Chapter 421: Chapter 415: The Taciturn Secretary and the Shrewd Ambassador
Under the orders of Jerome Bonaparte, led by Minister of Finance Mane, a bankers’ conference in France commenced at the Elysee Palace.
Participants in the conference, besides Jerome Bonaparte, Mane, De Ruyi, and Parisian bankers, also included the Ottoman Empire delegation, the Austrian ambassador to the French Empire, Rothschild (diplomatic envoy of the Austrian division), and his secretary Richard Metternich, among others.
The main purpose of this conference was to show Rifat Pasha that the French Empire is not only powerful militarily but also economically second only to the Kingdom of Britain.
Secondly, it was to convey to Austria the French Empire’s determination regarding the Crimean War.
Bringing the delegation of the soon-to-be-at-war Ottoman Empire into such an economic exchange meeting sufficiently demonstrates France’s confidence in the Ottoman Empire.
To prevent Vienna from making erroneous judgments, although Prince Metternich is Austria’s most outstanding diplomat, he is not the one who truly controls Austria’s policy. For some critical issues, hope should not be pinned on Metternich.
At seven in the evening, as night fell, the sly and charming moonlight shone on the brightly lit Elysee Palace.
After a long and elegant symphony ended, the economic exchange party officially began.
Meanwhile, dressed in a black fitted dress coat and wearing a Grand Cross Medal on his chest, Jerome Bonaparte entered the Elysee Palace lounge, accompanied by Edgar Ney.
Everyone in the lounge almost simultaneously paid attention to this imperial monarch.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Elysee Palace! I hope you have a pleasant evening here!" Jerome Bonaparte spoke to everyone present with an authoritative yet friendly tone.
Everyone present almost simultaneously applauded this "great" monarch of France.
Standing aside, Edgar Ney loudly announced, "I declare the conference officially begun!"
Afterward, Jerome Bonaparte and Edgar Ney left the conference lounge.
Only then did the bankers at the conference become active, toasting each other, attempting to extract some useful information from others.
As one of the protagonists of the conference, Rifat Pasha, after the meeting began, became a focal point for the banquet.
A continuous stream of major bankers approached Rifat Pasha, inviting Fate Pasha to toast together. After several rounds, the bankers "spoke their hearts" to Rifat Pasha, expressing that their banks were willing to provide as much assistance as possible for the Ottoman Empire’s issuance of national bonds.
Facing the ceaseless stream of major bankers, Rifat Pasha naturally did not dare to neglect a bit, quickly assuring each banker that the Ottoman Empire would certainly prioritize considering their banks.
While Rifat Pasha was surrounded by French bankers, sitting at a corner bar table (renovated by order of Jerome Bonaparte) in the lounge, the Rothschild envoy whispered to his secretary Richard Metternich, "I can bet you, France will intervene in the Near East soon."
"Hmm? Why do you say that?" Richard Metternich, who had just stepped into the field of diplomacy, looked puzzled as he asked the Rothschild envoy.
"Because I smell the scent of money!" The Rothschild envoy jokingly replied to Richard Metternich.
"Ambassador Rothschild, please don’t joke like that!" Richard Metternich showed a displeased face; he didn’t understand why his father recommended such a money-grubbing person to serve as the diplomatic envoy to France when there were obviously many others better suited.
Hearing Richard Metternich’s uninteresting response, Rothschild put aside his flippant attitude and explained to Richard Metternich that he speculated on the French Empire possibly making some moves in the Near East based on the trends at the Paris Stock Exchange.
"Paris Stock Exchange?" Richard Metternich tilted his head, his eyes showing even more confusion.
"Precisely!" The Rothschild envoy responded to Richard Metternich, "Haven’t you noticed that recently, stocks related to armaments have been on a constant rise at the stock exchange?"
"That doesn’t seem to mean much?" Richard Metternich shook his head and told Rothschild.
"No, no, no!" The Rothschild envoy shook his head and responded to Richard Metternich, "The stock reflects the market, and the market precisely proves that the French Empire is scheming to prepare for war!"
"That only shows that the French Empire is fully preparing for war; it fails to indicate anything else!" Richard Metternich replied to Rothschild.
"The rise in armaments indeed does not represent much!" Rothschild nodded sympathetically, then pointed his finger in the direction of Rifat Pasha, "But since the arrival of the Ottoman Empire, it’s different! What’s the most lacking for the Ottoman Empire now? Is it money?"
The Rothschild Envoy paused, then continued speaking to himself: "No! What the Ottoman Empire lacks now is a nation willing to lend them money! With the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire preparing for war, who would be willing to lend money to the Ottoman Empire? What would they face after lending money to the Ottoman Empire?
