CHAPTER 560: CHAPTER 551: THE UNSATISFIED BANK DIRECTOR

While Jerome Bonaparte was discussing with Mane and others on how to persuade the Bank of England to lower the discount rate, Count Algou also gathered a large group of "unexpected guests" at his residence in Paris; they were his allies at the Bank of France.

These individuals chose to gather at Count Algou’s residence at this particular time to ask what the now-idle Count Algou should do next!

"This time His Majesty has truly gone too far... A distinguished financial figure like Count Algou being replaced just like that! He has no regard for people like us!" said a banker waiting in the hall for Count Algou, expressing indignation as if feeling unjust for Count Algou.

"Yes, indeed! Had we known this was coming, we never would have supported him! That was more than 30 million francs! Stacked together, it could crush a person to death!" another banker grumbled softly.

"Both of you, save your complaints! What use are complaints now? If I recall, when the vote happened, you two were the most enthusiastic! Yet now you regret it!" responded a banker behind them with a mocking tone.

"Times change! Back then, we only intended to spend some money to buy peace! Who could have foreseen..."

"You knew it was buying peace back then! So, tell me, if the former emperor had directly sent troops to take over the Bank of France, what would we have done then?"

"Send troops to take over the Bank of France? No... impossible!"

"Impossible? Would you reason with someone with their head hanging by a thread?"

...

The bankers in the hall were chattering away, and before Count Algou appeared, the entire hall was already buzzing with chaos.

However, when Count Algou’s personal steward arrived in the hall, the bankers instinctively quieted down and all turned their eyes to the steward.

Under the watchful eyes of many, the steward first bowed respectfully to the bankers present, then lifted his head and said: "Gentlemen! I apologize for your wasted trip! My master sends word that he has resigned from his position as president of the Bank of France, and to avoid suspicion, he prefers not to meet. Please go back to where you came from!"

With these words, the bankers who had been waiting anxiously in the hall exploded.

In the eyes of these bankers, Count Algou’s actions put them directly on the hot seat.

Count Algou can simply walk away since he’s almost 80 and hasn’t much time left!

His Majesty might spare him a peaceful retirement out of respect for his age and contributions, but not them!

The majority of them were aged between 50-60 and expected to remain at the Bank of France for at least another decade.

Within the Bank of France, the Saint-Simonian Faction is generally younger than them. This means they have at least a decade of hardships to endure, during which countless unforeseen events might occur.

"Count Algou, we cannot do without your leadership!"

"Indeed! Count Algou, we cannot lose you!"

"Count Algou, please come out!"

...

Seeing that Count Algou was resolved to stay out of the matter, the bankers, desperate, began shouting to see him in the hall, and some of the more shameless ones declared: If Count Algou refused to meet them, they would refuse to leave his home.

A competent banker never cares about their reputation; as long as they achieve their goals, they’re willing to go to great lengths.

As the bankers’ calls to meet with Count Algou grew louder, even the steward felt considerable pressure.

Every banker present was a prominent figure capable of causing a significant upheaval in the industry with a mere stomp, and now they were resorting to shameless tactics, leaving the steward helpless!

Violent eviction was certainly not an option; harming any one of them would mean he needed to consider buying his own coffin in advance.

Persuasion was even less effective, for this group of troublemakers was determined to drag his master into a confrontation with the Tuileries Palace, and unless they achieved this aim, they wouldn’t give up easily!

"Perhaps I should go ask him! Maybe this time the master will be willing to see you!" the steward suggested meekly to the group of "grand gentlemen" before him.

Seeing the situation, the bankers made way for the steward, who then left the hall.

After leaving the hall, the steward hurried to the room where Count Algou stayed.

Upon opening the door, he saw Count Algou lying on a rocking chair with his eyes closed, resting.

"Master!" the steward called out upon entering the room.

"What? They still refuse to leave?" Count Algou asked with a chilly tone.

