CHAPTER 25 #3
Hedy suddenly remembered something and called out to him again: "Leonardo—"
"What?" Leonardo turned to look at her, realizing he hadn't given her a goodnight kiss. He smiled and leaned down to kiss her lips. "Sweet dreams, Hedy."
"That's not all—" Hedy finally remembered why she'd gone through all this trouble and gestured for him to come in and continue the conversation.
The maid nearby intentionally stepped away but was also called back: "Bring the paper and pen. I need to talk to Mr. Da Vinci."
One of the things on her mind was the birth of the radio.
The reason she planned to confess her background and explain the many twists and turns of the story was partly for love, but also so she could move forward more smoothly with the development in this area.
Hedy was skilled at analysis and design, but when it came to hands-on work, Leonardo was definitely the more powerful one.
"…Electricity?" Leonardo didn't expect her to want to discuss this in the middle of the night. He reached up and pointed to the sky. "Like lightning in the clouds?"
"Yes, and no." Hedy initially wanted to draw a diagram, but after a few strokes, she realized he couldn't understand the symbols—light bulbs, trams, utility poles…
"Leonardo, there is something called electricity." She spoke seriously, trying to explain as simply as she could.
"This 'electricity' can become a means of communication."
"Why?" Leonardo frowned. "Do you think the lightning in the sky is the gods conveying a message?"
"That is the electricity of nature... but humans can create something similar."
Hedy lowered her head and drew a horse and a small envelope.
"In this era, we communicate by horse and messenger, right?"
"The speed of sound and light is faster than a horse, but they can't transmit information over long distances."
"But electricity, as long as the conductor is stable enough, can travel across thousands of miles, allowing information to be transmitted effectively." She reached out and took his hand, her eyes full of pleading. "I want to create it with you."
Hedy began explaining to him just how versatile this remarkable force was in modern society—
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.
The System was personally revised by Machiavelli, with every clause carefully laid out. It was designed to protect the dignity of all vested interests, while subtly soothing the curiosity and uncertainty of the general populace.
The whole of Italy began shedding many of its old burdens, moving forward with lighter, more energetic steps.
Whether central or local, even if there were disagreements, no one dared to oppose the reforms openly.
The military and monarchical powers were firmly tied together, and no matter how many opinions were voiced, they were like bubbles, vanishing without a sound.
The bicameral parliament was quickly formed, and newspapers eagerly promoted the new concepts.
People enthusiastically discussed these entirely new ideas, trying to find benefits for themselves within the new policies.
Before the current wave of excitement had even died down, the queen took another significant step.
She formed an alliance with the Papacy and the Florence Academy to begin revising the Code of Laws.
The Florence Academy represented the most highly educated group in terms of humanistic knowledge, while the Papacy symbolized the judgment of morality and truth.
When Hedy had personally removed the crown, news of it quickly spread to many neighboring countries, sparking endless discussions.
She was so bold?! Did she even care about the Medici family's reputation? Publicly doing such a thing to the Pope?!
Some even began lamenting that she was a calamity for the nation, predicting that this so-called empire would collapse completely within thirty years.
But Hedy remained unmoved, feeling more relaxed inside.
What she wanted was a reshuffling of the power between the church and the monarchy.
A thousand years ago, the power of the church was nearly limitless—the Pope had his own army and could treat royal members, even kings themselves, with brutality and arrogance.
Excommunication was as severe as a death sentence, and it could make many in power visibly pale.
But now, things were beginning to shift.
In recent centuries, the Pope's control and influence had been steadily crumbling, like a great beast stripped of its claws and fangs—powerful yet weak.
When Lorenzo was threatened by the Pope with excommunication, even the common citizens had taken up arms to show their support.
Hedy, however, made the issue public.
—The power of the monarchy should be above the power of the church.
Giovanni, as Pope, was to be revered and worshipped by the faithful, but he should not interfere with her control and decisions regarding policy.
And when he committed an unforgivable crime, she, as the monarch, had the right to sanction and interrogate him.
The so-called monarch should stand above all others.
Clarice had become content with being a patron of the arts, nurturing her children with kindness and leniency.
After Lorenzo’s death, she let go of many of her obsessions and grew weary of the deceit and scheming around her.
As long as her children grew up safely and healthily, everything else could be put aside.
Giovanni, for his part, cooperated—he had always feared the position of Pope.
An eleven-year-old child could barely sit comfortably in such a high position, let alone wield the scepter of power.
It was precisely because of this that Hedy's reforms were made much easier.
She was skilled at understanding the psychology and needs of different groups, effortlessly clearing away many obstacles, making complex affairs flow as harmoniously as a symphony.
After the Code of Laws was announced, it created a massive stir, shocking all of Florence.
The tax laws were reformed, and contraceptive rights were granted!
How could this be possible?!
Could the Pope really agree to all of this?!
As it turned out, the Pope not only agreed but also helped by citing passages from the Bible to explain the entries.
The tax reforms pleased the vast majority of people—tithes were completely abolished, and the various fancy taxes previously used by the Papacy to drain the people’s wealth were burned away, allowing the merchant and business classes to grow and develop more freely.
However, the issue of contraception left people confused and conflicted.
Many women breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time, they were uneasy.