Mornay listened to Jero Bonaparte depicting the railway blueprint, feeling extrely excited inside.
Of course, he wasn’t excited about the railway itself, but about the rolling financial interests it could bring.
Not to ntion, just "designating so qualified companies," what company qualifies to issue stock bonds, this aspect alone could be discussed for days.
Let alone the road and bridge unit’s guidance and procurent for private companies, which involves a considerable amount, and face-to-face safety performance issues also have many intricacies.
Mornay, quick in drawing parallels, instantly thought of the follow-up and blurted out: "The subsequent public maintenance is also a significant expense, the Ministry of Public Works has the obligation to inject funds for the subsequent public maintenance!"
"Exactly!" Looking at Mornay, who was gradually getting on the "right track," Jero Bonaparte nodded with satisfaction: "The Railway Commission can issue bonds in due ti to serve as public maintenance funds. For a financially stable country, a slight debt problem is even more beneficial to the governnt’s operation."
Jero Bonaparte gave an example: "I’ve heard a joke, if you owe the bank 1,000 francs, the bank will compel you to repay. If you owe the bank 10 million francs, the bank will treat you like a lord."
"Indeed!" The enormous benefits completely made Mornay forget his previously expressed negative comnts on the railway; he only wanted to establish a Railway Commission as soon as possible and contribute as much as possible to the country.
"Mr. Mornay, I hope you can turn the plan for forming a Railway Commission into a report and submit it to Pri Minister Barro!"
Jero Bonaparte nodded in satisfaction and withdrew his hand from the table, leaning back to make a relaxed gesture, then raised his hand to press his temples to relieve ntal stress.
"Will Barro really approve this plan? Now he is worried about France’s finance!" Mornay frowned, uncertain about Barro’s attitude.
"Politics is politics, business is business!" Jero Bonaparte said to Mornay in a peculiar tone: "Moreover, building railways is politically correct! This is also for France’s stability; even the ekest person would turn into a riot in face of unemploynt!"
"Indeed! This is all for France!" Mornay responded passionately, at this mont, he seed to beco a noble person, one who speaks for the people, a person who sacrifices himself.
If you observe closely, you will spot the greed in Mornay’s eyes.
How could a guy full of greed possibly beco a truly noble person?
"Alright! I should leave now! As for the legal articles concerned, you can discuss them with our Minister Roué! We need to avoid any articles that are detrintal to us as much as possible!" Jero Bonaparte stood up to stretch his body, waving his hand to motion Mornay and Eugène Roué to leave.
Holding a top hat, Roué exchanged a glance with Mornay, stood up to bow to Jero Bonaparte, and then turned to leave together.
As the two were about to leave, Jero Bonaparte suddenly shouted: "Wait a mont!"
Eugène Roué and Mornay turned to look at Jero Bonaparte, and Eugène Roué spoke, "Your Majesty, do you have any further instructions!"
"After formulating the Railway Commission plan, do not submit it to Pri Minister Barro first. Pri Minister Barro is currently preparing related work regarding the ’restoration of salt tax’!" Jero Bonaparte replied to the two.
"Yes!"
The two left the Elysee Palace study, leaving just Jero Bonaparte alone.
It was already 3:40 pm, and it was twilight outside the window.
The bitter cold wind rcilessly pounded on the glass window of the Elysee Palace, making a "crackling" sound, with so snowflakes falling from the clouds onto the ground of Paris, marking the impending arrival of a real winter.
After a short while, night descended quietly, and as night fell, the snow beca heavier, turning into snowflakes swept across the sky, gently falling on the roof of the Elysee Palace like goose feathers, sticking to the study’s glass windows.
Carrying an oil lamp, Percy carefully opened the study room’s door, the faint light of the oil lamp bringing Jero Bonaparte back from his reverie.
"Your Majesty, it’s snowing!" Percy softly reminded after placing the oil lamp beside the desk.
"Hmm?" Jero Bonaparte turned his head to glance at the window lattice behind him and nodded: "Yes! It is snowing!"
...
The continuous snow fell intermittently for several days, covering the entire Paris in a blanket of white.
Wealthy families switched to heavy cotton clothes, gathered around coal-burning fireplaces discussing ancient and modern tis.
Poor families huddled together, using each other’s body heat to keep warm.
Despite Paris being particularly cold that year, the atmosphere in the National Assembly hall at the Bourbon Palace was exceptionally intense.
Since January 15th, when Cabinet Pri Minister Barro submitted the proposal to the National Assembly regarding the "restoration of salt tax," the Assembly had not concluded a single day without a noisy environnt for the following days.
Even though Speaker Marast repeatedly emphasized that the National Assembly should maintain silence, no political party was willing to follow his arrangent.
For the Republican Faction, Pri Minister Barro, who made "restoration of salt tax" the first step of the Cabinet’s policy, was an excellent target. Occupying a certain percentage, they could seize this opportunity to unite and achieve two goals with one arrow—both overthrowing the Cabinet and portraying themselves as protectors of farrs’ interests to attack the person chosen by the farrs (referring to President Jero Bonaparte).
As expected, the restoration of salt tax was vetoed by the joint efforts of the Republican Faction and the Mountain Party in the National Assembly.
Simultaneously, mbers of the Constitutional Committee from the Republican Faction and the Mountain Party in the National Assembly displayed a silent attitude towards Barro with a "no confidence motion," and even the Order Party, which had not yet seized the majority in the National Assembly, could not support Audion Barrot.
[Constitutional Committee: An organization ford after the June Revolution, comprising a minority of National Assembly mbers to draft the constitution, mostly comprised of Republican Faction mbers.]
If Barro does not take counteraction, his position as Pri Minister that he recently obtained less than a month ago will be removed by the National Assembly.
January 15, 1849.
Unable to bear it any longer, Barro went to the Elysee Palace, and under Percy’s guidance, found Jero Bonaparte, who was listening to old soldiers recounting stories of the Emperor and Empress Josephine at Malmaison Castle, explosively saying: "Mr. President, I request to abolish clubs, suspend the City Governnt functions, and dissolve the Special Team!"
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