Make France Great Again

Jérôme Bonaparte, who had drawn up the amount required for the budget, immediately invited his "lacking dogs" to come to the Tuileries Palace to discuss the specific procedures of the Paris Peace Conference (full name: Association for the Post-War Treatment of the Russian War). These The invited people include industrial capitalists and bankers, and it can be said that there are many talents.

When Jerome Bonaparte appeared in the conference hall, everyone present saluted Jerome Bonaparte.

Under everyone's attention, Jerome Bonaparte sat on the throne step by step, and then slowly said: "Everyone, the purpose of inviting you here today is to discuss with you, what to do with this meeting. To maximize profits!"

Speaking of this, Jerome Bonaparte glanced at the people present, and said with a smile: "Everyone of you present is an elite of society, and I can't keep up with you in terms of making money! I hope we can work together to make this Paris Peace Conference a success!”

"Your Majesty, you show your love!" As one of the representatives of industrial capitalists, Baron Schneider (Schneider had been canonized as a baron by Jerome Bonaparte due to the overall planning in the Crimean War) took a humbly step forward. Jerome Bonaparte responded: "The reason why we have achieved what we are now is all because of your wise guidance!

Without you, we wouldn't be where we are now! "

As soon as Schneider's tout ended, the industrial capitalist camp immediately shouted, "Without Bonaparte, there would be no tomorrow for their entrepreneurs!"

In the banker camp, except for a few bankers with Saint-Simon's thoughts, many bankers' faces flashed a trace of displeasure.

Because the money subsidized by the French "entrepreneurs" is cut from their flesh.

As for the railway alone (after the railway bonds were frozen, the big bankers who held railway bonds could only grit their teeth to maintain the railway), and their bankers had already put in nearly 100 million francs.

Coupled with the various interest-rate loans introduced by the government for entrepreneurs, it has reduced their profits to a minimum.

If it wasn't for Jerome Bonaparte relying on the wartime system to freeze the channel for transferring large amounts of gold, and if these bankers were able to transfer losses by investing in Austria, they would have been unable to withstand the damage of low interest rates. .

After all, a profit that doesn't meet expectations is a loss for a banker.

Many bankers have secretly criticized the Second Empire's policy of implementing "meat-cutting subsidies", but they can only secretly complain.

If you really want them to choose to support the Republicans and the Orleans, they dare not.

Jerome Bonaparte, who was praised by Baron Schneider, went to show a pleasant smile, and then "rebuked" these industrial capitalists with a straight face and said, "I didn't ask you to come here to hear you sing praises to me, I want to Do you have any suggestions?"

"Your Majesty, what do you want the Paris Peace Conference to look like!" Baron Schneider asked Jerome Bonaparte with a serious face.

"I want to hold a meeting that can not only demonstrate the national strength of the French Empire, but also carry forward the traditional characteristics of France!" Jerome Bonaparte thought for a while and replied to Baron Schneider, "In short, this meeting is different from the previous ones. In any game, we must highlight a "new" word!"

"Your Majesty, it is easy to solve the problem of showing national strength!" Baron Schneider replied to Jerome Bonaparte: "We can hold another military parade!"

"Another military parade?" Jerome Bonaparte frowned, pondered for a moment and then nodded to Schneider, "Just do as you said!

But if we only hold a military parade, will it make others think that we in France only know how to show our national strength by showing force!

We in France are not Prussia and Russia. We not only have to show the outside world our superiority in force, but also our cultural superiority and institutional superiority. Only in this way will others follow us willingly! "

"Cultural advantage? Institutional advantage?" Baron Schneider was stunned for a few seconds when he heard Jerome Bonaparte's words.

"That's right!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded and said to Baron Schneider, "Force is just hard power, and culture is the real soft power.

Relying on tone cannot effectively defeat the enemy, but culture can subtly invade the enemy.

Our French culture is the invisible blade that can truly defeat the enemy! "

After listening to Jerome Bonaparte's words, everyone present subconsciously felt a chill behind their backs.

"That's right!" Jerome Bonaparte suddenly realized something, he patted his thigh and said to Baron Schneider: "We can move the upcoming Century Exposition forward by a month, and it won't work!

Baron Schneider, what do you think? "

"Your Majesty, I have no problem!" Baron Schneider, one of the exhibitors of the World's Fair, replied to Jerome Bonaparte, "However, I am afraid that some foreign exhibits are not ready!"

