Lucca

In January 1423, envoys from Venice arrived in Florence, and the two sides formally signed an agreement to jointly declare war on the Duchy of Milan.

The decision by Venice bolstered Florence's confidence; the magistrate persuaded the council to levy an additional consumption tax to form an expeditionary force to march north and join the war.

Northern Italy was wealthier than other parts of Europe, and with war imminent, mercenaries from all over flocked to the region, hoping to seize the opportunity to make a fortune.

Vitus flipped through the mercenary roster. The backgrounds of the members were complex; besides Italians, there were wandering knights from France, bankrupt farmers and miners from Germany, nomadic tribesmen (Cumans) from the Hungarian steppes, and some mercenaries from Poland, the Balkans, and Iberia.

He found Pauli, who was busy procuring military supplies. "The entire expeditionary force is made up of mercenaries? You don't intend to conscript our own citizens?"

The latter closed his ledger and explained with forced patience:

"Last year, Milan initiated the invasion. Facing such an emergency, we had the right to conscript militia, and the public wouldn't have been too resentful. This time, we are the ones launching the offensive, and the duration of the campaign is uncertain—it could drag on for a year or two. The commoners have their own jobs and families, and their willingness to fight is very low. It's better to just pay others to fight for us."

By early March, Florence had assembled an army of ten thousand, with Pauli in command of three thousand of them. Phil also wanted to join the campaign but was strictly forbidden; according to Giulio, one of the brothers had to stay home.

The departure ceremony concluded, and amidst the cheering crowds lining the streets, the magistrate rode a magnificent, snow-white Andalusian horse, leading the way out of the north gate, followed by his numerous staff and one hundred Swiss Guard.

Behind them marched four columns at a slow pace. Vitus rode beside Pauli, looking around. The armor rate of the army was acceptable; even the most destitute mercenaries knew to wear a kettle hat and a chainmail shirt that had been mended many times.

As for weaponry, although the mercenaries came from all over Europe, they unanimously chose polearms: spears, halberds, long scythes, and pitchforks, a shimmering sea of steel reflecting the sunlight so brightly it was blinding.

At this moment, Vitus spotted the figure of Master Conan. He was equipped with a set of semi-worn plate armor, rode a packhorse, and had a one-handed hammer and a dagger hanging at his waist, with a kite shield strapped to his back. A footman walking beside him was even helping him carry a halberd.

Most interestingly, a hand cannon was tucked into his saddle.

Vitus was completely speechless. "He's a fencing master in name, yet once he hits the battlefield, he wears the thickest plate armor and equips himself with a halberd and all sorts of weapons, save for the very sword that made him famous."

Leaving Florence, the army advanced northwest along an ancient Roman road, arriving at Pistoia on the border.

Further west lay the border of the Republic of Lucca. This country consisted of only the city of Lucca itself, making it a quintessential city-state republic. In this campaign, Florence intended to take the opportunity to annex this wealthy but weak neighbor.

On March 7, the expeditionary force camped in a village ten miles east of Lucca. Vitus attended the banquet under the alias "Anthony Doukas" and was assigned a seat at the edge.

He didn't care about the seating arrangement; he ate some food haphazardly while listening to the boasting and conversations of the high-ranking officers.

Late at night, after the banquet ended, Vitus did not rest immediately but took a torch to inspect the artillery camp.

Under his command were twenty-five cannons: eight 3-pounders, twelve new-style Serpent Cannon, and five heavy siege guns. All the cannons were covered with waterproof canvas and arranged neatly in the open space.

Florence had also collected many Ribauldequin, which consisted of twenty or more gun barrels placed side-by-side, resembling the pipes of a church organ. Once ignited, all barrels fired simultaneously, with an effect similar to the grapeshot of a 3-pounder.

This type of weapon had a flaw: its lethal range was only about a hundred meters, and it could not destroy buildings or fortifications. Vitus did not consider them true artillery but rather a special type of firearm, so he simply distributed them to the infantry regiments to lighten his own burden.

"Tomorrow we lay siege. The 3-pounders won't be of much use, but the Serpent Cannon can bombard the battlements and towers, and the siege guns are suitable for destroying walls. Phew, I hope everything goes smoothly."

The next day at noon, the army finally reached the outskirts of Lucca. Vitus surveyed the surroundings and spurred his horse toward a windmill on a nearby slope.

"Move quickly, we're going to war!"

He tossed a Florin to the terrified miller's family, climbed the ladder of the mill, and observed the defensive situation of Lucca.

Overall, the city of Lucca was shaped like an irregular oval, with walls about eight meters high and numerous square towers, typical of medieval fortifications.

"Medieval walls only focus on height, with a thickness generally between 2 and 3 meters. With the widespread application of artillery, this type of wall is obsolete; the design must be improved, and the thickness increased..."

In just a few minutes, he sketched a rough map of the city, marking the main streets and a few buildings, then rode back to the ranks. "Where is the main point of attack?"

Pauli shook his head. "Don't be impatient. The envoys of Lucca are currently negotiating with the magistrate; there is a high probability of a peaceful resolution. The city of Lucca has only twenty thousand residents, and the remaining forty thousand farmers live scattered in the countryside. They also lack a standing army; their only way out is to surrender."

Ten minutes passed, and the envoys returned to the city. Upon learning that Florence was determined to annex Lucca, the council members were shocked and furious. They hadn't expected that in a war between Milan, Venice, and Florence, Lucca would be the first to be sacrificed.

After a brief deliberation, the city council of Lucca decided to hold out for reinforcements, doing everything in their power to stall for time until the Duchy of Milan sent troops to assist.

"Are these silk merchants out of their minds?" Pauli was shocked by the locals' resolve. "Your Excellency—no, Anthony Doukas, now it's your turn to step up."

With the negotiations broken, the infantry and cavalry began constructing a siege camp on a gentle slope one kilometer from the city walls. Groups of soldiers carrying axes walked into the woods; the sound of blades striking trunks startled a large flock of birds, which scattered and fled, drawing messy ink marks across the gray sky.

Vitus had four hundred men under his command, including three hundred gunners, sixty grooms, ten stonemasons for grinding stone shot, and thirty laborers.

He chose a position two hundred meters from the city wall. The primary task of the artillery was to level the ground and construct gun emplacements. The soldiers swung their hoes like farmers, turning over the dark brown soil.

After a busy spell, the soldiers used draft horses to pull the Serpent Cannon into their designated positions. Vitus set the first target as the nearest tower. As his raised arm swung down sharply, the whole world seemed to freeze at that moment.

"Fire!"

The fuse hissed like a viper flicking its tongue, immediately followed by a roar that tore the heavens apart.