Chapter 973: Falling Down the Well
Chapter 954: Falling down the well
After entering 1891, there were no more comfortable days for the people of Paris. On the one hand, there was the increasingly poor material life, and on the other hand, there was the ever-rising high prices, which made the common people suffer.
If the front line could continue to win, a few days of misery for a short period of time would be acceptable. Unfortunately, the French army’s luck seemed to have run out in the previous year, and the year started with a steady stream of bad news.
With the loss of air power, Paris became unsafe. Especially as we entered August, the Austrian air force came skulking by almost every day.
High-altitude bombing hits are all about luck, the direct damage caused by enemy air raids is small, and the military threat to France is limited, but the adverse effects are causing the Paris government to suffer.
The more uncertain things, the more likely to cause panic. No matter how low the hit rate of the enemy air force was, once caught up, people would still die.
For the sake of their lives, except for the politicians who couldn’t run away, the Parisian people who had a little bit of money ran to the countryside to take refuge in their estates.
With all the rich people running away, the economy of Paris was naturally in the doldrums. If the war had not taken up a large number of laborers, it is estimated that the French government would have to worry about unemployment.
At Versailles, Napoleon IV had moved out of the basement and resumed his normal office. There is no other reason, it’s just not afraid to die.
Well, the truth is that after a long time of observation, Napoleon IV found that the enemy air force intentionally avoided bombing the palace. Even if it was an air attack on the palace, it was mostly intimidation.
Think about it, if there is no deep hatred in mainland Europe, generally very few people against the monarch of the death.
Although the Bonaparte dynasty and the Habsburg dynasty have some grudges, but not to the point of death, love of feathers Franz naturally do not want to carry the bad reputation of regicide.
Without authorization from above, the following combat troops naturally do not dare to mess around. Whether officers or soldiers, can not afford to carry the charge of regicide.
Under the patronage of Napoleon IV, the Palace of Versailles and its surroundings were fortunately a safe zone. No one dared to drop bombs on it even if it was attacked by air.
This is not to hear the “oooh oooh ……” air defense siren sounded, Napoleon IV leisurely walked out, looking up at the sky.
Looking at the flyers falling from the sky, Napoleon IV sighed. Sometimes he even wanted the enemy to drop bombs downward and send him to God in advance.
There was no way around it, the emperor was too tired to be an emperor. The family responsibility made him unable to retreat, and he could only carry the pressure even if it was too great. It would be a relief to die in an enemy air raid.
Not to mention, at least the Bonaparte dynasty is the whole body back. Dead people are most likely to gain sympathy points, especially the death of a tragic, miserable.
No amount of shrugging off by those below could possibly make the few year old Crown Prince responsible. Even out of political necessity, Austria would support the Bonaparte dynasty to stabilize the situation.
Casually catch a small piece of paper falling from the sky, the title is clearly the “Letter to the People of France”, looking at the content of the above accusation of capitalists and consortiums, Napoleon IV is deeply moved.
Without the promotion of these interests, this continental war would never have broken out, at least Napoleon IV himself was initially opposed to this war.
At least Napoleon IV himself was initially opposed to the war, but he could not defy the general trend, and France was forced to be tied to the chariot of capital, and embarked on a road of no return.
It’s not enough to start a war, the key is that these guys are still in the middle of the chain. In order to seek profiteering everything, not only affect the front line of combat, but also make the domestic public grievances.
If there is no these drag queen guys, even if France is going to lose, will not lose so fast.
“Your Majesty, the Prime Minister and the others are here.”
The voice of the maid pulled Napoleon IV back from his fantasy. The guys who pulled back, they existed in every country, and were not alone in France. Now it was only because France was going to lose the war that the problem became highlighted.
“Bring them here!”
Napoleon IV said indifferently.
Since it was determined that the perimeter of the palace was a safe zone, the offices of the French government were moved over. It was also convenient to communicate between departments, and even the phone bill could be saved.
……
Foreign Minister Karel Kadlec: “Your Majesty, the British have rejected our application for a loan, while also announcing that future transactions will have to be paid for up front.”
Allies, non-existent. If it weren’t for the fact that France was still needed in the post-war international landscape, it’s likely that the British would have fallen on their sword long ago.
It’s not too late to do something about it if you didn’t fall on your sword earlier.
The war has been carried out until now, France’s foreign exchange reserves have long since bottomed out. Even the reserves for issuing currency, all mortgaged to the British, has now been put in London.
Cut off the loan, and asked for payment before delivery, clearly is to force the rhythm of France to die.
“What do the British want?”
Napoleon IV asked coldly. As if this was all expected, it did not cause the slightest ripple.
Foreign Minister Karel Kadlec: “The British have their eyes on our overseas colonies, mainly in the Central and Southern Peninsula region, and they are worried that these regions will fall into Austrian hands after the war and threaten the security of the Indian region.”
There is no love-hate in politics for no reason, only eternal interests. Seeing that the defeat of France was imminent, the British could not resist taking advantage of the fire.
