Earl Scott Koval is 57 years old, a short man with a neat short beard.

As one of the members of the aristocratic parliament, he was still in the prime of life, although the aristocratic parliament was ridiculed by liberal scholars as a nursing home.

According to the statistics of good people, the average age of the members of the noble council is 58 years old, which is the result of the average number of members in their seventies or even eighties.

Coming to the Holy City from the south, Count Koval made many changes, such as asking a native of the Holy City to correct his southern accent, asking a etiquette teacher to correct his walking posture and mannerisms, and trying to adapt himself to the diet and climate of the north.

This was to make him look no different from the people of the Holy City.

The subordination of the South to the North in the political, economic, and even artistic life of the empire forced him to make these changes.

His proud status and wealth in his native Genoa were not enough here, and when he came to the Holy City, he was a provincial.

The term "outer province" does not have any pejorative connotation per se, but it is often used in official documents to distinguish it from the holy city and Gyeonggi by geographical distinction and political status.

But the word "provincial" has a discriminatory meaning, and a poor person in the holy city dares to put this word on his lips, as if he is born superior.

For a long time, from the First Empire to the Fifth Empire, the unification of Europa had little to do with the southerners.

Since the time of the Fourth Empire, there have been no more counts in the South, leaving the South under the rule of smaller lords, including some viscounts, many of whose ancestors were kings and archdukes of the small southern principalities.

According to statistics, there are about 15,000 aristocratic families in the country, and 5,000 nobles are concentrated in the holy city and Gyeonggi provinces, and among the remaining 10,000 nobles, the 17 provinces in the north and the outside provinces account for most of them, and the 12 provinces in the south themselves are not many nobles.

There were 320 members of the noble council, and the southern provinces could only have a pitiful two, with members from the north making up the vast majority. Therefore, among his northern colleagues, the lowest title was also a count, and the others were a large number of marquis or even dukes, while there was not even a single marquis in the south.

So equality does not exist, and even the voices of the southerners cannot be heard, so they drown in the condescending rebuke of the northerners. Oddly enough, southerners seem to be accustomed to this, they only complain and complain, but never really rebel.

But to-day, Count Koval exhaled a sigh of relief, and for the first time felt that the air in the north was so sweet. Because he received an invitation from the White House to have dinner with His Majesty the Emperor.

It's a rare privilege.

Even the crown prince returned victorious, and he did not get this treatment.

In the holy city, where there are many nobles like dogs, he is a southern count that has sparked heated discussions in high social circles, and for the first time, Count Koval has become the object of attention of those big people, and everyone is asking who Count Koval is, and for a time he has become the brightest political star.

One obvious reason for his invitation was quickly obtained: Genoa officially established the 1/20 tax as a universal tax.

In fact, the position of public opinion in the upper echelons of the Holy City is complicated.

None of the land-owning nobles or bourgeoisie was in favour of this tax, which was a dig out of their hearts, but the robed nobles (high-ranking civil officials) warmly welcomed it as a good beginning to solve the country's financial difficulties, and to show the love of the imperial subjects for the country and their support for His Majesty the Emperor.

The liberal newspapers touted the actions of the Genoese and called them truly dedicated citizens. They always advocate a sense of citizenship based on freedom, equality, and the rule of law, and the 1/20 tax is obviously levied on no hierarchy.

Among them, Carmen Gable, a cutting-edge political commentator from Genoa, is the most hard-working.

Being able to increase the revenue of the treasury in large sums to make up for the empire's growing financial hole will of course be rewarded by the authorities. So it's no surprise that Carlos II hosted a private banquet in his palace to entertain Count Coval.

Although they deplored the "withholding" of tax revenues in the Estates-General of Genoa, such as the 73 tax on tea and the share of the excess tax revenue, including the 1/20 tax, the Emperor, the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer also happily admitted and signed the decree with the fastest efficiency ever.

The emperor and the ministers had to give the Genoese a reward, and a mere dinner was nothing.

For this invitation, Count Koval prepared for three days, newly sewn shirts and coats, newly ordered handmade leather shoes, and even his beard was carefully trimmed.

Prime Minister Fidel Caron and Chancellor of the Exchequer York Nehwal were also invited, along with the second prince Philippe Soren.

For the first time in his life, Earl Koval arrived at the White House at six o'clock in the evening in a royal carriage. He was so agitated that when he saw Carlos I, he was a little out of shape and incoherent.

Carlos I seemed to feel the affection of his vassals, and before the arrival of the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, he even led the Count on a tour of the White House for the first time.

In fact, Count Koval had been here before, but it had come with a group of people, and he had never received such attention from His Majesty the Emperor as he did tonight.

"Your honorable, gracious and wise Majesty, your servants are now unable to express the excitement and admiration in their hearts...... Count Koval said excitedly.

"Haha, my Count, this is the reward you deserve. Carlos II laughed, "Of the thirty provinces in the country, plus the capital area of the Holy City, only you Genoa have taken this important step. I felt the loyalty and zeal of the people from Genoa, and I heard that there is spring all year round?"

"No, Your Majesty, the summer is not pleasant there. "For about half the year it was sweltering," replied Count Koval. Unlike the Holy City, where there are four distinct seasons throughout the year, many of us southerners have never seen snow in their entire lives. ”

"Well, that's true. Carlos II nodded, "Scott, when I was young, I traveled to many parts of the empire, I also went to wars abroad, and even went to the Xia Kingdom as an envoy of the previous emperor, but I have never crossed the Ultra Mountain, which cannot but be said to be a pity. ”

"As a Genoese, I would like to solemnly invite you, my sovereign sovereign, to Genoa in due time, on behalf of your loyal subjects. "Count Koval was overjoyed by the fact that the Emperor affectionately called him by his name.

"Well, I hope so, but my earl, you know, though I am the Emperor, I cannot easily leave the Holy City. Carlos I said.

"It's a pity. ”