Chapter 478: Wielding Great Power
Actually, all furniture produced by Yiju Furnishings came with a warning label advising customers to "Please use in a well-ventilated area with open windows." But almost everyone ignored it.
Soon after, a footman brought Goldsmid a bottle of Paris Cola and a glass of Wine.
Goldsmid nodded to the footman, then expertly poured the carbonated drink from the glass bottle into his wine glass. The deep red wine immediately fizzed with countless bubbles.
This was the most fashionable way to drink among the Parisian nobility recently. Carbonated drinks enhanced the sweetness of the wine, and the bubbles helped the aroma spread quickly throughout the mouth. After drinking, the wine's fragrance returned as a pleasant aftertaste with each burp—it was truly pure bliss.
However, due to the limited production capacity of soda, Paris Cola was only sold in major French cities for now, so this drinking style hadn't yet swept across all of Europe.
As Goldsmid knew, in Britain, the price of Paris Cola had been driven up to 5 shillings, which amounted to over 6 francs a bottle.
As he savored his sparkling wine, the conference hall doors opened again. A man of moderate height, dressed in a short, black silk jacket, with an arrogant glint in his eyes, strode in.
He was followed by a man with a pointed chin and a hooked nose.
The people in the room immediately rose and bowed to them. "Viscount Fould, you're looking excellent."
"Well, if it isn't Mr. Hope? Long time no see."
Goldsmid also hurriedly bowed in greeting.
He had heard of both men who had just arrived, but it was his first time seeing them in person.
Léon Fould was a French financial magnate of Jewish descent, who owned banks and shipping companies, and was the true power behind the French Tax Farmers' General Assembly.
The man with the hooked nose, on the other hand, was Dutch. His name was Henry Hope, and he owned numerous banks in the Netherlands, Russia, and Sweden.
It was rumored that he possessed an even greater fortune than Fould, but as a foreigner, his influence over the Tax Farmers' General Assembly was not as strong as Fould's.
Fould approached the head of the conference table, politely invited Hope to take a seat beside him, then addressed the assembled attendees. "I'm sure you've all heard that the government plans to reclaim the right to collect taxes. I've asked you all to gather from various regions today to discuss how we should respond."
Indeed, the fewer than twenty people in this room were the hidden magnates who controlled France's taxation. Some of them didn't even appear at the Tax Farmers' General Assembly itself, but the tax farmers visible to the public were merely their financial proxies.
Figures like Hope, each controlled the tax collection of several French provinces, and reaped enormous profits from it.
Immediately, a man with jowls that sagged waved dismissively. "There's no need to worry about this at all. Without our tax advances, the French government would immediately go bankrupt."
An elder beside him instantly nodded. "Even without financial problems, the government's tax officials would quickly drive His Majesty the King to despair. During the era of the Sun King, it was because of their remarkable ability to embezzle that the king handed over tax collection to us. What solutions could Louis XVI possibly have now?"
Their words drew murmurs of agreement, but Hope cleared his throat softly and said with a serious expression, "This matter concerns all our businesses. Since the Queen has this intention, she must have made preparations. We must also prepare our response in advance."
Fould immediately followed up, "First, we must form a financial alliance. No one is to lend the government tax advances in the form of loans."
Everyone nodded in agreement, believing this single move would be enough to make the government abandon its Tax System Reform.
Hope then added, "We can also exert pressure on the Royal Family through the bureaucracy."
Fould nodded in approval. "Many in the bureaucratic class have invested in tax farming. If we offer them further incentives, we can certainly flood the entire nation with dissenting voices."
The man with the fleshy face smirked maliciously. "If the government wants to collect taxes itself, it will surely appoint a large number of tax officials. If necessary, we can send people to threaten them, or even kill a few to intimidate the rest."
Hope disliked his crude, reckless approach. Gazing at the wine glass in his hand, he said, "If it truly comes to that, we should target those at the top, not merely tax officials."
Everyone present immediately began to elaborate on the details of their various schemes, speaking over one another and exuding an air of complete confidence.
Two hours later, Fould looked at the plan transcribed and organized by the secretary and couldn't help but nod slightly. Those assembled here were the sharpest minds in Europe, who held sway and commanded influence across various nations. Neither the Queen nor ministers like Brienne could possibly be their match?
'France's taxes would always belong to them!'
The meeting concluded, and the financial titans proceeded to the second floor for a banquet.
Goldsmid gazed at Fould's retreating back, hesitating, wondering if he should voice his own idea, but then decided the current plan was already excellent. So, he drained the wine in his glass and hurried towards the second floor.
...
Versailles Palace.
In the tea room of the Petit Trianon, Queen Marie frowned as she handed a thick stack of documents to Joseph, her expression uneasy. "Dearest, this Tax System Reform you're planning—merely putting out feelers, and I've already received so much opposition here."
Joseph also frowned as he leafed through the documents. All were Remonstrances from officials at various levels, opposing the abolition of the tax farming system.
Most were local officials, but they also included two Governors and the Assistant to the Minister of Justice. Even the King's brother, the Duke of Provence, explicitly opposed it.
Joseph counted roughly, more than 40 Remonstrances in total.
He wasn't particularly surprised. After all, many officials had invested in tax farming. By threatening their interests, they would naturally resist with all their might.
Queen Marie continued, "I hear even more Remonstrances are being sent to Versailles. Perhaps it really isn't the right time for Tax System Reform?"
When she first heard her son speak of reforming the tax system, she had agreed without much hesitation; after all, ministers like Brienne and Mirabeau had also strongly approved.
But with so many officials now expressing opposition, she couldn't help but wonder if her son had truly made a mistake.
Joseph took a deep breath and offered the Queen a confident smile. "Dearest Mother, just give me a few more months, and I promise you will see a satisfactory outcome."
"Alright, then try again," Queen Marie nodded.
She trusted her son implicitly now, and then linked her arm through Joseph's. "Join me for dinner tonight. Oh, and I believe Alexandra will be joining us as well."
"Hmm? Alright."
Joseph nodded distractedly, his mind preoccupied with how to handle so many officials opposing the abolition of tax farming.
'Should he first try to mitigate their financial losses?'
As Joseph walked down the corridor, nobles on both sides respectfully stepped aside and bowed to him and the Queen.
Suddenly, his eyes narrowed. 'That's right, he now held immense power over administration, justice, and finance. Why should he still consider the interests of those "minor figures"?'
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