Chapter 1042: The Chancellor of the Exchequer Surrenders
Bemini was a little overwhelmed by Jérôme Bonaparte's sudden inquiry. He glanced at Achille Fuld subconsciously.
"Mr. Bemini, you are one of the best bankers in France!
Do you even need to ask others such a simple question?" Jérôme Bonaparte's stern scolding reached Beminid's ears, and Bemini quickly moved his eyes away from Achille Fuld.
open.
Unable to seek assistance from Achille Fuld, Bemini had no choice but to answer Jérôme Bonaparte's questions.
"Your Majesty, please allow me to ask some questions to Controller Basilio!" Bemini said respectfully to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Ask!" Jérôme Bonaparte nodded in response.
Immediately afterwards, Bemini asked Basilio in detail some questions about Norinco, including the group's subsidiaries, the companies it cooperates with, and the group's annual profits.
Although Basilio has left Norinco for some time, he still tries his best to answer Bemini's questions.
After Bemini had asked all the questions he wanted to ask, he turned his attention to Jerome Bonaparte.
"How about it? How much loan can the Bank of France provide me?" Jérôme Bonaparte asked Bemini again.
"If you look at the Norinco Group itself, the Bank of France is willing to provide you with assistance of approximately 60 million francs for the construction of the group!" Bemini cautiously reported to Jerome Bonaparte with a banker's vision.
determine your expected price.
"What is the interest rate on the loan?" Jérôme Bonaparte asked again.
"About 5%, Your Majesty!" Bemini replied to Jérôme Bonaparte. "For a well-run enterprise, the directors of the Bank of France are very willing to provide certain assistance!"
Upon hearing the quotation given by Bemini, Jérôme Bonaparte couldn't help but tease, "You bankers always like to lend money to people who don't need them!
For those who really need money, you always want to squeeze out the last bit of value from them and then throw them away.
(Jérôme Bonaparte picked up the orange on the table and peeled it, then placed the peel on Bemini's hand)
Just like the orange peel on your hand!"
Bemini, who was holding an orange peel in his hand, looked slightly embarrassed.
As a banker, he did not refute Jérôme Bonaparte's words that wiping out creditors had always been the "traditional virtue" of bankers in the 19th century.
In particular, bankrupts with high-quality resources in their hands are the targets of bankers.
After Jérôme Bonaparte finished eating the orange flesh, he signaled to Bemini to put the orange peel on the table, and Bemini put the orange peel away.
"By the way! Bemini, you haven't told me how much loan the Bank of France can give me if I completely mortgage Norinco!" Jérôme Bonaparte then asked.
"Your Majesty, you don't need to mortgage it at all!" Bemini responded to Jérôme Bonaparte sincerely, "For a high-quality industry like Norinco, it would be too wasteful to fully mortgage it!
Take several of its subsidiaries as an example. These subsidiaries can be listed independently after breaking away from the group!
Once these companies go public, they will inevitably be pursued by countless bankers!"
"I'm just asking about its value, not the actual mortgage!" Jerome Bonaparte asked cheerfully.
Bemini thought again for a few seconds and gave Jerome Bonaparte a figure, "Your Majesty, the price France can offer is only 80 million francs!"
"80 million francs!" Jérôme Bonaparte stroked the chin of his chin and said indifferently, "This number is not bad!"
Later, Jerome Bonaparte continued to ask half-jokingly, "If we add the palace's annual balance of 3 million francs, can I apply for a loan of 90 million from the Bank of France!"
"Your Majesty, do you...really want a mortgage?" Bemini was shocked by what he had done to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Why not?" Jérôme Bonaparte shrugged his shoulders and responded helplessly to Bemini.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me!" Bemini first confessed to Jerome Bonaparte, and then asked, "What do you want to do with this money?"
"Since my dear Steward Fuld does not approve of this plan, then I have to spend my own money to do it!" Jerome Bonaparte calmly replied to Bemini.
"Your Majesty, I..."
Achille Fuld was sitting on pins and needles. He stood up and wanted to explain to Jerome Bonaparte, but Jerome Bonaparte motioned him to sit down with his hand.
Achille Fuld had no choice but to sit back in his seat, but judging from his expression at this moment, Fuld's heart was definitely not calm.
"Your Excellency Fuld, I can understand your desire to balance the empire's balance of payments!
