Chapter 288: Chapter 285: The Prelude to the Coup 12.2 (2)
In the following days, the "Social Democratic Faction" in the Legislative Assembly heavily criticized Jerome Bonaparte’s order to strengthen news censorship, to the extent that what was supposed to be a sacred and solemn legislative venue had now turned into a marketplace, with each meeting always ending in chaos.
What was even more unusual was the fact that, during the period of criticism from the "Social Democratic Faction," there was no sign of rebuttal from the government spokespersons, who always adopted an attitude of letting it go in one ear and out the other.
After days of debates and repeated proposal rejections, the "Social Democratic Faction" realized that abolishing news censorship was an impossible task, and they had to give up attacking the government on this issue.
Just at this time, someone, whose identity remains mysterious, conveyed a piece of information to the Legislative Assembly: the Bank of France had transferred thirty million francs to the Paris Industrial Bank as agricultural revitalization loans.
Armed with this information, the "Republican Faction" legislators were ecstatic. They then demanded that the government provide a detailed budget plan for the thirty million franc agricultural revitalization loan.
If the government could not submit a reasonable plan, the "Social Democratic Faction" would propose to impeach the government.
When the news from the Bourbon Palace reached the Department of Agriculture and Commerce, Mr. Bifei, who was enjoying a rare moment of tranquility in the Minister’s office, was instantly thrown into disarray.
He did not know where the Legislative Assembly had obtained such news, and more importantly, he had not received any so-called agricultural revitalization loan.
After careful thought, Bifei was convinced that this so-called 30 million francs must be related to that person at the Elysee Palace, and he must go to the Elysee Palace at once.
It was already evening by this time, and Paris’s weather was growing colder by the day. The setting sun cast its final hurried light upon the sky, adorning it with a fiery red sash.
Night was about to fall!
Under the twilight glow, a carriage sped out from the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce, racing through the crowded street to the right bank of the Seine River, traveling along the Seine for about five minutes before making a right turn onto Champs-Élysées Avenue, and following it to its end, where the Elysee Palace appeared directly ahead of the carriage.
The carriage slowly came to a halt at the gates of the Elysee Palace. Seeing the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce emblem displayed on the carriage, the guards exchanged glances. One of them, a soldier named Canon, approached the carriage, tapped lightly on the carriage, and the yellow curtain within was drawn aside, revealing Minister Bifei’s silhouette inside.
After a moment, the carriage door opened, and Minister Bifei slowly stepped down, kindly asking the guards about the closed Elysee Palace gate: "Why isn’t it open? Is the President not inside?"
The guard explained to Minister Bifei: "Your Excellency, the President ordered us to seal the Elysee Palace, and no one is allowed to enter without his command!"
"Does this mean even we ministers are not allowed?" Bifei looked puzzled, unable to comprehend the President’s actions.
The guard hesitated momentarily, remembering that before Minister Bifei’s arrival, Minister of Railways Mornay, Police and Religion Mokar, Minister of War Saint Arno, Minister of Public Works Percy, and Minister of Justice Rue had all entered the Elysee Palace.
Logically, there should be no issue with a minister entering, but these people were specially approved by the President to enter the Elysee Palace, and Minister Bifei did not seem to have received such approval.
Could the President have forgotten?
The soldier pondered silently, thinking it might indeed be a mistake on the President’s part.
"Your Excellency, please wait a moment! I will go and report immediately!" The guard decided to first inquire about the situation inside the Elysee Palace.
"Alright!" Bifei nodded, standing alone in the sunset, awaiting.
The guard jogged to the office of Director Mokar.
At this time, Mokar was holding a stack of files named "Rubicon." He was about to deliver these documents.
[Rubicon: the name of a river in Italy, famously crossed by Caesar in 49 BCE to confront Pompey, symbolizing a decisive, irreversible action.]
After reporting Bifei’s situation to Mokar, Mokar was similarly puzzled, remembering that the President had not invited Bifei over.
"Director, what should we do?" the guard asked Mokar.
"Wait here for a moment, I’ll go in and ask!" Mokar responded to the guard.
The guard stayed in place as Mokar, holding the documents, entered the room.
When Mokar placed the documents on the table, he leaned in to report the situation to Jerome Bonaparte.
Jerome Bonaparte, upon hearing Mokar’s report, also showed a puzzled expression.
