Chapter 478: Power in Hand
In fact, every piece of furniture produced by Ergonomique comes with a label advising, "Please place in a well-ventilated area before use," but nearly everyone ignores this.
Soon after, the servant brought Goldsmith a bottle of Paris Cola and a glass of wine. Goldsmith nodded his thanks and expertly poured the soda into the wine glass, causing a cascade of bubbles to rise through the dark purple wine.
This has recently become the most fashionable way for Parisian nobles to drink. The soda enhances the sweetness of the wine, and the bubbles help spread the aroma more quickly throughout the mouth. The lingering aftertaste, especially when accompanied by a burp, is simply unforgettable.
However, due to limited soda production, Paris Cola is currently sold only in major cities in France, so this drinking method has yet to sweep across Europe.
As Goldsmith knew, in Britain, the price of Paris Cola had already been driven up to five shillings, or more than six francs per bottle.
While he was enjoying his sparkling wine, the door to the meeting room opened again. A short, middle-aged man with an air of arrogance, dressed in a black silk jacket, stepped in. Beside him was a man with a sharp chin and a hooked nose.
The others in the room immediately stood up to greet them, "Viscount Fould, you're looking well."
"We've been waiting for you, Viscount Fould."
"And isn't this Mr. Hope? It's been a while."
Goldsmith hurriedly bowed as well.
He had heard of both men but was seeing them in person for the first time.
Léon Fould was a Jewish French financial giant, owning banks and transport companies and secretly controlling the French tax farmers' association. The man with the hooked nose was Dutch, named Henry Hope, who owned numerous banks in the Netherlands, Russia, and Sweden.
Rumor had it that Hope's wealth exceeded Fould's, but as a foreigner, his influence over the tax farmers' association was not as strong as Fould's.
Fould took a seat at the head of the table and politely invited Hope to sit beside him. Then, he looked around at the others and directly said, "You've probably all heard that the government plans to reclaim the right to collect taxes. The reason I've gathered you all here today is to discuss how we should respond."
Indeed, the fewer than twenty people in this room were the financial powers controlling France's tax revenue. Some of them didn't even appear publicly within the tax farmers' association, but the tax farmers out front were all backed by their money.
Someone like Hope, for instance, controlled the tax collection in several French provinces and reaped enormous profits from it.
Immediately, a man with sagging jowls waved dismissively, "There's nothing to worry about. Without our tax farming fees, the French government will go bankrupt immediately."
An older man next to him nodded in agreement. "Even without financial problems, the government's tax officials will soon drive His Majesty to despair. During the reign of the Sun King, it was their excellent skills in corruption that led the King to entrust tax collection to us. What can Louis XVI possibly do differently?"
Their comments drew a chorus of agreement, but Hope lightly cleared his throat, his expression serious. "This concerns everyone's business. If the Queen has this plan in mind, she must have made preparations. We need to be ready as well."
Fould immediately chimed in, "First, we must form a financial alliance. No one is to lend the government money from the tax farming fees."
Everyone nodded, thinking that this move alone would be enough to force the government to abandon its tax reform.
Hope then added, "We can also apply pressure on the royal family through bureaucrats."
Fould agreed, "Many in the bureaucracy have invested in tax farming. If we offer them additional incentives, we can ensure that opposition voices fill the nation."
The man with the jowls smiled darkly, "If the government insists on collecting taxes themselves, they'll have to appoint a large number of tax officials. If necessary, we can threaten them or even kill a few to scare the others."
Hope wasn't a fan of such crude tactics. Staring into his glass, he said, "If it comes to that, we should target higher-ups, not tax officials."
The group began discussing the details of various plans, brimming with confidence.
Two hours later, Fould reviewed the scribe's notes and nodded slightly. The men in this room were some of the smartest in Europe, with the power to influence entire nations. How could the Queen or ministers like Brienne possibly stand against them?
France's tax revenue would always belong to them!
As the meeting ended, the financial magnates headed upstairs for a banquet.
Goldsmith hesitated, wondering whether he should share his idea with Fould, but decided that the current plan was already solid. He finished his glass of wine and quickly headed upstairs.
...
Versailles Palace.
In the tearoom of the Petit Trianon, Queen Marie frowned as she handed Joseph a thick stack of documents, her expression anxious. "My dear, just the rumors about your tax reform have brought me all this opposition."
Joseph also frowned as he flipped through the documents, which were filled with objections from various officials against the abolition of the tax farming system.
Most were from local officials, but they also included two governors, an assistant minister of justice, and even the King's brother, the Duke of Provence, who clearly opposed the plan.
Joseph quickly counted more than forty letters of protest.
He wasn't surprised, knowing that many officials had invested in tax farming. With their interests at stake, they would naturally fight back.
Queen Marie continued, "I've heard that even more letters are being sent to Versailles. Maybe now really isn't the right time for tax reform?"
When her son first mentioned tax reform, she agreed without much hesitation, especially since ministers like Brienne and Mirabeau also supported it.
But now, with so many officials voicing their objections, she couldn't help but wonder if her son had made a mistake.
Joseph took a deep breath and gave the Queen a confident smile. "Dear Mother, give me a few more months, and I promise you'll be pleased with the results."
"Alright, then give it a try," Queen Marie nodded, trusting her son. Then she linked her arm with Joseph's. "Join me for dinner tonight, won't you? Oh, I believe Alexandra will be there too."
"Huh? Sure."
Joseph nodded absentmindedly, already thinking about how to deal with the opposition to the abolition of tax farming.
Should he first find a way to reduce their financial losses?
As Joseph walked down the corridor, the nobles on both sides stepped aside and bowed to him and the Queen.
Suddenly, he squinted his eyes. Of course! He now held administrative, judicial, and financial power. Why should he be concerned about the interests of those "small players"?
(End of Chapter)
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