immortal person

Before long, by the end of June, even the servants at the palace knew about the turmoil in Milan.Ludovico Sforza had usurped the place which had belonged to his nephew, and it was said that he had put the poor little duke in a dungeon, and humiliated him by starvation and torture.The Duchess of Naples' appeal to her aging father for help has been disappointingly perfunctory.Her only son had recently died of a mysterious illness, and the priest who had anointed him remained at court, as it seemed that her husband would soon need his services as well.The result of the rebel's ascendance seemed to be a foregone conclusion, and people began to look at Lorenzo.

Milan is a loyal friend of Florence—or in other words, their ruler has always been a powerful ally of the Medici family in the past, the orthodox heir to the duke, Gian Sforza, the frail and sick young man, and even more Used to be Lorenzo's childhood companion.The lords of the states have already offered Ludovico an olive branch, but Florence is still hesitating.People like to speculate, will Lorenzo tend to help the little duke because of his personal feelings, or will he follow the interests of the country and choose to agree with Ludovico?This seems to have become the most eye-catching choice in Italy at the moment.

"Of course it's war! Is it really true that the Moor should wear the Lombard crown?"

"What does Lombard have to do with us?"

"I heard that he has long hair all over his body, and he will rape/sexualize more than ten virgins in one night..."

"Ridiculous! When his mercenaries break through the city gates, talkative women like you will die!"

Walking through the corridor, Giovanni went to the apothecary of the palace to get the paint of the month, and heard the debate of the people in the court from a distance.They recognized him as the man who had been with Lorenzo of late, and they shut up in time.Giovanni silently took the wooden box containing the paints, and met the butler on the way back to the workshop.

He looked worried, his brows furrowed tightly together.Giovanni remembered that a similar expression had appeared on Poliziano's face on a certain evening not long ago.That was the day Lorenzo met him in the fields, and when they returned, the staff waiting at the door had a letter from Milan in their hands.Most of the content is related to this storm.

What people talk about now, Lorenzo got wind of it back then, he thought.The undercurrent always rushes first in the upper strata, and wise politicians can feel the approaching winter in the gentle wind.It's just that what should break out will eventually be exposed to the sun. Does the current situation prove that Lorenzo's efforts at the beginning have not achieved results?

He asked the butler where Lorenzo was, and it was no surprise that the Duke was in the study.The Venetian envoy knocked on the door of the Medici Palace in the early morning, and the Mantuan clerk arrived at noon and is now waiting in the hall.When passing by the study, Giovanni heard a fierce dispute inside the door.Perhaps these feuds will continue throughout the day.

He stopped at the door for a moment and left before the maid arrived.He didn't know whether the friend-like intimacy with the duke had given him the right to intervene in the affairs of the palace, but he simply wanted to understand Lorenzo's current situation.But his intuition told him that this was not an opportunity for him to disturb.

As Bertoldo's delivery date for the finished product approached, Giovanni also began to accelerate the progress of the engraving.Compared with facing the various affairs and emotions that have been chaotic recently, he found it much easier to face marbles.It was a job he loved with all his heart, and he could sit in front of the rock without dripping water until sunrise the next day.Unexpectedly, in the middle of the night that day, his workshop welcomed an unexpected distinguished visitor.

There was no moon this night, and the scattered stars dotted the sky like silver sand.The firelight of the white candle was the only light in the room. Giovanni was holding the candlestick with his left hand, while his right hand was carving and chiseling stones for a moment.He had gradually chipped the marble out of shape, and now works in finer detail.He has always been highly focused when sculpting, and can hardly perceive external objects.The summer was so hot, I don't know how long it had passed, until he had to stop to wipe his sweat, he didn't notice the sight from behind.

Lorenzo was watching him quietly.He leaned against the door frame, and he didn't know how long he had stood there.

The boy jumped up in shock.Lorenzo put his index finger on his lips, motioning him to keep silent.He closed the door behind him and approached him.

"Aren't you going to rest?" asked Giovanni.

Lorenzo shook his head.The floor of the workshop was covered with chips of marble and boxwood, and Giovanni's cotton shirt was also covered with dust, but he didn't seem to care."Close your eyes," he said to Giovanni.

A silk scarf gently wiped away the sweat dripping from the boy's forehead.Giovanni felt Lorenzo's fingertips resting on his eyes through the handkerchief, and the eyelashes trembled slightly.

