CHAPTER 325: CHAPTER 321 PARIS CITY TRANSFORMATION

"The government won’t give you much funding for renovation, everything depends on your own efforts..."

As soon as these words were spoken, Georges Ossman immediately felt an invisible pressure weighing on his shoulders.

It is well known that any urban renovation requires a substantial amount of funding as a safety net to proceed. The amount the government allocates for urban renovation determines the speed of renovation progress.

How to smoothly complete Paris’s urban renovation without government funding is truly a test of a governor’s governance skills.

A trace of unnatural expression appeared on Georges Ossman’s face as Jerome Bonaparte looked at him with a half-smile and said, "Don’t worry! Government departments aren’t completely hands-off. It’s just that the funds needed for Paris’s urban renovation are too massive, and the government can only bear a small part! The major part still needs to be operated by private capital. I roughly calculated that if Paris wants a comprehensive renovation, the government needs to invest around 200 million francs annually! This amount isn’t calculated over one or two years but over a decade!"

Jerome Bonaparte had once calculated that the money needed for a comprehensive renovation would be about 2 billion francs, and that was an ideal calculation without considering government corruption.

Considering all aspects, the entire Paris renovation would cost at least as much as half a Franco-Prussian War, that is to say, 2.5 billion francs to complete.

This is equivalent to more than a year’s worth of France’s total national calculations.

Although the cycle for this expenditure can be extended to ten or even twenty years, it is still not a small expenditure.

Nowadays, military reforms need money, setting up military academies needs money, revitalizing the industry needs money, and establishing nursing schools also requires a considerable expenditure.

The government simply can’t afford multiple initiatives at once, but Paris must undergo renovation. This is why Jerome Bonaparte invited Georges Ossman to be the chief designer of the Paris urban renovation.

"Your Majesty, how much funding can the government provide each year?" Georges Ossman asked Jerome Bonaparte.

"I will persuade the Legislative Corps to provide you with 60 million francs in the first year. After that, the Ministry of Finance will allocate 30 million francs annually. This is the most help I can give you! The central government is not having an easy time either, every aspect needs money!" Jerome Bonaparte shook his head and sighed, "One doesn’t realize the cost of necessities when not managing a household!"

To ensure the smooth progress of the reforms, Jerome Bonaparte has tried to cut back as much as possible within an effective range.

Now, he couldn’t even compare himself to his cousin who historically received 12 million francs annually, not even to himself two years ago.

Two years ago, he was still wrestling with the Legislative Assembly over the President’s salary issue.

Of course, Percy and others hinted at Jerome Bonaparte to raise his own salary since only if Jerome Bonaparte raised his salary would they feel comfortable and bold enough to continue their embezzlement.

However, Jerome Bonaparte refused Percy and the others’ suggestions every time and also slightly warned Percy and the Bonaparte Faction to be a bit more restrained.

As parasites of France, they shouldn’t always think about draining existing industries without considering how to expand them.

Only by making France’s cake bigger can they receive a larger share.

Jerome Bonaparte recalled the actions of the Bonaparte Faction and couldn’t help but sigh again.

Sometimes, the ambitions of the schemers have a more tenacious willpower than revolutionaries; however, once victorious, the decline of the schemers is much faster than the revolution.

"30 million francs?" Georges Ossman, after pondering for a moment, nodded and responded to Jerome Bonaparte, "Mr. President, I will do my best to complete the renovation of Paris!"

"If that’s the case, go handle the handover! When the time comes, return to Paris with me!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Georges Ossman.

"As you command!" Georges Ossman replied, a smile appearing on his face.

In the next few days, Jerome Bonaparte and Georges Ossman, the soon-to-be governor of Seine Province, discussed the first phase of the Paris region’s renovation, and Georges Ossman’s handover work was conducted in an orderly manner.

On October 30, with the arrival of the newly appointed governor of Bordeaux Province, Jerome Bonaparte and Georges Ossman were also about to leave Bordeaux and return to Paris.

At this moment, a message from the southern French town of Saint-Amand disrupted all of Jerome Bonaparte’s plans.

"Are you saying that old codger Surt is already critically ill?" Jerome Bonaparte asked De Moreni again about the authenticity of the message.

"That’s right!" De Moreni nodded and replied to Jerome Bonaparte, "According to reports from the police in Saint Armand, Grand Marshal Surt is now critically ill!"

Since the coup on December 2, 1850, every general with influence in France has been monitored by Jerome Bonaparte, and the Imperial Marshal and France’s Grand Marshal Surt was no exception.

