Chapter 305: Rothschild
This was a decision beyond Fran??ois's capacity. He had to inform Louis of the situation and reach out to the investors behind him. Louis nodded understandingly, setting a ti for their next discussion before Fran??ois took his leave.
Exiting "Bonaparte Armants," Fran??ois boarded a carriage waiting outside and headed straight for the Austrian embassy. Inside, he briefed tternich on his talk with Louis, asking, "Your Excellency, what do you make of the French's proposal?"
tternich pondered before responding, "Fran??ois, overall, the Bonaparte family has shown goodwill. As they've ntioned, they aren't lacking in avenues for funds. If they require capital, I believe banks across Europe, including those in England, would be eager to collaborate. Offering us a portion of their shares in this scenario is already remarkable. As for the preferred shares, it's an uncommon provision. However, these terms aren't unfavourable. Our goal shouldn't involve vying for control over 'Bonaparte Armants,' correct?"
"At least not in the short term," Fran??ois shook his head. "The Bonaparte family's dominion in France has been steadily solidifying. Initially, it was challenging, but they've succeeded. Napoleon's rule was established as a war hero turned ruler. This position is precarious. While initially praised for his conquests, his great deeds will fade in ti."
"Their previous support stemd from the spoils he brought, depleting the nobles' wealth, plundering us, the Italians, the Prussians. Sharing a fraction of these spoils with the populace made them grateful. However, stolen riches eventually run out. The people, accustod to easy gains through theft, find it hard to live modestly. If General Bonaparte desires continued support and love, he must ensure their relative comfort. Sustaining this is challenging; initially, we thought it impossible. We believed his only capability was constant military raids. But that's a temporary fix; it would only make France an enemy to all of Europe, inevitably leading to his downfall."
"Yet, we underestimated General Napoleon and the Bonaparte family behind him. Not only do they possess a military genius, but they've paved a new path for the French – a path unforeseen by us. Through comrce and science, they now acquire more wealth than through wars. So, for the foreseeable future, General Napoleon's rule in France is secure. Unfortunately, he lacks royal lineage; otherwise, France could easily beco a kingdom."
"Given their stability for the imdiate future, we can't vie for their core interests. The rise of France is unstoppable, it seems God stands by the Bonapartes. We must temporarily shelve other thoughts and obey the will of God. Ambassador, I understand your concerns. My hesitation lies in the fact that preferred shares can't be easily transferred. Joining the French venture may tie us in knots, making it hard to disentangle."
"Fran??ois, if you've approached
for this issue, you've sought the wrong person. You know, I'm not adept in these matters. But I have a friend, a Jew, well-versed in economics. Perhaps seeking his counsel would be beneficial."
"Thank you for your assistance," Fran??ois replied. "May I ask the na of your friend?"
"yer Rothschild — a banker in Frankfurt. He's quite astute in trade, and he's grood his sons well in the sa. He has five sons, all adept in business. Presently, his son Nathan Mayer Rothschild operates a successful bank in Paris. Perhaps seeking his advice could aid you."
Nathan Mayer Rothschild was a pivotal figure during the inception of the renowned Rothschild family in history. He was the third son of the senior Rothschild and the most capable among his five sons. In the original historical tiline, by late 1798, he'd arrived in London with startup capital, already an esteed figure in the British capital's financial market.
However, in this tiline, for unknown reasons, in 1798, Nathan didn't venture to London as he did historically but found himself in Paris instead. During the Battle of Valmy, while Joseph's false injury report nearly deceived everyone, Nathan, relying on various prior information, deduced that even if the report were true, the Allied forces couldn't breach Valmy's defenses and were dood to fail. Consequently, when French governnt bonds plumted to a re twentieth of their value due to rampant rumors, Nathan decisively invested a significant portion of his wealth ahead of the Baring Bank, purchasing substantial amounts of French governnt bonds. This bold move reaped enormous profits and earned him both Baring's ire and admiration.
It's said that when educating his son, Baring often used Nathan Mayer Rothschild as an exemplary figure. This practice greatly motivated young Baring to study diligently. However, it also instilled in him a strong aversion toward the Rothschilds and even Jews.
Since then, Nathan Mayer Rothschild sought to infiltrate France's military-industrial complex. However, both Baring's strong opposition and Joseph's apparent distrust of the surna "Rothschild" hindered his efforts.
This was reasonable. After all, even in his previous life, Joseph had read "The Currency Wars." Though he knew it was a novel, he was aware that the Rothschild family wasn't as formidable as portrayed. He knew that since missing out on the United States, the Rothschilds suffered significant losses during both World Wars, no longer the most powerful financial conglorate.
Yet, this didn't an Joseph could let his guard down, especially against soone nad "Nathan Mayer Rothschild." In the original tiline, this individual almost controlled Britain's entire monetary policy.
Monetary policy was crucial sovereignty. This couldn't fall into any conglorate's hands apart from the Bonaparte consortium; otherwise, the interests of the French populace would be jeopardized, turning them into slaves.
Similar to the beacon nation of the future, where monetary sovereignty landed in a private institution's hands, having several months' warning during a pandemic, possessing the world's most abundant dical resources and expertise, and a president touted as all-knowing, yet opting to protect the economy over lives, turning a global superpower into what seed like a third-world country. Such an occurrence couldn't be allowed in magnificent France. How could monetary sovereignty fall into the hands of the Jews?
The people of France wouldn't consent to such a scenario. Apart from the "Bonaparte consortium," they recognized no other authority!
Due to this vigilance, Nathan Mayer Rothschild, though profitable in France, faced difficulty infiltrating the "military-industrial complex."
Ard with tternich's letter of introduction, Fran??ois t the banker in Nathan Mayer Rothschild's opulent ho. Fran??ois explained his purpose to Nathan.
Nathan intertwined his fingers, contemplated on the sofa, and spoke, "I understand your apprehension. You see this deal as highly lucrative — so do I. You intend to invest as much cash as possible — sothing I'd also consider. But you worry that once this money becos preferred shares, it won't be as liquid as standard stocks in the market. If you invest too much cash, you might encounter trouble when urgently needing it; if not all cash is invested, it might feel like passing up a lucrative opportunity. Am I correct?"
Fran??ois nodded. "Mr. Rothschild, you're spot on. That's precisely
my concern."
"Fran??ois," Nathan Mayer Rothschild placed his palms on the table, "I have a solution that ensures both your peace of mind investing and maintains adequate liquidity. We can establish an investnt company first, inject funds into this entity, and then use it to acquire 'Bonaparte Armants' preferred shares. While these preferred shares can't be traded on the open market, the company's ownership can freely circulate. How does this plan sound to you?"
"Mr. Rothschild, I'm imnsely grateful. How can I express my gratitude?" Fran??ois inquired.
"Ah, Fran??ois, if you genuinely wish to show gratitude, I'd be honored if you'd allow
to invest in your new company," Nathan Mayer Rothschild smiled.
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