Defeat

The Imperial Army launched a fierce, multi-directional assault on Treviso, breaching the city walls and occupying a portion of the urban area on the very first day.

During the battle on the second day, the morale of the Treviso defenders quickly collapsed completely, and the main urban area fell.

At dusk on the second day, John led a small number of remaining troops in a breakout towards the west of the city.

Laszlo had intentionally left an opening there; the tactic of surrounding three sides and leaving one open had worked, and upon discovering their commander fleeing, a large number of defenders began to flee westward.

They were not Venetians to begin with, and only a very small number were willing to fight to the death to defend the city.

Laszlo exploited this psychological weakness, combined with clever stratagems to quickly break through the city defenses, further shattering the defenders' psychological line of defense.

A considerable portion of them were pursued and killed by the Imperial Army's light cavalry roaming outside the city.

After suffering less than four thousand casualties, the Imperial Army finally conquered the Venetians' last barrier before winter arrived.

Subsequently, Laszlo ordered a three-day plunder, emptying the entire city of its wealth as punishment for their refusal to surrender.

With winter approaching, Laszlo had no intention of stopping there.

For months, while marching to attack Venice, he had been preparing the necessary winter supplies for his troops, precisely for this moment.

The Imperial Army rested in Treviso for three days, and after leaving a garrison force, the main army continued its westward advance, conquering cities and seizing territories along the way with almost no effort.

Upon hearing of Treviso's fall, all towns wisely chose to surrender to the Emperor and pay ransoms to avoid the disaster of plunder. The weather grew colder and colder, as if Heaven also wanted to halt Laszlo's advance.

As he led thirteen thousand troops from Vicenza to attack Verona, the first snow of 1458 arrived unexpectedly.

The snow came too suddenly and too fiercely, sweeping in from the gloomy sky, overwhelming everything, and quickly burying the land in a stark white.

The Empire's warriors struggled to advance in the raging wind and snow, each step feeling like a struggle against an invisible, immense force.

Wagons and horses were deeply mired in the snow, making forward movement almost impossible; cavalrymen could only lead their warhorses and trudge through the wind and snow on foot.

Heavy armor became a hindrance, not to mention the thick winter clothing wrapped around them; every step the soldiers took required immense effort.

The once clear road had long disappeared, leaving only a vast expanse of white all around; the vanguard strenuously shoveled snow, attempting to clear a path for wagons in the wind and snow, but it was futile.

In desperation, Laszlo could only order his troops to encamp in a nearby village, waiting for the wind and snow to subside slightly before continuing the march.

All the villagers' houses were packed with people, but even so, a large number of soldiers still had to camp outdoors to brave the wind and snow.

In the courtyard of his quarters, Laszlo, dressed in thick brocade winter clothes and a magnificent fox fur cloak, looked up at the constantly falling snow, his mood extremely complex.

The howling north wind stung his cheeks, and this heavy snow, which had lasted for several days, showed no sign of stopping.

The harsh weather would undoubtedly increase the difficulty of obtaining supplies for the troops. Although the army currently had relatively ample provisions, continuing the march would inevitably entail greater risks.

The fate of tens of thousands of soldiers rested on his decision, and this heavy burden was not easy to bear.

Continuing the advance to capture Verona would allow them to eye Milan, but if Verona could not be taken, the current favorable situation might instantly reverse.

According to the intelligence he had received, the Venetian forces attacking Brescia had retreated to Verona, and their numbers were not small. Meanwhile, the Imperial Army had suffered significant attrition after several bloody battles. Facing such severe weather at this time, Laszlo began to consider retreating.

"Your Majesty, it's too cold outside. Please come in," Matthias said, watching Laszlo's conflicted expression from the side, unsure how to alleviate his worries, and could only first advise the Emperor to take care of his health.

Laszlo slowly withdrew his gaze, turned to look at Matthias standing beside him, nodded gently, and turned to walk inside.

The warm air inside the room enveloped him, but Laszlo's heart remained shrouded in gloom.

He sat in a chair, his fingers unconsciously tapping the tabletop, making dull thuds, one after another.

What should be done?

Laszlo was undecided. He looked up at Matthias and said, "Call Joachim, Ester, Albrecht, and Karl. I need an urgent military council."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Soon, the men arrived at the Emperor's quarters, and Laszlo immediately voiced his concerns.

"Gentlemen, the current situation is somewhat delicate. We are still a considerable distance from Verona, while the journey back to Vicenza is much shorter. What do you say we should do?"

Albrecht was the first to suggest, "Your Majesty, after several months of campaigning, the army has suffered heavy losses, and moving further forward could risk a disruption of supplies. I suggest that once the snow subsides a little, we immediately return to Vicenza, rest, and then continue the attack."

Joachim added, "The enemy forces within Verona are considerable. Taking it in a short time will undoubtedly incur huge casualties, and if we cannot breach the city quickly, then..."

Everyone present was well aware of what would happen. Although the Imperial Army still had strength, it could not squander its military power so rashly. It was better to proceed steadily.

Karl also said with a solemn expression, "Your Majesty, we need to replenish our troops. If you are unwilling to recruit Italians into the army, we must wait for reserve soldiers from home to arrive. Until then, it is better to fight cautiously."

Seeing that everyone wanted to return, Laszlo quickly made a decision.

At noon the next day, the wind and snow finally gradually subsided, and the Imperial Army's rear became the vanguard, immediately setting off back towards Vicenza.

After returning to an area with ample supplies, Laszlo urged the rear to expedite the transport of provisions and supplies, while also sending people back to Vienna to mobilize forces in Austria and Hungary to replenish the Imperial Army's losses.

As time passed, the weather in Northern Italy, especially from Brescia to Padua, grew increasingly cold. The Imperial Army therefore abandoned its plan to continue attacking during the winter and began to recuperate and replenish its ranks.

Meanwhile, the expeditionary force of over ten thousand led by Adolf bypassed Naples to the north, passed through the territory of the Papal States, and arrived at Siena.

Upon hearing that this Imperial army intended to attack Florence, the Sienese provided supplies for Adolf's army.

Subsequently, Adolf led his army to besiege Florence.

A portion of Florence's main forces had been dispatched to aid Venice, while another part occupied Parma, a benefit promised to Florence by the France and Venetians.

Therefore, Florence currently had only a little over one thousand defenders, with some mobilized citizens also joining the ranks of city defense.

Such defensive strength was insufficient to withstand the Imperial Army's attack. Adolf immediately ordered his troops to begin preparations for the siege. Old Cosimo requested aid from the France, but the France decisively refused his request, and the Venetians' situation was even worse than his.

Cosimo was now full of regret; he should never have joined this cursed alliance out of greed for small gains, foolishly attempting to defy the Emperor.

Now, the Imperial Army was at the city gates, yet not a single so-called "ally" could save Florence.

If he were given another chance to choose, he would certainly not side with Venice and France, but unfortunately, it was too late for anything now.