"Three days? Million?! Monsieur Montmartre's pupils shook, and the flattering smile piled up at the corners of his mouth immediately disappeared without a trace, and he instantly put on a bitter melon face as if his face had changed, and cried: "My good Bonaparte, this is not a small amount, you must know that the cash flow of the French Commercial Bank is..." ”

"I—" Monsieur de Montmartre suddenly choked up, and Rao could not help but feel very embarrassed by his delicate tongue.

Six million livres is indeed all he can raise in a short period of time. After all, Monsieur Montmartre's assets are just over 20 million livres, and this is when he had made a fortune using the inside information of the Corsican National Silver Company.

It's just that if you really want to take out the six million livres, it's not as simple as withdrawing money from the safe.

Not only did he have to use the cash flow from the operations of the Coméprico de France, but he also had to borrow money between banks, obtain several large-scale loans from other banks, and even sell off some securities assets and real estate, all of which would adversely affect the operations of the Commercile de France.

Not to mention that this is not a repayable loan, but a gratuitous grant.

"Hahaha, Sir Bonaparte, don't be kidding." In a hurry, Monsieur Montmartre had no choice but to laugh and divert the topic: "In this way, I am really moved by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's love for the people, and I decide... What do you think about taking out 500,000 livres to donate to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for relief of those citizens who are suffering...? Crown Prince Louis next to him seemed to be a little tempted, and this immature Crown Prince felt that it was already very good to be able to get 500,000 livres at no cost.

After all, this amount of money is indeed objectively a huge amount of money. Historically, Louis XVI, in order to show his determination to aid the American Revolutionary War, only took out a million livres from his private treasury.

Moreover, Crown Prince Louis was not as ignorant of business and finance as he had been a year ago, and he knew that the six million livres were a vital asset to Monsieur Montmartre.

However, Lawrence didn't wait for Crown Prince Louis to turn his head and ask for his opinion, he directly shook his head categorically, and sneered: "Five hundred thousand? It seems that you are not impressed by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. In the face of Lawrence's accusation, Monsieur Montmartre exclaimed, "You must not say that, Your Excellency, if I may, I would even cut out my heart and show it to His Highness the Crown Prince, and there must be a few bloody tears on that honest heart." ”

"There's no need to do the heart-to-heart thing." Lawrence glanced at Montmartre meaningfully, looking like he hated iron but not steel: "But you mean, you really can't afford to take out these six million livres?" That's a shame..."

"It's a shame?" Monsieur Montmartre, keenly catching the word, quickly pursed his lips and waited silently for Lawrence to continue.

Monsieur Montmartre was not incapable of giving the six million, but he could not accept that this huge sum of money should be given to Lawrence for nothing, and in exchange for the illusory thing of the favor of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

At the end of the day, it's still a bargain of interest, and Mr. Montmartre is waiting for Lawrence to put out a chip that will satisfy him.

"I mentioned you to Your Highness just now." Lawrence turned his head and glanced at Crown Prince Louis, and the crown prince was stunned for a moment and then quickly nodded, indicating that this was indeed the case: "I said that Monsieur Montmartre is an outstanding banker, and he is a surprising presence in the financial and business circles, and it just so happens that His Highness lacks a competent economic adviser by his side, and I was still recommending you just now." ”

"Economic advisor?" Monsieur Montmartre's eyebrows were raised subconsciously, and the Jewish-like calculating eyes rolled unconsciously, and it was evident that he was instantly attracted to the proposal.

Serving as an economic advisor to His Majesty the future King is undoubtedly a beautiful one. Although both men knew in their hearts that this was obviously a nominal title, His Majesty had the entire Privy Council and Chancellor of the Exchequer to formulate the economic policy of the Kingdom, and would not go out of his way to ask the advice of an economic adviser who had been paid for it.

However, it also undoubtedly gave Monsieur de Montmartre access to high-profile banquets and salons, and his relationship with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince earned him a place in these social occasions.

