Empire Rising: Spain - Chapter 224 - 157: The Nobles’ Concerns (Part 3)

Although they still want to strive for more things, it’s clear that Carlo is not interested in the topics they intend to propose. Since Carlo has already ordered everyone to leave, the nobles dare not linger in the Imperial Palace and can only bid farewell one by one.

However, as the nobles gather in groups of three or four, their communication is filled with many doubts, such as Carlo’s attitude.

Logically speaking, Carlo’s throne is already stable at this time, so why would he still allow Prim to continue controlling the position of Prime Minister?

Although the Prime Minister is one position below the King, if it’s in Prim’s hands, who is really below whom is uncertain.

The nobles do not believe that Carlo is willing to continue staying under Prim’s authority, being a powerless puppet king.

“Minister Canovas, what do you think His Majesty means?” A marquis next to Canovas asked a question that he had been holding inside for a long time.

With a smile on his face, Canovas replied to his friend, “Isn’t His Majesty’s intention already clear?”

“But, is His Majesty really letting Prim continue to serve as Prime Minister? If Prim proposes more reforms targeting us in the next five-year plan, do we have to keep retreating?” the marquis continued to ask.

The reason these nobles gathered together to see Carlo was naturally because they were worried that Prime Minister Prim would continue to give the nobles a hard time after his reappointment.

Previously, due to Prim’s reforms, many nobles lost a large amount of land. Including the policy of reducing land rent, which reduced noble income by at least one-fifth.

If Prim continues to be reappointed, his power will grow even larger. If he continues to target the nobles’ wallets, even those with deep roots may not withstand such havoc.

“If Prime Minister Prim’s reforms are reasonable, then for the development of Spain, we should naturally make some sacrifices.

But if Prime Minister Prim’s reforms are just targeting the nobles, don’t we still control the industrial and agricultural sectors?

If there is a real confrontation, who decides on the reforms for industry and agriculture, isn’t it us?” Canovas said with a smile.

Carlo did not do nothing; promising Canovas as Minister of Industry and Joveillar as Minister of Agriculture is the best example.

Industry and agriculture are probably the most important sectors underneath Spain’s economy and defense. Spain is inherently an agricultural country, so the importance of the agricultural sector need not be emphasized.

And as one of the main industries for Spain’s future development, the position of the Minister of Industry is destined to gain great merit in the future.

Canovas certainly understands Carlo’s reason for appointing him as Minister of Industry. Holding a department with considerable power, he can to some extent balance Prime Minister Prim, and secondly, secure huge merit from the second five-year plan, preparing for future advancement.

Yes, Canovas is the candidate in Carlo’s plan to succeed once Prime Minister Prim’s term ends.

This is unavoidable because Carlo has very few political talents available to him. Canovas’ qualifications barely suffice, and his loyalty is higher than that of Prime Minister Prim and Duke Serrano.

“I say, old friend, although His Majesty said so, isn’t the appointment of Cabinet Ministers in the hands of Prime Minister Prim?

The position of Minister of Industry is important, will Prime Minister Prim agree to His Majesty’s proposal?” the marquis still has many doubts, after all, the industrial sector is quite important in the five-year plan. It’s even considered the key sector for Spain’s development, without equal.

The merit that the Minister of Industry can gain is the most among Cabinet Ministers. Would Prime Minister Prim just let this position be given to Carlo?

“Of course our Prime Minister will agree.” Canovas nodded with a smile, with a certain deep meaning in his eyes: “Of course, I hope he doesn’t agree.”

Looking at his somewhat perplexed companions in front of him, Canovas smiled and walked toward the outside of the Imperial Palace with the crowd.

The election of the Cabinet Government has not yet started, and Prime Minister Prim still holds great power.

Prime Minister Prim is certainly aware of the nobles going together to the Imperial Palace to see Carlo. Although he doesn’t know exactly what the nobles and Carlo discussed, the purpose of the nobles is actually not hard to guess.

Compared to Prim, who reforms and infringes on noble interests, the nobles definitely hope for a more conservative figure to take office as the new Prime Minister who wouldn’t attack the nobles.

At this moment, the only person who can pose a threat to Prime Minister Prim’s reappointment is King Carlo of Spain. This is why the nobles sought an audience with Carlo.

However, Prime Minister Prim eventually shook his head. Through interactions during this period, he believes he understands Carlo quite well.

No matter how he thinks about it, Carlo would not step in to stop his reappointment. Moreover, currently, the power of the King of Spain does not really qualify to stop Prime Minister Prim’s reappointment, unless Carlo disregards opposition and dissolves parliament.

But that’s even more unlikely. The situation in Spain has already stabilized; dissolving parliament at this point would be like throwing a stone into a calm lake.

Even for Carlo himself, there’s no benefit to it; a king who dissolves parliament without any reason shows signs of autocracy, doesn’t it?

The last monarch to enforce autocracy, Queen Isabella, was heavily criticized by the Spaniards. If Carlo shows any autocratic tendencies, even if he has won the favor of the Spaniards before, it might once again provoke their anger.

Shaking his head privately, Prime Minister Prim began to focus on the development reports submitted by various district governments to the Cabinet Government, and conceived the second five-year development plan in his mind.