"Hmm!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded, unable to suppress a sigh in his heart, and his expression gradually became solemn: "I have also heard about my cousin's loan at Rothschild Bank!"
Has it finally come to a showdown? Enemy or friend?
Jerome Bonaparte's body tensed slightly, his attention highly focused, his spirit ready at any moment for "combat," fearing a trap in the upcoming "game."
The subtle changes in Jerome Bonaparte's expression did not escape the cunning eyes of Lionel Rothschild.
A cautious prince, not easy to deal with!
Lionel Rothschild silently evaluated Jerome in his heart, his face still wearing a professional smile as he soothingly said, "Your Highness, please don't worry, I am not here to collect debt!"
Rothschild paused, then continued, "Moreover, your cousin's current collateral here is actually enough for him to repay the previous loan from Rothschild!"
Lionel Rothschild's "generosity" in dismissing Louis Napoleon's loan to the Rothschild Clan did not evoke even a trace of gratitude from Jerome Bonaparte; rather, it heightened his wariness toward Lionel Rothschild. A shrewd banker would never generously forgive a debtor's debt; they would utilize their financial strategies to extract to the last franc from the debtor, rendering them bankrupt.
Unless the debtor possesses value far exceeding the debt itself, lending to such valuable and needy individuals is what a competent banker should do.
This is why some future banks would not easily lend to small and medium-sized industrial companies but would find ways to lend to real estate companies, even when the government repeatedly emphasizes not letting hot money flood the real estate market. There is still a multitude of people disregarding the laws and injecting hot money into real estate through other channels.
The economic worth of real estate is much more stable compared to other physical industries, and banks need not worry about the houses not selling. In times when some real estate companies are on the brink of bankruptcy, the government is forced to introduce stabilization policies with pinched noses to prevent a massive market collapse.
This issue is so elementary that even a layman like Jerome Bonaparte understands it, so it is impossible for Lionel Rothschild not to.
At present, Jerome Bonaparte cannot help but express "gratitude" toward Lionel Rothschild Bank.
"Your Highness, you must know the history of how our Rothschild Clan was established, right?" Lionel Rothschild prompted.
"Of course, the Rothschild Clan, like the Bonaparte Clan, were beneficiaries of that revolution!" Jerome Bonaparte responded.
"Indeed! That revolution, what a great revolution!" Lionel Rothschild remarked with misty eyes.
While that revolution is referred to as a dark history by the nobility, Lionel feels only gratitude for it.
If it weren't for that revolution, his ancestors could only remain antique dealers for their entire lives.
They might only marry into some near-bankrupt minor German nobility, and the next generation could add a 'von' to their name,
This generation would likely have to fight tooth and nail to squeeze into the so-called high society, unlike now, when he merely has to beckon to receive countless olive branches from the elite circles.
Although their purpose was merely to borrow more money from the Rothschild Clan, so what? At the very least, he could savor the feeling of standing out among the crowd.
"Hmm! A great revolution!" As a beneficiary, Jerome Bonaparte echoed.
"Of course, we also have our Waterloo moments!" Lionel Rothschild turned the topic: "The Great Emperor's Battle of Waterloo caused severe losses to our clan. Since then, the family has considered avoiding war as much as possible!"
"Hmm?" Jerome Bonaparte looked at Lionel Rothschild suspiciously. He suddenly recalled a certain book mentioning that the Rothschild Clan had suffered heavy losses during Waterloo, lending some credibility to subsequent events.
In that case, the Rothschild Clan now...
Jerome Bonaparte recollected the "history" of the Rothschild Clan.
"Your Highness, don't look at me like that!" Lionel Rothschild spread his hands: "Currently, no nation loves peace more than Rothschild. Any nation under attack will incur significant losses for the Rothschild Clan!"
In the mid-19th century, Rothschild differed from the late 18th century. Its presence spanned most of Europe.
Once Europe is in turmoil, their business across Europe is bound to be affected. Finance is strong yet fragile. Its strength lies in its ability to gather vast cash amounts swiftly to arm troops, but its fragility lies in its lack of actual control over the military—dictators can seize the opportunity to purge unlawful financial figures, especially those like them, the Jews.
Jerome Bonaparte's face twitched slightly, finding it ironically rich to hear those four words—love of peace—from a war profiteer.
"So, does the Baron wish to cooperate with the Bonaparte Clan?" Jerome Bonaparte inquired about what had been brewing in his heart for some time.
"No! No! No!" Lionel Rothschild waved the spoon in his hand: "The Rothschild Clan will not openly side with any force, nor will it cooperate with any force! We will merely strive to provide the best financial services to our clients!"
Lionel Rothschild deliberately emphasized his words.
"So, you're also cooperating with the current Republic Government?" Jerome Bonaparte teased Lionel Rothschild.
"Of course!" Lionel Rothschild said with a hint of resentment in his eyes, gritting his teeth.
The family should never have listened to Uncle (James Rothschild) and bet on those rebels; now those guys have come to power, but the family's losses are severe. [Note 1]
"Trust me, your investments will never disappoint the Rothschilds!"
PS: 1. After the February Revolution, huge withdrawals overwhelmed French banks, and Rothschild Bank, among the first, lost substantial cash. It was only after the reactive Republic Government enacted laws halting withdrawals that Rothschild's branch in France stopped its losses.