Chapter 919

Episode 919: The Imperial March 2 – Charge return, run on the ground. (7)

Even if it was a meeting with a clear outcome, I could not refuse to attend.

“Because there is even the slightest possibility...”

“If we want to have at least the slightest justification...”

While expecting catastrophe, the envoys headed to the imperial embassy in Florence.

The sight of gorgeous carriages escorted by knights in shining armor and helmets passing through the large main gate of the imperial embassy was spectacular.

Florence residents gathered around the embassy entrance and formed a long line to see something that is not commonly seen.

“wow! “It’s Medici!”

“It’s Gonfaloniere!”

The residents of Florence shouted when they saw the carriage with the Medici family emblem engraved on it.

When Lorenzo de’ Medici made a glimpse of the residents’ cheers, the residents cheered even more enthusiastically.

“Gonfaloniere! Gonfaloniere!”

“Long live Florence!”

“Glory to Florence!”

“Long live Italy!”

As the Medici family’s carriage entered, amid cheers from the Florentine residents, the embassy’s main gate was tightly closed.

* * *

The envoys who arrived at the embassy were ushered straight to the conference room. The aides who followed the envoys were stopped by the imperial army.

“What’s going on!”

“You need to undergo a light body search.”

“What rudeness!”

The aides protested fiercely, but the executives commanding the imperial army did not care.

“Please understand that this is to avoid any unpleasant incidents.”

“impolite!”

“If you refuse, I will ban you from entering the conference room!”

The aides had to be searched due to the resolute response of the imperial army officers.

The imperial army’s body search was thorough.

First, all the daggers that men of the time ceremonially wore around their waists were placed in separate boxes and sealed. Afterwards, they had them take off their coats with fancy gold and silver decorations, and then scattered their entire bodies with wooden sticks attached to large magnets.

Slam!

If there was metal in the clothes, a magnet would naturally stick to it, and these people would be taken to a separate room and subjected to more intensive investigation.

When more than three people were taken to a separate space, the aides, who were full of dissatisfaction, kept their mouths shut and calmly responded to the search.

‘It’s good if it’s an ornament, but if it’s a weapon...’

‘If you do it wrong, you could face all kinds of criticism!’

Meanwhile, inside the conference room, the envoys who entered first were complaining to the ambassadors with similar content.

“This is rude!”

“They are proud nobles from their home country!”

Shin Suk-ju responded to the envoys’ protests.

“And they are also people who dream of becoming heroes. Even if it’s a stigma, it’s okay. What would you do if someone did something unsavory with the thought of ‘I will leave my name in history!’?”

“That’s it...”

“No way...”

Shin Sook-ju’s point made the envoys run out of things to say. The thought of ‘I will leave my name in history even if it means stigmatization’ was a strong temptation. In addition, among the countries currently participating in the conference, there were almost no countries on good terms with each other.

“Keu....”

“I will definitely protest this issue later! “Don’t even think about just ignoring it!”

With the words ‘We’ll see!’, the envoys sat down. After a while, the aides who had passed the search entered the conference room. As the aides quickly approached and reported something in whispers, the envoys’ complexions suddenly changed.

“Is that so?”

“You idiot!”

The reactions of the envoys who received the aides’ reports were divided into two.

“You got a good hand before you even started.”

Looking at envoys from hostile countries with gleeful faces.

Once again the scent hit his tongue, and Maximilian I momentarily flinched and fell into confusion.

‘why? why! As soon as I heard that clicking sound, why? why!’

Regardless of whether Maximilian I did it or not, he accepted the scent right away.

“The people of Italy want unification, but this is detrimental to the peace of Europe, so please be patient? Isn’t this truly unfair? “Is this not the arrogance of the powerful?”

“Some sacrifices are necessary for peace!”

“What the Habsburg envoy wants now is peace or the defense of interests disguised as peace? “No matter how much you shout for peace, will the Italian people walking up and down the street believe you?”

“....”

When Maximilian I, at a loss for words, fell silent, this time the Spanish envoy stepped forward.

“Didn’t the Empire also send troops to Italy to gain profits?”

“Tsk tsk tsk... The Spanish envoy will answer. “What benefit will our empire gain from acquiring Italy?”

“....”

At Hyang’s retort, the Spanish envoy looked embarrassed and closed his mouth.

As Hyang pointed out, even if the empire gained Italy, there was little benefit to it.

It was an empire that was still reaping enormous profits through Suez. From the empire’s perspective, acquiring Italy was not particularly beneficial.

‘No, you might only end up losing money...’

Hyang continued, looking at the Spanish envoy who was furiously racking his brain to find an answer.

“Italians living in Italy establish one Italian nation. Because Florence’s intentions were beautiful, the empire decided to help Florence. I would like to ask the delegates gathered here. Shouldn’t Italians living in Italy live as citizens of a unified Italian nation? why? The French live as subjects of France, and the Spaniards live as subjects of a united kingdom. But why are Italians not possible?”

“....”

The ministers could not immediately respond to Hyang’s words.

‘It can’t go on like this!’

In the end, Louis of France came forward and spoke to Hyang.

“Today is the first day, so how about we stop here? “It seems that since it is the first day, some envoys have not prepared properly.”

“It could be because the first day is usually just a meeting. Well, I’ll leave it at that for today. “Then how about holding the meeting again the day after tomorrow?”

Louis stepped forward and responded to Hyang’s suggestion.

“It looks like a reasonable spacing indeed. “The other envoys will agree.”

The other envoys looked uncomfortable at Louis’ words.

‘The two of you sit down and do everything.’

But it was also difficult to refuse. Excluding the empire, the strongest country here was France. And it took time to come up with a logic to counter the logic of the scent.

In the end, the other envoys had no choice but to agree.

“Then let’s see the day after tomorrow.”

As they left the embassy in the carriage, the envoys let out a long sigh.

“Whoa~. “The opponent is too tough.”

* * *

Before the sun set that day, the envoys found themselves defeated once again.

“Something big has happened!”

The low-ranking officials and servants who had gone outside looked for the envoys with white faces.

“What big deal? “Did you say the emperor died suddenly?”

“no! A record of today’s meeting has been posted on the wall of the Imperial Embassy!”

“what!”

The envoys who received the report were frightened and ran outside.

At the same time, Hyang was receiving reports from the ambassadors.

“Florence residents came in large numbers to see the poster on the wall.”

“is it? “Have you prepared leaflets?”

“yes. As you ordered, I took 200 photos and put them outside. But isn’t 200 too few?”

Hyang slightly smiled and answered Seong Sam-moon’s question.

“No, it’s appropriate. “If it’s more than that, it’s definitely intentional, but if it’s that much, it can be dismissed as just an old man being crazy.”

“Yes...”

After sending out the ambassadors, Hyanghyang, who was left alone, looked out the window and muttered.

“It’s called propaganda....”