After the signing ceremony ended, Count Algou once again expressed gratitude to the representatives of all the countries present, while collecting all the agreents signed by various countries and placing them back on the tray.
As the attendant carried the tray with the agreents away, Jero Bonaparte stood up and announced: The first European Currency Union agreent concluded at 2:35 p.m., history will forever rember this mont, and every representative who signed the currency union.
The representatives of the various nations also expressed that all of this was due to the excellent leadership of the French Empire.
With mutual praises, the event concluded completely. Jero Bonaparte, according to custom, shook hands with each country’s representative present, offering them so encouraging words.
When Jero Bonaparte’s hand grasped the hand of the Kingdom of Belgium’s representative, Jero Bonaparte smiled and asked the Belgian representative: "Mister Field, how is Leopold lately?"
The Belgian representative, who was also soon to be the Belgian ambassador to France, was montarily stunned upon hearing Jero Bonaparte’s inquiry, then imdiately understood Jero Bonaparte’s aning. He promptly replied: "Your Majesty, before I left, Crown Prince Leopold told he missed the scenery of Paris greatly, hence he will arrive in Paris soon!" (Subtext: Crown Prince Leopold will soon visit Paris to discuss coal and steel issues with him.)
"That’s good!" Jero Bonaparte nodded with satisfaction, "Please convey to Leopold that my wife and I warmly welco his arrival!"
"I will definitely relay your words to him verbatim!" Field’s representative responded in kind.
Having received a satisfactory answer, Jero Bonaparte released Field’s hand and turned to shake hands with the Sardinian Kingdom’s representative.
During the handshake, Jero Bonaparte also inquired about Pri Minister Cavour’s recent state.
The representative of the Sardinian Kingdom, unaware of Jero Bonaparte’s subtext, honestly replied: "Pri Minister Cavour has been well lately!"
Jero Bonaparte’s originally smiling face imdiately turned indifferent. He released the Sardinian Kingdom representative’s hand and responded faintly: "I hope your Pri Minister continues to do well!"
Subsequently, with a puzzled look from the Sardinian Kingdom, he shook hands with the next representative.
After completing his round of handshakes with all the representatives, the currency union eting officially dissolved.
The various country representatives left the Louvre under the guidance of General Vayan, while Jero Bonaparte walked alone along the corridor back to the Tuileries Palace.
By the way, the path between the Louvre and the Tuileries Palace has already been connected via a corridor thanks to the frugal Jero Bonaparte.
Upon returning to his study, Jero Bonaparte suddenly rembered that he hadn’t addressed the issue of the Colonial Affairs Departnt’s allocation.
Thus, he imdiately ordered Mokar to summon Minister of Montoban.
Before long, Minister of Montoban arrived at the study.
"Your Majesty?" Upon entering the study, Minister of Montoban bowed in response to Jero Bonaparte.
"Sit down, Minister Montoban!" Jero Bonaparte gestured invitingly for him to take a seat.
Minister of Montoban slowly sat opposite Jero Bonaparte, who imdiately inquired about the Ministry of War’s current situation.
Minister of Montoban responded to Jero Bonaparte’s queries, especially when discussing Algeria, lavishly praising Jero Bonaparte’s appeasent strategy.
"According to the Colonial Affairs Departnt’s statistics, from the policy’s announcent until now, nearly ten rebel forces in Algeria have surrendered to our army, including the largest force with nearly 1,000 people and the smallest with over 100!
So are located in the border region between Morocco and Algeria, while others are inland in Algeria!
Although our soldiers can defeat them, they cannot effectively capture them!
Your policy, Your Majesty, allows us to round them all up without effort!" Minister of Montoban praised Jero Bonaparte.
"What arrangents have you made for those surrendering forces?" Jero Bonaparte further inquired of Minister Montoban.
"We followed your instructions and pardoned them, dispersing these surrendered forces by mixing mbers from different groups into the foreign construction corps, granting each of them a piece of land along with a legal identity!" Minister of Montoban explained to Jero Bonaparte.
"I recall Algeria seems to have no excess land. From which tribes or areas are the land allocated?" Jero Bonaparte asked Minister Montoban.
"Correct! The land we allocated to them belongs to the tribal lands inland. If they wish to establish themselves on the allocated lands, they’ll need our support to succeed!" Minister of Montoban explained to Jero Bonaparte.
After hearing Montoban’s explanation, Jero Bonaparte couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe.
Who says the Ministry of War is all brute force! Their skill in stirring up the natives is already at an expert level.
