Make France Great Again-Chapter 929 - 920: Cooperation and Confrontation

Feeling the coldness in Jerome Bonaparte’s gaze, Achille Fuld bowed his head again.

At this moment, he couldn’t help but feel a bit regretful for why he had to smartly add that sentence just now.

Anyone with a bit of intelligence would understand that Achille Fuld’s sentence, "I fear many in the Bank of France won’t understand your well-intentioned motives," had the implication of excluding dissenters.

After all, whether the board of the Bank of France agrees with Jerome Bonaparte’s policy depends on the number of people in favor and against.

Currently, Jerome Bonaparte’s policy has not been officially launched, and the Bank of France has not yet voted on Jerome Bonaparte.

How could Achille Fuld know that the people on the board are not aligned with Jerome Bonaparte?

He merely wants to use Jerome Bonaparte’s hand to "invite" some of the board members out of the Bank of France, thus expanding his influence there.

However, what Achille Fuld hopes for is exactly what Jerome Bonaparte opposes.

For Jerome Bonaparte, whether Achille Fuld’s influence at the Bank of France is too weak or too strong does not align with Jerome Bonaparte’s interests.

If Achille Fuld’s influence at the Bank of France is too weak, then it will become difficult for Jerome Bonaparte to command the Bank of France.

Conversely, if Achille Fuld’s influence at the Bank of France is too strong, Jerome Bonaparte must also worry that the Bank of France might be controlled by Achille Fuld, thereby going down an irreversible path in opposition to him.

After all, although Achille Fuld’s economic thoughts are close to Jerome Bonaparte, he is not entirely advancing along the road designed by Jerome Bonaparte; he also has his own economic ideas and political concepts.

If there are no enemies against Achille Fuld’s alliance in the Bank of France, Achille Fuld will inevitably become Jerome Bonaparte’s new "enemy."

Jerome Bonaparte and Achille Fuld will have conflicts over economic/political disagreements.

If things don’t go well, the parties might reach a point of breaking relations.

The final outcome would be one of three results: Achille Fuld succumbs to Jerome Bonaparte, Jerome Bonaparte compromises to Achille Fuld, or Achille Fuld angrily leaves, with neither side willing to back down.

None of these outcomes is what Jerome Bonaparte wants to see.

Of course, Achille Fuld doesn’t want to see this situation happen either, but he still won’t miss any opportunity to eliminate opponents.

Ultimately, the relationship between Jerome Bonaparte and Achille Fuld is similar to the relationship between Emperor Napoleon and the generals/officials of the First Empire.

Their relationship is merely nominal as monarch and subject (the Great Revolution had long destroyed the classical vassal and feudal lord relationships); in fact, they are based on a relationship of mutual interests.

Achille Fuld chooses to align with Jerome Bonaparte to gain power.

And Jerome Bonaparte chooses to cut off a piece of the cake of power to unite them under his command.

Therefore, it is not unreasonable for Achille Fuld to choose to confront Jerome Bonaparte for greater power.

As long as Achille Fuld can demonstrate capabilities that Jerome Bonaparte cannot do without, or Achille Fuld’s influence grows so large that Jerome Bonaparte cannot rashly eliminate him,

then Jerome Bonaparte can only choose to tolerate.

Even a monarch as strong as Emperor Napoleon had to endure Talleyrand and Fouché with his nose pinched.

Even when he knew these two were the most likely to betray, their capabilities and the forces they cultivated made Napoleon wary and reliant.

...

Jerome Bonaparte quietly glared at Achille Fuld with a cold gaze for a long time before finally speaking: "Whether the Bank of France agrees with my viewpoint will be decided after the board votes!

It’s not good to make assumptions without starting the vote!

Pay attention next time!"

"I understand!" Seeing Jerome Bonaparte indifferent to what he had just said, Achille Fuld couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. He nodded and responded to Jerome Bonaparte.

After that, Jerome Bonaparte and Achille Fuld chatted briefly on other issues before Achille Fuld bid farewell to Jerome Bonaparte.

Watching the door open and close again, Jerome Bonaparte leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

After a while, Jerome Bonaparte opened his eyes again, picked up the bell on the desk, and gently shook it.

Before long, Bashirio reappeared in front of Jerome Bonaparte.

"Your Majesty, what are your orders?" Bashirio asked Jerome Bonaparte deferentially.

"I need you to run once more, go to Count Algou’s mansion, and invite Count Algou to the Tuileries Palace!" Jerome Bonaparte ordered Bashirio.

