I was a tycoon in World War I: Starting to save France

Chapter 48 Power or Money?

In the end, Charles chose to work with Gallieni.

Gallieni left with satisfaction. Before leaving, he told Djokovic and Charles:

"We haven't met, and I haven't made any promises or agreements. We don't know each other, understand?"

"Of course!" Djokovic and Charles answered in unison.

If the capitalists knew of this tacit understanding, they, who hold power, would launch crazy revenge.

They would even accuse Gallieni of endangering national security: as a soldier, Gallieni secretly reached an agreement with arms dealers without the Senate's knowledge. Was he trying to launch a coup to overthrow the Republic?
Double standards and playing with the law are what capitalists are best at, and no one can outsmart them in this regard.

Gallieni looked at the kitchen with some concern, where Camille was busy cutting fruit.

Deyoka understood: "Don't worry, General! She won't say anything, I promise!"

It's not that Camille is tight-lipped, but that Djokovic knows her weaknesses.

Gallieni felt relieved after receiving the assurance. He shook hands with both men respectively and said to Charles with emotion: "In addition to inventing equipment, you are also a natural strategist and tactician, Charles! I once hoped that you would become my advisor, but, you know..."

Charles expressed his understanding that his identity as an arms dealer was too sensitive to the military and would touch the fragile nerves of the capitalists.

"Excuse me, General!" said Charles.

"What?" Gallieni was confused by Charles's sudden apology.

Ciel explained: "I will scold you or express my dissatisfaction with you in the future, I hope you don't mind!"

Gallieni was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter: "Of course I don't mind, Charles, the harsher the better! I allow you to curse! Of course, I will also respond, I don't think you will mind!"

"Of course, General!"

"And more!" Gallieni patted Charles on the shoulder: "I always believed that you were a capitalist with a conscience. I was right!"

Djoka was a little confused. The old man and the young man were having a charade-like conversation. He could understand every word, but he had no idea what they were saying.

After sending Gallieni away, Deyoka suddenly realized that in order to avoid suspicion, the military needed to act as if it was hostile to Charles, the arms dealer, or at least dislike each other, so that the capitalist could be reassured.

Djokovic was a little frustrated. It seemed that he had nothing to do with the conversation between smart people and he seemed a little redundant.

At this time, Camille came out with a plate in her hand, looking excited. She didn't find Gallieni, and her face showed some regret and disappointment: "Is the general gone? He should try the apple crisp I made!"

"The general is busy, Camille!" said Djoka.

Charles cast an inquiring look at Djoka, as if asking, how are you going to shut Camille up so that she doesn't brag about what happened tonight to the neighbors?

Djoka shrugged his shoulders. Isn’t this easy?

"Camille!" Djokovic called her as she was about to go back to the kitchen: "There is something I need to emphasize!"

"What?" Camille turned around and wiped her hands on her apron.

"General Gallieni has never been here!" Deyoka said, "The only people who came tonight are clients, here to discuss business, and only business!"

"But……"

Deyoka interrupted Camille's question: "If the capitalists knew what happened tonight, they might harm Charles and the kidnapping might really happen. This is one of the reasons why General Gallieni came to see Charles in plain clothes!"

Camille turned pale with fright in an instant. She looked at Charles and nodded heavily: "Okay, I won't say a word! The people who come tonight are customers, they just want to buy motorcycles!" "Yes!" Deyoka nodded with satisfaction.

Ciel protested with his eyes, You shamelessly use me?!

Dejoka replied helplessly: "This is the best way, Charles, you are Camille's weakness. After she knows this, she will keep her mouth shut even in her dreams!"

Ciel didn't object, which seemed to be common to most mothers.

Djokovic took Charles back to the table to enjoy the fruit platter. While eating, he asked:

"Two questions. He cannot protect our industrial property rights. How can we deal with capitalist imitation?"

For confidentiality reasons, Djokovic has replaced "Galieni" with "he".

"That's not a problem, father!" Charles used a fork to flip through the platter and picked out the apples he liked. "If I can constantly update my equipment and improve its performance, the capitalists' imitations will always be one step behind, and what they produce will be eliminated! Whoever imitates will lose money!"

Djoka paused and looked at Charles quietly for a while before saying, "It seems you are very confident in yourself?"

"Of course!" Charles answered half-jokingly, "I have at least a hundred ideas in my head, but I just haven't had time to realize them!"

Djokovic smiled and continued with his actions.

After all, he is a minor and does not understand the cruelty of reality. Sometimes, even if he has ideas, they may not be accepted by society or the military.

However, Djoka did not point it out. He thought it might be a good thing to let Charles maintain such confidence and mentality, and there was no need to add extra pressure on him at this time.

What Djoka didn't know was that Charles really had a hundred ideas, and these ideas had been tested in society and actual combat, and were certain to be accepted by the military.

"Another question!" Deyoka then asked: "Why would you rather choose a low price than cooperate with the military? This doesn't seem to be the way businessmen should do it!"

At least Francis wouldn't make that choice.

"Yes!" Charles answered vaguely, chewing an apple with a crunching sound: "Middle and low-level businessmen certainly don't do that!"

"Lower-middle level?" Djoka was stunned.

Could it be that Francis, who was hailed as a business genius in the family, was just a low- to middle-level businessman in Charles' eyes?

"Middle- and low-level merchants only care about money!" Charles dealt with the food seriously and answered nonchalantly: "Their vision is blinded by money, which makes them unable to see more important things."

"Something more important?" Djoka felt that Charles was talking about him, and he didn't know what he wanted more.

Charles did not answer but asked: "Father, do you know who are the most powerful capitalists in France?"

"I do know some!" Deyoka hesitated for a moment and said a few names that are familiar to the French: "Wintel, Steed, Jameson, and Wells!"

Charles nodded and pointed out their identities one by one: "The Windel family controls the Windel Group and monopolizes one-fifth of France's steel production; Steed is the owner of the Saint-Etienne Arsenal, which almost monopolizes the production and manufacturing of light weapons for the French army; Jameson owns the Schneider Arsenal, which produces artillery and warships; Wells is the head of the Brest Shipyard, which has been producing warships for France since the last century."

Djoka said "hmm", it seems that Charles has put a lot of effort in this aspect.

Charles raised his head and looked at Deyoka: "Do you think this is a coincidence, father? The most powerful person controls the arms manufacturing of the French army!"

Without waiting for Deyoka to answer, Charles asked several more questions: "Did they become the most powerful people because they controlled arms manufacturing, or did they control arms manufacturing after becoming the most powerful people? If it's the latter, where did their power come from? Who gave it to them?"

Djokovic was stunned. He had never thought about these questions.

(End of this chapter)