Chapter 323 323-Turmoil
The Governor of Venice, about to speak, caught Nora's eye and suppressed his urge to talk.
He too owed taxes and did not wish to provoke major trouble over a fleeting moment of verbal triumph.
Howard approached Nora, questioning, "Nora, there's something I don't understand. The tithing you mentioned isn't meant for the emperor, as far as I know. Who exactly are you asking Count Terni to pay?"
Nora, her demeanor growing more authoritative, stood up and addressed Howard, "In the empire, all money belongs to the emperor. The tithing must be paid to him. Naturally, Count Terni's payment is meant for the emperor."
Howard, visibly angered, slammed his hand on the table, creating a loud echo, "Nora, I'm not joking with you right now. If you insist on this erroneous view, I will terminate all our partnerships today! Our friendship will also end! Tithing is definitely not a tax paid to secular royal authority. If you continue to blur the lines on such matters, it indicates the empire's decay has reached its end. It's time for it to be destroyed!"
Nora fell silent, her gaze fixed on the fork in her right hand, lost in thought.
The Governor of Venice moved closer to Howard, patting his shoulder, "You are truly admirable. I'm beginning to see why you stand out in this corrupt nobility."
Edward sighed, walking from Nora's side to Howard's, "You have truly earned my respect."
Rolf, bursting into laughter, approached Howard, "My good brother, I was greedy for your New World base. I apologize. Let us support each other in the New World, with no hard feelings."
It seemed that the empire's stringent tax laws had long been a source of discontent in various regions.
Now, with Howard's defiance, people were singing his praises.
Particularly with tithing, a special kind of tax, if even the emperor was making arbitrary claims about it, it was bound to infuriate the nobles to their core.
Feudal nobility valued rules above all, as these were the foundations of their existence and security.
If the emperor, the pinnacle of feudal nobility, sought to break these rules, then he would naturally lose the support of the nobility.
Catherine's eyes lit up.
Although she didn't fully understand why the lords, who previously avoided Nora, were now boldly opposing her, she swiftly seized the opportunity.
With an affected tone, she said to Howard, "Oh, that reminds me, you're absolutely right. Tithing isn't under the secular emperor's jurisdiction. Ah, our dear Princess Nora must have misspoken in a moment of oversight. Tomorrow, I'll return to my family home and ensure my father pays the overdue tithing. Thanks to your clarification, I now understand that it's not just about paying taxes on time, but also about paying them to the right person."
Nora's expression soured as she turned towards Catherine, her gaze hostile.
Catherine, draping her hand over Howard's shoulder, taunted Nora, "In these times, there are so many swindlers. One must be careful not to let taxes fall into the hands of deceivers. Otherwise, the money ends up in the pockets of scammers."
After the banquet, the Governor of Venice stayed behind to inspect the port facilities of Lagusa.
If satisfied, he might sign an economic treaty.
Meanwhile, Marquess Rolf took Bosiden to the stables for some equestrian practice, intending to discuss potential collaborations in the New World.
Duke Edward, with a sly smile, warned Portia, "Ensure your lord's safety. The Habsburg family is not known for their kindness." Before Portia, who was Howard's chief of spies, could probe further, Edward, surrounded by a crowd of attendants, departed from the ducal mansion.
Edward, cautious and wary, could only offer such a cryptic hint to Howard's spymaster, hoping it would suffice to safeguard Howard.
Nora requested a private conversation with Howard, which he agreed to.
They stood on the rooftop of the ducal mansion, about a meter apart, facing each other as if in a duel.
"Why did you embarrass me?" Nora asked.
"I merely spoke the truth," Howard replied.
"Do you no longer wish for my help in your ascent to power?" she queried.
"But that doesn't mean I should blindly speak untruths," Howard countered.
"I don't like your wife," Nora stated bluntly.
"What does your dislike for my wife have to do with me? Besides, divorce is not a trivial matter," Howard responded.
Nora, revealing a secret, said, "My father is gravely ill. My eldest brother is now the King of Castile, and my second brother is married into the Kingdom of Laburnum."
"What does that mean?" Howard inquired.
"If I become the empress, I can issue a special decree to legally allow your divorce," Nora explained.
Howard's face revealed a mix of emotions as he remarked, "Does marriage also fall under the empire's jurisdiction?"
Nora nodded confidently, while Howard shook his head wearily.
Nora spoke firmly, "The confrontation at the banquet was the first, but it will also be the last. Should such an incident recur, I will not hold back and will act according to the Habsburg family's principles."
Howard remained steadfast in his views.
Nora moved closer, attempting an embrace, "My purpose in seeking you out is to inform you of the emperor's grave illness. This information is crucial, and currently, only I and the fourth prince, Hindo, are aware of it. I didn't trust anyone else to deliver this message, so I came personally."
"The fourth prince has the support of Silesia. The eldest prince controls all of Castile. And my second brother might also bring an army to claim the throne. At this juncture, I need your support."
Three or four days later, the Governor of Venice and Howard signed an economic treaty.
The agreement enhanced trade tonnage and provided mutual protection for their ships in the Mediterranean, including a joint defense in naval battles.
Rolf and Bosiden concluded their negotiations.
Howard, taking Bosiden's advice, relocated experts from the immigrant team in North Carolina, now exceeding 1000 residents, to South Carolina, while recruiting additional immigration experts.
This increase in experts allowed for an additional immigrant team, enabling simultaneous immigration efforts and greatly enhancing the operational efficiency of territorial expansion.
Rolf, already possessing three territories in the New World, was blocked in the northeast by Flanders' base, impeding further land acquisition.
He turned his attention to the northwest, where vast territories remained unclaimed.
Howard directed the immigration experts originally in North Carolina to continue expanding inland.
After a brief return to Lagusa, these teams, accompanied by waves of immigrants, headed for the unoccupied regions of North Carolina.
Howard's intent was clear: to fully develop and settle North Carolina.
Duke Edward returned to Florence, showing little interest in the New World.
Recently, he had been engrossed in researching military reform, making significant progress in his studies.
When Resarite met with Duke Edward, he wore a predominantly blue high hat, circled with a band of white in the middle.
His military uniform, well-fitted and of moderate size, suited him perfectly.
Edward, a member of the Valuva family and known for his perceptiveness, also understood due to his family upbringing that Resarite's visit might signal a crucial decision-making moment.
Edward stepped slightly back and said, "You are a vassal of Howard, are you not? I am sincerely grateful for your command of Howard's soldiers in aiding me in battle." Resarite's military prowess was indeed remarkable, and his strategic vision at critical moments was exceptional.
Edward's words were genuinely heartfelt.
Resarite, with an unpracticed smile and using rather crude diplomatic tactics, informed Edward of his intention to end Howard's rule.
Claiming to be the legitimate ruler of the Croatia region, he hoped that Edward would not send troops to support Howard.
Upon hearing this, a tall knight in white armor standing beside Edward raised his massive sword, positioning himself between Edward and Resarite with a formidable presence.
Cotler, Resarite's son, displayed a faint smile.
He picked up his slender one-handed sword, not even drawing it from its sheath, and stood in front of the white-armored knight.
The knight, speaking through clenched teeth, said, "Step aside, I am protecting my lord."
Unintimidated, Cotler declared he was also protecting his lord and revealed that Resarite was his father.
Seeing that Cotler hadn't drawn his sword, the knight, bound by the code of knighthood, reluctantly refrained from attacking and was effectively blocked by Cotler.
Resarite stepped to the left, bypassing the white-armored knight, and continued to approach Edward while persisting with his persuasion.
Edward thought to himself that Howard's earlier concerns were valid—Resarite was indeed plotting a betrayal.
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