After listening to Jerome Bonaparte’s words, Bashirio showed a puzzled expression on his face, standing motionless.

```

Time passed minute by minute, and seeing no movement from Bashirio, Jerome Bonaparte furrowed his brow and said in a slightly irritable tone, "Bashirio, what are you still standing here for? Hurry up and go!"

"Your Majesty!" Bashirio cautiously responded to Jerome Bonaparte, "Count Algou, he ..."

"What about him?" Jerome Bonaparte hurriedly inquired.

"Your Majesty, have you forgotten? Count Algou passed away in Lyon earlier this spring!" Bashirio reminded Jerome Bonaparte.

"What?" A look of astonishment appeared on Jerome Bonaparte’s face, and he raised his voice slightly to question Bashirio, "Why didn’t anyone inform me of this!"

"Your Majesty, I heard Count Algou instructed his family to keep things simple before he passed away!

When I received the news of Count Algou’s death, he had already been dead for more than a week!" Bashirio responded to Jerome Bonaparte.

"Even if he’s been dead for a week, you should have told me!" Jerome Bonaparte loudly rebuked Bashirio.

"Your Majesty, please calm down!" Bashirio had no choice but to bow and apologize.

In fact, Bashirio had informed Jerome Bonaparte, but at the time Jerome Bonaparte was working and did not hear Bashirio’s report clearly.

Afterward, Bashirio did not report to Jerome Bonaparte again, which led to Jerome Bonaparte not knowing about Count Algou’s death.

"Forget it! Be more careful next time!" Jerome Bonaparte frowned and waved his hand, "By the way! Where is Count Algou’s body? Why hasn’t it been brought to the Ancestral Temple?"

"Your Majesty, Count Algou’s body has been transported back to his hometown according to his last wishes," Bashirio replied to Jerome Bonaparte.

"Alas!" Jerome Bonaparte sighed, speaking to himself, "To think that Count Algou, who was so particular about grandeur while alive, would be so frugal after death!!"

Bashirio said nothing, only listened quietly.

Since Count Algou had already passed away, Jerome Bonaparte could only wave his hand, ordering Bashirio to leave.

After Bashirio left, Jerome Bonaparte scratched his head and muttered under his breath, "Damn it! Is there really no one else besides them?"

After a moment of deliberation, Jerome Bonaparte called Bashirio back, "Now you must immediately go to Baron James Rothschild’s mansion and invite him to dine at the Tuileries Palace tomorrow evening!"

"Understood!" Bashirio replied to Jerome Bonaparte, then turned and left.

Before Bashirio could walk out of the room, Jerome Bonaparte’s voice reached Bashirio’s ears, "When you send someone to Rothschild Mansion, do not make it too ostentatious!"

Bashirio paused in his steps and turned his head to respond to Jerome Bonaparte, "Understood!"

...

Upon exiting the Tuileries Palace, Bashirio followed Jerome Bonaparte’s advice and chose to have his subordinate dress in regular attire and travel by carriage to Rothschild Mansion to deliver the invitation letter.

The servant chosen by Bashirio placed the invitation letter in his pocket, then took a carriage to Rothschild Mansion and knocked on the door.

The butler, upon seeing someone unfamiliar, politely asked, "Who are you here to see?"

"I’m here to deliver an invitation letter to Baron James Rothschild!" the servant tasked with delivering the invitation replied to the butler.

"Unfortunately, the master is not at home!" the butler responded to the servant.

"Where has the Baron gone?" the servant continued to inquire of the butler.

"The master has gone to Germany to handle some matters!" the butler responded to the servant.

"That’s really too bad!" The servant shook his head and sighed at the unfulfilled mission, then turned to leave.

Standing in place, the butler stopped the servant and informed him that the current master of the mansion is Alphonse Rothschild, who, as the Baron’s son, can fully represent Baron James Rothschild’s intent!

"Then please pass this letter to Mr. Alphonse Rothschild!" The servant handed the invitation letter to the butler.

The butler glanced at the coat of arms on the front of the invitation, and his face instantly showed a startled expression.

"You are..." The butler unknowingly adopted a respectful tone.

"As long as you know!" The servant made a hushing gesture and responded to the butler.

Afterward, the servant left Rothschild Mansion to report back.

The butler at Rothschild Mansion looked at the invitation in his hand and then carefully placed it in Alphonse Rothschild’s room.

So that he could see it immediately upon returning home.