Chapter 1459: Master Against Master
A grand banquet was underway in the Hall of Mirrors at the Berlin City Palace, celebrating the birthday of King William III.
Not only were all the prominent nobles of Prussia in attendance, but most nations in Northern Germany had also dispatched envoys to offer their congratulations.
However, the Queen of Prussia, who should have been one of the focal points of the gala, had left the hall early under the pretext of having had too much to drink.
But she did not return to her bedroom to rest. Instead, she appeared in a drawing room on the second floor.
The French Governor of Essen sat on the sofa in an exquisitely elegant posture, smiling as he looked at Queen Louise. "In truth, Your Majesty, we could have perfectly well discussed these matters in the banquet hall while sharing a drink."
Louise personally poured him a glass of wine and pushed three bills of exchange toward him. "The music is too loud, and certain important matters are better suited for a conversation here."
Baron Trudaine picked up the bills, glancing at the total figure of 250,000 Thalers. His expression remained calm. "It seems I have the opportunity to be of service to you regarding the matter of the Alphonse-Boutin Ironworks?"
"I would be most grateful."
Baron Trudaine, however, pushed the bills back. "As you know, I cannot use these silver coins in Paris. If you could convert them into Francs, it would be a great help to me.
Louise had not expected the man to be so assertive, and she was forced to lean forward to retrieve the bills.
"Very well, if you insist..."
She had only finished half her sentence when, from the corner of her eye, she noticed the Frenchman’s gaze seemingly sweeping across her chest.
A triumphant smile flickered at the corner of her mouth. As expected, no man could resist her "formidable assets."
She deliberately leaned a bit lower, timing it perfectly, before quickly sitting upright again. "However, if you can ensure that the Hibbert Coking Plant does not have to pay an extra 25% when purchasing coal, I would be willing to pay you even more."
Baron Trudaine's eyes seemed to lose focus for a moment, and it took a heartbeat before he replied, "Ah, you know, Your Majesty, it is already extremely difficult to get coal transported to Cologne these days."
Louise gave a seductive smile. "How could such a small matter trouble a man of your talents? Just name your price."
Baron Trudaine took a sip of wine and shook his head. "Prince Charles is keeping a close watch on the Alphonse-Boutin Ironworks. I cannot make any moves that are too overt, so..."
Louise was stunned for a moment, then burst into a fit of laughter that made her entire frame tremble. "You needn't worry about that. Prince Charles is 'one of us.' In fact, he is also helping me resolve the audit issues with the Technical Association."
Baron Trudaine appeared genuinely surprised. "Even His Highness Charles is helping you?"
He then asked in confusion, "Then why do you need to come to me?"
Louise waved her hand helplessly. "Although his status is noble, the people at the Technical Association simply don't listen to him."
Baron Trudaine nodded thoughtfully. "That is not surprising. The matter of the Alphonse-Boutin Ironworks involves the Technical Association and the Development Fund vying for influence within the Ministry of Industry, and it has also been dragged into the feud between the Tax Bureau and the Ministry of Trade.
"Prince Charles is too young. It's difficult for him to untangle such a complex web of interests."
Louise suddenly understood. No wonder Charles hadn't solved the problem even after she had "deployed her ultimate charms."
She looked at the man before her again, her mind racing to a quick decision.
The next moment, she leaned forward slowly, dipping her waist lower as she spoke in a soft, tender voice. "You will help me, won't you?"
The French Governor of Essen swallowed hard and forced his gaze away. "Well, I suppose I could try..."
More than ten days later.
The estate of the Prussian Count Schlobitten was brilliantly lit, filled with the strains of melodious music.
The hundreds of nobles gathered here were dressed in bizarre costumes and wore all manner of masks; it was clearly a masquerade ball.
A lady with a curvaceous figure, her entire face hidden behind a golden Plumed Serpent mask, glided gracefully to the side of a man dressed as Bacchus. She stood on her tiptoes and whispered something into his ear.
Immediately, the two shared a knowing laugh. Hand in hand, they pushed through the crowd and headed toward the drawing rooms on the second floor.
The woman used a key to open the door to Room 219. The man impatiently swept her inside, deftly tearing the masks from their faces before pressing his burning lips against hers.
Beneath the Plumed Serpent mask, Queen Louise's beautiful face was revealed. She finally found a gap in the man's passionate kisses and gasped for breath. "My dear, do you think that matter is possible?"
The man was none other than Baron Trudaine.
He held her waist tightly, desperately seeking those tender lips, and murmured, "Soon. I am currently smoothing over the connections..."
Indeed, Baron Trudaine had successfully "sent away" the officials investigating the Alphonse-Boutin Company and had managed to transport several thousand tons of coal—which Prussia had long been yearning for—to Stendal.
This efficiency was many times greater than what Charles had managed.
Louise immediately realized that he was the local official with real power that she truly needed.
At the same time, she keenly detected the greed in Trudaine's eyes when he looked at her. Thus, it was only natural that she used her practiced skills. In just three days, she had him falling at her feet.
For his part, Trudaine was tall, handsome, with golden curly hair and an extraordinary manner of speaking. His every gesture carried the innate elegance and romance of the French nobility. This caused her to feel quite a bit of genuine affection for him as well.
And so, Berlin gained another pair of clandestine lovers.
What Louise did not expect was that Trudaine had been specifically sent by the French Prince Regent to seduce her.
Joseph had not chosen him at random.
Back in Paris, this Baron was famous throughout Versailles for "acquiring four new mistresses in a single day." He was an absolute grandmaster in the arena of romance.
However, it was precisely because he had simultaneously "offended" female family members of two high-ranking noble houses that he had been kicked out to a godforsaken place like Essen.
Louise thought she had "subjugated" this master of hearts, but in reality, it was merely the result of Trudaine guiding the situation to its natural conclusion. Even if she hadn't made the first move, Trudaine was confident he could have established a romantic relationship with her within a week.
Hearing his words, Louise leaned back slightly and pushed him away gently, pouting. "My dear, is my sincere love not even worth such a small favor?"
Trudaine roughly pulled her back into his arms, a captivating smile on his face. "If I agree, how do you intend to express your love for me?"
Louise was overjoyed. She lowered her head shyly and reached for a certain hidden area. "I will make you feel as though you have reached heaven."
Her previous request was to cancel the 25% price hike on coal for the Hibbert Coking Plant. This would instantly save the Prussian steel mills an untold amount of money!
Meanwhile, in the main hall of the masquerade ball, a servant struggled to find his master among the crowd. He stepped forward and bowed. "Your Highness, Monsieur Silvio invites you to play cards. Count Binder is there as well. They are waiting for you in Room 218."
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