industrial lord

Chapter 823 There's only one thing to do.
Snowflakes danced in the air in Paris, the capital of the Gallic Kingdom.

The cold wind was kept out by the glass and heavy scarlet curtains, making Louis's private salon warm and cozy.

Six crystal chandeliers lit more than three hundred beeswax candles, and the light, refracted through crystal prisms, flowed into a shimmering river of light on the gold leaf inlaid in the ceiling.

The air was filled with the scents of expensive perfumes and incense.

A dozen or so noblemen and ladies sat scattered on velvet-lined couches and armchairs, chatting and laughing in hushed tones, their ivory fans gently waving.

Louis the Younger, the crown prince of Gaul, reclined on a chaise lounge covered with a velvet blanket, surveying the crowd.

Today's salon is not about paintings, sculptures, or music, but about international politics.

Recently, the hottest topic internationally has undoubtedly been Frederick's public speech.

Louis the Younger was unsure, so he consulted some of his trusted advisors.

Among today's guests is a rising star in politics, not an official, but Baron Turgot, editor of the Cider Times in Le Havre.

Following the Battle of Redwaterwheel Village, Baron Turgot's assertion that the Duchy of Wessen was doomed began to attract attention.

After the Anglo Kingdom's fleet made a provocative visit to the Rhine Alliance and the Grand Duke of Wesen did nothing, Baron Turgot's reputation grew daily, and he became known in the noble social circles of Baris for his sharp—sometimes overly sharp—political comments on the Duchy of Wesen.

At this moment, Baron Turgot was full of confidence. He had spent a large sum of money to buy official intelligence from the Kingdom of Anglo from an intelligence dealer, which corroborated his idea.

He stood in the middle of the crowd and expressed his views like an actor occupying the center of a stage, with exaggerated gestures and a tone that was almost like a theatrical monologue.

"So, my dear friends, the ship of the Duchy of Wessen is about to sink."

The surrounding audience members whispered among themselves, discussing the matter incessantly.

“I would like to hear the details, Baron.” Little Louis took a sip of tea, his eyes half-closed, like a lazy cat.

He had heard too many sensationalist statements and wouldn't easily believe them just because of Turgot's previous successful analysis. Instead, he would listen to whether the other party's statement was reasonable.

Turgot cleared his throat to make sure everyone in the salon could hear him.

“First, the food problem.” He held up a finger and brought up his old topic. “The Duchy of Wessen has limited arable land and has always relied on imported grain.”

"Last year's poor harvest affected the entire Rhine Union and our country, and now grain prices are up 20% compared to the same period last year."

"Frederick recruited countless workers for his factories instead of farming, and these people all needed to eat."

"The true food shortage in the Duchy of Wesen is far more alarming than the official data suggests."

A noblewoman covered her mouth with an ivory fan and chuckled softly, the hand-painted pastoral scenery on the fan trembling slightly with her movement: "My sister wrote back from Wessenburg last month saying that the bread she bought in Wessenburg was twice as expensive as it is in our Barris."

"The daily income of an ordinary artisan family is only enough to buy a loaf of bread."

“Exactly!” Turgot turned to the lady and gave a graceful, slight bow, as if thanking an audience member for their support.

“Secondly, the financial crisis.” He held up his second finger. “The Rhine Alliance suffered heavy losses in the great defeat at Redwaterwheel Village, and a large amount of war investment could not be recouped.”

"There are reports that the Grand Duke of Wessen has bailed out many bankrupt nobles by providing them with loans to repay war bonds."

"The exact amount of this money is unclear, but according to sources, this move has almost emptied the coffers of the Duchy of Wessen."

Louis the Younger took another sip of tea.

He also knew this information and had a rough estimate of the amount; it could be said that 60% of the losses from that defeat were repaid by the Duchy of Wessen in paper money.

“Third,” Turgot held up his third finger, “the Bohemian region has become an incurable parasite on the Duchy of Wessen, and we must continue to pour money into it.”

"But what does all this have to do with Grand Duke Wessen's speech that day?" the Crown Prince asked, his voice languid, as if he had just woken up. "He promised to keep every citizen warm throughout the winter. Sounds generous, doesn't it?"