At the moment, what this wealthy banker is looking for is to be able to integrate into the top class society, and this proposal can be said to be in the heart of Mr. Montmartre.

"But... Six million livres, just for a title..."And the shrewd banker was not immediately carried away, and after a moment of excitement, he immediately calmed down and carefully weighed the pros and cons of the deal.

In his eyes, the price of six million livres was still too high, and if it was just for a ticket to the top society, he could have spent money on a noble title like other capitalists, which was much lower than six million livres.

Moreover, what worries Monsieur Montmartre the most is that even if he gets the ticket, he will probably not be able to integrate into the inner circle of those nobles without the blood of the nobility, and will only be called by those people as a weak fat sheep.

Looking at Montmartre, who was hesitating, Lawrence also spoke up at the right time to pressurize: "If you can't even get these six million livres, it seems that your status in the financial world is not as lofty as I imagined, maybe I have to find a more effective adviser for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." ”

"Haha, you're overrated." Monsieur Montmartre gritted his teeth and decided to reject this deal, so he smiled bitterly and excused himself: "I am indeed not the best financier, I heard that there are several bankers in France with assets of hundreds of millions, and I am nothing in front of them." Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince Louis at the table panicked a little, although his mind was not as sharp as the other two, but he could also hear that Montmartre was refusing to trade with Lawrence.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, who was already inexperienced and had never experienced this kind of negotiation of interests, thought that this lunch would end in vain, and he was suddenly a little at a loss.

Lawrence, on the other hand, was not discouraged, his face did not change, he knew very well that this kind of occasion was nothing more than two people adding weight to each other until the deal was closed.

"Okay, it seems that the person I recommended has to disappoint His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." Lawrence shrugged his shoulders and shook his head to laugh at himself, "Oh yes, and Lieutenant General Jacques Philippe, I'm afraid he's going to be disappointed too." On the other side, Monsieur Montmartre was drinking white wine from a golden cup, and when he heard Lawrence mention the name of Lieutenant General Philippe, he also hurriedly put down his glass and asked in confusion: "General Philippe?" The younger brother of the Duke of Choiseul? He... How did you get disappointed in the next? I don't know him yet. ”

"Ah, I almost forgot to tell you, Monsieur Montmartre." Lawrence patted his head with pretended self-reproach, smiled and waved his hand, "You have a son, right?" Monsieur Montmartre nodded hesitantly, and said with a sneer, "Yes, Your Excellency, a son who is not a child, a few years older than you, and who has so far achieved nothing, I am really worried about how I will trust my property to him in the future." ”

"That's right." Lawrence took a sip of sherry and said, "I mentioned in a chat with Lieutenant General Philip a few days ago that he also has a niece who is still unmarried, who is in her twenties, and is worried about how to marry her. Monsier Montmartre was stunned for a moment, and then became excited: "You mean that Miss Elvie?" Lawrence couldn't help but roll his eyes and glance at Montmartre as if he were mentally retarded.

"Hahaha, I'm sorry, I'm so excited, Miss Elvie is the eldest daughter of the Shuwasel family, the pearl of the Duke's palm, how can she not get married." Monsieur Montmartre touched his head and quickly apologized for his agitation and stupidity.

"A distant niece of Lieutenant General Philip, a side of the Choisell family." Lawrence looked at Montmartre helplessly, and continued: "Although it is a side lineage, her noble blood is beyond doubt, she is even a countess, and she has a real fiefdom of an earldom, of course, that territory is not that big. ”

"A countess? Or is it sealed?! And the blood of the Choiseul family...! As Monsieur Montmartre listened to Lawrence's story, his irrepressible excitement once again filled his body.

"I had a conversation with Lieutenant General Philip about a top banker who happened to have an unmarried son of the right age." Lawrence casually made up: "Originally, Lieutenant General Philip was very interested in you... Sorry, alas, since you yourself admit that you are not a financier with deep pockets, I am embarrassed to introduce your son to the countess again..."

