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She paused for a moment, then quickly motioned for her subordinates to follow as she stepped outside.
Columbus and his fleet arrived in Florence in July.
They had made several stops along the way in the Americas and encountered a violent storm on the return journey. Some of the smaller ships were damaged by rocks and nearly shattered by the giant waves.
"We have discovered the Americas—there are vast numbers ofIndians, and strange trees, strange birds, and many strange animals!"
Dozens of crates of spoils were brought back, including ores that had a golden sheen.
"Our mineralogists seem to have found gold mines over there," he reported quickly. "Also, on our way back, we encountered Spanish ships—they clearly seemed to be heading in the same direction."
"Spanish ships?" Hedy paused for a second, repeating, "Are you sure it was the Spanish?"
"Yes, the colors and markings of their flags were clear," Columbus said, observing her expression, then continued. "The climate and soil there are very suitable for agriculture, but we will need more laborers..."
"I understand," Hedy said in a low voice. "Dechio—we need to organize a new round of meetings."
She needed to act quickly to find collaborators in Hungary, Portugal, England, and all nearby nations with naval power, to sign new treaties.
Spain had already passed, and it wouldn't take much longer for them to reach the Americas.
But she still had time.
No matter what, Isabella was still busy using the Inquisition to expel her enemies, while the Eastern Empire continued to establish more diplomatic and commercial ties with various countries.
Hedy knew she had to set the basic rules in place before it was too late—
The slave trade was inevitable. That primitive and ancient land lacked protection and deterrence, much like the gold scattered across an entire continent.
Only by signing alliances and treaties quickly could she avoid some of the more tragic consequences.
But right now, only they and China had established long-distance, real-time communication, and ambassadors would need at least three months to travel back and forth.
Despite her anxiety, Hedy could only focus on the tasks at hand.
She allocated more funds to Columbus, advising him to rest for a few days before immediately returning to the Americas to establish more camps and ports for future exchanges.
This information was tightly sealed for now, with even the sailors signing blood oaths to ensure it remained confidential.
If certain greedy old men in the upper house got wind of it, things would become even more complicated.
At present, the steam engine was spreading from Florence in all directions, and it was said that even Pedro’s shipyard had begun using related equipment.
She felt she needed to do more.
The Queen leaned by the window, lost in thought, listening to the faint sound of a violin in the wind, letting her long hair be tousled.
Her gaze fell on an old woman, stumbling slowly along the distant street.
Ten days later, the new Queen’s decree was issued.
First, a height limit for high-heeled shoes was set, and no one was allowed to force anyone to wear such shoes by any means.
Second, any corseting or waist-binding actions were prohibited, with violators to be punished with forced labor.
Third, women were strongly encouraged to wear more practical trousers and workwear, actively engaging in industry and commerce.
She was destroying the nascent cages that had started to form.