However, the police officers dispatched by Jerome Bonaparte only secretly went to the town of Saint-Amand where Surt lived to keep an eye on him, without disturbing the Grand Marshal who was about to die.

"An era is ending!" Jerome Bonaparte said flatly.

The era of imperial power, once a gathering of stars, will end with the deaths of Surt and others. The next stage will be an even more cruel and bloody era.

"Your Majesty, should we..." Mornay tentatively asked Jerome Bonaparte whether he wanted to meet Surt for the last time.

Jerome Bonaparte stood up and paced back and forth. After a while, he lifted his head and responded to Mornay, "Let’s go! Let’s witness the end of an era!"

"Yes!" Mornay immediately responded.

Then, Jerome Bonaparte called Georges Ossman over and told him that he was about to visit Saint-Amand Town, and that Ossman could go ahead to Paris to take up the position of Governor of Seine Province.

Although Georges Ossman didn’t know why Jerome Bonaparte was going to the southernmost part of France, Saint Armand (few people knew that Marshal Surt was living in seclusion there), he nodded in agreement, showing his willingness to obey Jerome Bonaparte’s orders.

On October 31, Jerome Bonaparte and Georges Ossman parted ways, with one continuing southward to the border between France and Spain, while the other took a cargo ship from the Bordeaux port to Calais, and then took a train to Paris.

On November 2, Jerome Bonaparte, riding in a black convertible carriage, and De Moreni, after two days of travel with the escort of the army, arrived near Saint Armand Town.

Inside the carriage, Jerome Bonaparte gazed at the distant, towering, and undulating Pyrenees Mountains and the nearby verdant fields, feeling an instant sense of peace and relaxation.

"It seems our Grand Marshal has quite the taste!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Mornay in a light-hearted tone.

"Indeed!" Mornay nodded in agreement, feeling the same way.

After a bumpy ride, the carriage finally reached a small hill surrounded by greenery, with trees planted along its sides. Looking up along the trees, at the top of the hill, there stood a castle, which was Surt’s residence.

The carriage climbed up the artificially created path and soon arrived at the castle’s gate. After a closer examination, Jerome Bonaparte discovered that this was a historic fortress. Although he didn’t know who the original owner of the castle was, judging by the stones, it was evident that this castle had withstood the test of time, with every stone bearing the marks of the ages.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk..." Jerome Bonaparte once again sighed at Grand Marshal Surt’s "luxury," certain that Grand Marshal Surt must have amassed considerable wealth.

Then, Jerome Bonaparte and Mornay alighted the carriage and knocked on the door.

After a while, footsteps were heard from inside, and the heavy door opened, revealing an elderly man in a servant’s uniform. With a somewhat impatient look on his face, he said, "The Grand Marshal doesn’t wish to receive visitors today!"

"Please inform Marshal Surt that Jerome Bonaparte is here!" Jerome Bonaparte replied to the servant with a friendly demeanor.

"Jerome... Bonaparte?" Upon hearing Jerome Bonaparte’s name, the servant’s impatient expression disappeared immediately. He quickly flashed a sycophantic smile, saying, "Please wait a moment, I will inform him right away!"

With that, the servant dashed inside, and Jerome Bonaparte and Mornay pushed open the door that could only fit half their bodies, entering the castle’s drawing room.

In this room, where Rococo style mingled with imperial style, Jerome Bonaparte saw many Spanish-style artifacts and armors.

Marshal Surt sure made a fortune in Spain! Jerome Bonaparte remarked once again.

After Jerome Bonaparte and Mornay roamed around the drawing room several times, the servant reappeared in front of them!

"Your Excellency, the Marshal asked me to tell you that he can no longer get up. If you really wish to meet him, please follow me to the bedroom!" The servant cautiously updated Surt’s title from the imperial period.

Jerome Bonaparte feigned surprise and said, "I didn’t expect His Grace’s illness to be this severe!"

"Yes!" At this point, tears involuntarily welled up in the servant’s eyes, and he said, "The doctor said, the Marshal might already..."

The servant swallowed the rest of his words back, silently blaming himself for being careless.

"Alas! If the Marshal is truly unfortunate, it would be a loss for the whole of France!" Inside, Jerome Bonaparte felt no emotion when he said this, and he even wanted to laugh a little.

"Please, come with me!"

Under the servant’s guidance, Jerome Bonaparte ascended the stairs and quickly arrived at the door of Surt’s bedroom.

"The Marshal is inside!" The servant gestured with a welcoming hand.

Jerome Bonaparte nodded and pushed open the door to Surt’s bedroom.

As he opened the door, Jerome Bonaparte saw...