldest Crusader state.
And you have always hated those who collude with heathens and betray their faith; why not take this opportunity to join forces with the Pope?"
Halfway through Adorno's speech, Laszlo suddenly raised his hand to signal him to stop; despite wanting to say more, Adorno ultimately chose to shut his mouth obediently.
Laszlo rubbed his brow with some headache, not quite understanding why constant warfare would keep finding him whenever he wanted to settle down for a while.
The situation in France aside, this Cyprus was strictly speaking an ally of his vassal; now his semi-vassal partner was inviting him to invade that distant eastern island and overthrow a regime that seemed incredibly fragile to him.
If it were decades ago, he might have been somewhat interested, as the sugar industry in Cyprus was still very profitable.
However, the Portuguese had now turned Madeira into the world's largest sugar producer; the sugar industries of Cyprus, Crete, and Sicily would suffer a devastating blow shortly after the start of the Age of Discovery, just like the spice trade that the Venetians relied on so heavily.
The most important thing about this island was its strategic value, bordering Anatolia to the north, Egypt to the south, and the Fertile Crescent to the east; it was an excellent springboard.
But Laszlo doubted whether he needed this springboard.
Rather than coveting those eastern lands teeming with heathens, it was better to focus on current affairs and concentrate efforts on integrating the Empire.
Moreover, the Venetians were doing quite well in Cyprus, so why should he destroy all that?
Ultimately, these two crippled commercial republics, Genoa and Venice, had both become his aids, like his left and right hands.
No matter how they competed with each other, as long as they did not cross that line, Laszlo would turn a blind eye.
And this also meant that under normal circumstances, he would never personally intervene to support one side.
Adorno and the other two guests eventually left in disappointment.
The excuse given by the Emperor was that the crusade had just ended, and now all military strength should be focused on guarding against a counterattack by the heathens rather than being embroiled in a meaningless war.
As for that Charla, Laszlo later found out she was the illegitimate daughter of the usurping bastard James II, sent to live in Venice as a hostage.
Charlotte intended to have her adopted son marry the girl and legitimize her as a member of the House of Lusignan to continue her family's rule over Cyprus.
The Venetian Government, aware of Charlotte's plan, refused to hand over custody of Charla, resulting in more disputes.
According to Venetian intelligence, Charlotte seemed to have been trying to contact the Mamluk Sultanate, likely intending to follow James II's lead and invite the wolf into the house.
Meanwhile, this woman was still staying in Rome, living on aid from the Pope, and even the Knights Hospitaller had expressed a willingness to help.
Laszlo had no interest in the farces in the East, so he rejected all of Queen Charlotte's requests, which instead made the Venetians very excited, even sending a special envoy to express their gratitude and loyalty to the Emperor.
After handling some relatively important Northern Italy affairs, Laszlo immediately hurried south with his court.
The Queen of Cyprus, who had been heartlessly rejected by him, chose to depart for Rome on the same day he left, pestering him all the way, requesting an audience and asking for aid at regular intervals.
Eventually, Laszlo became truly annoyed and simply refused to receive this young "Queen" who had lost both her territory and crown, instead letting Manuel Palaiologos, who had become a court attendant, deal with her.
Charlotte's mother was the niece of Constantine XI and also Manuel's cousin, so strictly speaking, Charlotte, who was ten years older, had to call the recently adult Manuel "uncle."
Since the Queen had grown up in the Eastern Roman court, despite her family name originating from France, she was entirely Greek from her appearance to her inner self; thus, the two of them got along very well in the present day, years after the fall of the Eastern Roman Empire.
How should one put it? It was like the feeling of meeting an old friend in a foreign land.
The difference was that Charlotte was the Queen of a Hellenized Crusader state, while Manuel was a Germanized Greek.
When the party arrived near Florence, Laszlo received a report from Constantinople describing the current situation in Asia Minor in detail.
The Karaman army was crushed in Ankara by the Ottoman main force led by Grand Vizier Gedik Ahmed Pasha, leaving them unable to threaten the core of the Ottoman Empire in the short term.
