Make France Great Again-Chapter 935 - 926: Business Retrenchment

Alphonse Rothschild, returning to the mansion by carriage, kept thinking about what Jerome Bonaparte had said at the table, and an inexplicable fear welled up within him.

Sitting next to Alphonse Rothschild, his wife noticed his distracted manner and asked, "What’s wrong with you?"

"Nothing... nothing!" Alphonse Rothschild forced a smile and replied to his wife beside him, not wanting to cause her worry. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Seeing Alphonse Rothschild’s distracted expression, Marie Rothschild understood that her husband (or rather cousin) must be hiding something from her.

Since Alphonse Rothschild didn’t want to tell her, Marie Rothschild didn’t press further.

She gently placed her hand on the back of Alphonse Rothschild’s hand and tenderly said, "No matter what happens, I will face it together with you!"

Alphonse Rothschild looked at Marie Rothschild, and warmth filled his heart, "Thank you!"

Marie Rothschild smiled faintly and said nothing more.

After a while, Marie Rothschild spoke again, discussing Empress Augusta with Alphonse Rothschild.

Alphonse Rothschild likewise asked Marie Rothschild if the Empress discussed any political topics with her!

"No!" Marie Rothschild shook her head and replied to Alphonse Rothschild, "Her Majesty the Empress didn’t discuss such topics at all!

We mostly talked about literature and child-rearing!"

Marie Rothschild paused for a moment and continued, "By the way! Her Majesty the Empress told me to visit the Tuileries Palace when I have time!

Alphonse, do you think I should go?"

"Of course, you should go!" Alphonse Rothschild replied without hesitation, "It’s our chance to get close to the Tuileries Palace!"

"But, Father (Baron James Rothschild) has always warned us to keep our distance from the Tuileries Palace!" Marie Rothschild said with a hint of concern.

"That was before!" Alphonse Rothschild said to Marie Rothschild, "Now, we must maintain a good relationship with the Tuileries Palace!

Judging from Her Majesty Empress Augusta’s attitude towards you, the Tuileries Palace is also willing to accept us!"

Marie Rothschild then told Alphonse Rothschild that Empress Augusta had invited her to a literary salon three days later.

"I will send someone to inform the Empress tomorrow!" Marie Rothschild said to Alphonse Rothschild.

"Okay!" Alphonse Rothschild nodded.

Just then, the voice of the coachman came from outside the carriage, "Mr. Alphonse, we’ve arrived home!"

Only then did Alphonse Rothschild turn his gaze to the window; the mansion stood outside the carriage window.

Alphonse Rothschild and Marie Rothschild quickly opened the carriage door, stepped down one after the other, and leisurely entered the mansion’s hall.

The butler, who stayed at the mansion, hurried to Alphonse Rothschild and his wife upon seeing their arrival, and respectfully said: "Welcome home, Mr. Alphonse, Lady Marie!"

Alphonse Rothschild nodded slightly, then routinely asked the butler if any other guests had come.

This time, the butler shook his head, saying no one else had come.

"Okay!" Alphonse Rothschild nodded again, yawned, and said to Marie Rothschild beside him, "It’s getting late; let’s go to bed early!"

Marie Rothschild and Alphonse Rothschild went to bed at 9 PM and didn’t truly rest until 10 PM.

...

The next day at 4:50 AM.

When the sky over Paris showed a hint of light, Alphonse Rothschild got up early from bed.

After washing up and having breakfast, Alphonse Rothschild took a carriage to Rothschild Bank at 6 AM.

Entering Rothschild Bank, Alphonse Rothschild greeted everyone with a smile, occasionally making a playful remark.

Once Alphonse Rothschild arrived at his private office, his expression immediately turned particularly stern.

Shortly thereafter, the secretary brought him bills and contracts requiring his signature authorization. Seeing what the secretary carried, Alphonse Rothschild smiled sincerely.

The papers before me, each worth millions of francs.

If any one of them encounters a problem, many people will see their life’s savings turn into a pipe dream.