"Wait, wait! Your Excellency, Your Excellency, I, I didn't mean that! Before Lawrence could finish speaking, Monsieur Montmartre had already completely disregarded etiquette and interrupted Lawrence impatiently.

The commoner banker knew very well that because of his humble origin, he probably had no hope of fully integrating into aristocratic society in his life.

But this does not mean that their descendants will also be trapped in the third estate like this. As long as he can marry his son to the countess, the blood of the noble Schwarcel family will flow in the body of generations to come, and the class will truly leap forward.

Monsieur Montmartre himself will be worshipped by future generations as the author of this epic marriage, and will be revered as the ancestor of the bloodline.

And now, the only chance to achieve it is in front of us, in the hands of that Bonaparte.

Lawrence looked at Monsieur Montmartre, who had bitten the hook, and chuckled, "Oh? Not that means? Do you mean anything else? ”

"I, I... I mean—" Monsieur de Montmartre choked incoherently for a moment, and then suddenly glanced at the daily observer on his desk, and with a turn of his eyes, he picked it up, pointed to the illustration of the poor at the bottom, and said in a heavy and mournful tone: "I have just thought of the poor people who have no place to live, and whose condition is really sad to me, and I think that half a million livres will not be enough to get them out of their predicament. I am willing, as His Excellency Bonaparte said, to give six million... No, seven million livres to cooperate with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to help them! Crown Prince Louis looked at Montmartre in astonishment, then turned his head to look at Lawrence, who had no idea that in the course of a few conversations, Lawrence had made the miserly businessman change his mind, and even added an extra million livres.

"Oh? That's seven million livres, can you take them out in three days? Lawrence asked, fiddling with the salad on his plate, with a light smile.

Monsieur Montmartre gritted his teeth and patted his chest vigorously: "You can rest assured, Your Excellency Bonaparte, if I can't do it, I will go directly back to Poitou's hometown to retire, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince can witness it!" ”

"Tsk, I really can't imagine that you have the strength to take out seven million livres in three days." Lawrence cooperated and pretended to exclaim: "It seems that I said just now, you are fully capable of serving as an advisor to His Highness, and General Philip will definitely be very satisfied with you." ”

"Hehehe... Where, where. Monsieur de Montmartre, still smiling, asked with some trepidation: "Well, Your Excellency, are you sure that General Philippe really intended to marry his niece?" Lawrence chuckled and said, "Aren't you at ease with me as an introducer?" "In those famous families, political marriages are not uncommon.

Although the woman has the title of earl and a small fief, she is only a sideline, unappreciated family member.

If Lawrence had personally come forward to talk to Lieutenant General Jacques Philippe, General Philip would have basically refused the marriage.

After all, the traditional aristocracy such as the Schwarcel family has always been financially weak, and because these traditional nobles refused to get involved in commerce and industry, their income basically depended on fiefdoms and royal offerings.

Of course, these incomes could not support their extravagant life, and many nobles were actually eating the family's old capital.

This is why, after the spread of workshop production and the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, more and more traditional aristocrats were forced to file for bankruptcy and sell their hereditary land to the owners.

Don't look at the Duke of Choiseul who enjoyed all the glory and wealth on the surface, and even casually gave Lawrence a large mansion on the Champs-Élysées, but his net worth was little or even negative.

The historical Duke of Choiseul did not even leave a penny of his family fortune after his death, but left his wife and family with endless debts.

Under these circumstances, Lieutenant General Jacques Philippe would most likely not refuse to include the son of a wealthy banker in the family, even if he was a commoner.

And at the dinner table, Monsieur Montmartre, who had Lawrence's approval, could no longer sit still. He poured himself a full glass of wine, drank it directly to Lawrence and Crown Prince Louis as a sign of respect, and then took his leave, saying that he would immediately raise the seven million livres.

"What an anxious gentleman." Lawrence shrugged his shoulders and smiled, "He hasn't even finished his pre-dinner bread yet." ”