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It was a form of energy, capable of powering cars and elevators. Yet, it was also a tool for communication, capable of crossing entire oceans.
At first, Leonardo was still somewhat confused, but as she kept adding details to her explanation, he started to ask questions of his own.
"How is it stored?"
"I can only say that the container is metal, but I'm not entirely sure of the specifics."
"I see..." Leonardo pondered for a moment. "I'll go find some tools tomorrow. You should get some rest now."
Hedy nodded, rising to escort him out.
They shared another gentle kiss at the door, like a pure and tender couple.
There were more pressing matters to attend to than desire at this moment.
The lord had set the wedding date for February 14th and had begun working tirelessly to resolve many of the lingering issues from the birth of the empire.
The first priority was to appease and reward both the old and new aristocracy.
Hedy intentionally sought to control the development of their power, offering more gold, medals, and noble titles rather than rewarding them with lands.
The old aristocracy prided themselves on their lineage and experience, while the new nobility consisted of wealthy merchants who had sponsored wars or important military officers and generals.
Order could only be established among the people, and the people required both checks and persuasion.
The second issue was political reform.
Previously, Lorenzo had established a consulate, made up of thirty internal elites and a seventy-person mixed class group.
However, with the expansion of territory, this system of recommendation was no longer effective.
The central authority needed to be strong enough to control the provinces.
In recent years, countries like France and England had been continuously developing centralization, with the core of power becoming ever stronger.
After much discussion with Machiavelli, Hedy arrived at a more reliable decision— to establish a bicameral system, while reforming local political structures.
Many modern advanced concepts simply couldn’t be applied in this era.
It was like putting a child whose limbs hadn’t fully developed into a car. Even if the child could step on the gas and make the car move forward, the result would likely be disastrous.
Italy, at present, was not economically or educationally advanced. Hastily implementing overly modern reforms would only lead to destruction and chaos.
She chose to adopt a political system similar to England’s, but without copying it completely.
In Florence, the upper house would consist entirely of nobles, who would continue to respect and revere lineage and status.
The lower house, on the other hand, would be composed entirely of citizens elected from various regions, including representatives from the merchant and artisan classes.
The monarch would retain a veto and inquiry power, as well as several other powers to check and control the parliament.
She was well aware that as productivity and national strength grew, the power of the monarch would eventually be decentralized and diluted, but that would be a matter for centuries to come.
Locally, instead of the former chaotic rule of various lords, she opted to establish local governments while retaining some central control.
Officials in the local governments would be appointed by the central authority, elected by local nobles, and also chosen through spontaneous elections by citizens.
No longer would it be possible for a lord to hold absolute power.
