Chapter 65: The Domination of Public Opinion (Asking for Monthly Votes)

Dupont nodded vigorously, his eyes full of approval: "Yes, Your Highness, this is indeed a disastrous treaty. After the tariff reduction, a large number of textile workshops in Lyon have closed down, and the steel industry is also in danger. Thousands of workers Workers are unemployed.”

He spoke for a while, and the officials of the Mathematical Society began to give concluding remarks on the stage, announcing that the academic meeting was over.

Everyone attending the meeting respectfully made way for a passage and asked His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, who has the most distinguished status, to go first.

Joseph said goodbye to Lagrange and other scholars, turned and walked out the door.

Dupont hurriedly caught up and said after careful consideration: "Your Highness, in fact, during the negotiations that year, the British had agreed in principle to the 'single tax plan'. If the negotiations can continue, France may be able to win more favorable terms. "

He is one of the presidents of the French Chamber of Commerce, responsible for northern France, and is also a big capitalist. France's reduction of tariffs on industrial products also had a great personal impact on him. Today, he could meet the crown prince who was familiar with the situation of the British and French technology industries. He would naturally seize the opportunity, even if there was only a slight possibility, and try his best to promote the modification of the treaty.

DuPont has participated in the entire British-French trade negotiations. Joseph had learned from the conversation with him just now that the people who were mainly responsible for trade negotiations that year were the Count Vergennes, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Viscount Carona, the Minister of Finance.

Now one of these two people has died, and the other has been removed from office due to tax bill matters, which has led to the interruption of negotiations, but a phased "Treaty of Eden" has been signed.

Judging from the current situation, the British have benefited greatly from it and are certainly unwilling to modify the treaty. At present, the only way out is to improve France's industrial strength as soon as possible and increase its competitiveness.

Of course, it should still be possible to use some means to extract some small benefits from trade negotiations.

So he stopped and said to Dupont: "I will raise this matter at the cabinet meeting and strive to resume trade negotiations as soon as possible."

Dupont was overjoyed and hurriedly bowed and said: "Your Highness, you are the savior of countless industries in France! You are so great!"

When Joseph came out of Mrs. Josna's villa, a young man attending an academic meeting behind him rushed over casually with his head lowered, as if he was thinking about something.

Emang had quick eyes and quick hands and stopped him in a hurry.

The young man with a horse-like face realized that he had bumped into His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and he apologized while stroking his chest in panic: "Oh, Your Highness, I didn't mean to offend you."

What he said was English.

Joseph subconsciously responded in English: "It's okay, you didn't hit me."

The horse-faced young man smiled apologetically again, and still spoke in English: "You see, I was born in Birmingham, so I started speaking my hometown dialect."

Joseph said politely: "Birmingham is a nice place."

The horse-faced young man said with a smile on his face: "Thank you for your compliment. Oh, I just listened to your speech. You seem to have great respect for Britain."

Joseph only thought that this man was here to get close to him, so he praised his hometown a few words: "Well, Britain's industrial technology has advanced very quickly. (This is the truth)

"And very good at international politics and diplomacy. (born to be a troublemaker)

“He is also very innovative when it comes to cooking. (Dark Cuisine)”

"In addition, the British are also very pragmatic and frugal. (Old-fashioned and stingy)"

Excitement flashed in the young man's eyes, and just as he was about to say something else, Emang next to him coughed dryly with a cold face.

The horse-faced young man could only smile awkwardly and bowed again: "I won't disturb Your Highness. You have a safe journey."

He watched Joseph go away, immediately got into his carriage, and went straight to the British Embassy in France.

"You mean, the French Crown Prince has been communicating with you in English?" Hartley looked at his men in surprise.

"Yes, Mr. Hartley." The horse-faced young man said firmly, "He is very proficient in English and has great appreciation for Britain. At the academic conference just now, he also publicly refuted the remarks that slandered Britain."

He then repeated Joseph's words in detail.

Hartley suddenly looked thoughtful. The French were quite hostile to Britain at the moment and didn't bother to learn English at all. Especially for the royal family, Latin is their first choice. Then the crown prince who can speak English is very special.

All aspects of intelligence are increasingly pointing to the conclusion that the French crown prince should be very pro-British, or at least have a great favorable impression of Britain.

If Joseph knew what he was thinking, he would definitely laugh out loud - he knew English which was a must for the postgraduate entrance examination. As for your favorable impression of Britain? Don't be ridiculous, he hated Blue Star's troublemaker in his previous life, and now he spends all day thinking about how to deal with France's biggest enemy.

Hartley fumbled with the armrests of the chair, becoming more and more determined to get in touch with the French Crown Prince as soon as possible, so he took out a pen and paper to write a letter and asked his men to hand it over to a noblewoman in the Palace of Versailles.

After his men were ordered to leave, Hartley recalled London's instructions to sow discord between Prussia and France. He immediately ordered his attendants to prepare a car and headed for the Palais Royal.

…

The Duke of Orleans looked at the newspaper the butler had just brought and couldn't help frowning.

The French Courier newspaper devoted two pages to introducing the tax provisions of the tax bill that had just been rejected by the High Court. From why this tax is levied, to who will pay this tax, to what impact the tax will have on the country, everything is explained clearly in very simple words.

In addition, there is a special report by the reporter, which introduces the whole process of the king's implementation of the new tax bill. However, it only mentions that the tax bill was proposed by the former Minister of Finance, Carlona, ​​and has been rejected twice by the High Court for registration. Obviously, there is a follow-up.

He picked up another newspaper with similar content.

"Archbishop Brian has finally become smart." The Duke of Orleans smiled.

Since Carlona proposed the new tax bill last year, the French government has always wanted to use force to implement the bill. After being resisted, it began to compromise blindly, but never realized that it was necessary to use public opinion to gain broad support.

It was not until now that the Minister of Finance finally began to promote the tax bill in the newspaper.

To be honest, the new tax bill did not affect the small nobles and civilians too much, especially after this revision, which was almost entirely aimed at the great nobles. If the publicity is proper, it will surely gain widespread support in France.

The Duke of Orleans threw the newspaper aside, his face full of disdain. He and the banking giants were planning to use the rejection of the bill by the court to promote the removal of Brian, so how could they let him create public opinion.

"Brian actually thought too simply to use newspaper propaganda to put pressure on the High Court." He smiled and shook his head.

After years of investment and wooing, nearly half of the newspaper industry and "pamphlet" industry in Paris are controlled by him. Together with the newspapers in the hands of the nobles who are allied with him, he almost controls the entire publishing and printing industry in Paris.

At present, his words are the direction of public opinion!

He is the master of public opinion!

Thanks: This is the crime boss, the book name sails up and sails, for their generous rewards to this book! Tian Haishan is very grateful, mua mua!