CHAPTER 389: CHAPTER 383: AFFORDABLE PUBLIC RENTAL HOUSING PLAN

On the matter of relocating the factories to the outskirts, Georges Ossman and Jerome Bonaparte saw eye to eye.

As a Bonapartist more orthodox than Jerome Bonaparte, Georges Ossman favored ruling the city with authoritarianism.

In other words, Georges Ossman preferred to act as a "strict father" in front of the people of Paris, giving candy to the obedient "children." The disobedient would receive strict punishment.

In his view, the most obedient children in Paris were the petite bourgeoisie, diligent in their work and not causing trouble to society.

The troublesome children were the proletariat of Paris, also known as the sans-culottes.

The root of all revolution began from them and their nests that bred radical ideas—the factories. As long as the factories were moved out of Paris, the revolution would also vanish from Paris.

In other words, in Georges Ossman’s ideology, as long as there were no poor people in the urban areas of Paris, music and dancing could continue.

As for Jerome Bonaparte wanting to build apartments for 100,000 workers in Paris, he saw it as an unmistakably socialist thought.

If Jerome Bonaparte weren’t the Emperor of the Empire, then Georges Ossman would have certainly arrested him and sent him to prison, just as he did with Olivier (the President of the Legislative Council in the other world line, founder of the Free Empire).

Now, since the person saying these words was the highest ruler of the entire Empire, Georges Ossman had to be cautious in his approach.

"Your Majesty, forgive my bluntness!" Georges Ossman advised Jerome Bonaparte cautiously, "Your kindness is something that shames all current monarchs, but your kindness can’t change certain groups! Instead, it may embolden them and your idea might..."

At this point, Georges Ossman hesitated and glanced at Jerome Bonaparte, seemingly awaiting Jerome Bonaparte’s permission.

"Might what? Continue speaking; I absolve you of any blame!" Jerome Bonaparte responded with a smile, eager to hear some different views from Georges Ossman.

"The residences you establish for workers might very well become the cradle of revolution!" Georges Ossman replied to Jerome Bonaparte through gritted teeth.

"Is this all you have to say?" Jerome Bonaparte showed a disappointed expression.

The opinions Georges Ossman held did not exceed the confines of his status and era, even though he was among the few talents in France.

Fear of revolution and riot made him view workers merely as fattened mobs with nothing to do, rather than as people truly akin to himself.

This arrogance emanating from 19th-century elites made them always regard others condescendingly and deal with the proletariat with a charitable mindset.

Let alone lower themselves to listen to the voices of the proletariat.

But Jerome Bonaparte was different; "born" in the 21st century, he had witnessed the development of the next hundred years. Those workers were never inherently the seeds of revolution; all they sought was the right to eat a bit better and not work so hard... As long as these needs were met, they lacked the motivation to rebel, thus becoming the Empire’s most obedient entity.

As for the issue of proletarians seizing power, Jerome Bonaparte could confidently bet that, before Ilyich created the vanguard, those cuties had no ability to counter a perfect machine of violence.

In Georges Ossman’s eyes, workers were objects to be rejected, but in Jerome Bonaparte’s eyes, they were to be wooed and must not fall into Dr. Ma’s hands.

Moreover, Bonapartism itself is about reconciling the contradictions between classes, and when necessary, the superstructure could endure some hardship.

Since the birth of capitalism, proletarian revolutions have been heard but not revolts by big capitalists. In the escalating worker movements, they would compromise for their lives.

It is necessary to ensure a sufficient number of middle-class members to maintain societal stability.

Due to differences in vision and values, Georges Ossman did not understand Jerome Bonaparte. In his eyes, the Emperor of the Empire, who had initially risen by opposing red ideologies, was increasingly stepping into becoming red himself.

"Hmm..." Jerome Bonaparte awkwardly scratched his head, "How should I tell you?"

"If, Your Majesty, you insist on doing so, then I will naturally choose to support you!"

At a critical moment, Georges Ossman once again applied the operation of a clever person: following along with the main line and swaying with the flow.

Although I do not agree with the Emperor’s policy, I support all the Emperor’s policies.jpg

Having floated in the political sea for many years, Georges Ossman understood that in this country, as long as the Emperor wished for something, nothing could fail! The only difference lay in the cost the Emperor needed to pay!

With a knack for siding with the victor, Georges Ossman would certainly not oppose the Emperor on this issue.