After opening his eyes, Giovanni heard him ask: "The steward said you have something to ask me today. What is it?"

"Ah," Giovanni didn't expect the butler to tell him this, "it's nothing, I just... asked where you are."

Lorenzo gave a "huh".He asked again: "Why?"

"what?"

"Why?" Lorenzo repeated.

Giovanni was taken aback.Suddenly, he realized that this simple question could also constitute suspicion in the complex situation in the palace right now.He felt a tightness in his chest: "I didn't..."

He hastily excused himself.Lorenzo sighed: "I don't doubt you—don't be so nervous."

"I thought you wanted to see me," he said.

Giovanni stared at him motionless, transfixed.For a moment, he's subconsciously ready to refute - but that's what it is.

Since nothing happened, Lorenzo should have turned and left, but the two just remained silent together.Finally, Lorenzo said, "Forget it."

He sighed.Lorenzo sat down beside Giovanni: "Just pretend I want to see you."

The chisel fell from Giovanni's hand.

He hastily bent over to pick it up, almost flustered.Hot blood rushed up from his body in an instant.Luckily it was night and Lorenzo couldn't see his blushing face - he almost wanted to thank God for that.

Lorenzo held a candlestick for him to light.Giovanni rose hastily and took it back from him.They were so close that he could almost count the duke's dark gold eyelashes in the light of the candle.

He smelled faintly of alcohol on Lorenzo.The smell of spirits mingled with the scent of Damask roses on the duke's collar, which explained Lorenzo's anomalies tonight.Giovanni felt a moment of loss, but he was glad that Lorenzo chose to come to him when he was drunk.

"Will this be very inconvenient?" Lorenzo was unaware of his thoughts, he looked at the boy's hand holding the candlestick, "I think... I have it."

He took a hard felt hat, and fixed the white candle to the brim of the hat with wax oil and iron wire.Giovanni watched him in astonishment, until Lorenzo put the hat on his head—his appearance was momentarily comical.

"It's better this way," he said, "but be careful not to set your hair on fire."

For the first time tonight, a smile appeared on Lorenzo's face, but it was soon overwhelmed by fatigue.Under the flickering candlelight, Giovanni saw the thick blue-black eyes.

"You're drunk," he whispered.

Lorenzo said stubbornly, "I haven't."

There was a rare trace of childishness on his face.Watching the duke's face, Giovanni suddenly realized that his highness was actually very young, only a young man six years older than him.

He urged Lorenzo to go back to rest again, but Lorenzo just shook his head.

He was actually more sober than Giovanni imagined.Too many things happened today, it is destined to be a sleepless night.He wasn't going to discuss politics with Giovanni, but he didn't want to be alone that night either.

"Am I bothering you?" he asked.

Giovanni shook his head.Of course he hoped that Lorenzo could stay by his side longer, but he knew more clearly that Lorenzo's current state was not right, and he needed to fall asleep as soon as possible—he obviously hadn't been able to get a good rest for a long time.

And Lorenzo just signaled him to continue the unfinished work.He looks stubborn, like a wayward teenager.So Giovanni had no choice but to pick up the chisel again and began to carve the arm part of the statue. When the lines first took shape, he looked back carefully.Sure enough, Lorenzo was propping his chin with his hands, and had already fallen asleep amidst the previous regular knocking sounds.

He put Lorenzo on his shoulder and picked him up.The Duke was much lighter than he had imagined, not as heavy as a man of his height should be, making one wonder if he had the skeleton of a bird.

He put Lorenzo aside on the narrow bed he usually used for naps.Lorenzo opened his eyes momentarily as his back hit the board, grabbed Giovanni by the sleeve, and called "Joe."

Giovanni half-knelt beside him.In the dark night, Lorenzo's blue eyes seemed to be covered with a layer of gray, which was extraordinarily deep and dazed.He could not be sure that Lorenzo was awake, and the duke would not have done so when he was awake, nor would he have said the next thing to him.

"Genoa wants my guarantee," Lorenzo said suddenly and incoherently.

"Venice wants me to send troops." He smiled bitterly, "The people in the city hall will not agree. There are still some people in the ruling group, and they want more things..."

His hand dropped by the bed, and Giovanni took it.

"And you," Lorenzo asked softly, "I told you I will grant you a wish. What do you want?"

"I wish you sweet dreams," replied Giovanni in a low voice.

Lorenzo closed his eyes and smiled softly.