Meanwhile, the independent Candar Beylik in the north easily gained a foothold in the Candar ancestral lands because the Karaman people had drawn away the vast majority of the Ottoman Empire's forces, and they used the complex mountainous terrain of northern Anatolia to keep the Ottoman army at bay.
After experiencing several months of continuous and chaotic warfare, all three parties were severely weakened and lost the opportunity to eliminate their opponents, forcing them to temporarily shake hands and make peace.
At the same time, Uzun Hasan, Khan of the White Sheep Dynasty, having returned with his army from Afghanistan, almost immediately sent a vanguard force to attack Dulkadir, which bordered the eastern frontier of the Ottoman Empire.
As luck would have it, the Mamluk Sultanate, which was recovering from internal strife and heading toward revival, was also conducting its second expedition against Dulkadir at this time.
A year ago, the martially vigorous Shah Suwar of Dulkadir led a small army to crush the low-combat-capability Mamluk army, which infuriated the new Mamluk Sultan, Qaitbay, leading him to launch this second expedition now.
As a result, Suwar was quickly crushed by the White Sheep Dynasty's army, which was at the height of its power, and was unfortunately caught by the Mamluks while fleeing, subsequently being sent to Cairo for execution.
The Mamluks and the White Sheep Dynasty, each occupying a portion of Dulkadir's land, fell into a strange standoff on another country's territory; while both their ultimate goals were to annex the Ottoman Empire, they had now collided at the Ottoman's doorstep.
Clearly, a fierce conflict was inevitable, and only the winner would earn the right to swallow the choice morsel that was Anatolia.
Putting down the report, Laszlo felt exceptionally refreshed.
Unity maintained by faith was inherently short-lived; what monarch of a major power didn't have their own ulterior motives, using the banner of faith to fight for their own glory, money, and land?
Even France, whose strength could be called the greatest in the Catholic world, dared to directly ally with muslims, so it was only normal for a traitor or two to appear among the Islamic nations.
The Karaman Bey had long cooperated with him, the Candar Bey also had Genoese support, and even the Mamluk Sultanate, one of the three major powers of the Islamic world, was closely tied to the Venetians and Genoese due to the slave and spice trade, making them easily influenced.
Under such circumstances, why should he personally take action to deal with those Islamic states?
The situation was developing exactly as he had predicted; after the Crusaders stopped at the coastal regions of the peninsula, the Islamic world, having lost its external threat, quickly fell into a mess of internal conflicts and intensifying contradictions.
With the previous three-way balance of power broken, the entire West Asia had now turned into a complete mess, with all important Islamic nations embroiled in various wars and conflicts.
This was precisely what Laszlo hoped to see, and he was glad he hadn't rashly chosen to advance deep into the peninsula.
Whether it was the Mamluks or the White Sheep, they both viewed the already crippled Ottoman Empire as meat on a chopping block.
If Laszlo's ambition had been larger and he had pushed the front line to Ankara, these muslims certainly wouldn't have let it slide, and even the Karaman Bey, who had always had a good relationship with him, might have turned his weapons against him due to feeling threatened.
On the contrary, the Crusaders stopped after recovering the west coast of Asia Minor and used the period of constant Muslim infighting to frantically build outposts and fortresses, strengthening their control and defense of the area; this was enough to make those heathens lower their guard, and their swords would naturally point toward their own coreligionists.
By the time the final winner of this struggle approached the borders of the Eastern Roman Empire, continuing their westward advance would no longer be an easy task, and Laszlo would have ample time to respond.
At present, France and Austria are vying for supremacy in the West, while the Mamluks and White Sheep are battling for dominance in the East, with the weakened Ottoman Empire squeezed in the middle, suffering miserably.
One could only wonder which side of the simultaneous wars for supremacy in the Catholic and Islamic worlds would produce a winner first.
Although Laszlo was very certain he could eventually defeat Louis XI, considering the Mamluk army was already so rubbish that they couldn't even beat a tiny country, he didn't think the time it would take him to deal with the formidable enemy France would be shorter than the time it would take Uzun Hasan, Khan of the White Sheep Dynasty, the great ruler who destroyed the Timurid Empire, to crush the Mamluk Sultan.
