"Your Majesty, I suspect this must be Cafenak’s doing!" Percy declared confidently, "Only he could mobilize those damned bureaucrats against us!"
"My friend, please do not speak in such a tone!" Jerome Bonaparte raised his hand to stop Percy’s complaints, "After all, those guys are merely unfortunate souls loyal to the system! Their annual salary is less than 4000 francs, and they still have to face their superiors’ reproaches!"
In 19th century France, being an official was indeed a decent job compared to other industries, but only just decent. The annual salary of grassroots bureaucrats sitting in Parisian offices was only about 1300–3800 francs, while skilled workers of the same period earned around 2500 francs annually, and French farmers had an annual surplus income of 1500–2000 francs. This meant that without some extra income, it was difficult for grassroots bureaucrats to support a family, making extortion from some Outer Province folks a hidden rule among them.
"But..." Percy also knew this was not the time for complaints, but he had no better option at the moment.
After all, the one sitting on the highest seat of power in France was Cafenak, not Jerome Bonaparte.
"Since things have already happened, we need to resolve it as soon as possible!" Jerome Bonaparte curiously asked Percy, "By the way, which newspaper company were we previously collaborating with?"
"The giant in the Paris newspaper industry, the Havas News Agency!" Percy replied cautiously, "Actually, at first the owner of Havas News Agency was not willing to cooperate with us; it was Baron Axiel Fuld who mediated, and only then did they collaborate with us!"
"Ah, it’s them!" Jerome Bonaparte suddenly ’recalled’ the Havas News Agency. What surprised him was that as one of the four future giants to monopolize global news, the Havas Newspaper appeared this early: "What was the content of our collaboration with Havas News Agency?"
"The Havas News Agency provided us with news about the international politics section, which we then published!" Percy responded to Jerome Bonaparte.
"That’s blatant robbery!" Jerome Bonaparte exclaimed in an exaggerated tone while pointing at Percy.
"Your Highness, our cooperation has already ended!" Percy tried to explain.
"This just shows they have no confidence in us!" Jerome Bonaparte nonchalantly waved his hand, "Apparently, old man Havas felt his investment wasn’t worthwhile, so he didn’t withstand the pressure and withdrew early."
"Your Highness, then we..." Percy asked again.
"Since they’ve decided to distance themselves, why should we hold on to them!" Jerome Bonaparte smiled and pulled out a banknote worth 100,000 francs from the Milan Bank, "Here’s 100,000 francs from the Milan Bank, I want you to keep the newspaper priced around 5 centimes!"
"Your Highness, if we do that, we’ll incur losses!" Percy’s face changed slightly as he explained to Jerome Bonaparte, "The cost from printing to publishing alone is about 4–5 centimes. If we sell for 5 centimes, we’d be losing money!"
"Secretary Percy!" Jerome Bonaparte said sternly, "What we need to do now is get our name out there quickly. Francs can be earned again, but an opportunity only comes once!"
Understanding Jerome Bonaparte’s intent, Percy responded, "I understand!"
"I’ll handle the matter with Cafenak! You just focus on running the newspaper! Also, don’t let Cafenak’s underlings find any evidence against us!" Jerome Bonaparte warned with a serious expression.
Having nothing else to discuss for the time being, Percy left the conference hall.
Only Jerome Bonaparte and Eugène Roué remained on site.
"I’m visiting Mr. Thiers tomorrow!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Eugène Roué.
"Do you need me to accompany you?" Eugène Roué responded immediately.
Jerome Bonaparte shook his head, "No need! I’ll visit on my own! You stay here!"
On September 5th, 1848, Paris was especially cool on this day.
As one of the Order Party’s leaders, Mr. Thiers added an extra layer to his thin shirt early in the morning.
Though the weather had cooled slightly, our Mr. Thiers’s heart still burned like a flame.
The burning ambition hidden within his frame gave Thiers a surplus of energy.
"Sir, Jerome Bonaparte seeks an audience!"
The servant in charge of announcing reported Jerome Bonaparte’s visit to Thiers.
Thiers, who was petite, flashed a crafty smile at the corner of his mouth, thinking how long could that clumsy Prince hold on, not expecting him to surrender in less than two days.
His originally cautious heart relaxed again due to Jerome Bonaparte’s visit.
Someone relying on the shade of his forefathers—not worth fearing!
"Then please let Deputy Jerome Bonaparte in!" Thiers couldn’t help but reveal a hint of smugness.
The servant led Jerome Bonaparte into the reception room where Thiers awaited.
Jerome Bonaparte finally saw Thiers in person.
Even uglier than the photo!
This was Jerome Bonaparte’s first thought upon seeing Thiers.
"Monsieur Bonaparte, what brings you here?" Thiers’s crafty face showed a surprised expression, pretending to be shocked by Jerome Bonaparte’s visit.
"Mr. Thiers, I hope you and your party can support me in the presidential election!" Jerome Bonaparte said with a feigned stutter and his laughable Tuscan accent.
Thiers internally sneered at Jerome Bonaparte again, but his face still wore a surprised expression, "Monsieur Bonaparte, electing a President is a matter for the entire nation’s vote; we don’t have that authority!"
"Ah! Voting! I hadn’t expected, Mr. Thiers is also an experienced Republican!" Jerome Bonaparte complimented.
"I have always been a Republican!" the political chameleon Thiers responded humbly.
"Then as a Republican, you surely wouldn’t want to see the votes belonging to the entire Republic’s electorate be erased for obscure reasons, would you!" Jerome Bonaparte emphasized.
"Who... who would do such a thing!" Thiers, like a thief yelling catch the thief, responded with a comical expression of surprise like a clown, "Monsieur Bonaparte, you should address this matter in the National Assembly, not discuss it here with me!"