Workshop

The cannon foundry was located on the south bank of the Arno River. Vitus crossed the crowded, narrow stone bridge, where numerous shops erected on both sides severely obstructed the passage of pedestrians.

"There is plenty of vacant land within the city; why must butchers and tanners crowd onto the bridge to conduct their business?"

Five minutes later, Vitus entered the foundry. In the center of the courtyard stood a furnace built of clay bricks. Workers shoveled copper ingots and small amounts of tin into it, while two nearby laborers strained at pedals to drive the bellows, maintaining a constant supply of air.

Coincidentally, Pauli was also at the foundry, discussing details with a craftsman over a blueprint. Seeing his brother and their guest arrive, he walked over to inquire, "We are discussing casting a Serpent Cannon with a larger caliber for greater range. It should fire stone shot at least four hundred paces (600 meters), and we expect a finished product by next week."

Vitus examined the blueprint and proposed an alternative idea:

Cast a new type of artillery with a smaller caliber and thickened barrel walls, capable of firing three-pound iron shot. The weight must not exceed that of the previous Serpent Cannon; it should be pulled by a single draft horse in the field, and in emergencies, the gunners can push it forward themselves.

To persuade his employer, he posed a question: "Artillery has many parameters—range, rate of fire, caliber, and accuracy. Which do you think is the most important?"

Both Pauli and Phil answered "range," believing that the further a cannonball flies, the better.

Vitus shook his head slowly. "Since it is field artillery, the most important factor is mobility—the ability to appear exactly where it is needed. If the front line is intense and the artillery is still struggling through the mud in the rear, arriving only after the battle is over, such field artillery is meaningless.

Furthermore, I choose iron shot over stone because iron has a higher density, providing greater kinetic energy for the same volume. Secondly, iron can be cast into standard spheres, making the flight trajectory more stable and improving shooting accuracy.

In terms of cost, cast-iron cannonballs are slightly more expensive, but Florence is not short on money; this cost is negligible."

Pauli had heard of Vitus's artillery performance in Pistoia and found his reasoning sound. "How about this: we shall cast both types of artillery, both utilizing the new carriage design you proposed."

Vitus nodded. "Very well. Remember to notify me once the casting is successful; I will need to conduct multiple test fires to record its various parameters."

For the following period, Vitus stayed at the Di Maggio residence. He used the pseudonym "Anthony" and did not make appearances at various banquets. This was for the best; he had enough leisure time to organize his notes and read through Giulio's extensive collection of books.

Occasionally, Phil invited him to practice swordsmanship and even hired a middle-aged swordsman as an instructor.

With the intention of exercising his body, Vitus accompanied the young master in sword practice every day. Their skill levels were similar, often resulting in evenly matched bouts, which Phil found immensely satisfying.

"Haha, practicing with you is always interesting! I had a strange dream last night; I think I've found the trick to using the Fiore Half-Sword Technique."

The signature move of the Fiore Half-Sword Technique involves one hand gripping the hilt while the other grips the mid-section of the blade near the hilt (where the edge is less sharp, allowing for a safe grip with an iron gauntlet).

The advantage of this is the precise control of the sword tip to seek out gaps in armor and thrust with full force. During a grapple, one can also employ joint locks, throws, or use the pommel as a blunt weapon to smash the opponent's helmet.

"Wait a moment!"

The instructor, fearing the two young masters might cause trouble, forbade them from using blunt steel practice swords and replaced them with lead-weighted wooden swords, which posed the least threat.

Vitus weighed the lead-weighted wooden sword; its heft and balance were acceptable, capable of simulating a real longsword to a large degree.

He glanced at Phil, who was ready not far away. After lowering his visor and pondering for a moment, he assumed his most powerful opening stance—Wrath Strike...

After the initial exchanges, the two quickly entered a wrestling phase, then both tripped and tumbled, grappling in the sparsely foliated flowerbed.

This phase was the most physically exhausting. Before long, the two "tin cans" discarded their wooden swords. Vitus lifted his visor, lay flat on the cold grass, and stared silently at the sky.

"I finally understand how the French knights felt at Agincourt."

Phil lay nearby, panting heavily as he asked, "I heard the French knights were shot down by the English longbowmen's arrow rain during their charge. What does that have to do with our sword fight just now?"

Vitus replied, "How could arrows fired from a long distance pierce plate armor? The longbowmen shot the warhorses, causing the French knights to get stuck in the mud and grapple with English dismounted knights in the mire. Afterward, the lightly armored longbowmen rushed into the mud and, working in groups, used daggers to stab into the gaps of the French knights' armor."

Phil couldn't help but argue, "That happened eight years ago. You were just a young prince in the palace back then. You speak of it so vividly, as if you were right beside Henry V, witnessing the entire process of his command."

"Forget it, think what you want." Vitus stood up with difficulty, removed his full suit of plate armor, and returned to his guest room to take a comfortable hot bath.

A long while later, the voice of a servant sounded outside the door. Vitus distinguished Italian words like "Master" and "study," so he dressed neatly and walked into the study.

"Did you need me for something?"

Giulio sat behind an oak desk and handed over a slip of paper with his right hand. "Your Highness, there is bad news."

The news came from Venice: the Despot of Thessaloniki, Andronikos Palaiologos, was unable to withstand the Ottoman siege and decided to place the city under Venetian protection to prevent the citizens from being plundered by the Ottoman army.

What is going on? What exactly is my third brother doing?

Vitus clutched the note in disbelief, staggering back two steps and nearly falling onto the soft carpet.

Recently, the Eastern Roman Empire had only three territories left: Constantinople, Thessaloniki, and the Morea region (a small part of the Peloponnese). After this debacle, the Eastern Roman Empire had lost yet another territory, severely damaging public confidence and diminishing the hope of securing external aid.

"That spendthrift! Father must have been out of his mind to appoint him as Despot; it would have been better to..."

Vitus cursed loudly, but his eyes inadvertently caught the wealthy merchant behind the desk. He quickly shut his mouth, forcing himself to restrain his emotions. "Master Di Maggio, is there anything else?"

"Still news from Venice: Milan's expansion has caused widespread concern among Venetian citizens. If nothing unexpected happens, Venice will soon join an anti-Milan alliance. Once the ice and snow melt, there will be a war that sweeps across half of Italy."

Vitus stated clearly, "I will honor my promise and fulfill my duties as an artillery commander."

The conversation ended there. Giulio watched the young man's departing back, his eyes flickering as if he were calculating something.