The empire really shouldn’t spend money so lavishly!” Jérôme Bonaparte continued to confirm Achille Fuld’s idea of saving the budget, and he continued to respond to Achille Fuld in sincere words.
, “However, I hope you can understand me too!
The renovation of roads and the widening of canals in the Alsace-Lorraine region are really important.
Even if the Ministry of Finance is unwilling to allocate funds for this, I will try my best to make it happen!
If selling Norinco is not enough to cover the cost of renovation, I can also sell Tuileries Palace, Fontainebleau Palace...
At worst, Augusta, Friedrich and I find a hotel to stay in!
I remember when I returned to France, I stayed in a hotel!
It’s nothing more than reliving old dreams!”
Jerome Bonaparte's firm attitude moved the three imperial ministers present.
Even Baros who proposed this project did not understand why the emperor was so concerned about the Alsace-Lorraine region that he said such a thing.
As for Achille Fuld, at this time he understood that he had been "generalized" by the emperor.
He had no doubts about the emperor's determination to "sell the Tuileries Palace and support the renovation of public infrastructure in Alsace-Lorraine".
If the emperor really chooses to sell the Tuileries Palace to raise funds, the entire empire will probably be completely disgraced.
At that time, he, the finance minister, will not only have to take the blame and resign, but he may also face the risk of "God's execution".
"Your Majesty, you really have posed a problem for me!" Achille Fuld replied to Jerome Bonaparte with a wry smile.
"Fulde, I understand you!" Jerome Bonaparte continued to act like he was thinking about you, and his tone still maintained the affinity of things, "I hope you can understand me too!"
Then, Achille Fuld looked at Baros with a look that was almost murderous.
It’s this damn guy who deceived the emperor to embarrass me! Just wait, I will definitely take revenge!
Achille Fuld kept cursing Baros in his heart. After a long time, he asked Baros, "Minister Baros, how much money does your Ministry of Public Transport estimate it will take to complete the construction of these two areas?"
Road renovation!”
"According to calculations made by our Ministry of Transport day and night, it will cost about 200 million francs to completely renovate the highway!" Baros reported the budget cautiously.
After hearing Baros's offer, Achille Fuld's originally restless heart calmed down a little.
Although the quoted price of 200 million francs far exceeds France's annual balance, it is still within a controllable range.
"Minister Baros, you plan to completely renovate the roads in these two areas in a few years!" Achille Fuld asked Baros again.
"Three years!" Baros raised three fingers and responded to Achille Fuld confidently, "According to the transportation department's estimates, it only takes three years for us to make the Alsace-Lorraine region
The roads are brand new!”
After hearing Baros's answer, Achille Fuld turned his attention to Jerome Bonaparte again, "Your Majesty, please forgive me!"
"Minister Fuld, please speak!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Achille Fuld with a smile.
"Since you insist on implementing the renovation plan submitted by Minister Baros, then as a minister, I can only choose to implement your will!" There was a hint of helplessness in Achille Fuld's tone, "But I have to
Let me remind you that some of the empire's current 4-year treasury bonds need to be redeemed (the purpose is to prevent those who want to sell treasury bonds from losing their interests, and only in this way can the market for French treasury bonds rise steadily). Some railway bonds also need money.
Come and take it back.
This year is likely to be a difficult year for the empire, and I hope your majesty can be prepared!"
"I understand!" Jérôme Bonaparte responded to Achill Fuld with a nod, "I assure you that there will be no other budgets this year!"
Although Achille Fuld did not believe Jérôme Bonaparte, the veteran "hand-chopping party", who said that he would not consume, at least the emperor had assured him.
When I think about "consumption" in the future, I will be more concerned.
"Your majesty, how wonderful you are to think so!" Achille Fuld responded to Jérôme Bonaparte sincerely.
Immediately afterwards, Jérôme Bonaparte and Achille Fuld discussed ways to raise 200 million francs for public works.
After a period of discussion between the two, they set their sights on the 80,000-hectare state-owned forest near the Seine Province.
As long as these 80,000 hectares of forest can be sold, it will not be difficult to prepare 200 million francs for public works.
Therefore, Jérôme Bonaparte handed over the task of persuading the legislative body to agree to the sale of the forest to Achille Fuld and Baros.