Mario revealed the secrets of the Auditore Sanctuary and Altaïr's Codex, indicating that he began to truly train Lu Xiao as a core reserve talent of the Assassin Brotherhood.
If you want to become a core member of the Brotherhood, Lu Xiao's current abilities alone are not enough.
The day after the Pazzi family failed to attack Monteriggioni, Mario led a brown horse and drove Lu Xiao outside the city gate.
"Assassin is not just a profession, but a continuation of beliefs from ancient times to the present. Theoretically speaking, regardless of social level and ability, everyone can become an assassin as long as they are willing to abide by the creed of the Brotherhood."
Passing the horse's reins to Lu Xiao's hands, Mario said earnestly: "But if you want to become a true core member of the Brotherhood, you need to master more knowledge and skills."
"Your combat skills are already impressive, and your ability to use a bow puts me to shame. The rest is just to hone your combat experience through actual combat, but you still have many shortcomings in other aspects."
"Florence is the center of the Brotherhood's activities in Tuscany, and Giovanni and other senior members will continue to teach you how to become a qualified Assassin."
"Next." Mario threw a finely crafted leather wristband to Lu Xiao: "You will definitely use it when you arrive in Florence. Giovanni will teach you how to use this 'weapon'."
"Go ahead."
Watching Lu Xiao put on the stirrup thoughtfully and get on the horse, Mario slapped the brown horse hard on the hindquarters: "I sincerely hope that one day in the future, you can become the mainstay of the Brotherhood and help us fight against the increasingly powerful Holy Spirit.
Knights of the Temple.”
Under the beating, the horse raised its head and neighed loudly, then spread its four hooves and galloped on the road at high speed.
Lu Xiao immediately turned back and looked at the dilapidated city of Monteriggioni. Mario stood at the city gate with a smile on his face and waved goodbye to him. The mercenaries on the city wall also beat weapons to send him off.
After half a year of studying in Monteriggioni, Lu Xiao began to get used to the pace of life of this era, and gradually became familiar with the rude mercenaries and simple people in this small town.
Mario Auditore, who was nominally Lu Xiao's mentor, did not have long contact with Lu Xiao due to his busy official duties, but this aristocratic lord who was both rough and subtle left a very deep impression on him.
His generous character and clear-cut approach to rewards and punishments made the mercenaries who had always gone their own way willing to obey his orders and enforce orders and prohibitions just like the regular army.
During the defense of Monteriggioni, Lu Xiao witnessed with his own eyes the fighting power of this unorganized group of mercenaries, who were more brave and skilled in fighting than the private soldiers trained by the Pazzi family who spent a lot of money and resources.
'No wonder he can become the leader of the Italian Assassin Brotherhood. Not everyone can possess this charisma.'
The horse Mario selected for Lu Xiao was very strong, and the outline of Monteriggioni quickly disappeared from Lu Xiao's sight.
Averting his gaze, Lu Xiao pinched the brown horse's belly with his legs, shook the reins and shouted loudly.
"drive!"
After receiving the order, the horse speeded up again, and the warm winter breeze of the Apennine Peninsula blew on Lu Xiao's face. One man and one horse galloped along the dirt road in the direction of Florence.
…
Florence, known as the Emerald City, is the center and birthplace of the Italian Renaissance.
Literature and art were highly prosperous during the ancient Greek and Roman periods, but gradually declined and disappeared during the Dark Ages of the Middle World under Catholic rule.
The Renaissance originally originated from the Florentine folk's resistance to the idea of theocratic confinement.
With the growth of private capital and the economic recovery of many European countries, people gradually got rid of their previous numbness and pessimism about real life, and the emerging bourgeoisie headed by bankers began to pursue the joy of life.
However, this hedonistic idea ran counter to the ideas of Catholicism, and the class conflict between the two parties led to the rise of the Renaissance.
Folk artists have long been disgusted with the asceticism unilaterally promoted by Catholicism. The corrupt life of priests and nuns is nothing new. They are eager to break the false mask of the Holy See and allow the people's thoughts to return to freedom.
However, most of the cultural works at that time were related to praising the Holy See, and clueless artists could not find a suitable opportunity to resist.
After some discussion, they hoped to express their pursuit and advocacy of free thought through the revival of the culture of ancient Rome and ancient Greece.
The emerging bourgeoisie, headed by bankers, was happy to see artists challenge the ideological restrictions of the Holy See. It was their funding and sponsorship of folk artists that greatly promoted the growth of the Renaissance.
The Renaissance movement, which was highly praised by later generations, was actually the challenge of the emerging bourgeoisie to the feudal rule of the Holy See, and represented a head-on collision between the two classes.
The Medici family, the rulers of contemporary Florence, are the leaders of the emerging bourgeoisie.
Backed by their strong assets, they were bankers. With the efforts of two generations, Giovanni and Cosimo, they gradually replaced the Albizzi family that ruled Florence at that time and established a tyrannical regime, officially becoming the uncrowned king of Florence.
The contemporary ruler of Florence is Lorenzo de' Medici, the grandson of Cosimo, who has left a strong mark on history.
From the perspective of the Assassin Brotherhood and the Knights Templar, the Knights Templar, who control the core power of the Catholic Church, want to suppress the rise of the emerging bourgeoisie and continue to maintain their inherent dominance.
In line with the idea that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, the Italian Brotherhood fully supported the emerging bourgeoisie rising everywhere to counter the Templars' plot.
Giovanni Auditore de Firenze, the younger brother of Mario Auditore, was born in Monteriggioni like his elder brother, but when he was a boy, Giovanni left the family territory and went to Florence to join his relative Ilario
· Auditore.
Ilario was a good friend and staunch supporter of Cosimo Medici. He had served as Cosimo's standard bearer of justice (leader of the Council of Elders) for a long time. The two families had developed a deep friendship since then.
According to Mario's description, the Auditore family's purpose in supporting the Medici was not simple. The Assassin Brotherhood had long recognized the potential of the Medici family and placed bets on them in advance.
When Giovanni was 19 years old, he "accidentally met" Lorenzo Medici, who was only 6 years old, for the first time by the Arno River. After Lorenzo lost his footing and fell into the water, Giovanni jumped into the river without hesitation to save him.
rescued.
The friendship between the two families became closer because of this incident, and Giovanni became Lorenzo's close friend and long-term ally.
Over the years, Giovanni helped Lorenzo handle many important matters that were inconvenient for the Medici family to do personally, and repeatedly thwarted the attempts of the Holy See to subvert the rule of the Medici family.
The Auditore family has also grown in Florence with the support of the Medici family, and is now an important banker in Florence.
Except for Lorenzo and a few core members of the Medici family, few people know Giovanni's true identity hidden under the disguise of a banker.
He is an Assassin, a core member of the Italian Assassin Brotherhood, a thorn in the side that the Templars are eager to eradicate, and one of Lorenzo's most difficult right-hand men.