Of all times, Bifei chose this moment to come.
Was this merely coincidental, or was there a hidden agenda at play?
Jerome Bonaparte decided to meet with Bifei, and therefore had Mokar bring Bifei to a separate room.
After receiving the order, Mokar left, and Jerome Bonaparte opened the "Rubica" dossier, distributing the already sorted mission requirements to each of them.
Everyone’s face showed a solemn expression after receiving their respective tasks.
"Gentlemen, these are your tasks after midnight tonight!" Jerome Bonaparte seriously addressed everyone present, "Please be sure to complete them! Every step we take will determine our future destiny! This is a life-and-death struggle, and once we act, no mistakes will be tolerated!"
"Yes!" All those present responded to Jerome Bonaparte with a serious expression.
"Minister Saint Arno!" Jerome Bonaparte turned his gaze to Saint Arno, saying, "Your task is the most important among everyone, so I hope you can be more cautious!"
"Understood!" Saint Arno certainly understood the heavy responsibility on his shoulders.
If he failed, the entire coup plan would fall short of success.
At that time, he was afraid he could only leave the army in disgrace.
For his future, Saint Arno could not allow himself the slightest deviation.
After Jerome Bonaparte deployed all the tasks, Mokar entered the room again to report to Jerome Bonaparte that Bifei had arrived.
"I know!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded at Mokar, then turned to the coup group present to indicate that he needed to leave for a while.
Led by Mokar, Jerome Bonaparte came to the reception room on the third floor, opened the door, and saw Bifei inside.
"Minister Bifei!" Jerome Bonaparte shook hands with Minister Bifei with a smile on his face.
Bifei and Jerome Bonaparte sat on adjacent sofas to have a conversation.
"Mr. President, may I boldly ask what happened along the way? Why did I see so many soldiers in your courtyard?" Minister Bifei asked Jerome Bonaparte with an uneasy heart.
Jerome Bonaparte did not answer Bifei’s question directly, instead, speaking to Bifei in a friendly tone, "Mr. Bifei, we’ve worked together for more than a year, haven’t we?"
"Yes!" Minister Bifei nodded, recalling the meeting where he begged the president not to reveal the exposed women’s clothing incident, showing a guilty expression.
"I wonder, what do you think of me?" Jerome Bonaparte asked in a frivolous tone.
"You saved France from the vortex of the economic crisis!" Bifei praised Jerome Bonaparte.
Jerome Bonaparte’s scaled-down version of the Roosevelt revival plan indeed pulled France out of the economic downturn faster than historically, with rapid infrastructure construction leading to steady positive development in France’s economic growth rate.
Of course, such economic stimulation methods are not endless, especially since France is still under a bimetallic standard; rashly using Keynesianism will only prevent the entire French economic system from collapsing completely.
If not used, accelerating industrialization will inevitably lead to a large-scale economic crisis,
an economic crisis that would completely crush the entire Empire.
In the end, the current high-speed growth is nothing more than a poison wrapped in honey.
When the honey is exhausted, the poison will take effect.
"But we are now facing a major hidden danger! This economic growth rate is just a forced stimulation of economic growth led by the government!" Jerome Bonaparte said "worriedly": "It’s like giving the government opium; once the effect of the opium ends, our economy will instantly revert to its original form! Just like the railway mania in Britain back then!"
"Ah!" Minister Bifei certainly understood the impact of the British railway mania.
"There is a solution!" Jerome Bonaparte shifted his tone, "It’s just that they may not give me so much time! You’ve seen that the parliament has always opposed my re-election plan! They fear the public, even the Bonaparte surname!"
At this moment, Jerome Bonaparte chose not to hide his ambition any longer: "I have decided to overthrow this illegal parliament, and then let all the French people decide my stay themselves!"
Only now did Bifei finally understand why Jerome Bonaparte wanted to deploy so many soldiers at the Elysee Palace.
Stunned by Jerome Bonaparte’s message, Bifei instinctively said, "Mr. President, your coup is unconstitutional!"
"Constitution?" Jerome Bonaparte said disdainfully, "The constitution must also comply with the opinions of all the French people! If the entire French populace deems the constitution incompatible, then we are obliged to overthrow it! Minister Bifei, are you willing to join us?"
Jerome Bonaparte extended an olive branch to Bifei.