immortal person

In the beginning, it did make a splash.This long-awaited "Bill" announced that it will exempt all houses built within 15 years from the date of publication for 40 years, in order to encourage people to actively build and expand the urban habitable area.Since Cosimo's time, the Medici family has been making every effort to realize it, and its announcement largely fulfilled Lorenzo's wish.He even met with little resistance; not even Pazzi could reproach the law, which was so evidently popular.On the day when the Chancellor read the bill on the terrace of the Municipal Palace, Giovanni noticed that Lorenzo was in a particularly happy mood—in the evening, when he came to the Medici Palace, Lorenzo kissed him on the cheek as soon as he met him. for a moment.

"Are you free tomorrow?" The Duke's eyes were full of joy.

"doing what?"

"Take you somewhere," said Lorenzo.When Giovanni questioned further, he called it a secret and blinked briskly.The long-lost expression lit up his face, making him look like a kitten secretly licking honey.

Giovanni found himself more and more accustomed to imposing upon the duke similes which to outsiders might seem quite inappropriate.He shook his head, the corners of his mouth curled up unconsciously.

In the afternoon of the next day, Lorenzo really took him to an area he had never set foot on.The carriage stopped at the block near the northern city wall, and the attendants and coachman waited in place. Giovanni followed him into the dilapidated alley.The streets on the edge of the city are sparsely populated, the houses were built many years ago, and now they are no different from ruins, the old gray-green stone walls are mottled and full of cracks, and even the homeless don't look at them; there are large abandoned open spaces around , the block square was desolate, the statue had collapsed, weeds had long been drilled between the bricks and stones, and there were even a few wild raspberries growing.Next to the dilapidated chapel stood a street sign, with a large line of scrawled characters: Lauren Street.

"These houses are as old as my great-grandfather," said Lorenzo, looking around. "It's desolate, isn't it?"

Giovanni nodded.Lorenzo turned around and smiled: "It won't be anymore soon."

In connection with the recent bill, Giovanni had no trouble guessing his intentions.Sure enough, Lorenzo pointed to the ruined walls of the streets and alleys, and explained his plan to him.Almost the entire neighborhood had been attributed to the Medici three years ago, and because of its remoteness and dilapidation, it wasn't even an expensive purchase.Lorenzo plans to renovate it as a whole and build a new house in the open space. He and his engineering consul have even drawn up contracts with more than ten large and small art studios in the city, inviting them to participate in the construction and decoration.At the moment when the construction tax is exempted, this will save a lot of money compared to the past.Giovanni could already imagine its prospects: the prosperity of Florence in recent years has attracted a steady stream of foreigners, most of whom live in the huts by the Arno River, and such a simple environment is obviously not suitable for long-term residence.Either rent or sell, a well-built block undoubtedly means a very considerable income.If the Pazzi family had known of their plan earlier, they would undoubtedly have strongly opposed the implementation of the bill, and François Pazzi presumably did not know that they had been preparing for it for many years.This cannot be blamed on his negligence: for a long time, many people have almost forgotten that, apart from being a politician and diplomat, Lorenzo de Medici was first and foremost a businessman, and it is the nature of a businessman to pursue interests .

Giovanni also had many powerful friends.During the king's banquet, it is not difficult for him to understand that the banking industry in Europe is no longer booming, and real estate trading may be a more stable choice in comparison.He asked with realization, "What can I do for you?"

In the soft and clear air of autumn, they walked through the dilapidated stone lanes like ruins, and now every nearby ruin is like a treasure.There was so much to repair, Giovanni looked at the chapel's battered façade.Lorenzo shook his head and pointed to the open space beside the square: "I want you to build a library."

"We want this to be a second center for Florence. It won't be long, maybe next year, and a lot of people will be flocking to this neighborhood—they're going to need it," he said, pointing to the other side. "There will be There is a small academy. There will be other members of the ruling body who will take over the construction of other public buildings. It is hard to believe that they will remember that people's hearts also need protection, and I cannot interfere too much. All I can guarantee is a library... what do you think?"

This is such a "Lorenzo" answer.Giovanni shook his head and smiled without surprise.

"I'm not very good at building," he said.

Many art apprentices are trained in architecture, and Vitruvius, Alberti, Discourses on Architecture, General Principles of Architecture and Ten Discourses on Architecture are required reading for apprentices in every sculpture studio.Lorenzo had no doubts about his abilities, even though Giovanni had only previously completed one major project on the Pope's tomb - and that was enough to earn him credit.

"You'll do better than everyone else."

"I'm not so sure."