However, the Mamluk Sultanate shouldn't be decided in a single battle like in history, right?
Laszlo could only hope so; after all, he had heard that the current Mamluk Sultan, Qaitbay, was a wise monarch, and perhaps there would be opportunities for cooperation between him and Qaitbay in the future.
It was a pity that the plan of Queen Charlotte, who had been pestering him, might fall through before it even started to be implemented.
Even with the support of Genoa, the Holy See, and the Knights Hospitaller, it would not be an easy task for her to take Cyprus back from the Venetians and James II.
If nothing unexpected happened, after hitting a wall with him as Emperor, Charlotte might actually run to Cairo to lobby the Mamluk Sultan, trying to obtain help from the heathens.
If it were before, her plan might have actually succeeded, and Cyprus would have once again become a vassal state of the Mamluks, but now that the Mamluks were about to face the terrifying opponent that was the White Sheep Dynasty, it was clearly unlikely they could spare the energy to help a heathen Queen reclaim her throne.
And even though Charlotte had repeatedly stated her willingness to become a vassal to Laszlo and incorporate the kingdom into the Eastern Roman Empire after recovering Cyprus, Laszlo remained entirely unmoved.
Laszlo subsequently informed Charlotte of the situation in the East; the disheartened Queen soon left the Emperor's touring party and, shortly after returning to Rome, set sail for Rhodes with her court.
This tenacious woman ultimately decided not to rely on any monarch of a major power, but to gather a force to reclaim her crown with the support of the Holy See and her allies.
Laszlo did not stop her actions, because the true masterminds behind this game were actually Genoa and Venice; Cyprus was merely a chessboard for them to manipulate at will.
Yet the two republics acting as players were themselves pawns in Laszlo's hands, and the conflict between them would instead make it easier for Laszlo to control these two forces.
Soon, Laszlo put the matter entirely out of his mind, for he had already led Muhammad and his sons, along with his army, through the gates of the city of Rome.
In the past, even if Laszlo led his army to Rome, he would not bring the troops into the city, mainly to avoid causing panic among the citizens and hostility from the Holy See.
This time, however, Paul II very readily agreed to Laszlo's request to lead his army into the city.
After a period of careful preparation, a celebration even more formal than the triumph in Constantinople began.
Laszlo and Joanna sat side-by-side in a luxurious carriage pulled by four white horses, wearing gold laurel wreaths on their heads and holding high the scepter and sword that symbolized imperial power, with the Empress also holding the corresponding regalia.
Following closely behind the carriage was a prison cart carrying Mehmed II and his sons, both in shackles and forced to endure the contempt and curses of the Roman citizens lining the streets.
The nobles, knights, and soldiers who came with the Emperor were all dressed in magnificent attire or neat military uniforms, passing through the triumphal arch in sequence.
The entire city was calling out the Emperor's name; citizens gathered on both sides of the street, lining the way to welcome the outstanding commander who led the Crusaders to a great victory, holding back no praise and expressing their respect for the Emperor to the utmost.
Along the streets, there were also musicians invited by the Holy See playing cheerful tunes on lutes, and some actors in exaggerated costumes performing scenes for the onlookers of when the Emperor captured the Ottoman Sultan.
Even though these performances differed greatly from reality and were mostly scenes reconstructed by the actors' imaginations, the citizens were very willing to buy into it; they loved watching the Emperor humiliate the Sultan so severely.
The fear the Ottomans had instilled in Europeans over the past century was truly too profound, which is why they reacted so excitedly when they saw a victor who had truly led the Crusaders to crush the heathens.
At the end of the procession, more than a dozen wagons of spoils brought back from the East, as well as Ottoman prisoners Laszlo had brought along for show, passed before the people.
When the large wagons transporting these spoils passed the crowd, the knights standing guard began to follow the Emperor's instructions, scattering handfuls of imperial florin and groschen silver coins into the crowd, which for a time caused quite a commotion.
Finally, in front of St. Peters Basilica, Laszlo met Pope Paul II, who had come in person to the grand square to welcome him, accompanied by Cardinal Francesco.