As far as I know, the Kingdom of Britain has been avoiding the Ottoman Empire’s loan request!"
Richard Metternich widened his eyes at the Rothschild Envoy, and his tone became involuntarily excited: "The Ottoman Empire needs the attitude of borrowing money, rather than the actual money?!!"
"There’s nothing wrong with thinking like that! After all, no matter how much money you give the Ottoman Empire, it’s impossible for them to defeat the Russian Empire!" The Rothschild Envoy nodded and said to Richard Metternich: "The willingness of the French Empire to lend money to the Ottoman Empire signifies their willingness to share the risk with the Ottoman Empire. The best way to maintain the Ottoman Empire’s national debt is to help the Ottoman Empire defeat the Russian Empire! The French Empire’s willingness to lend money to the Ottoman Empire inherently represents a declaration of intent for war.
Just wait and see! The Russian Empire’s envoy will certainly not let it rest at that!"
Although Richard Metternich was reluctant to believe the Rothschild Envoy’s somewhat speculative inference, he still asked the Rothschild Envoy what stance the Austrian Empire should adopt if that time truly came.
The Rothschild Envoy glanced at Richard Metternich, and with a carefree tone, pointed at Richard Metternich and said: "That’s your problem to think about! Don’t forget, currently all the diplomatic affairs of the embassy are your responsibility!"
Confronted with the Rothschild Envoy’s shirking behavior, Richard Metternich showed a helpless expression.
When the banquet reached its midpoint, Edgar Ney appeared discreetly in front of the Rothschild Envoy and Richard Metternich and said: "Envoy, Mr. Richard, please follow me!"
The Rothschild Envoy and Richard Metternich exchanged a look of astonishment, after which the Rothschild Envoy smiled and said: "Since it’s an audience with Your Majesty, how can we not go?"
After saying this, the Rothschild Envoy and Richard Metternich’s secretary rose and followed Edgar Ney out of the parlor.
The three of them ascended the carpeted stairs to the study door of the Elysee Palace, where Edgar Ney opened the study door and made a gesture of invitation.
The Rothschild Envoy and Richard Metternich entered the study together.
"Envoy Rothschild, Mr. Richard Metternich, please sit down!" Jerome Bonaparte invited the Rothschild Envoy and Richard Metternich to sit.
"Your Majesty, I am not sure why you have summoned us..." The Rothschild Envoy inquired dutifully.
"Here’s the thing! Just yesterday, I received a set of photos from the Near East! The content of the photos is truly appalling!" Jerome Bonaparte said while handing the blurred black-and-white photos to them.
The first photo showed a young girl lying on the ground crying, with a row of houses on fire behind her.
The second photo depicted a drunken Tsarist Russian soldier punching and kicking a mother and daughter.
The third photo depicted the "photo" of Russian soldiers abusing captives.
...
The Rothschild Envoy and Richard Metternich looked through all the photos.
To be fair, the actions of the "Russian Army" in the photos did not exceed the moral baseline tolerable by this era.
After all, the Frenchman had committed atrocities in Algeria, and the Austrian Empire had bloodily suppressed Vienna, causing far more significant impacts than in the photos.
However, the result of these photos being exploited by those with ulterior motives would be nothing less than a large-scale war akin to the time of Napoleon.
"I never imagined that the increasingly civilized Russian Empire would commit such atrocious acts in Moldova and Wallachia! I thought that after the Tsar of the Russian Empire entered the Danube, they would be much more civilized than the Ottoman Empire! But I was wrong, I underestimated the Russian Empire! They are nothing but barbarians and robbers, occupying the Danube Duchy’s land and enslaving the citizens of other nations under rude pretexts!" Jerome Bonaparte displayed a look of deep grief and indignation, as if the Russian Empire had committed an unpardonable sin.
"Merciful Majesty, wars have always been ruthless! You need not be so sorrowful!"
Although the Rothschild Envoy understood Jerome Bonaparte’s intentions, he still actively cooperated with Jerome Bonaparte’s performance.
"I believe more people need to see the true face of the Russian Empire, only then can more be encouraged to resist the Russian Empire’s tyranny." Jerome Bonaparte said while looking at Richard Metternich: "The citizens of the Danube Duchy should no longer be protected by the Russian Empire, a responsible nation should protect them, and the Austrian Empire is whom I regard as the most ideal protector of the Danube Duchy!"
"Your Majesty, whether the Austrian Empire is willing to become the protector of the Danube depends on Vienna!" Richard Metternich cautiously responded.