The teasing in his tone was obvious—Giovanni was never good at hiding it. "Let me guess." Lorenzo raised his eyebrows and walked a few steps back with his hands behind his back. "Is there any reward you want, Mr. Buonarrotti?"

"The Duke's bedroom?"

He said.Lorenzo stopped and laughed.He looked back and forth at Giovanni with admiring and pleasant eyes, as if surprised that such a young man, who had always been shy and restrained, could say such a thing.Then he took Giovanni's hand—even though the surroundings were deserted—to a narrow alley, cupped his face and kissed it.Giovanni had his lips in his mouth, and their foreheads were pressed together, with smiles in each other's eyes.

"tonight?"

"tonight."

Nearly 100 years ago, a rich man in Florence left a famous saying: "Generance is the highest virtue that a rich man can have." Lorenzo is practicing this personally.Shortly after the Lauren Street project began, he donated large sums of money to the city's abbeys, nurseries and hospitals to help restore their many ancient and dilapidated buildings. The red ball and diamond decoration of the Diqi family made these logos very common in the city-especially the place where people flow.He even donated a considerable amount of money to the Basilica of San Marco, where Girolamo is located.The haughty Dominican didn't welcome it, but he wasn't rich enough to say no either.In return, the priest's critical voice was duly silenced for several months.His behavior won the favor of the vast majority, and the poets read aloud the poems written for him in the tavern, and those words and sentences were quickly spread among the crowd.Wise observers speculate on Lorenzo's intentions: after the completion of the Laurentian Street, the Medici family will undoubtedly make a very considerable profit from it.His actions are like using part of it as charity in advance to pave the way for possible impeachment in the future.The duke's growing popularity amid praises seemed to them like a silent demonstration against the other party, headed by the Pazzi family: even if they took great pains to introduce Girolamo, even if they thought they were secretly Uninterrupted, the nearly century-old roots of the Medici in the city remain virtually unshakable.

This was indeed the duke's purpose; and Giovanni understood that it was only a small part which had not been given much thought.In the soft autumn wind, when they were strolling along the Arno River, the dim red sunset swayed across the water, and countless boats were moored at the ferry, and the boatmen were unloading wooden boxes one after another from the boats .Their goods come from all over the world, from the mysterious ancient oriental country to the new continent that has just opened a corner of the veil.During the long ringing of the bell, they looked at the magnificent dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore not far away. Lorenzo said to him: "I hope this city is beautiful and great."

An old woman and her granddaughter passed in front of them. The young girl saw the legendary Duke from a distance and waved to them excitedly.Lorenzo smiled at her, and she blushed at once, plucked the irises from the roadside, and placed them carefully in the Duke's hands, saying that she would love him forever, like everyone in her family.Lorenzo thanked her, bowed his head and kissed the back of her hand gently.When they were gone, he turned and handed the bouquet to Giovanni.

"To the gentleman in front of me," he said with a sly smile, "and I will always..."

Giovanni stared at him.Lorenzo would never know how tenderly he had bent to kiss the girl a moment before, how bright his eyes were now.Giovanni moved closer to him and told him that he wanted to kiss him right now.

In November, when the city's flowers were almost wilting in the increasingly wet and cold wind, the Medici family finally announced their second phase of plans: after they acquired the old St. George's Church on Lauren Street , and made a wish to St. Mark's Church in the west of the city.If the plan goes well, these two churches and the Medici Palace will form a triangle, and the family will erect a monument in their center to commemorate the great construction of the 60s of the Holy Calendar-at the same time, this will undoubtedly become the first in Florence. Markers for the two central areas.The plan would further divert out-of-towners currently living in the main city, which was already overcrowded, to Medici's property on Lauren Street.

Proxies for the family read out the proposal to buy St.The scene was very quiet for a while: St. Mark's Basilica is the house of God second only to the cathedral in Florence, and it is of extraordinary significance to the citizens; at the same time, its current priest is Girolamo, which makes this move means more complex.

Lorenzo slowly looked around at the expressions of the people around him.Most of the relatives and friends of the Medici family looked satisfied-of course they had no reason to object, and they knew that they could get a share of it regardless of their efforts; the fisherman Gerardo looked blank, as if he didn't understand what this meant at all , and even clapped after the speech; Corona Fuli glared at him angrily.Finally, at the other end of the long table, Patsy's eyes briefly met his.Under the bushy black beard, his lips were tightly pressed, as if he was looking for a suitable rebuttal, or as if he was waiting.

"If you have no objections," the judge signaled to the crowd, "we will pass this bill."

Facing everyone's eyes with different meanings, Francois Pazzi stood up slowly.