Frederick's actions were contradictory: he was short of money on one hand, yet he was spending lavishly on ordinary people on the other.

This is what little Louis doesn't understand.

"Ha ha!" Turgoh laughed exaggeratedly, causing several ladies to cover their mouths with their fans. "Generosity? No, Your Highness, that's desperation! A low-class trick to divert attention!"

His tone became serious.

"Imagine this: food is scarce, the treasury is on the verge of collapse, and the people are beginning to discontent—in this situation, what should a rational ruler do?"

He should seek a real solution!

“We should increase revenue and reduce expenditure, we should negotiate procurement, we should cut unnecessary expenses!” Turgot waved his arms and continued, “But what has Grand Duke Wessen done?”

"He gave a speech about warmth, promising that no one would freeze to death!"

He turned to Louis the Younger, his expression becoming both mocking and pitying.

"It's like the roof of a house is on fire, but the owner is busy wiping the windows, worried that passersby won't be able to see the luxurious furnishings inside."

"He is avoiding the real crisis and using some nice-sounding but meaningless promises to numb the public's emotions."

A murmur of approval rose from the surrounding crowd.

The nobles nodded and exchanged glances, a knowing smile playing on their lips.

In such situations, sharp criticism is always more welcome than complex analysis, especially when the target of criticism is the Duchy of Vissen, which has begun to unsettle the Gallic nobles.

Louis put down his teacup.

The bottom of the glass clinked against the silver coffee table, producing a crisp "ding" sound, not loud, but enough to instantly quiet the salon.

"So, in your opinion," the Crown Prince asked, his tone still casual, but his half-closed blue eyes widened completely, "what will the Duchy of Wessen do next?"

Turgot keenly observed this change.

He recalled the contents of the intelligence he had purchased, slightly toned down his theatrical demeanor, and analyzed in a more pragmatic tone, more like a royal advisor than a salon celebrity: "Next, the Grand Guild of Wessen will do three things."

"First, continue the bluff. He will announce new construction projects—perhaps more smelters, perhaps a railway branch line, or more likely, a new inspiring speech—anything that creates an image of prosperity."

"Second, military expansion, or at least a demonstrative troop movement. He wants to show both domestic and international audiences that the military strength of the Duchy of Wessen remains formidable."

"third……"

He deliberately dragged out his words, letting the suspense build up in the warm air.

"What is the third?" a young count couldn't help but ask.

“Issuing bonds,” Turgot said loudly. “The first two items are preparations for issuing bonds, and the purpose is simple: to give the market confidence.”

"This bond is the only chance for the Principality of Wessen to plug the leaks. If we don't have enough money to plug the leaks, we won't have another chance."

Louis remained silent for nearly fifteen minutes before slowly speaking: "But if Wesson is really that weak, why haven't the other lords of the Rhine Alliance taken any action?"

“The nobles of the Rhine Alliance are not philanthropists. If the Duchy of Wessen were truly to fall, they would have already pounced on it like vultures.”

Turgot smiled, but this time it wasn't an exaggerated, theatrical smile; rather, it was a fox-like, cunning, and confident smile.

"Because they are also watching, Your Highness."

"Everyone knows that the Duchy of Wessen is facing difficulties, but just how difficult are they?"

"Is it a temporary cash flow problem, or a complete fiscal collapse?"

“Wesson’s speech—and his performance throughout the winter—is the answer to this question.”

"If he can get the people through the winter safely, then the difficulties will only be temporary pains."

"but if……"

He didn't finish speaking, but his shrugging shoulders and raised eyebrows conveyed the whole meaning.

The salon fell silent again.

Louis the Younger nodded slightly, agreeing with Turgot's assessment.

Although the Duchy of Wesen is wealthy, the losses from the Battle of Redwaterwheel Village and the two bottomless pits in the Bohemian region cannot be easily filled.

Now, all Wesson needs to do is one thing: make money.

Everything else is just a smokescreen.

Once Louis understood this, he made a decision.

There was only one thing I needed to do: stop Wesson from making money.

(End of this chapter)