There is no such thing as a free lunch!

After the alliance between Bulgaria and Russia, Bulgaria's comprehensive national strength has made great progress, at least tripling compared with the same period in history.

Now it has to be controlled by others, and once there is no alliance, Bulgaria's national power will be abolished at least three times!

Since he was going to be slaughtered, Ferdinand also decided that the lion opened his mouth, anyway, no matter how much it cost, he could get it back from the Ottoman Empire later.

Aren't the French rich? Okay, let's borrow more, it's no problem to mortgage, whether it's the right of way or taxes, you can negotiate!

A billion francs, as long as you are willing to borrow, Ferdinand said, even if you want the palace of Sofia as collateral!

What the? You want to build a railway, you can! Do you see what roads are still being built in Bulgaria right now? Go fix it! Anyway, the main roads are almost repaired, and it's none of our business to lose money on other routes!

What the? Want a tariff mortgage? Yes! Now Bulgaria's most important trading partner, the Russian Empire, is basically equal to zero tariffs.

As for trade with other countries? The biggest item is the export of agricultural products, which is directly tariff-free! The largest import goods are mechanical products, and everything that is urgently needed in Bulgaria is also duty-free!

In fact, the share of Bulgaria's customs revenues in the treasury is already very low! That's seven or eight million leva a year, whatever you want, the Bulgarian market is so big?

A typical dead pig is not afraid of boiling water!

This is Ferdinand's current state, anyway, Bulgaria's plate is so big now, and it is politically dependent on the Russian Empire, if the French have too much appetite, it will inevitably affect the interests of the Russians!

Obviously, this time the Franco-Russian joint group, the strength of the Russian banking consortium is limited, and the French are the financiers. The purpose is obvious, to use loans to control the Bulgarian economy.

It is quite possible that France and Russia have reached an agreement that the Russians will further expand their influence in Bulgaria, and the French will reap economic benefits!

In this regard, Ferdinand was not under any pressure, and now the main industries in Bulgaria were already under their own control, and the railways were completely owned by the government.

Any foreign capital must abide by his rules, otherwise you can feel what it means to be difficult to move an inch!

Unless the French make a "French Concession", but this possibility is infinitely zero, the Russians will be the first not to agree!

After the alliance between Bulgaria and Russia, the industrial and commercial circles of the two countries were the first to get closer, and tariffs were lowered again and again.

Unlike Bulgaria's small arms and legs, France at the end of the 19th century was an industrial power, and without tariff protection, it is estimated that the nascent national bourgeoisie in Russia would not be able to withstand the impact!

……

Nicholas II, who was far away in St. Petersburg, also had a headache with requests for loans from Bulgaria. It's actually funny to say that the Russian government doesn't know what to ask for other than direct economic benefits?

Let's talk about tariffs! I'm sorry, but is that tariff between Bulgaria and Russia still tariff? Even the wages of the customs staff are not enough, and if it were not for the purpose of inspecting illegal businessmen using this channel to smuggle goods from other countries, the customs would not have bothered to investigate!

The purpose of controlling the tariffs of other countries is to facilitate the export of their own goods, but Bulgaria does not need it at all!

As for opening a factory? Well, Bulgaria welcomes Russian businessmen to invest in the past, as long as you have money, you can invest in arsenals, as long as you can sell it, of course the Bulgarian military will not buy it!

Mineral resources? Nicholas II expressed disdain, what about Bulgaria or the largest importer of Russian minerals?

As for other religious and cultural exports? Is this a condition? Is there still little people-to-people cultural exchange between the two countries? On the streets of Russia, Bulgarian novels are still being sung; The streets of Bulgaria are also indispensable for the poetry of the Russian Empire!

The two Chinese languages are similar, the writing is similar, even the religious customs are similar, there is no problem with the communication between the two sides, even the translation is not needed, these do not need the government to interfere at all!

You can't blame Bulgaria for being too cooperative, right? Russia exports culture to Bulgaria, Bulgaria exports culture to the Russian Empire, and the birthplace of the ancient Russian language is still in Sofia?

Sometimes the younger brother is too cooperative, which is also a problem! At least now the Russian Empire must take into account the feelings of Bulgaria and not put forward excessive conditions that will undermine friendly relations between the two countries!

"Prime Minister, what more do you think we can ask for now?" Nicholas II asked depressedly

The prime minister smiled and said: "Your Majesty, it seems that we don't need to mention any conditions now, as long as we continue to maintain friendly exchanges between the two countries, maybe in thirty or fifty years, there will be one more Grand Duchy of Bulgaria with a high degree of autonomy under the Russian Empire!" ”

The crowd burst into laughter. That's right, theoretically, the economies of the two countries are tied together, they are cultural exports, and they are immigrants, and after thirty or fifty years, a new generation has grown up, and it is natural for the two sides to unite as one!

Since sooner or later it is part of the Russian Empire, it doesn't matter if the Bulgarians take advantage of the time, this will also serve as a benchmark for the unification of the entire Slavic nation!

At this time, the Minister of the Navy suddenly spoke: "Your Majesty, in fact, we can strengthen the military ties between the two countries, and even support the Bulgarians in mastering the Black Sea straits when the time is ripe!" ”

Nicholas II knew in his heart that the Navy had always been obsessed with the Black Sea straits, but after the strategic center of gravity of the Russian Empire shifted eastward, it no longer had the energy to fight for the Black Sea straits.

After all, the European powers, with the exception of France, probably did not welcome the Russian Navy into the Mediterranean!

Don't look at what the British say, divide the Ottomans, and the Russian Empire will get the shores of the Black Sea straits. Once the Russian Navy really rushes out of the Black Sea and into the Mediterranean Sea, it will be another situation!

Whether it is the British, Italians, Spaniards, or Germany and Austria-Hungary, they will all become an obstacle to the Russian Empire, and although the Mediterranean Sea is large, it cannot accommodate so many forces!

Nicholas II had not divided the Ottomans with the British, because he knew that entering the Mediterranean would face too many enemies! Once you're trapped, it's hard to get out!

If it doesn't work out, it will be beaten up by the British again, and it will be a small matter to let the British or any of the great powers control any section of the strait, and the life of the Russian Empire will not be easy!

The Turks could master the straits, and that was because the Ottoman Empire was weak and did not have the guts to cut off the main maritime arteries of the Russian Empire! Try it with a British? One is not good, cut off the Russian Empire from the world in minutes!