Smoking tobacco was fashionable for men in the 19th century, cigars and cigarettes were essential for men at parties, and because the smoke was not liked by women, there was a smoking room for men early.

On the east side of the Taigong Ballroom, there is a lounge that has been temporarily converted into a smoking room. The smoking room was crowded with sofas and chairs, even leaning directly against the furniture or walls, and all eyes were on a leading figure in Germany's new industrial class, Sir Hermann-Grusen.

Sir Gruson excitedly briefed everyone present on the results of his talks with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince this morning, directly stating that Crown Prince Frederick had accepted the idea of industrialization and urbanization in Germany, and was determined to abolish the grain tax in order to ensure the interests of the industrial bourgeoisie and the banking bourgeoisie. Also in exchange for this, German industry and capital needed to ensure that more jobs were hired and that the conditions of workers were improved.

All the people present were encouraged by the news of Sir Grusen, the industrialists and bankers who had been the new class of Germany had been deeply excluded by the Junkers and the aristocracy, and the Valley-Iron Alliance, which was formed last year led by the old chancellor, was actually the Great Junkers who had the right to speak, and the steelworks in the Grain-Iron Alliance were just a group of people who were represented, so these steelworks had long been dissatisfied with the injustice of the Grain-Iron Alliance.

Baron Ernst von Metzler, a representative of the Deutsche Bank and owner of the Metzler Bank, who has been in charge for more than 200 years, asked Sir Grusen: "Dear Herman, is the Crown Prince resolute in the issuance of government bonds?" ”

"Of course, dear Baron Ernst. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would like to immediately form a group of advisers on the issuance of government bonds, and I have already recommended you to the Crown Prince. Sir Gruson said with a smile.

Baron Metzler exchanged glances with several of his peers, including John Batemann Jr., owner of Batemann Bank in Frankfurt, Charlie Hawke, owner of Hawker Bank, Albert von Oppenheimer, owner of Saar-Oppenheimer Bank in Cologne, August-Michael Kaiser, head of the Dresdner Banking Union, the largest banking consortium in eastern Prussia, and Ernst Merck, chairman of the Deutsche Commerzbank Committee in Hamburg.

Then there is Sir Georg Wilhelm von Siemens, president of Deutsche Bank, Germany's largest bank, which was built on the basis of French reparations in the Franco-Prussian War and has a deep Prussian government background.

After making eye contact, Baron Metzler spoke on behalf of all the bankers present, "Sir Gruson, please tell His Highness the Crown Prince's new economic plan to rest assured that it will receive 100 votes from liberal members in the Imperial Parliament. ”

Sir August Thyssen, head of Thyssen Steel in Düsseldorf, discussed it with Franz Bonn, chairman of the Dortmund United Mining Company, and Helder Burgwicks, chairman of Rheinsteel, on the other hand.

After reaching a consensus among the three Ruhr steelmakers, Sir Thyssen haggled with several steelmakers from the Ruhr area, such as Joachim Delis, Chairman of Good Hope Steel (GHH), Michael Müller, Chairman of Dillingen-Schute Steel, Peter Klockner Jr. of Klockner Steelworks, and Jörgen Foreman, Chairman of Salsgitter Isenberg Steel AG from Saxony.

By the way, the Krupp-Mannesmann steelworks is still a small man, and it was only in 1913 that it became the leading steel magnate in the Ruhr area, so Friedrich Alfred Krupp can only listen quietly for now.

Finally, Sir Thyssen, the eldest member of the Iron and Steel Alliance, spoke on behalf of the most important steel entrepreneurs in the German economy and society: "Dear Hermann, as you are an important part of us, you know that all the steel companies in Germany are in favour of any industrialisation and urbanisation proposals. If His Royal Highness the Crown Prince were willing to limit the number of German steel companies, I think everyone would agree with the Crown Prince's economic policy. Sir Thyssen gave the steel industry additional conditions.

Sir Gruson nodded, "As you all know, I have a liberal view of competition, and I have always disapproved of the government's involvement in the competition and operation of specific enterprises, and as a steel giant, I would advise the Crown Prince to be open to new companies participating in the competition in the steel industry." ”

Sir Grusen looked around at his peers, "But the Crown Prince also agrees that the steel companies, and indeed all German manufacturing companies, must follow a strict German industrial technical standard, and only those who can meet such standards will be guaranteed an open attitude." "Sir Gruson skillfully combines the threshold of free competition and technical barriers, and all the giants here understand it.

Sir Thiessen Sr., after some further communication with his colleagues, assured Sir Gruson, "Dear Herman, 40 votes of the Liberal Conservative Party will be in favour of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!" ”

Sir Gruson smiled and nodded in acceptance, and said to himself, "The Iron Valley Alliance has finally been pried open by himself. Then he turned to Ernst Friedrich von Dunen, one of the Great Junkers of North Prussia, who was sitting at the other end of his sofa, and asked with a smile, "Dear Ernst, don't you want to tell me what you think?" ”

It must be noted that not all of the German agricultural Junkers are synonymous with stubbornness and conservatism, and there are also representatives of liberal ideas, because these people have long foreseen that tariff protectionism will not bring them any benefit, especially those who call for a so-called increase in the tax on imported agricultural machinery, which are even more disgusted by these liberal Junkers.