Seeing Georges Ossman readily agree, Jerome Bonaparte naturally did not need to explain the reason to him. Of course, Jerome Bonaparte also believed he probably couldn’t persuade Georges Ossman just as Georges himself could not persuade him.

Since that was the case, it was better to leave some room for turning around.

"How about this place?" Jerome Bonaparte pointed to a location in the Paris 12th District, "Could you allocate a piece of land for me here?"

Georges Ossman glanced at the position Jerome Bonaparte indicated and nodded in response, "Of course!"

"Then I look forward to your good news!" Jerome Bonaparte stretched lazily and replied to Georges Ossman.

Subsequently, Jerome Bonaparte left Georges Ossman’s office. When he was less than a meter from the door, something suddenly occurred to him, and he quickly turned around and said, "Oh, there’s one more thing!"

"Please, go ahead!" Georges Ossman responded deferentially.

"Regarding the land prices during the property renovation, I hope you pay more attention! Otherwise, by the time the houses are renovated, the cost of purchasing land will be higher each day!" Jerome Bonaparte reminded Georges Ossman.

If his memory served him correctly, during the ensuing renovations by Georges Ossman, the land prices in Paris would continue to rise.

As for why the prices of Parisian real estate continued to rise, it was naturally inseparable from that group of pests in the Paris Banking Circle.

Of course, the rise in land prices also aligned with the speculative nature of capitalism, and Jerome Bonaparte saw no need to use administrative means to limit it. He reminded Georges Ossman simply to use his hand to curb the increase in Parisian land prices slightly.

This might result in Georges Ossman provoking a crowd of ’enemies’ in the financial circles, but was that not why he stood in the fiery pit as Governor of Seine Province, to divert animosity?

Moreover, the continually rising land prices in Paris were inherently malicious to the already tight finances of Paris City Hall, and Ossman, who wanted to make a difference, would certainly use some means to suppress land prices.

"Understood!" Georges Ossman nodded and replied to Jerome Bonaparte.

"Then I’ll take my leave!"

Jerome Bonaparte shook hands with Georges Ossman and left the office.

The adjutant, Edgar Ney, who was standing outside, quickly followed in Jerome Bonaparte’s footsteps as they walked down from the top floor of the Paris City Hall.

When Jerome Bonaparte returned to the Tuileries Palace, the overcast clouds over Paris began to spread to the surrounding areas, and the weather gradually cleared up.

A ray of sunlight shone through the thin clouds onto the unfinished Saint-Michel Avenue behind the City Hall.

"The sky has cleared!" Jerome Bonaparte said profoundly.

Standing beside him, Edgar Ney, who did not understand the meaning, could only nod.

Taking advantage of the dispersing clouds and the few pedestrians on the street, Jerome Bonaparte and Edgar Ney casually hailed a carriage.

A carriage that looked somewhat modest stopped in front of Jerome Bonaparte and Edgar Ney. When the coachman recognized Jerome Bonaparte, a look of fear appeared on his face, and he almost let out a cry of surprise.

"Your Maj..."

Before the coachman could finish, the quick-witted Edgar Ney covered his mouth.

"Shhh..." Jerome Bonaparte made a gesture for silence and then requested the coachman to take them to the Tuileries Palace.

"Please get on the carriage!" the coachman said respectfully to Jerome Bonaparte.

Jerome Bonaparte and Edgar Ney both entered the carriage, and the coachman raised his whip to urge the horses forward.

The horses let out a neigh when struck by the whip and then began to move.

The carriage drove for about five minutes before reaching the Tuileries Palace.

Through the side window, Jerome Bonaparte saw the Tuileries Palace outside. He opened the carriage door and, at the driver’s seat, warmly shook hands with the coachman.

The coachman showed a look of being overwhelmed, stammering as he said to Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty... I... I’ve always supported you!"

"I know!" Jerome Bonaparte said as he took out a silver coin with Napoleon’s portrait and handed it to the carriage.

"Your Majesty... how... how can I take something from you? It’s my honor to serve you!" the coachman waved his hand, trying to refuse.

"Take it!" Jerome Bonaparte placed the one franc silver coin into the coachman’s pocket, "You need it more than I do!"

Upon hearing this, the coachman thought of his children at home and expressed his respect for this ’benevolent’ Emperor in the most heartfelt language.

After the carriage left, Jerome Bonaparte gently said to Edgar Ney beside him once more, "You should go home and rest too!"

Edgar Ney also saluted Jerome Bonaparte before departing.