January 7, 1849, 10:50 am.
Prime Minister of the French Republic Odilon Barrow led the newly formed cabinet team, led by Elysee Palace Secretary-General Pesini, to the Elysee Palace conference hall to await the arrival of Jérôme Bonaparte.
"Gentlemen, please wait a moment! The President will be here soon!" Pesini, who retreated to the door of the conference hall, bowed politely.
After more than ten days of training, Odilon Barrow, who had long been accustomed to President Jérôme Bonaparte's routine, certainly understood that the president should still be asleep at this time, and he nodded slightly with a smile.
Pesini turned and left the conference hall, carefully closing the door.
Odilon Barrow, who was watching Pesini leave, just stretched out his hand to make a gesture to sit down and said: "Colleagues, don't be too formal! I think the president will be here soon!"
The ministers of various departments present were invited by Odilon Barrow to sit on the left and right sides of the sofa respectively, sitting in different positions according to their proximity to Odilon Barrow.
The ones sitting closest to Odilon Barrow are Foreign Minister Drouin de Ruiz and Interior Minister Leon Fuchs, followed by War Minister Liulier and Finance Minister Passy... As non-officials, Justice Minister Eugène Rouet and Public Works Minister Morny, who were personally appointed by Odilon Barrow, are further away from Odilon Barrow.
However, the most unexpected person was the Minister of Public Education, Count Fallo. He should have been sitting near Odilon Barrow, but he consciously stayed away from Odilon Barrow and sat with Eugène Ruby and others.
Odilon Barrow showed an unhappy look. If he hadn't considered the dual identities of Fallou's orthodox and Catholic right-wingers, Odilon Barrow, a left-wing member of the former dynasty, would never have hired this guy.
"Okay! Gentlemen, from now on our seats will be according to the current positions!" Odilon Barrow finalized the subsequent positions, and then he turned his attention to his "money bag" Finance Minister Passi and said: "Mr. Passy, what is the current financial situation of the Republic?"
Passy shook his head, stood up and handed Odilon Barrow several documents filled with dense French, which he had carefully organized after becoming a minister.
Odilon Barrow flipped through the documents compiled by Passy page by page. As his understanding deepened, Odilon Barrow's expression became more solemn. After flipping through the data provided by Passy, he dumped the data on Walnut Production On the desk, he raised his head and said solemnly: "Minister Passi, I want to hear your opinion!"
"Mr. Prime Minister, our republic is facing a huge fiscal deficit! The political turmoil of the previous year severely damaged our market. If we don't think about solutions, our government will be unable to pay the interest on the national debt!" Finance Minister Passi exaggerated.
"Then do you have any solution?" Odilon Barrow then asked. Although he knew that the so-called inability to pay the interest on the national debt was just an exaggeration by Passi, the fiscal deficit was really not a good sign.
"Given that the Constituent Assembly abolished some taxes such as progressive income tax, I suggest that we should restore some of the previously abolished taxes! For example: restore the salt tax!" Passi put forward his own suggestions to Odilon Barrow.
As soon as the proposal to restore the salt tax came out, Eugène Rouet felt an inexplicable malice.
Regardless of whether Passy's proposal to "restore the salt tax" is sincere or an opportunity to stir up trouble, Eugene Rouet only knows that once the proposal to "restore the salt tax" is passed by the National Assembly, the president will have to face the evil intentions of his base.
If all taxes in France were ranked, the salt tax would undoubtedly rank first, because it represents the crazy exploitation of small farmers by the old system. As the tax that small farmers hate most, it will affect the base's perception of the president.
This tax is simply digging into the foundations of Bonapartism.
But now that the President has not arrived yet, Eugène Rouet, as the Minister of Justice, cannot intervene in the Ministry of Finance's problems. He can only purse his lips and make an expression of hesitation.
Morny, who was sitting next to him, also looked at Patsy in surprise. He didn't understand what the Finance Minister had in mind.
"Then you..."
When Odilon Barrow was about to ask Passi to prepare a proposal on "restoring the salt tax," the door of the cabinet meeting hall suddenly opened.
Everyone subconsciously glanced in the direction of the door, falling into a brief trance as they looked at the "guest" Odilon Barrow who appeared at the door.
"How are you, Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. Ministers?" President Jérôme Bonaparte, who was wearing a Napoleon Emperor Cosplay military uniform and military trousers, a triangular military hat on his head, and a Legion of Glory medal pinned on his chest, greeted warmly. road.
Everyone except Eugène Rouet was shocked by Jerome Bonaparte's outfit. Under this outfit, Jerome Bonaparte looked more like a smaller emperor.
In his daze, Odilon Barrow even "saw" the emperor's soul lingering behind the president. He raised his hand and rubbed his eyes. The emperor disappeared and was replaced by a poor imitator.
There is something quite human-like about this outfit!
"Hello, Mr. President!" Odilon Barrow and the ministers stood up to greet him.
President Jérôme Bonaparte shook hands with the Prime Minister and ministers in turn. When his hand held Eugène Rouet's hand, he patted Rouet on the shoulder and said: "Do a good job!"
"Yes!" Eugène Rouet responded firmly.
At Odilon Barro's strong invitation, President Jérôme Bonaparte replaced Odilon Barro as the core figure in the cabinet meeting.
"Minister Parsi, report the financial plan you just proposed to the president!" Odilon Barrow gave an order to Parsi.
Explaining the necessity of "restoring the salt tax" to a "peasant" president is a suicide attempt from any perspective. He may become the fastest dismissed minister in French history.
Passy was silent for a moment about Odilon Barrow's blatant "selling out his teammates", but he still explained to President Jérôme Bonaparte the importance of "restoring the salt tax".
Jérôme Bonaparte listened carefully to Passy's proposal and nodded in affirmation from time to time.
After Passy finished his statement, Jérôme Bonaparte said: "You can discuss this issue with Prime Minister Barrow! If there are no problems, you can submit it directly to the National Assembly!"
In the surprised expressions of Barrow and Eugène Rouet, Patsy said with a hint of trembling: "Yes!"
"If there is anything else that needs to be reported, please report it all!"
