Chapter 253 205: The Lanzafame Family (3)

(But on their wedding night, Laban substituted his elder daughter, Leah, for Rachel. After Jacob discovered he had been deceived, Laban explained that local custom required the eldest daughter to be married first. Jacob had to work another seven years for Rachel before he could finally marry her.)

These were two exquisite manuscript illustrations, torn from a book. The edges of the paper still showed parchment fibers.

After confirming the illustrations had not been soaked, Rolando slipped them back between the wooden boards, retied them with a thin cord, and placed them inside his coat.

He then rushed to the council hall.

...

「Pisa, the Simone residence.」

"This is an outrageous act! The matter is clear as day! An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us!

We must take action! And we must do it now!" Simone de Scala, a middle-aged man with long brown hair, was roaring, gesticulating wildly in an attempt to stir the emotions of everyone present.

"Take action against whom, Lord Simone? Who is to be held responsible for this cowardly attack? Who do we need to take revenge on?"

"It must be the Venetians! They've always been trying to defeat us and get their hands on our business in North Africa."

"Genoa. They've been waiting for an opportunity for revenge."

"Perhaps it's the Tuscans. The Marchioness of Canossa married one of those disgraceful Normans, and the Normans have no honor."

A voice cut through the noisy debate.

"No one is to blame for this!"

All eyes instinctively turned toward the speaker. It was a young man of about twenty—it was Rolando.

"Rolando… he's still alive."

"It's a miracle. God be praised."

"Rolando de' Lanfranchi, we are relieved to see you're alive," an elderly man said, smiling as he embraced Rolando.

"Thank you, Lord Soderini. We are both well," Rolando replied with a smile.

"And how is your brother, Rolando?" Simone asked, also smiling.

"He is well, praise God. His wounds are not severe, and he will recover quickly," Rolando said, bowing politely.

Simone nodded with a cold smile.

"Who was it that attacked you?" a member of the governing council asked.

"It must have been a foreign patron," another councilor said.

"Could it have been the work of the Marquis of Milan? I recall he owes us a debt," a councilor suddenly remarked.

"My thoughts exactly!" Simone chimed in. "That was a costly loan. While one half was lent from the Lanfranchi Bank, the other half came from Pisa's tax revenue.

And if I recall correctly, that debt is long overdue. I wonder why our great and respected Administrative Officer, Cesare de' Lanfranchi, has been so hesitant to collect it."

Simone fixed his gaze directly on Rolando.

The councilors immediately began to murmur among themselves.

"I imagine the Marquis of Milan either cannot pay, or simply has no intention of paying, in which case the answer is obvious. He wants to default on the debt! To take our money and squander it! And our respected Governor, the great Lanfranchi Family, has long been condoning this wrongdoing instead of correcting it!" Simone shouted, seizing the opportunity.

"I recall we lent a full thirty thousand Marks."

"That's two full years of tax revenue for Pisa!"

"With principal and interest, we should be recovering at least forty thousand Marks!"

...

"My lords, may I say a few words?" Rolando looked toward Soderini, the Chief Justice of Pisa. In the Administrative Officer's absence, Soderini was acting in his capacity.

"I'm sorry, Rolando," Soderini said. "This is an emergency meeting, and only governing councilors may speak. It is a privilege exclusive to them. You may relay our opinions to your brother."

"It's fine. I think we can make an exception this one time, Lord Judge." Simone looked at Soderini, then turned to Rolando with a smile. "After all, he is from the great Lanfranchi Family. What harm can it do to let him speak? Pisa has always supported everyone's right to express their opinion, has it not?"

"Very well. Since Lord Simone has no objections," Soderini nodded.

Rolando glanced at Simone and suppressed his anger.

He then turned to face the assembled councilors.

"It is plain for all to see that in recent years, under our family's leadership, Pisa has become ever more prosperous. The many dreams my father, and my father's father, had for the Repubblica have all been realized..."

However, before he could finish, Simone cut him off.

"Forgive me, Rolando, but as your elder, I feel I must offer a reminder. Dreams are a fine thing, but one man's dream can often become another man's nightmare.

My nephew and I have never quite understood why your family invests so much money in the poor. If it were only your own money, that would be one thing, but you're using our money as well," Simone said with a smile.

"It is a contribution to Christian charity. God teaches us to help the poor," Rolando said, walking right up to Simone. "This investment has value. It gives those born without wealth or privilege a chance to succeed."

"Rolando, this is a waste of Pisa's tax money and our money. We gain nothing from it, while your Lanfranchi Family earns a sterling reputation. It is also of no benefit to the Republic. It drains the gold and silver from Pisa's treasury. How is Pisa supposed to continue its maritime expansion and defend against the enemies at our borders?

They are ready to devour us at any moment. In earning this reputation for yourselves, you are digging a grave for Pisa's future." Simone patted Rolando on the shoulder and shrugged, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.