"Your Majesty, I suspect this must be Cafenak’s doing!" Percy declared confidently, "Only he could mobilize those damned bureaucrats against us!"
"My friend, please do not speak in such a tone!" Jero Bonaparte raised his hand to stop Percy’s complaints, "After all, those guys are rely unfortunate souls loyal to the system! Their annual salary is less than 4000 francs, and they still have to face their superiors’ reproaches!"
In 19th century France, being an official was indeed a decent job compared to other industries, but only just decent. The annual salary of grassroots bureaucrats sitting in Parisian offices was only about 1300–3800 francs, while skilled workers of the sa period earned around 2500 francs annually, and French farrs had an annual surplus inco of 1500–2000 francs. This ant that without so extra inco, it was difficult for grassroots bureaucrats to support a family, making extortion from so Outer Province folks a hidden rule among them.
"But..." Percy also knew this was not the ti for complaints, but he had no better option at the mont.
After all, the one sitting on the highest seat of power in France was Cafenak, not Jero Bonaparte.
"Since things have already happened, we need to resolve it as soon as possible!" Jero Bonaparte curiously asked Percy, "By the way, which newspaper company were we previously collaborating with?"
"The giant in the Paris newspaper industry, the Havas News Agency!" Percy replied cautiously, "Actually, at first the owner of Havas News Agency was not willing to cooperate with us; it was Baron Axiel Fuld who diated, and only then did they collaborate with us!"
"Ah, it’s them!" Jero Bonaparte suddenly ’recalled’ the Havas News Agency. What surprised him was that as one of the four future giants to monopolize global news, the Havas Newspaper appeared this early: "What was the content of our collaboration with Havas News Agency?"
"The Havas News Agency provided us with news about the international politics section, which we then published!" Percy responded to Jero Bonaparte.
"That’s blatant robbery!" Jero Bonaparte exclaid in an exaggerated tone while pointing at Percy.
"Your Highness, our cooperation has already ended!" Percy tried to explain.
"This just shows they have no confidence in us!" Jero Bonaparte nonchalantly waved his hand, "Apparently, old man Havas felt his investnt wasn’t worthwhile, so he didn’t withstand the pressure and withdrew early."
"Your Highness, then we..." Percy asked again.
"Since they’ve decided to distance themselves, why should we hold on to them!" Jero Bonaparte smiled and pulled out a banknote worth 100,000 francs from the Milan Bank, "Here’s 100,000 francs from the Milan Bank, I want you to keep the newspaper priced around 5 centis!"
"Your Highness, if we do that, we’ll incur losses!" Percy’s face changed slightly as he explained to Jero Bonaparte, "The cost from printing to publishing alone is about 4–5 centis. If we sell for 5 centis, we’d be losing money!"
"Secretary Percy!" Jero Bonaparte said sternly, "What we need to do now is get our na out there quickly. Francs can be earned again, but an opportunity only cos once!"
Understanding Jero Bonaparte’s intent, Percy responded, "I understand!"
"I’ll handle the matter with Cafenak! You just focus on running the newspaper! Also, don’t let Cafenak’s underlings find any evidence against us!" Jero Bonaparte warned with a serious expression.
"I’ll be careful!"
Having nothing else to discuss for the ti being, Percy left the conference hall.
Only Jero Bonaparte and Eugène Roué remained on site.
"I’m visiting Mr. Thiers tomorrow!" Jero Bonaparte said to Eugène Roué.
"Do you need to accompany you?" Eugène Roué responded imdiately.
Jero Bonaparte shook his head, "No need! I’ll visit on my own! You stay here!"
"Yes!"
...
On September 5th, 1848, Paris was especially cool on this day.
As one of the Order Party’s leaders, Mr. Thiers added an extra layer to his thin shirt early in the morning.
Though the weather had cooled slightly, our Mr. Thiers’s heart still burned like a fla.
The burning ambition hidden within his fra gave Thiers a surplus of energy.
"Sir, Jero Bonaparte seeks an audience!"
The servant in charge of announcing reported Jero Bonaparte’s visit to Thiers.
Has he co at last?
Thiers, who was petite, flashed a crafty smile at the corner of his mouth, thinking how long could that clumsy Prince hold on, not expecting him to surrender in less than two days.
His originally cautious heart relaxed again due to Jero Bonaparte’s visit.
Soone relying on the shade of his forefathers—not worth fearing!
"Then please let Deputy Jero Bonaparte in!" Thiers couldn’t help but reveal a hint of smugness.
The servant led Jero Bonaparte into the reception room where Thiers awaited.
Jero Bonaparte finally saw Thiers in person.
Even uglier than the photo!
This was Jero Bonaparte’s first thought upon seeing Thiers.
"Monsieur Bonaparte, what brings you here?" Thiers’s crafty face showed a surprised expression, pretending to be shocked by Jero Bonaparte’s visit.
"Mr. Thiers, I hope you and your party can support in the presidential election!" Jero Bonaparte said with a feigned stutter and his laughable Tuscan accent.
Tuscan bumpkin!
Thiers internally sneered at Jero Bonaparte again, but his face still wore a surprised expression, "Monsieur Bonaparte, electing a President is a matter for the entire nation’s vote; we don’t have that authority!"
"Ah! Voting! I hadn’t expected, Mr. Thiers is also an experienced Republican!" Jero Bonaparte complinted.
"I have always been a Republican!" the political chaleon Thiers responded humbly.
"Then as a Republican, you surely wouldn’t want to see the votes belonging to the entire Republic’s electorate be erased for obscure reasons, would you!" Jero Bonaparte emphasized.
"Who... who would do such a thing!" Thiers, like a thief yelling catch the thief, responded with a comical expression of surprise like a clown, "Monsieur Bonaparte, you should address this matter in the National Assembly, not discuss it here with !"
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