The office door closed again, and the others withdrew. One representative from the bank remained inside, while the other stood guard outside, seemingly to prevent anyone from eavesdropping. Baron Fidoren frowned. This was clearly a sign of distrust. However, considering the dire situation, he had to restrain his temper. “Go ahead. What’s so secretive about this? Let me be clear from the start. If you’re eyeing the machinery factory, then don’t waste your time here. That factory is my child. No matter how far I’ve fallen, I will never give it up. Your Paris Bank doesn’t have the qualifications to take it from me!” When he said this, Baron Fidoren was full of confidence. Although the power of the aristocratic group had declined, they still held sway over the French government. Capitalists might have money, but they still lacked comparable political influence. As one of the few successful businessmen among the nobility, Baron Fidoren had a powerful network. Once activated, even financial groups would find it a headache. Under such circumstances, many had coveted the machinery factory, but few dared to act on it. The middle-aged man gave an awkward smile and explained, “Baron, you are overthinking it. How could we dare to make a move on your assets? Over the past week, the stock market has continuously declined. The market is on the verge of collapse. I am here on behalf of Paris Bank to discuss how we can navigate this impending economic crisis together.” Undoubtedly, Paris Bank had once considered targeting the machinery factory. But they soon realized it was a tough nut to crack. The real value was embedded in the cracks of the bone, and trying to force it would only end in pain. Baron Fidoren rolled his eyes and replied, “Enough. I know my own situation. If I had control over the economic crisis, I wouldn’t be worrying about money right now.” The sudden wave of defaults had left the machinery factory without cash flow. This was public knowledge in the financial market. There was no hiding it. Baron Fidoren had no intention of pretending to be wealthier than he was, nor did he expect to deceive those bloodsucking bankers. The middle-aged man put away his smile and said seriously, “Baron, what I am about to say is extremely important. If you choose to listen, you must ensure that nothing we discuss here leaves this room. I can assure you that what follows will only benefit you and will not bring harm. Even the problems you’re currently facing can be easily resolved.” It was a blatant provocation. But considering the possibility of resolving the funding shortfall, Baron Fidoren decided to keep listening. As for confidentiality, that would depend on the nature of the message. If the benefits were great enough, confidentiality would become a joke. “Go ahead. If it’s really good for me, would you even need to worry about leaks?!” The middle-aged man nodded and slowly said, “Baron, you must have noticed. All across Europe, countries are experiencing varying degrees of overproduction. But France has suffered the most. The root cause lies in our high industrial production costs, which make it impossible to compete with Britain and Austria. We’ve made many efforts to address the issue of raw materials, but they’ve had little effect. The main issue is the energy problem. We’re forced to buy overpriced coal from abroad and often face shortages in supply. This affects all sectors. To resolve this, we hope that domestic industrial and commercial sectors will unite to persuade the central government to implement the Central Europe Strategy as soon as possible. If we can resolve the energy issue, French industry and commerce will immediately enter a golden age. At that point, Baron, your orders could be booked years in advance. The companies that are canceling orders now will come begging to pay you in full.” To implement the Central Europe Strategy, words alone would not suffice. The French government would inevitably need to expand its military and prepare for war. Once that happened, the unsold strategic materials in the country would be rapidly consumed. If Austria intervened and a continental war broke out, the demand for strategic supplies would be astronomical. As an upstream manufacturer of machinery and equipment, Baron Fidoren’s factory would naturally benefit. Despite the great benefits, Baron Fidoren furrowed his brow and remained silent for a long while before finally saying, “You’re playing with fire. If anything goes wrong, you’ll bring down the French Empire!” The benefits were immense, but so were the risks. The Central Europe Strategy had been viewed as idealistic since its inception. From the era of Napoleon III until now, more than thirty years had passed and it still hadn’t been implemented. It wasn’t for lack of desire. Every French administration had wanted to realize this grand vision. The problem was that France lacked the strength. Though powerful, France was still no match for a coalition of European nations. If mishandled, the result would be a new anti-French war, and that would be fatal. The middle-aged man shook his head and said, “Baron, high risk brings high reward. If we don’t take risks, how can we possibly solve the problems we face? Besides, now is the perfect time to act. Britain and Russia are locked in conflict in Central Asia, keeping each other occupied. The only obstacle left is Austria. If we miss this chance and the Anglo-Russian war ends, we won’t get another opportunity. Although our economy has recovered in recent