Sunlight swept across the Doge's Palace's second-floor carved long corridor, casting a golden glow over the precious paintings and treasures found everywhere in its various halls.
These epic artistic treasures silently spoke of Venice's past glory.
Inside the meeting hall, an Admiral of the Navy who had miraculously escaped from hell, covered in wounds, knelt at the entrance, reporting the Venice Navy's crushing defeat with a trembling voice, his face filled with despair and fear.
Venice's high-ranking officials sat as usual at a long table, their hearts likewise filled with fear.
Everyone present understood what the annihilation of the Navy meant for Venice.
After the report concluded, the Admiral of the Navy's head hit the ground with a thud, waiting quietly for his fate, and the entire meeting hall fell into a dead silence.
Donato's face was pale, and he slumped in the Governor of Venice's chair, fine beads of cold sweat seeping from his forehead, his mind a chaotic mess, all the ambition he had when he first took office gone.
"Your Excellency, the Papal States' army of tens of thousands is pressing down, about to reach Venice.
Without the ocean as a barrier, Venice's current defensive facilities and garrison simply cannot withstand an attack of this scale.
I implore you, immediately order the abandonment of Venice, consolidate our forces, retreat to Treviso, and rely on the sturdy city defenses to contend with the Papal States' enemy, waiting for reinforcements to arrive before launching a counterattack to retake Venice!"
Giorgione's aged voice, filled with sorrow and helplessness, was the first to break the death-like silence.
Donato, whose mind was in turmoil, thought it made sense and raised his hand, about to agree, when he was cut off by a young council member's scathing rebuke.
"Giorgione, you cowardly old dog! What nonsense are you spouting! Venice is the Republic's capital, the seat of the Doge's Palace, and the resting place for the coffins of past Governors of Venice—it is the Republic's spiritual anchor!
How can we hand it over to the Papal States' rogues!"
This view was not held by just one person; Othello, from the military, also agreed: "That's right.
The more we face such a life-and-death situation, the more we must not yield an inch and fight to the death against the Papal States, only then can the true character of the Venice Republic be fully displayed!
If we truly give up Venice as Giorgione suggests, the Republic will surely fall into chaos, and military morale will collapse; one step back leads to endless retreats.
If Venice cannot be held, can Treviso be held by retreating there?
The strongest defense for any country is not powerful ships and cannons, nor copper walls and iron ramparts, but the hearts of its people!
We lost the naval battle, but the Papal States also went through a fierce battle, suffering heavy losses and becoming exhausted.
As long as we are united, and Your Excellency the Governor leads by example, mobilizing all Venice citizens to take up arms, we can wait for them to tire out and still have a chance of victory!
Only by successfully repelling the Papal States' first wave of attack will the reinforcements Giorgione longs for possibly be sent to support us.
Otherwise, what country would think a Venice that abandoned its capital on the first day of war is worth sending reinforcements to?"
Othello spoke with spittle flying, passionately, as if he were not in a meeting hall discussing state affairs but giving a speech before thousands of people.
However, in reality, due to his limited power and status, Othello's understanding of Venice's current defensive capabilities was not much greater than that of the civil officials; precisely for this reason, Othello urgently wanted to seize this opportunity to achieve legendary status, and perhaps precisely for this reason, Othello could be so confident.
At this moment, Venice's garrison, including all various security forces, numbered less than three thousand, most of whom were old, weak, and sick; the elites had all been sent to the naval battle and then perished.
Mobilizing the populace to take up arms against the Papal States sounds easy, but it seems as impossible as a fairy tale to actually do.
Not to mention that the Papal States' army is already close at hand, leaving Venice possibly only about ten minutes, even if there were enough time to organize sufficient forces, where would the weapons come from to arm these temporarily organized militias?
You can't expect fishermen wielding oars to directly fight Papal States soldiers armed with guns.
However, due to the large number of high-ranking military officials who perished in the naval battle, those who miraculously escaped also lost their right to speak, dragging down a large number of their relatives and associates; most of the high-ranking officials present had a similar understanding of the defensive forces as Othello, or even less.
Othello's speech greatly inspired Venice's high-ranking officials, as if the recent defeat was merely an unremarkable minor setback that the Venice Republic had encountered in its hundreds of years.
As soon as Othello finished speaking, he was met with applause and a series of agreements, with some even clamoring to march to Rome and capture the Pope.
Giorgione fell into deep thought; as Othello said, if Venice were abandoned, the morale of its people would collapse completely, beyond recovery—would it then be possible to hold out?
But could holding Venice to the death really work?
It seemed not; Venice was already facing two dead ends, the only difference being the manner of death.
Even Donato, facing Othello's unwavering gaze, became somewhat half-believing, his legs trembling less severely, and his body gradually straightened up again.
Not all of Venice's high-ranking officials present were without clear minds, but amidst the fervent emotions, if anyone expressed dissent, they were immediately denounced by a group of people, with accusations raining down like hail; the remaining knew it was futile to change anything.
Moreover, some people were unwilling to retreat and wanted to stay and fight to the death against the Papal States, which was entirely beneficial and harmless to their own withdrawal.
After a long while, Donato calmed his emotions and asked seriously, "Othello, tell me truthfully, if I stay in Venice and appoint you to immediately take over Venice's defense, what are your chances of victory?"
Othello pondered for a moment and replied truthfully, "I don't know."
Then he changed his tone, "But, I will do my utmost to defend Venice, and if ultimately it is still impossible, I will draw my sword and fight until the last moment, perishing with the city!"
Giorgione, struggling internally, finally advised, "It is our duty, we who have received the nation's grace, to die for Venice.
But you are the Governor of Venice, the leader of all Venice.
As long as you are still alive, no matter where you are, you can still organize the Venetians to resist the Papal States, and you can still mediate among various countries to seek help.
However, if you stay here, and if the city defense fails, and you fall into the hands of the Papal States, the consequences are unimaginable, and the Venice Republic will be doomed forever! Please think it over!"
"There's no time to think it over!" Donato shouted.
"I now appoint Othello as the Venice City Defense Officer, temporarily endowed with the power to call upon all resources; immediately go and organize the defense.
As long as you repel the Papal States and hold Venice, you will be a hero of Venice!"
"Yes, sir!" With a single reply, Othello strode out of the Doge's Palace without looking back; he had waited for this day for too long!