Chapter 323 323-Turmoil

Chapter 323 323-Turmoil

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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.

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.