"You’ve done very well!" Jero Bonaparte nodded with satisfaction and then bluntly said, "To those stubborn individuals who are unwilling to submit to French enlightennt, we must implent decisive dictatorship and not allow them a single mont to catch their breath!
As for those who are willing to submit to French leadership, we should appropriately encourage them."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" The Minister of Montauban replied to Jero Bonaparte.
Subsequently, Jero Bonaparte subtly inquired the Minister of Montauban about his views on the Colonial Affairs Departnt.
The Minister of Montauban clearly understood Jero Bonaparte’s implication; whenever His Majesty the Emperor asked about views on a certain departnt, it ant that the departnt would either take off from there or et its demise.
Judging from His Majesty’s attitude towards colonization, the Colonial Affairs Departnt likely wouldn’t be in the ranks of demise.
Having roughly gauged His Majesty’s attitude, the Minister of Montauban righteously responded to Jero Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, I believe that with the expansion of French colonies, the Colonial Affairs Departnt should not remain a subsidiary of the Ministry of War, but should beco a departnt on par with the Ministry of War!"
"I didn’t expect you to think the sa way!" Jero Bonaparte intentionally acted surprised and said to the Minister of Montauban, "I also believe that the Colonial Affairs Departnt should not be subordinated to the Ministry of War, because colonization itself is not only about using violence against those backward peoples; we must also use enlightennt to mobilize those peoples, enabling them to truly acknowledge our culture and even consider themselves French."
Although France beca a mixed ss of green and black in later generations, it is undeniable that France’s enlightennt in West Africa far surpassed any region of Britain.
Many political figures in West Africa take pride in France, the school curricula in West Africa are still maintained in French, and even the currency issued in West Africa is the African franc.
If we were to use the Eastern concept, France is akin to the Celestial Empire for West Africa, and they are akin to French vassal states.
This "tribute-paying country" relationship is exactly why, even though like the United Kingdom, France was forcibly dissected by the US and USSR, it did not completely fall into oblivion like the United Kingdom, becoming a country that can only exist by relying on the United States.
Even if later generations of France fall behind, it is still a nation beneath China and the United States. (Due to the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Russian Empire has to be downgraded a notch.)
And all of this depends on France’s comprehensive ruling and governance policy towards its colonies.
rely implenting a stringent military administration policy in the colonies, or simply adopting a laissez-faire attitude, only caring about revenue, is unsuitable for France.
Therefore, the Colonial Affairs Departnt cannot remain permanently under the Ministry of War; it must beco a departnt of France.
"Your Majesty, you are absolutely right!" The Minister of Montauban nodded in agreent.
Anyway, he was already destined to go to Algeria to serve as Governor, so whether the Colonial Affairs Departnt beca independent or not did not really matter to him.
Rather than opposing the Emperor on this matter, it was better to follow the Emperor’s wishes.
Moreover, even if he continued to serve as Minister of War, how could he possibly obstruct His Majesty the Emperor?
As long as His Majesty the Emperor wishes, no one and no departnt could obstruct him.
"Since we’ve established that the Colonial Affairs Departnt should be independent, it will surely require a minister after its independence. Do you have any recomndations?" Jero Bonaparte asked Montauban.
"Your Majesty, I’m not sure if it’s appropriate for to make such a decision!" Montauban tactfully refused.
"What’s inappropriate?" Jero Bonaparte waved his hand and replied to Montauban, "You’re still the Minister of War, and the Colonial Affairs Departnt is still under your jurisdiction!"
"Well..." Montauban hesitated for a mont before responding to Jero Bonaparte, "How about General de Castelane?"
"What? Are you afraid of people resenting you for taking his position as Governor of Algiers, so you brought it up?" Jero Bonaparte asked the Minister of Montauban half-jokingly.
"That is one reason!" The Minister of Montauban honestly replied, "However, I also believe that General de Castelane is capable of being a good Colonial Minister!"
"Alright! I’ve got it!" Jero Bonaparte nodded to the Minister of Montauban.
Originally, Jero Bonaparte planned to calm General de Castelane’s resentnt over losing the position of Governor of Algiers by promoting him to Imperial Marshal and appointing him to the Senate.
Since Montauban recomnded General de Castelane as the Minister of the Colonial Departnt, Jero Bonaparte decided to go along with the arrangent.
After all, an Imperial Marshal position is far more precious than that of a Colonial Minister.
Jero Bonaparte believed that, if General de Castelane knew that Montauban "lost" him the Marshal position, he would surely resent Montauban even more.
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