Although Austria’s power did not penetrate into the central and southern peninsulas, the German Confederation occupied the Malay Peninsula, and after the war, when Germany and Austria merged, the extension of their power to the central and southern peninsulas was inevitable.
If the French Central and Southern Peninsula fell into Austria’s hands again, the South China Sea area would become Austria’s monopoly. By then, India will be strategically surrounded by the Russian-Austrian alliance on three sides, and will have to face a lot of military pressure.
Napoleon IV sneered: “now know worry, early why go? If not for the British to play tricks, we have long broken through the Rhine River, is not the current situation.”
The crowd bowed their heads, no one was willing to argue with the Emperor on this issue. Even though everyone knew that Napoleon IV’s words were biased.
The British pulling back did affect the French army’s combat, but that was not the root cause of the French army’s inability to win, essentially it was still the disparity in strength between the two sides.
If they had crossed the Rhine, the French would have lost even more. At least now there are no guerrillas and the occupied areas are stable.
After a moment’s pause, Napoleon IV added: “That’s all, it’s useless to talk about it now. What price are the British prepared to offer?”
The continental war was different from the Franco-Prussian war in the original time and space, Austria had a strong enough navy, which doomed the post-war France was unable to keep its own overseas colonies.
In this context, Napoleon IV didn’t mind selling to the British, what irked him was that the British were falling on their sword at this time.
Foreign Minister Karel Kadlec: “Against part of our previous debt, plus a shipment of material aid. Discounted, the total value is around six million pounds.”
Hearing this figure, Napoleon IV immediately slapped the table and questioned, “Why don’t they go and rob it?”
The French Central and Southern Peninsula covers an area of nearly 740,000 square kilometers, and the local land is fertile and rich in produce, making it an unrivaled treasure, which can bring a great deal of wealth to France every year.
This kind of high-quality assets, in the past, not to mention a mere 6 million pounds, even if it is 60 million pounds, there are people grabbing to take over.
Now the situation is special, dare to take food from the mouth of the Austrian tiger not a few, but not so cheap to 6 million pounds. To know the cost of the French government to open up French Indochina, are not only 6 million pounds.
However, even this 6 million pounds, the British are not ready to pay cash, but to offset.
With present prices, £6 million would buy at most £3 million of pre-war supplies, which could be considered a bloody loss for France.
Prime Minister Terence Burgin reminded, “Your Majesty, we have no choice now. Knowing that the British are blackmailing us, we can’t refuse.
After all, it is better for these regions to fall into the hands of the British than to fall into the hands of Austria. Moreover, we still need the support of the British for the next aftermath negotiations.”
The saddest thing in the world is nothing more than knowing that people are robbing, and one can only obediently send them up.
Fortunately, after a series of social beatings, Napoleon IV’s heart has been smoothed out, if he had been put aside ten years ago, he could have directly flipped with the British.
“Tell the British to show enough sincerity if they want to get their hands on these regions. Otherwise we’d rather leave Indochina to Austria than let them have their way.”
Threatening an ally with an enemy, Napoleon IV had his work cut out for him. From the hands of his father inherited the great French Empire, in just less than twenty years, actually fell into such a field, this kind of heart gap is not ordinary people can bear.
The root of the problem is just because in the wrong point of time, launched a wrong war. On the whole, Napoleon IV is still a qualified emperor, but unfortunately, a mistake will lose all.
The Italian region was destined to be untenable; French Africa was also cool, and the garrison in Algeria alone could not support it for long; looking at French Indochina was also going to change its ownership, and the territory of France returned to 70 years ago overnight.
This is not all, from the anti-French alliance of the battle, the French mainland are difficult to remain intact, the final result may be even worse than the 1815.
Prime Minister Terence Burgin: “Your Majesty, Paris has been abuzz with rumors in the last few days, and those who are hiding underground, are once again not happy about it.
If the situation continues to deteriorate, there may even be a rebellion. The cabinet suggests tightening the control of public opinion and cracking down on the guys spreading rumors.”
It’s not the first time that public opinion control has been strengthened, but the government can control newspapers but not gossip; it can control the spread of news but can’t stop leaflets from falling from the sky.
Without the slightest hesitation, Napoleon IV directly handed over the small piece of paper in his hand, “Take a look, this is a persuasive letter from the Austrians. What are you going to do?
On the back there is also a cartoon of the rich people with big fish and meat, while the ordinary people are bleeding and sacrificing at the front line, and have to endure starvation.
What’s on it is basically the truth and can easily resonate with the general public. Once it’s utilized by someone with an axe to grind, a turmoil is just around the corner.”
The truth is often the most solid, without lifting the lid everyone can still pretend to be confused, once things are exposed under the sun, the situation is very different.
The people’s patience was limited, especially when they were hungry, and a single spark was capable of triggering an upheaval.
There are only two ways in front of everyone, either stand with the capital consortium and share the anger from the public; or go with the flow and decisively dump the pot, take the opportunity to eliminate the domestic consortium forces, and then take their wealth to appease the public.
(End of chapter)