Life of Being a Crown Prince in France - Chapter 1272 - 1177: A Different Christmas
Chapter 1272: Chapter 1177: A Different Christmas
Joseph, however, smiled: “No, not only cannot increase the interest rate, it must be lowered…”
“Ah? But that would sell even less, Your Highness.”
Joseph glanced at the officials present, only instructing Godan: “Please prepare according to the sale of 1.3 billion francs of government bonds.”
The Minister of Finance nodded in surprise: “Yes, Your Highness.”
The French Government currently owes less than 1.4 billion francs in foreign debt, and the interest is very low, almost without repayment pressure, so it has a very large borrowing capacity – according to the previous report from the Ministry of Finance, France’s debt ceiling is around 2.7 billion francs. As long as it is below this figure, there will be no deterioration in the financial situation.
Yes, now France’s debt repayment capability has also greatly improved. The 2 billion debt back then was already unmanageable.
This is also the reason Joseph is willing to raise funds through government bonds.
He knows very well that the emerging capitalists in France and the old nobles in Italy are wealthier than each other, easily buying 1 billion francs worth of government bonds. The challenge is how to make them spend the money.
Actually, his method is nothing more than the “truth” in the financial circle – chasing the rise and killing the fall.
Couple that with a good story to trigger a buying spree.
Doubling the sales should be achievable.
Then, under the perplexed eyes of the officials, he concluded the financial planning and began discussing with the Minister of Foreign Affairs how to handle places like Santo Domingo and Saint Louis Louisiana during wartime.
Since it was a general mobilization meeting, Joseph only made general arrangements, and the meeting ended around six in the afternoon.
Subsequently, each department had to make detailed plans according to his instructions, which was the real beginning of the preparations for war.
When Joseph, along with the King and Queen, walked out of the meeting hall under the bowed farewells of the officials, Queen Mary immediately looked at her son and said: “Thank the Holy Mother Mary for giving you to us. If it were up to your father and me to deal with this situation, we’d surely be at a loss.”
She didn’t say anything at the meeting earlier, but she was very anxious inside – there were 600,000 enemy troops! Fortunately, her son was very calm, which gave her some confidence.
“We need to do something to help you.” Queen Mary thought for a moment, “I still have 3.5 million francs. You can use it to buy some cannon or reward the soldiers.”
Louis XVI immediately added: “I also have more than 3 million francs.”
Queen Mary turned to look at her husband: “Did you sell which royal estate or hunting ground?”
She knew her husband didn’t have much cash, and to take out millions, he would have to sell assets.
Louis XVI smiled bashfully: “These are my patent earnings and dividends from the Industrial Development Fund.”
This “Grandmaster Craftsman” came up with 12 patents while helping his son manufacture weapons and forging machines, with annual patent royalties earning more than 100,000 francs.
Joseph looked at their anxious yet caring expressions, suddenly feeling that as long as they were around, he could challenge all of Europe alone.
He wasn’t about to be polite with his parents and was just about to thank them for their support when he suddenly remembered his plan to sell the bonds and immediately thought aloud: “Perhaps, you can use this money to buy government bonds.”
“Buy government bonds?”
“Yes, at that time you just do this, then like this…”
After having dinner with the King and Queen, Joseph tiredly returned to his chamber, and recalling the issue of the steam battleship, he instructed Eman: “Please prepare the carriage, we’ll set off for the Brest Shipyard at dawn tomorrow.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Your Highness, you’re back?” Alexandra’s voice came from the doorway, and the girl instantly floated in lightly, curtseying to Joseph, “You must be tired from a whole day of meetings.”
“By the way, I think you mentioned going somewhere earlier?”
The Crown Princess was about to turn fifteen, and she was now slightly taller than Joseph’s chin.
“I’m heading to Brest to handle some matters.” Joseph, feeling her massage his forehead, was so comfortable that he squinted his eyes.
“Ah? Such a far place?” Alexandra exclaimed, “Aren’t you staying to have the Christmas Eve banquet with me and the King and Queen?”
“Christmas?” Joseph had only just remembered that Christmas was three days away and could only shake his head helplessly, “I will attend the Midnight Mass at Brest Cathedral.”
The Crown Princess pursed her lips: “Wait for me a moment.” Then she turned and ran out.
Soon, she came back, out of breath, solemnly handing Joseph something: “This is a Christmas gift for you. May Jesus bless you with eternal peace.”
Joseph looked down and couldn’t help but smile.
What Alexandra brought was a big apple and a small box.
Hmm, this was a tradition he promoted to boost holiday consumption – give apples and small gifts for Christmas, and Jesus will bless the other with peace.
As to why apples, he neither explained nor was anyone curious. Anyway, French apples ripened at the end of October and could be preserved until Christmas.
“Thank you so much.” Joseph placed the apple on the table and opened the box in the girl’s hand.
Inside was a pair of silk gloves, black and delicately crafted, albeit with intricate lace trim.
“I knitted these for you, hoping you will like them.”
“Of course, they are beautiful. I like them very much.” Joseph put on the gloves, the size was just right, light and comfortable.
He immediately thought that he should give a gift back to his wife, but he had been so busy lately that he had forgotten about Christmas altogether, and therefore hadn’t prepared anything.
Well, the apple was readily available, his bedroom always having various fruits.
As for what to pair it with…
Joseph patted his forehead, well, it would have to do.
“Ah, I also have a gift for you. Please wait for me a moment.”
He turned into his bedroom, picked the best-looking apple, then cleared out a jewelry box on the table and put something inside.
When Alexandra took what he handed over, her right hand immediately dropped from the unexpected weight – the jewelry box was much heavier than she anticipated.
She impatiently put down the apple, opened the lid, and saw inside was a deerskin pistol holster, the top peeking out a dark gun barrel.
“This is… a pistol?”
Joseph nodded: “The most formidable pistol in the world.”
Instantly, the Crown Princess’s exclamation echoed through the hall: “It can really fire six bullets in succession? Oh, it even has a rifled barrel, it must be extremely accurate.”
She threw herself into Joseph’s arms, kissing him hard on the cheek:
“Darling, I really love you! This is absolutely the best gift in the world.”
“Ah, be careful! The gun is loaded!”
…
January 4, 1798.
Three days before the Eastern Orthodox Christmas, the Russian corps heading towards India had also crossed into Bukhara.
Count Palen glanced at his pocket watch by the light of the torch beside him, not yet 3 a.m. It was the time humans are most sleepy.
He looked up at the Gatchina Palace looming in the night like a giant beast, signaling to the person behind him: “Count Zubov, good luck to you.”