The steward nodded and replied, "Yes! They said they wouldn’t leave unless they saw you, Master! They don’t seem like they’ll be leaving anytime soon, perhaps you should..."

Before the chief steward could finish speaking, Count Algou suddenly opened his eyes, stood up, walked to a wall, and took down a pair of scissors hanging on the wall. He said, "Since they want to stay here, let them stay! Even if the number of them doubles, we can still afford it."

"But this won’t solve the problem! What if they rampage through the mansion, the consequences would be..." the chief steward responded worriedly to Count Algou.

In the face of these ’rogues’ who couldn’t be beaten or scolded, the chief steward was also at a loss for what to do!

"Just have the people in the mansion be careful not to bump into them!" Count Algou said to the chief steward after pacing back and forth twice with the scissors in hand, "Forget it! Immediately send someone to report to the police, saying that a group of thugs has come to our home!"

"Ah!" The chief steward looked at Count Algou in astonishment and cautiously asked, "Master, won’t this be bad for your reputation?"

"Reputation?" Count Algou had a self-mocking smile at the corner of his mouth, "What good is reputation to me now! The most important thing is to disassociate ourselves from them as soon as possible! Only this way can we ensure we can retreat peacefully! The one in the Tuileries Palace does not want to see an old man who still has connections with the Bank of France after retirement!"

"Understood!" The chief steward nodded and replied to Count Algou, then turned to leave Count Algou’s room.

In the room, only Count Algou remained. Slowly, he walked to a potted plant, carefully trimming it, mumbling to himself, "Ah! Why can’t you be a bit more proper?"

Having said that, Count Algou gently patted the potted plant.

Meanwhile, the chief steward secretly slipped out of the mansion through the back door and went to their district police station to report to the police.

Upon hearing that it was the household of Count Algou, the former president of the Bank of France (unaware that Count Algou had been dismissed) who had come to report, the police chief immediately hurried over to the chief steward to ask what had happened at Count Algou’s house.

"A group of thugs broke into our home, shouting that they wanted to meet with our master!" The chief steward deceived the police chief with a story that was seventy percent true and thirty percent false.

Although the police chief wondered how thugs could enter Count Algou’s home, all doubts vanished when he saw the chief steward produce a ten thousand franc check, claiming it was a donation from Count Algou to the police station.

"That’s too generous!" The police chief, his face beaming, responded to the chief steward.

"It’s what we should do!" The chief steward placed the check in front of him considerately, "This check can be cashed at any bank under the Count’s name!"

After putting away the check, the police chief put on a righteous face and responded to the chief steward, "We will not let any trespasser off the hook!"

Saying so, the police chief summoned two captains in the presence of the chief steward and assigned them the task.

After hearing the police chief’s task, the captains immediately assured the police chief that they would complete the mission!

Led by the chief steward, the two captains and more than twenty officers went to Count Algou’s mansion.

"Where are the thugs? Where are the thugs?"

As soon as the two captains reached the hall, the bankers inside all turned their gaze toward them.

Gazing at this group of "thugs" before them, the captains’ minds instantly went blank.

These were not thugs! They were clearly "Tyrannosaurs"!

Looking at these "Tyrannosaurs," the two captains felt like retreating.

Any one of these guys could easily crush them.

How could they dare to imprison bankers!

"Since they are thugs, why don’t you take action!" Just as the two captains were about to leave the hall as if nothing had happened, a voice came from behind them.

The captains instinctively turned to look behind them, wanting to see who dared to speak recklessly.

"You..."

This glance nearly gave him a heart attack, the reprimand he almost blurted out got swallowed down.

"Your... Your Majesty!" The captain responded to the person behind him with a trembling voice.

Indeed, standing behind the captain was none other than Jerome Bonaparte in plain clothes.

And next to Jerome Bonaparte was former Bank of France president Count Algou.

"Step aside!" Jerome Bonaparte said coldly.

"Yes!" The captain immediately ordered the officers to make way.

"Don’t you have something to say to Mr. Algus? Now that Mr. Algus is here, you can speak!"