"Congratulations, noble and holy Your Majesty Laszlo, you have brought back a great victory for me and all of God's chosen people, just as you promised."
Even though his body was still weak and his complexion was poor, the bright smile on Paul II's face already made his attitude clear.
"Congratulations to you as well, Your Majesty; this glory is not mine alone to enjoy."
Laszlo understood Paul II's thoughts; the man simply wanted to leave a name in history like Pope Callixtus III, gain the respect of the world after death, and even earn the title of a saint.
Judging by the current results, Paul II, who had fully supported Laszlo in launching the Crusade and endorsed him to all nations, would most likely be able to achieve his wish.
Furthermore, he had also orchestrated the conspiracy for the Barbo Family to defect from the Republic of Venice, securing a brighter future for his family.
It could be said that he had done right by God and the Holy See, and had not failed his family or blood relatives; the only ones who probably still hated him were the elites of the Republic of Venice.
Although they had cancelled the bounty on the Pope's head under Laszlo's order, it was unknown whether there were any secret plots afoot.
Now, this old Pope, having achieved success and fame, cordially took Laszlo's hand and, under Joanna's somewhat dissatisfied gaze, led the Emperor into his palace in the Vatican.
After performing for the citizens and the high-ranking officials of the Holy See, Paul II soon began a private conversation with Laszlo.
"Your Majesty Laszlo, you certainly made me wait a long time."
"Alas, as you know, things haven't been peaceful in France lately, and as the ruler of the Empire, I should make some efforts to maintain peace."
Regarding Paul II's complaint, Laszlo couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed.
"Ah, France, that Louis XI, he is simply the most shameless, bottomless scum I have ever seen!"
Paul II's emotions were so intense that he even began to cough because of it, and it took quite a while for him to recover his breath.
It was plain to see that he was truly infuriated by Louis XI.
It had been agreed to cancel the pragmatic sanction of bourges and restore the Holy See's rights in France, returning everything to the state before the Avignon Captivity, but Louis XI turned his back on his word in the blink of an eye; not only did he restore the decree, but he also even more aggressively withheld the income the Holy See received from the Gallican Church.
And then there's that damned University of Paris, which has practically become a sinful source of opposition to the Holy See; several professors there have even begun trying to write commentaries on that decree to explain its legality and rationality.
Although the Emperor was doing much the same thing as the French King in his own territories, at least the money that should be paid as tribute from the Imperial Church was still obediently paid; combined with the Emperor's hard work in expelling the heathens and healing the Western Schism, Paul II did not pursue the matter of the Emperor gradually turning the churches in Austria and other countries into vassals of imperial power.
"Simply cursing him here won't affect him, Your Majesty; do you not still hold that punishment which the world fears most in your hands?"
Laszlo wasn't entirely just instigating the Pope to help him deal with the French King; after all, some of Louis XI's actions were truly hard to tolerate.
"You mean Excommunication? But to excommunicate the monarch of a major power..."
Paul II hesitated; ever since King Philip IV moved the Holy See from Rome to Avignon, starting the Avignon Captivity, the Pope had become exceptionally cautious about excommunicating monarchs of major powers; it had even turned entirely into a tool for intimidation, and over time, it had gradually lost its intimidating effect.
"Rest assured, I will protect the safety of Rome and the Holy See; if the French King dares to threaten the Holy See with force because of this, I will personally lead my army to drive him out."
Laszlo thumped his chest and made a solemn guarantee.
No joking, if Laszlo's plan went as expected, the French Army probably wouldn't even be able to pass through Northern Italy, let alone come to Rome.
After receiving the Emperor's personal promise, Paul II's determination gradually solidified.
After quickly reaching a defense pact with the Emperor, Paul II soon announced the Excommunication of Louis XI on the grounds that he violated the rights of the Holy See and colluded with heathens—the latter of which was allegedly admitted personally by Mehmed II while he was being paraded through the streets of Rome, though whether it was true or false, no one knew.
Having achieved the first result of the meeting, Laszlo planned to stay in Rome for a longer period.
Paul II's time seemed to be running out, and Laszlo decided to take this opportunity to arrange future affairs in advance, lest any unexpected situations occur later.