"Your Holiness, we've arrived. This is the place," Cosimo said, pointing to a palace nearby.
Augustus pushed open the carriage door and leaped out.
Cosimo, who happened to turn around and see this, was stunned. Every Pope he had seen disembark from a carriage was slowly helped down by attendants, yet Augustus had jumped out himself.
More importantly, although Cosimo knew Augustus was only a few years older than him and the youngest Pope in history, upon meeting him, he realized the Pope seemed even more vibrant than himself.
Originally, Augustus also had people to help him disembark, but Augustus felt that he was young and in excellent health, unlike nine out of ten previous Popes who were on their last legs. Constantly needing others to support him would make him ill even if he wasn't already, so he declined the assistance.
However, Augustus didn't always jump out. This time, he had been sitting for too long, his legs had gone numb, and he almost stumbled and fell.
There were no stone lions at the entrance, so it was definitely not the Medici Palace. Augustus looked up, surveyed the full view of the palace, searched his mind, and concluded—he didn't recognize it.
For a long time, Florence was almost a collection of self-governing streets, where anyone with a bit of power would build a palace for no particular reason. Sixty-odd remained, not counting those destroyed for various reasons. It would be extraordinary to know them all; in fact, he could barely recognize the most famous ones.
Augustus was about to ask where this was, but then he reconsidered. Perhaps he was supposed to know. The more he asked, the more likely he was to expose himself, so he decided not to ask. He couldn't ask him anyway.
"Your Holiness, you must be tired from your journey. Please rest well here, and I wish you a pleasant stay. My father will visit you after he finishes his work."
"Alright, you go on and be busy."
Watching Cosimo, who was outwardly polite but couldn't hide his eagerness to run away, Augustus recalled saying goodbye to his teachers after school when he was a child, and he unconsciously chuckled.
Cosimo, who had walked a few steps, turned back with a look of surprise, his mouth agape, his face unusually long.
"It's nothing, I just remembered some… happy things. It has nothing to do with you, you go on and be busy," Augustus awkwardly brushed him off.
After settling in, Augustus toured the entire palace. He found that there were many good things in this palace, including many artworks by famous artists and numerous books.
It certainly wasn't appropriate to take good things from someone's palace during a stay, but looking at the books here should be fine. So, he selected a few books that interested him, found a well-lit spot by a window on the second floor, and began to read.
…
The sun was gradually setting, and dinner time was approaching. Ferdinand probably wouldn't come today, Augustus thought, looking out the window.
"My dear nephew, are you there? I've missed you so much!"
A simply but neatly dressed old man stood at the entrance, shouting loudly.
If it weren't for the fact that his words were clear and he was followed by guards and attendants, the guard might have driven him away.
Augustus's mouth twitched. What perfect timing! Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. The old man had actually walked all the way here.
Augustus quickly went downstairs to greet him: "Uncle, I trust you are well. Please come in, let's sit and talk."
After settling Ferdinand, Augustus instructed the attendants: "Don't just stand there! Quickly serve tea to our guest. Make sure it's the best. Serve Kuding tea."
Augustus didn't know if it was the best, but he was certain it was the bitterest tea he had ever drunk. The first time he drank it, it nearly knocked him out. He had no idea where his subordinates had gone through so much trouble to obtain this stuff.
He had brought some this time, after all, this rare item was uncommon in Europe today and could be considered a presentable gift. But just now, Augustus had changed his mind.
Ferdinand I had really played him along the way, acting presumptuous even before entering the door. If he didn't give him something memorable to taste, how could he face him? He imagined Ferdinand's expression would be quite spectacular the first time he tasted Kuding tea.
Most so-called friends in this world can only share prosperity, not adversity. It wouldn't hurt him to suffer a bit with Ferdinand again.
Speaking of Kuding tea, it truly was a good thing. Kuding tea contains over 200 components, including Kuding saponins, amino acids, vitamin C, polyphenols, flavonoids, caffeine, and protein. The finished tea has a clear fragrance, a bitter taste followed by a sweet and cool aftertaste. It possesses various benefits such as clearing heat and relieving summer heat, improving vision and intelligence, promoting fluid production and quenching thirst, diuresis and strengthening the heart, moistening the throat and relieving cough, lowering blood pressure and aiding weight loss, inhibiting and preventing cancer, anti-aging, and promoting blood circulation. It is known by many beautiful names such as "health tea," "beauty tea," "slimming tea," "blood pressure-lowering tea," and "longevity tea."
"How could I be so presumptuous? You've come a long way; you are the guest. I haven't been able to fulfill my duties as a host, and I've unintentionally caused some unnecessary misunderstandings. I already feel very bad about it, so how could I drink the tea you brought as soon as we meet? Let's drink the wine I brought, a specialty of our Florence." Ferdinand I demurred, but clearly, his focus was completely different from Augustus's.
"Oh no, wine can be drunk anytime, but my Kuding tea isn't available everywhere. I'm here to attend a family banquet; are you afraid you won't have a chance to fulfill your duties as a host? You shouldn't give me all the good things from Florence so early, or there won't be any surprises later." Augustus was determined to make Ferdinand drink Kuding tea with him.
"Alright then, I shall respectfully obey! Serve the tea!" Ferdinand no longer refused, waving his hand grandly.
The attendants were stunned. This was their first time seeing a guest giving orders when the Pope was entertaining.
Augustus muttered to himself: This uncle, he acts like he's at his own home in my residence. He's truly impolite.
Ferdinand I had clearly never drunk leaf tea before. He picked up the teacup, and as a sign of respect, took a big gulp, almost spitting it out. His entire face contorted.
Seeing this, Augustus was overjoyed.
"Bitter! Good tea! So bitter!" After losing control of his expression for ten seconds, Ferdinand put on a face that was green with a hint of blue and praised it insincerely.
Augustus then gently sipped some himself, then suddenly stood up and declared loudly: "Here's to us sharing prosperity and adversity in the future! And together creating new glory for the Medici Family!"
Ferdinand I also very cooperatively stood up and, imitating Augustus, took a sip. This time, he was much more careful than before; Augustus even suspected he had only symbolically touched his lips to the cup.
"What a fine sentiment, sharing prosperity and adversity! Excellent! The Medici Family has a worthy successor!" Ferdinand tried to force a smile, but he hadn't fully regained control of his expression, so his smile looked worse than a cry.
"Now that we've shared adversity, perhaps we could have some dessert to share prosperity? We've finally gathered, we can't just keep enduring bitterness, can we? This tea is truly bitter; I still haven't recovered from it. Next time you have something like this, you must give me a heads-up beforehand. My old bones can't handle such torment," Ferdinand I said jokingly.
Augustus no longer held back his laughter. After a few rather wicked laughs, he raised his hand and clapped, then instructed the attendants: "Serve the dessert."