Once, Ludovico's ancestors had sold out all Europe. A mass of seething Tartars swept in on an ill wind from the East and laid waste all Christendom. Except Venice, kept most serene by betrayal, gold, the wages of sin, and willingness to make Devil's Bargains with the Devil's Horsemen. Venetian merchants made trade agreements. Venice said they would gladly pay taxes to the Mongols, but Batu Khan said they wouldn't even have to if they gave them maps of all Europe. So Batu Khan and his lord Ogadei burned all Europe, except Venice. Venice had the Tartars slay the Florentines and all their rivals, gave ships to take Sicily, Croatia, the Danube, and more. Florence was replaced with a pyramid of skulls. Venice had a monopoly on Mediterranean trade, but there were few left to trade with, beyond Byzantium and Mongol vassals and Granada. All Europe cursed them and spat upon their merchants.
Surely, the Polos, benefitted, earning favor in faraway provinces of the Khan's empire, to the point Mongol favor had made Marco Polo the Doge upon the end of his service to Kublai Khan, a sure puppet vassal. But that favor came with obedience.
Ludovico had not been the one to disobey. No, that had been galley sailors who had been looking for a trade route to get African gold. Gold they found...but it was not African.
So much gold and so much blood.
But he, as Doge of the Polo line of Venice now was the one blamed, as the long simmering tensions among the Khans burst, and his sailors' black market trading with some great unknown land came to light.
He looked outside on Saint Marks as horsemen, grim and hostile stood guard. He did not know if they would sack the city.
He turned to the sailor who had brought this upon him.
"FOOL! YOU KNOW THEY BURN LIKE THE FIRES OF HELL IF THEY DON'T GET THEIR DAMNED TRIBUTE!"
"We saw their land, they were wealthy and we were tired and needed food. Half the crew survived and were fortunate because we did not go ashore and were not relieved of our hearts to their heathen gods."
"How in hell did you even get the gold?"
"We met another people as we fled them, with different pyramids, along the sea, a peninsula. They traded us some of our weaponry for food and wood to repair the ship. They seemed to be their enemies."
"Well, now you've made the Tartars enemies of us by your crew not giving a portion of the gold as tribute. The Khan is near civil war with his relatives and wants extra cuts of all trade and he blames ME!"
"Doge Polo, I humb..AAAAHHH!!!!!"
He screamed as Ludovico stabbed him in the stomach with a dagger.
Quite cathartic.
A herald entered.
"Well?"
"The Khan is not sacking the city."
"Thank God."
"But he says he cannot have incompetent vassals. Your brother is to become Doge. You, as a Polo, bear noble blood. Those horsemen are to trample you, as is the law of the Yassa."
"Hell."
"If you pay me well, I will tell them you stabbed yourself and that man who lies upon the floor is you. You can take their galley and go to this place they found, or some island."
"I've had enough marauding heathens. I will go to some isle of Venice and hide myself. Take your bribe, young horsemen and begone."