Chapter 875: The Crown Prince and the Junior Intelligence Officer
The New West District of Paris.
Inside the former royal hunting lodge that now served as the Intelligence Bureau’s headquarters, Fouché’s calm but piercing gaze swept across his gathered subordinates.
"So," he began, his voice dangerously quiet, "does no one have any good news for me today?"
His Highness the Crown Prince had granted him exactly one week to identify the mastermind behind the shorting of the franc. It was now the third day, and they were still grasping at shadows.
Blanche, the head of Action Team Three, stammered nervously, "Director, the backgrounds of those applying to exchange their notes for gold are all perfectly clean... We did arrest several individuals who were inciting citizens to trade in their paper money, but we couldn't squeeze anything out of them. The lawyers, as you know, are proving to be quite an obstacle..."
Fouché’s expression turned frigid as he looked toward the financial advisor. "Mr. Scott, what is the total amount currently requested for gold exchange?"
"Fourteen million francs, Director. That is according to the Central Bank's data. The other banks likely have another three or four million pending."
Fouché suddenly lunged forward, seizing Blanche by the collar and roaring, "Eighteen million francs! That is enough to buy the Louvre three times over with change to spare! Does such a staggering sum just sprout from the ground like weeds?!"
Prosper, from Action Team One, spoke up in a low voice. "Director, we have been investigating the source of the funds from the very beginning. However, the initial capital did not pass through any established banks, nor did it originate from any major factories or known investors..."
Fouché slammed his fist onto the table, his knuckles splitting and instantly oozing blood. "Or are you telling me a magician conjured eighteen million francs out of thin air? Investigate every illegal organization! And contact the Notary Investigation Bureau—see if there has been any large-scale embezzlement or misappropriation of state funds!"
Scott, the financial advisor, suddenly had a realization. "Director," he said cautiously, "speaking of massive quantities of banknotes, I might have a lead on a possibility."
"Out with it!"
"During the second phase of the negotiations for the Seine-Rhine River Agreement, our nation provided substantial loans to several South German states."
Fouché’s eyes sparked with interest. "How much exactly?"
"I'm afraid you would have to ask the Minister of Finance for the precise figures..."
Two days later.
In Stuttgart, the capital of the German state of Württemberg, situated near the middle reaches of the Rhine.
Inside the spacious hall of the royal palace, Crown Prince Ludwig Eugen stammered nervously as he addressed the French officer before him.
"Captain Pélier, I assure you, I can explain the use of those loans..."
"However, as you know, the accounts are quite intricate. It will take some time to organize them. Perhaps... in a month? No, come back in twenty days?"
Pélier offered a thin, nonchalant smile. His demeanor suggested he was the royal and the sixty-something-year-old Crown Prince was merely a common merchant. "There is no need to trouble yourself. I shall bring my own men to audit the records."
"No, no, that would disrupt the bank's daily operations!" Ludwig Eugen cried out. "I promise, I will give you a satisfactory answer in one week."
"My time is limited." Captain Pélier stood up and donned his hat. "You have two choices. Either grant me the authorization to review your national financial records, or let General Masséna’s army handle the matter. They are currently stationed... let me see, less than a hundred kilometers from here."
Cold sweat instantly broke out on the Crown Prince’s forehead.
The news of Masséna crushing over a hundred thousand Coalition troops in Luxembourg had become a recurring nightmare for every German state.
Although the French government had recently and repeatedly emphasized that Masséna's army was only there to punish the 'evil Austrian aggressors and their Bavarian accomplices' and posed no threat to the 'German states coerced by Austria,' who would dare bet their life on such a promise?
After the French army crossed the Rhine, it would only take a two-day march to reach Stuttgart if they decided to take a slight detour north.
After all, this involved a staggering sum of nearly ten million francs.
The French soldiers would certainly not mind making the trip for that kind of money.
If they arrived, Württemberg would likely find itself rebranded as an 'accomplice of Austria' as well.
Ludwig Eugen swallowed hard and bowed his head to the Intelligence Bureau officer. "Very well, I understand. I shall send for Mr. Arnold immediately. He was the one in charge of the loans."
Two hours later, Arnold, the special financial advisor for Württemberg, handed a stack of documents to Pélier, explaining nervously:
"These 2.2 million francs were used to purchase French fertilizer, sugar, and other goods... These 150,000 francs were invested in a quarry... And these last two documents are loan agreements for seven million francs granted to a Mr. Banks by the Bank of Stuttgart. He... he specifically requested the amount in banknotes..."
Pélier glanced at him and pulled out the agreement at the bottom. His gaze sharpened instantly.
A seven-million-franc loan, a six-month term, with an interest rate of 12.5 percent. Early repayment would even reduce the interest.
"What is his background?" Pélier asked, waving the document.
"I... I only know him as a timber merchant."
The French agent sneered. "Do you take me for a fool? Would the Bank of Stuttgart dare lend seven million to an unknown merchant? Or perhaps you’d prefer to discuss this with General Masséna?"
From the side, Ludwig Eugen spoke up with difficulty. "Captain Pélier... he was recommended by the British Consul stationed in Stuttgart..."
The Palace of Versailles.
Joseph glared at Fouché, his expression grim. "You actually sent men to the palaces of Württemberg and Augsburg to threaten them!"
"Do you have any idea how much of a diplomatic crisis this could trigger?"
He picked up the report and slammed it back onto the desk.
His established strategy was to stabilize the German states and keep them as far from Austria as possible.
Yet Fouché had sent agents to terrorize them, claiming Masséna’s army would march on their capitals just to investigate a single loan.
Fouché bowed his head deeply. "I offer my sincerest apologies, Your Highness. But they were indeed hiding something, and I feared a covert investigation would not yield results in time."
Joseph exhaled a long breath and picked up the report again. "Tell me what you found."
"Yes, Your Highness," Fouché replied quickly. "Every lead points to Britain. By offering exorbitant interest rates, they secured a total of twenty-eight million francs in paper currency from Württemberg, Augsburg, and Upper Hesse."
"As you know, following the outbreak of war between our nation and the Holy Roman Empire, these states assumed the conflict would be a long, drawn-out affair. They were all too happy to accept the British offer."
Joseph frowned slightly. France had previously provided a total of thirty-three million francs in loans to the members of the Seine-Rhine River Agreement in two installments, all in paper currency. He hadn't expected that over eighty percent of it would end up as ammunition for the British to short the franc.
He scanned the investigation report.
The British had promised Württemberg 12.5 percent interest and Augsburg 13 percent, while Upper Hesse was offered as much as 16 percent.
One must remember that this was the interest for only six months. If converted to an annual rate, it would be as high as twenty-five to thirty-six percent!
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