Prime Minister of the French Republic Odilon Barrow, led the newly formed cabinet team, and headed to the Elysee Palace conference hall under the leadership of Secretary General of the Elysee Palace, Paisini, to wait for the arrival of Jérôme Bonaparte.
"Gentlemen, please wait a moment! Mr. President will be here soon!" Pesini, who retreated to the door of the conference hall, bowed politely and slightly.
After more than ten days of training, Odilon Barrow, who had long been accustomed to President Jérôme Bonaparte's routine, certainly understood that the president should still be asleep at this time, and he nodded slightly with a smile.
Pesini turned around and left the conference hall, carefully closing the door.
Odilon Barrow, who was watching Pesini leave, just stretched out his hand to make a gesture to sit down and said: "Colleagues, don't be too formal! I think the president will be here soon!"
The ministers of various departments present were invited by Odilon Barrow to sit on the left and right sides of the sofa respectively, sitting in different positions according to their proximity to Odilon Barrow.
The ones sitting closest to Odilon Barrow are Foreign Minister Drouin de Luys and Interior Minister Leon Fuchs, followed by War Minister Liulier, Finance Minister Passy... As non-officials,
Justice Minister Eugène Rouet and Public Works Minister Morny, who were personally appointed by Odilon Barrow, are far away from Odilon Barrow's position.
However, the most unexpected person was Count Falloux, the Minister of Public Education. He should have been sitting near Odilon Barrow, but he consciously made Odilon Barrow sit with Eugène Ruby and others.
Odilon Barro showed a look of displeasure. If he hadn't been concerned about the dual identity of Fallo's orthodox and Catholic right-wingers, Odilon Barro, a left-wing member of the former dynasty, would never have hired this guy.
"Okay! Gentlemen, from now on our seats will be according to the current positions!" Odilon Barrow finalized the subsequent positions, and then he turned his attention to his "money bag" Finance Minister Passi and said:
"Mr. Passy, what is the current financial situation of the Republic?"
Passy shook his head, stood up and handed Odilon Barrow several documents filled with dense French, which he had carefully organized after becoming a minister.
Odilon Barrow flipped through the documents compiled by Passy page by page. As his understanding deepened, Odilon Barrow's expression became more solemn. After flipping through the data provided by Passy, he dumped the data on Walnut Production
On the desk, he raised his head and said solemnly: "Minister Passi, I want to hear your opinion!"
"Mr. Prime Minister, our republic is facing a huge fiscal deficit! The political turmoil of the previous year severely damaged our market. If we don't think about solutions, our government will be unable to pay the interest on the national debt!"
Finance Minister Passi exaggerated.
"Then do you have any solution?" Odilon Barrow then asked, although he knew that the so-called inability to pay the interest on the national debt was just an exaggeration by Passi, but the fiscal deficit is really not a good sign.
"Given that the Constituent Assembly abolished some taxes such as progressive income tax, I suggest that we should restore some of the previously abolished taxes! For example: restore the salt tax!" Passi put forward his suggestions to Odilon Barrow.
As soon as the proposal to restore the salt tax came out, Eugène Rouet felt an inexplicable malice.
Regardless of whether Passy's proposal to "restore the salt tax" is sincere or an opportunity to stir up trouble, Eugene Rouet only knows that once the proposal to "restore the salt tax" is passed by the National Assembly, the president will have to face the evil intentions of his basic base.
If all taxes in France were ranked, the salt tax would undoubtedly rank first, because it represents the crazy exploitation of small farmers under the old system. As the tax that small farmers hate most, it will affect the base's perception of the president.
This tax is simply digging into the foundations of Bonapartism.
But now that the President has not arrived yet, Eugène Rouet, as the Minister of Justice, cannot intervene in the Ministry of Finance's issues on his behalf. He can only purse his lips and make a hesitant expression.
Morny, who was sitting next to him, also looked at Patsy in surprise. He didn't understand what the Finance Minister had in mind.
"Then you..."
When Odilon Barrow was about to ask Passi to prepare a proposal on "restoring the salt tax", the door of the cabinet meeting hall suddenly opened.
Everyone subconsciously glanced in the direction of the door, falling into a brief trance as they looked at the "guest" Odilon Barrow who appeared at the door.
"How are you, Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. Ministers?" President Jérôme Bonaparte, who was wearing a Napoleon Emperor cosplay military uniform and military trousers, a triangular military hat on his head, and a Legion of Glory medal pinned on his chest, greeted warmly.
road.
Everyone except Eugène Rouet was shocked by Jerome Bonaparte's outfit. Under this outfit, Jerome Bonaparte looked more like a smaller emperor.
In his daze, Odilon Barrow even "saw" the emperor's soul lingering behind the president. He raised his hand and rubbed his eyes. The emperor disappeared, replaced by a poor imitator.
There is something quite human-like about this outfit!
"Hello, Mr. President!" Odilon Barrow and the ministers stood up to greet him.
President Jerome Bonaparte shook hands with the Prime Minister and ministers in turn. When his hand held Eugène Rouet's hand, he patted Rouet on the shoulder and said: "Do a good job!"
"Yes!" Eugène Rouet responded firmly.
At Odilon Barrot's strong invitation, President Jérôme Bonaparte replaced Odilon Barrot and became the core figure in the cabinet meeting.
"Minister Parsi, please report to the President the financial plan you just proposed!" Odilon Barrow ordered Parsi.
Expounding the necessity of "restoring the salt tax" to a "peasant" president is a suicide attempt from any point of view. He may become the fastest dismissed minister in French history.
Regarding Odilon Barrow's blatant "sell-out of teammates", Passy was silent for a moment, but still explained to President Jérôme Bonaparte the importance of "restoring the salt tax".
Jérôme Bonaparte listened carefully to Passy's proposal and nodded in affirmation from time to time.
After Passy finished his statement, Jerome Bonaparte said: "You can discuss this issue with Prime Minister Barrow! If there is no problem, you can submit it directly to the National Assembly!"
Amidst the surprised expressions of Barrow and Eugène Rouet, Patsy said with a hint of trembling: "Yes!"
"If there is anything else that needs to be reported, please report it all!"