Count Dunen spread his hands and said loudly, "Herman, you have said everything I thought. You know, I've always been against the Iron Valley Alliance's trick of raising tariffs, and raising tariffs doesn't make the Junkers gain anything, and the ultimate benefit is the Jewish profiteers who are engaged in the international grain trade. These Jews will play these money tricks, and I think old Otto was deceived by these people! ”

Suddenly, the atmosphere was a little awkward, and several bankers and entrepreneurs looked at Count Duenen, like Bateman and Oppenheimer, who were of Jewish origin.

"Hehe, Count Duneng is right, there are not all upright people among the Jews, just like Count Duneng, who is as upright as Count Duneng, is rare in Juncker." Baron Metzler said softly.

"Haha, of course, I, Du Neng, am definitely an honest and honest person! Herman: I'll bring you all 20 votes from the People's Party! Du Neng readily accepted Metzler's praise, completely ignoring the meaning behind his words. Looking at Du Neng's gesture, several Jews looked at each other and shook their heads, and smiled.

Sir Gruson winked at Baron Metzler, and motioned for the subject to be over.

Subsequently, the large textile owners from Prussia in Saxony-Thuringia, Rhineland and Westphalia, the Grand Duchy of Baden and the Kingdom of Württemberg also discussed the results, saying that if the crown prince is willing to provide low-interest or even interest-free loans for the transformation of textile technology in the form of a state, as well as to purchase domestic uniforms for schools and government offices as part of the national welfare, then the textile industry will unconditionally support His Royal Highness the crown prince 30 votes.

The Berlin Bolser Locomotive Factory, which represents the mechanical engineering industry, is hesitant to produce railway locomotives and equipment with several companies such as the Berlin Maschinenbau (BEMAG), the Nuremberg Maschinenbauer, the Augsburg Maschinenbauk (the predecessor of the famous MAN enterprise), the Deutsche Maschinenbauk GmbH (DEMAG), the Ludwig Lewey Factory, the Heinrich Lanz Tractor Factory, the Humboldt Maschinenbaustrand, and several others.

Sir Gruson looked at these entrepreneurs and said with a smile, "In addition to cement and steel, urban construction also needs construction equipment, don't you see the opportunity?" ”

Hoffmann, the owner of the Berlin Maschinenbau Company, was a little embarrassed, and after looking at his peers, he said in a low voice, "Dear Sir Sir, we have been in some difficulties in the capital chain recently, after the Berlin Conference last year, the railway project we invested in Romania is very risky, and we are willing to contribute to His Royal Highness the new economic plan, but..."

Sir Gruson nodded, knowing that the machine builders wanted to negotiate a bargaining term.

"Don't you believe in His Royal Highness's support for the machinery manufacturing industry?" Sir Gruson smiled and asked, "Since you are so unconfident, I might as well reveal a breaking news first!" Sir Gruson raised his voice.

"In the past, German companies went abroad to invest in projects, either alone, or like you in Romania, they huddled together to keep warm, as for the final encounter, either they hit the head and bleed, or they lost all their money like you."

"But today I want to reveal a foreign trade support plan for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, if the Crown Prince's foreign trade plan can be implemented smoothly, your future investment abroad will no longer be a spontaneous act of individuals or groups, but will be under the protection of the government, with a clear goal!"

"In short, His Highness's Ministry of Economy will have a special office to coordinate your investment plans, and a new national bank will be established: the Deutsche Reconstruction Bank, which will provide export credit and financial guarantees for German companies that trade and invest abroad, remember, this is a guarantee of a national nature!" Sir Grusen announced loudly.

The eyes of everyone present lit up, whether it was a banker or an entrepreneur, which meant that as long as the enterprise was willing to engage in export, the capital and credit of the enterprise could be tied to the state from now on.

"But!" Sir Gruson's face suddenly became serious, "Manufacturing enterprises need to formulate a strict German industrial technical standards, far beyond the British and American standards, only such enterprises are worthy of state funding, and those enterprises that produce inferior and cheap goods do not deserve such honors." ”

"We agree with this standard!"

"yes, those bargains don't deserve this!"

"Herman, I agree with you!"

Amid the noise of the drumming in the room, Hoffman glanced at his peers and understood that Sir Gruson was a stick in one hand and a carrot in the other, and randomly represented the manufacturing entrepreneurs present, bowed his head to Sir Gruson and said that 26 votes representing the Progressive Party would go to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

"Thank you for your support!" Looking at the somewhat agitated crowd, Sir Gruson decided to add fuel to the fire, "Since everyone agrees on a strict German industrial standard, I can give you another piece of good news. There will be a huge railway project in the near future, and the Ministry of Economy, led by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, will be ready to organize the participation of Germany's best banks and companies at the national level. Sir Gruson said mysteriously.

"Herman, don't sell off!"

"Sir Gruson, we have to show some of our words when we support you so much!"

......

Suddenly, the sound of a violin-playing Radetzky march was heard outside, signaling the beginning of a new dance music.

Sir Gruson smiled at everyone, "Thank you very much for your support, I think the New Economic Policy we have proposed has the support of the vast majority of the people in Parliament!" I hope that all of you here will be able to dance a beautiful waltz in the future under the dance music of the NEP. ”