Bern State, Switzerland.
The long queue in front of Allens Bank has disappeared, and so people have even started depositing money in the bank—rumors are everywhere that Bern might break away from the Swiss Confederation and beco a province of France. By then, Batzen would be exchanged for francs, and the money in the bank would be converted directly into francs, without the hassle of exchanging.
Citizens on the streets and alleys are excitedly discussing in groups: "Do you know about Paris’s water supply system? You can turn a valve at ho, and clean water cos out. Maybe we can use it in the future!"
"What’s that, in France even dical care is free. And the governnt assigns doctors to all parishes..."
"Really? French doctors are the best in Europe!"
"I’m more interested in schools. If we beco French, we can attend six years of school for free. After graduating, there are many factories in Lyon to choose from..."
"I’ve heard that even three-year-olds can go to kindergarten, with special care provided, and only need to pay 3 Batzen a month, which includes two als of bread."
"Maybe there will be gas streetlights!"
"What’s that?"
"Don’t you even know that? Those lights can make the streets at night as bright as during the day..."
Of course, so people are strongly opposed to Bern’s incorporation into France.
These are mainly the tax farrs, so city oligarchs, and Protestant believers.
Tax farrs don’t need an explanation. If incorporated into France, the tax farming system might be abolished. They’ve long heard about the "tragic experiences" of their French counterparts.
City oligarchs are capitalists monopolizing certain industries through shady ans, like controlling the city’s grain or timber trade. Who knows if the French governnt would allow such behavior?
As for Protestant believers, naturally, they are worried about being suppressed by the Catholic Church.
But their voices were mostly drowned out by the cheers of citizens eager to beco French.
Inside the parliant house, Mr. Ludiger took a letter and ran to the speaker’s office, entering with excitent: "Count Haupert, Count Erlach wrote that things are going very smoothly, the French officials have received the money, and results will co in a week."
Haupert grabbed the letter, unfolded it, and looked directly at the date at the end.
The letter was sent five days ago, aning in another two or three days, the Palace of Versailles will announce the establishnt of Bern Province.
He imdiately stood up and signaled to Ludiger: "Call all the mbers. We’d better complete the legislation before Paris."
Yes, if the French Governnt has expressed the intention to take in Bern, while here the law still states it’s a mber of the Swiss Confederation, wouldn’t Bern seem too presumptuous?
That afternoon, the Bern State Parliant conducted the first round of voting, with 86% of the mbers supporting legislation to join France.
The excited Haupert canceled all the cumberso legislative processes, and with astonishing efficiency, officially issued the decree in five days.
Afterward, the Bern Parliant sent diplomats and notices to Zurich, ready to announce the separation from the Confederation as soon as the news from Paris is confird.
Thus, the matter of Bern State’s upcoming incorporation into France quickly spread throughout Switzerland.
The most excited was Geneva State.
They are almost entirely French-speaking, have always been very pro-French, and their economy completely depends on France.
If Bern can be accepted by France, why not Geneva?
Moreover, strictly speaking, Geneva is not even a mber of the Swiss Confederation, saving the step of leaving the Confederation.
So the Geneva Parliant imdiately convened mbers to start planning integration into French law.
Fribourg, Lucerne, Solothurn, and other western cantons of Switzerland also started to set their minds.
Previously, they balanced between France and Ao, profiting as connectors between two major countries. Now, with the northern German states all joining the Stuttgart Trade Agreent, balancing operations no longer have aning.
They originally wanted to join the trade agreent, but now it seems there’s a chance to directly join France, they must strive for it.
anwhile, Zurich, Basel, Schwyz, and other German-speaking and Protestant cantons began to panic.
They were indifferent to the Confederation’s dissolution—the Swiss Confederation had no influence anyway—but once France’s influence crosses the Jura Mountain, it will quickly spread to Switzerland’s eastern and northern regions.
...
Paris.
Ten days have passed since the 400,000 francs were transferred by the Bern Parliant to French officials.
Count Erlach began to feel restless.
In the initial days, Viscount Nobert frequently sent people to update them on the progress, but in the last three days, there’s been no news from Nobert.
The three Bern mbers debated intensely and finally decided to ignore Viscount Nobert’s request not to contact others, and go out to inquire about the situation.
In front of the Palace of Versailles, Count Erlach handed 50 francs to a court official, who readily told them Nobert’s room location.
As the three headed straight into the Palace of Versailles, the court official quickly followed: "Are you going to find Viscount Nobert?"
"Ah, yes, we have so trade matters."
The court official waved: "You might be disappointed. Viscount Nobert is busy with his expo in Karlsruhe and hasn’t returned yet."
Count Erlach imdiately laughed: "That’s impossible; we had coffee with him just last week."
The Frenchman looked at them as if they were fools and turned away.
Then, the three t Viscount Nobert’s wife.
She told them her husband is in Baden.
Count Erlach and the others refused to believe, yelling as they tried to push inside, frightening Lady Nobert into a scream.
Soon, the court guard expelled the Swiss from the Palace of Versailles, Mr. Fred took a heavy kick.
Count Erlach and the others realized sothing was wrong, and after repeatedly failing to contact Nobert, they had to spend more money and reveal their identity as Bern State diplomats, finally eting French Trade Minister Mr. Bailly a few days later.
After greeting, Count Erlach assessed the spacious, luxurious office, smiling to Bailly: "Last ti, you weren’t eting us here in this office..."
Bailly imdiately frowned: "Sorry, we seem not to have t before?"
"Do you rember? Half a month ago, in the office on the west side of the first floor."
Bailly laughed: "You’re very humorous, half a month ago I was in Genoa, and only returned to Paris this Monday."
"Impossible! That day, Viscount Nobert brought us to et you! Right on the west side of the first floor..."
Mr. Fred suddenly pulled Count Erlach, glanced at the French Trade Minister, and whispered: "Don’t you think... Mr. Bailly seems, different from that day..."
Count Erlach was stunned, carefully examining Bailly, but that day they were facing the sunlight and couldn’t see Bailly’s appearance clearly.
He pointed at Bailly and exclaid: "No, you, you are impersonating the minister!"
Soon after, the Bern mbers were "politely" escorted out of the Palace of Versailles by the court guard again.
The three stood in the Marble Courtyard, their foreheads drenched in cold sweat.
"How is this possible?" Fred was the first to speak, "We clearly entered the Trade Minister’s office that day..."
Count Erlach nodded: "I even saw Viscount Nobert working with Count Mirabeau."
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