"Mr. Alphonse, these are the tasks you need to handle today! I have sorted them all from easy to difficult!" The secretary placed the documents in front of Alphonse Rothschild and said to him.

"Thank you very much!" Alphonse Rothschild expressed his thanks politely.

"These are my duties!" The secretary responded with neither humility nor arrogance.

"By the way, could I ask you a favor?" Alphonse Rothschild’s tone shifted as he spoke to the secretary.

"Please go ahead!" The secretary replied concisely.

"Could you help me organize and summarize the trade data of the United States of America for the recent period?" Alphonse Rothschild said to the secretary.

"This will take some time!" The secretary responded to Alphonse Rothschild.

"I can wait!" Alphonse Rothschild smiled slightly at the secretary and added, "However, it’s best if you can be a bit quicker!"

"I will complete the organization as soon as possible!" The secretary replied similarly.

In the days that followed, Alphonse Rothschild continued to abide by his agreement with Jerome Bonaparte, frequently convening fellow bankers on the board under the name of Baron James Rothschild at the Rothschild Mansion to discuss matters. Seeing signs of Rothschild’s "return to the scene," many bankers aligned themselves with the Rothschild banner, eager to avoid being ousted from the board under the Belilla-Fuld alliance, while patiently waiting for the secretary’s data.

Finally, on the fifth day of handing over the tasks, the secretary prepared all the information Alphonse Rothschild wanted.

Looking at the trade deficit in the imports of the United States of America, Alphonse Rothschild frowned deeply.

According to the data collected by the secretary, the export scale of the United States of America to Europe compared to its import scale from Europe is gradually widening.

Among them, the United States of America primarily exports cotton and wheat to Europe, while imports from Europe are numerous, including textiles, steel, and precision parts.

Even in the previous year and the year before when Europe’s grain harvests were poor, the trade deficit of the United States is still constantly increasing.

Looking at the data in his hands, Alphonse Rothschild keenly detected a trace of a smile.

Thus, he again asked the secretary beside him, "What businesses do we have in the United States of America?"

The secretary informed Alphonse Rothschild that the Rothschild Clan’s investments in the United States were primarily concentrated in railway bonds, gold mines, investments in railway companies, and government bonds!

Currently, the gold mine project may struggle to make further progress in the short term, and investment in railway companies is also in pause mode.

(The United States has essentially completed its major railway routes, leaving minor railway lines with little profitability, thus few are willing to invest.)

Therefore, the Rothschild Clan’s main profits are from railway bonds and the United States government bonds.

These two aspects are the key to Rothschild’s growth.

"By the way, we also invested in the United States wheat futures!" The secretary further reported to Alphonse Rothschild and confidently said, "As long as India remains unsettled, grain futures are a guaranteed profit!"

"Order our company in the United States to gradually exit wheat futures and railway bonds, keeping only the United States-issued government bonds!" Alphonse Rothschild commanded the secretary.

Upon hearing Alphonse Rothschild’s words, the secretary showed a stunned expression, not understanding why Alphonse Rothschild wanted to withdraw the investments.

"Mr. Alphonse, if we withdraw now, we might lose some money!" The secretary cautiously reminded.

Alphonse Rothschild remained unwavering, decisively responding to the secretary, "Follow my orders! Sell off all railway bonds and futures!"

Unable to oppose Alphonse Rothschild, the secretary agreed to Alphonse Rothschild’s suggestion.

Meanwhile, at a mansion just a few streets away from Rothschild Bank.

Achille Fuld and Belilla were talking within Fulde’s Mansion.

"What exactly does His Majesty want to do! We were about to crush Rothschild, but His Majesty chose to intervene!" Sitting on the mansion’s sofa, Belilla, the president of the Bank of France, complained to Achille Fuld, "Didn’t His Majesty dislike Rothschild before? Why choose to help them now!"

"His Majesty is not helping them; he just wants Rothschild to stand up and fight against us!" Achille Fuld said softly.

"Ha! This must be His Majesty’s way of balancing!"