“`
Two British technicians resigned one after another within half a month, and arrived in France by boat with the Marquis of Ludo, along with six textile workers and their families.
Subsequently, both the looms and the technicians were sent to the Palace of Versailles. There, the “Honorary Lifetime Chairman of the French Engineering and Technical Association,” and His Majesty King Louis XVI of France would personally undertake the task of disassembling and reproducing the machine.
Initially, Joseph had intended for Murdock to handle the reproduction, but considering that he was working on the development of the high-pressure steam engine, and the Royal Workshop at Versailles had more precision machining equipment, it was ultimately decided that the important task would be entrusted to the King.
At first, Louis XVI was somewhat reluctant when he learned that the new research task was not the new rifled gun as had been agreed upon, but after Joseph introduced him to the enormous profits of the British textile industry and the significance of this automatic loom for the textile sector, His Majesty rolled up his sleeves and devoted himself to the cause of France’s industrial development with unwavering dedication.
However, the shortage of research talent also gave Joseph a sense of crisis.
In all of France, only the King’s small team and the highly paid British possessed the capabilities for engineering research, while so many mathematicians and physicists in France were unable to contribute, which was quite unreasonable.
When returning to Paris, as Joseph gazed out of the carriage window, he pondered whether he should truly establish the French Engineering and Technical Association and perhaps instigate an award like the “Royal Award for Scientific Progress,” to stimulate the speed of engineering research.
…
When the Marquis of Ludo returned home, he immediately learned of the news about Necker’s assassination.
Before he could take any pleasure in the news, he saw the bold headline on the newspaper handed to him by the butler: “Murderer of Necker Captured on the Spot During Assassination Attempt, Undergoing Interrogation.”
Immediately, the Marquis of Ludo felt his world spin and he slowly slumped onto the sofa, muttering through clenched teeth, “Bouvarandere, that idiot… always boasting about his influence in the underworld, and yet the assassin he hired was such trash!”
In fact, it wasn’t really fair to blame Bouvarandere. The assassins he found were definitely top-notch, but the Police Affairs Department had arranged for more than 80 people to follow Necker from a distance and controlled the area within half a league. Unless the assassins could fly, escaping was impossible.
Joseph knew that the banking magnates implicated by the Necker case and who had suffered great losses would hate Necker to the bone, so he deliberately leaked the latter’s whereabouts and had the accompanying Police Affairs Department cooperate.
The Royal Family might have pardoned Necker, but if the Banking Guild wanted to kill him, what was it to the Royal Family?
Moreover, the assassin was captured at the scene, with weapons and evidence in abundance and the motive crystal clear, making it impossible for anyone to concoct a conspiracy theory.
Of course, if the Marquis of Ludo and others were indeed deeply cunning and uninvolved in the act, Joseph was in no hurry. After all, Count Capefield was clearly a man with more temper than brains; stir him up with spy-spun rumors a few times and he won’t be able to hold back, Joseph believed.
The Marquis of Ludo stared at the newspaper in his hand, then abruptly stood up and instructed the butler to prepare the carriage and rush to Count Capefield’s residence.
Two hours later, a meeting of banking tycoons converged, all wearing faces of concern. They had actually known about the assassin’s capture for a few days, but with the “brain trust,” the Marquis of Ludo, not in France, they had no choice but to wait.
The Marquis of Ludo surveyed the five men before him and spoke gravely, “Although Necker has been exiled, he is still the former Finance Minister, so this matter is going to be quite severe!”
“What are we going to do?”
“`
The Marquis of Ludo’s eyes sparkled with a murderous glint, “The assassin was hired by Bouvarandere, so he can only be troubled to bear all the blame now!”
Everyone was startled and only then did they notice that Bouvarandere had not come today.
After a moment, everyone could only sigh helplessly, tacitly agreeing to the Marquis of Ludo’s plan.
…
Switzerland.
By the Murg River, the City of Frauenfeld.
Count Saigul played idly with the cup in front of him but showed no interest in the tea inside— the quality of the leaves was such that even his servants at home would not drink it.
“These dragging Swiss…” He pulled out his watch and glanced at it, deciding to urge the Swiss Federal Assembly once more.
He had been in this godforsaken mountainous place for a week now, and although the Swiss had been very respectful to him as a diplomat from a major country, they had yet to give him a satisfying reply.
Seeing that he was about to leave, his assistant hurried to keep up, “Lord Earl, are you going to the Congress Hall again?”
“Yes,” Count Saigul replied, donning his hat and frowning, “I do not want to stay here another day; there’s no decent tea, not even a drinkable coffee… “
The assistant helped him open the door, “What can we do? Their Federal Assembly can’t handle anything, just keep on asking the cantonal congresses. Or perhaps, we should visit the canton of Schwyz.”
Count Saigul gave him a look, “I represent His Majesty the King of France, how can I stoop to negotiate with a mere cantonal congress?”
Several Swiss servants busied themselves calling a carriage, preparing the steps for Count Saigul who climbed in grumbling, “This poor and pitiable country, without even a capital. Can you imagine that? No capital!
“God, why did I take on this arduous task? That Denaro Bank had better produce the seven million livres, or there will be trouble…”
Yes, he was in Switzerland to demand the extradition of the fugitive shareholders of Denaro Bank and to urge the bank to return the involved funds and fines.
The carriage rumbled over the rugged mountain road, occasionally requiring the two Swiss servants “hanging” on the back of the carriage to jump down and help push it in order to ascend the steep hills successfully.
When Count Saigul arrived at the gray-yellow two-story building of the Swiss Parliament, a square-faced, short-statured middle-aged man was walking out to meet him. He hurriedly lifted his hat in greeting, “Oh, the honorable Count Saigul, I was just on my way to find you. There is finally news from the canton of Schwyz.”
Count Saigul recognized the man as Fuller, a member of the Swiss Federal Assembly and immediately responded with some joy, “Have the two fugitives been caught? What about the ill-gotten funds?”
Fuller invited him into the Parliament Building, apologizing with a smile, “They have not been caught yet, but the Schwyz cantonal congress has already sealed Denaro Bank. However, there is less than four million livres on the bank’s books, and more than half of that is loans; it may take some time to recover it…”
Count Saigul’s face immediately darkened as he stood up straight, fixing Fuller with an intense gaze, “On behalf of His Majesty the King, I formally notify you that Switzerland must pay all ill-gotten funds and fines to the Bank of France Reserve within three months.”