years, compared to other European countries, our development rate is among the lowest. Over time, the situation will only worsen. If we act now, we have a chance. The longer we wait, the slimmer our chances become. In fact, we should have acted back in 1880 during the Russo-Prussian War. Unfortunately, some people hesitated and we missed a golden opportunity.” From a purely strategic standpoint, 1880 was indeed France’s best chance to challenge the European order. But after the revolution in Paris, the French economy was hit hard and only recently had begun to recover. Sadly, that was not the end but merely the start of disaster. With the economic crisis looming, another blow would once again cripple the French economy. In the grand scheme of history, ten years may seem insignificant. But for France, that lost decade was one in which it fell drastically behind economically. Over ten years ago, the French economy had surpassed that of the British Isles. But now the British had overtaken them once more. Compared to Austria, the economic gap was even more pronounced. If things continued this way, by the next decade, the gap would no longer be measured in percentages but in multiples. Back then, people underestimated the importance of economics. In calculating national strength, economics was seen as a minor factor. Thanks to the glory of Napoleon’s era and years of government propaganda, the French people still believed their country was the top land power and second naval power in the world. Ordinary citizens felt no pressure. But the financial elite were different. They were the most sensitive to economic conditions. A booming economy meant abundant capital. If the economy lagged for too long, the financial gap with British and Austrian capital would widen. Whether for long-term development or short-term gain, the financial groups had every reason to push for the Central Europe Strategy. Drawing in Baron Fidoren was mainly due to his powerful political network, which could influence government decisions to some extent. These were assets that money could not buy. Even today, financial groups in France lacked strong political voices. They could influence minor decisions, but to push a national strategy required aristocratic support. “Sigh.” After a deep sigh, Baron Fidoren closed his eyes and fell into a fierce internal struggle. The more you knew, the more you worried. France’s situation was no secret to these elites. The deeper the understanding, the harder it became for Baron Fidoren to decide. Seeing his hesitation, the middle-aged man added, “As long as you’re willing to support the Central Europe Strategy, regardless of whether it succeeds, the bank loan can be deferred until next year. If the strategy is approved by the government, we can offer another loan to the machinery factory.” “Bank loan” and not just “Paris Bank’s loan”—Baron Fidoren immediately understood the implication. France’s major financial groups were clearly united behind this plan. Unlike the nobility, whose fate was tied to France, capitalists always had options. Even if they lost this bet, they could withdraw and develop in another country. It would be costly, and they’d have to start from scratch, but they could survive. Unless absolutely necessary, no one wanted to abandon France. Baron Fidoren sneered: “How generous of you! Very well, I know what to do. I have another meeting to attend, so I won’t keep you any longer.” Though treated rudely, the middle-aged man didn’t mind. He knew the job was done. With a beaming smile and courteous manner, he left the office. From start to finish, Baron Fidoren never asked the man’s name or identity. It wasn’t arrogance. He simply had no need to concern himself with a pawn. Making decisions for the government and pushing the Central Europe Strategy were dangerous matters. The real power players never showed their faces. The ones out doing the legwork were expendable pawns. If the plan succeeded, all was well. If it failed and provoked government hostility, those pawns would be ready scapegoats. Looking out the window, Baron Fidoren remained silent for a long time before reconnecting the phone line. He picked up his phone book and began dialing... ... Baron Fidoren wasn’t the only one being persuaded. From the moment the stock crash began, the capitalists had started working behind the scenes. First, they approached the industrial and commercial sectors. Then they turned to members of parliament and government officials. A massive lobbying campaign had begun. Without the public noticing, French public opinion also began to shift. Experts and scholars attributed the stock crash, unemployment surge, and low wages to the manipulation of coal prices by Germany and Belgium. In summary, the narrative became this: the despicable Germans and Belgians were plundering French wealth by driving up coal prices. Of course, a few tabloid papers, eager to attract readers, threw in John Bull for good measure. After all, Britain was the world’s largest coal exporter. It was a minor issue. Anglo-French tensions were nothing new. Adding another grievance made little difference. Following the logic of picking the easiest target, the experts and scholars selectively ignored Britain. They demanded only that the government take a tough stance against Germany and Belgium to prevent further national losses.
*** https://postimg.cc/gallery/PwXsBkC (Maps of the current territories of the countries in this novel made by ScH)
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