"It's nothing!" Jerome Bonaparte shook his head and replied to Baron Schneider: "This fair will last for half a year, enough for them to come over!"

Under Jerome Bonaparte's decision, the Paris Century Exposition originally scheduled for May 11 was moved forward by a month.

Then, Jerome Bonaparte asked Isaac Perel, a banker, what he thought of the decision.

Isaac Perel told Jerome Bonaparte that he unconditionally supported Jerome Bonaparte's decision.

Immediately afterwards, Jerome Bonaparte euphemistically proposed to the industrial capitalists and bankers present to solicit donations, and promised that everyone who solicited donations would be recorded.

Only then did the industrial capitalists and bankers understand why Jerome Bonaparte only saw them come, but did not call the ministers.

After a long time of trouble, it turned out that they were asked to collect donations.

However, since His Majesty the Emperor has already asked them to collect donations, how could they refuse.

So the industrial capitalists and bankers present gave generously.

During the entire fundraising event, Jerome Bonaparte received a total of 15 million francs, 5 million francs more than he expected.

"France will never forget your contributions!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded reservedly and thanked everyone present.

In the next few days, Jérôme Bonaparte announced that he would hold the World's Fair, which was originally held in May, one month ahead of schedule. At the same time, he set up the Paris Peace Conference Preparatory Committee. He himself served as the leader of the committee. The senior provincial official, Baron Haussmann, served as the deputy of the committee, and the funds available to the organizing committee were 10 million francs.

The entire organizing committee, led by Jerome Bonaparte and under the command of Baron Haussmann, worked out the venue and pre-conference arrangements for the Paris Peace Conference at a very fast speed.

Soon the time came to April 10, less than 10 days before the opening of the Paris Peace Conference, and less than one day before the Paris Century Exposition.

On this day, Fuad, the foreign minister of the Ottoman Empire, and Cavour, the prime minister of the Kingdom of Sardinia, arrived in Paris ahead of schedule.

Jerome Bonaparte immediately ordered them to be taken separately to the Tuileries Palace.

The first person to meet Jerome Bonaparte was Ottoman Foreign Minister Fuad.

"Mr. Fuad, please sit down!" Jerome Bonaparte invited Fuad to sit down, and then asked, "What is the current situation in the Ottoman Empire?"

"Thanks to you! Everything is going well!" Fouad replied deferentially to Jerome Bonaparte: "The Russian Empire has now gradually withdrawn from the lands it previously occupied, and our troops have also occupied it. Crimea."

"That's good!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Fuard with a smile, "This time the peace meeting is just a process, you don't need and don't need to have much psychological burden!"

"I see!" Fuad nodded, and then politely asked Jerome Bonaparte if the Danube Principality had no room to turn around.

It can be seen that the Ottoman Empire still wants to try to recover the Danube Principality.

After all, if the Principality of the Danube can take back the Ottoman Empire, the Ottoman Empire's fiscal revenue will be much more abundant.

"It's a pity!" Jerome Bonaparte shrugged and said to Fuad. com "The Danube Principality is destined to become the territory of the Austrian Empire!

If your Sultan is willing to take over the great cause of resisting the invasion of the Russian Empire from the Austrian Empire, then it is not inconceivable! "

"That's fine!" Fuad sneered.

How could the Ottoman Empire, which had already seen the capabilities of the Russian Empire in the Crimean War, be willing to take over the banner of resisting Russia from the Austrian Empire.

"Then there's nothing to talk about!" Jerome Bonaparte replied, and then added, "If I were you, I would consider joining forces with the Austrian Empire to contain the Russian Empire!"

"But between us and the Austrian Empire..." Fuad hesitated.

"Isn't what happened between you and the Austrian Empire back then!" Jerome Bonaparte said nonchalantly, "As long as you are willing to unite, everything can be turned over!

I see that on the Slavic issue, your two countries have a lot to be united with! "

"This..." Fuard hesitated for a moment, then said to Jerome Bonaparte, "I'll try it!"

At the end of the conversation, Jerome Bonaparte asked Fuad if he would like to join him in the opening ceremony tomorrow.

"The opening ceremony? You mean the opening ceremony of the Century Expo?" Fuad asked.

"Apart from this, there seems to be no other opening ceremony!"

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