Life of Being a Crown Prince in France-Chapter 716 - 624: Contracting Agreement

Chapter 716: Chapter 624: Contracting Agreement

After a while, a smile finally reappeared on Camellia’s face.

She affectionately linked arms with Perna, and the two left the small prayer room together, having become the most trusting of sisters.

Joseph carefully raised his head to confirm that the silhouettes of the two young women had disappeared, and then he stood up, thinking to himself no wonder they both requested leave yesterday; it turned out they were here to attend the “religious activity” for Valentine’s Day.

He rubbed his numb thighs, his mind flashing back to the conversation they just had. Indeed, he felt quite pleased. Perna was gentle and intelligent, Camellia was sweet and cute… but with his current status, did he really want them as mistresses? He found it hard to adapt to the 18th-century values and let out a sigh…

As he pondered, the priest who had been at the door came in with a bow:

“Your Highness, the ceremony outside has concluded. Would you like me to invite Archbishop Beaumont over?”

“Oh, thank you for the trouble.”

Ten minutes later, in the reception room on the second floor of Notre Dame de Paris, Beaumont and several high-ranking priests respectfully greeted Joseph with a smile:

“Your Highness, are you here to attend the Valentine’s Day celebration as well?”

Joseph thought to himself that this commercial plan was his doing, why would he come and give them money? But he nodded and said:

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“Ah, yes, this is also an opportunity to be watched over by Jesus, I certainly would not miss it.”

“You are truly devout!” Beaumont immediately made the sign of the cross, “May Jesus bless you.”

Joseph sat down on a chair and got straight to the point: “Archbishop Beaumont, I have a very good business opportunity and hope to cooperate with the Church.”

Beaumont immediately showed an interested look, leaning forward: “Your Highness always keeps the Church in mind, you possess the most devout soul on earth… Oh, what business opportunity are you referring to?”

The last time the Crown Prince suggested the Church sell “improved” Indulgences, it had become one of the core incomes of the French Church. He was eagerly hoping for another similar “good business.”

Joseph nodded with a smile: “Archbishop, you must be quite familiar with sugar beets, right?”

The Church was also involved in the initiative to promote sugar beet cultivation, so Beaumont naturally needed to be knowledgeable about sugar beets.

“Yes, Your Highness, I have even personally planted Mr. Achard’s sugar beets.”

Joseph also leaned in closer: “Then, have you heard about the situation in the Caribbean Sea?”

“You mean the violence of the blacks?”

“Exactly. It is foreseeable that, before long, Santo Domingo will struggle to provide us with enough sugar,” said Joseph. “And sugar beet will become the most important source of sugar in the future. I hope the Church can assist me in expanding the cultivation area for sugar beets.”

Beaumont nodded vigorously: “Your Highness, the Church has indeed been trying hard to persuade farmers to switch to growing sugar beets.”

Joseph looked at him and said: “No, what I mean is, to plant sugar beets on the Church’s own land.”

Beaumont was taken aback for a moment, then immediately showed a naive smile: “Your Highness, as you know, the Church’s expenditures have become very large lately due to your military academy, mechanical and chemical universities, as well as the tax college. If the land revenue decreases any further, I am afraid…”

“No, you probably misunderstand, the profits from growing sugar beets will be very high.”

Beaumont shook his head inwardly. The meager harvest of beets required substantial government subsidies to barely keep the farmers’ income on par with wheat cultivation.

Just as he was about to express his difficulties, Joseph immediately said, “At present, beets indeed cannot turn a profit, but once the sugarcane production in Santo Domingo falls, sugar prices will surely skyrocket. You need to look further ahead.”

Beaumont said, “Your Highness, by then sugar from Jamaica and the West Indies will flood in, I fear the prices…”

He took a breath, then smiled again, “What do you think of this, the Church will contribute a hundred hectares to switch to beet cultivation.”

Joseph thought to himself that the sugarcane plantations in Jamaica and the West Indies would soon run out of slaves to work them; where would they get sugarcane to flood into France?

But this matter was too extensive, and he could not share it with Beaumont.

“I hope the Church can contribute 30,000 hectares of arable land to plant beets.”

Beaumont’s eyes nearly bulged out, “You mean… 30,000 hectares?! How could this be possible…”

Although with subsidies, the income from cultivating beets was somewhat acceptable, he was not willing to bet everything on subsidies. Given the French Government’s fiscal situation, there was no guarantee that subsidies could always be paid out.

If they had to switch back to wheat later on, the back-and-forth of farming tools, seeds, and sales channels would all have to be dealt with again, and that all cost money.

Joseph tried to persuade him for a while, but Beaumont only increased the cultivation area to 800 hectares and then refused to budge any further.

Joseph shook his head helplessly; what a missed opportunity to make money.

He had no choice but to say, “Archbishop, how about this, I can sign a ‘leasing contract’ with the Church.”

“Ah, what is that?”

“The Church hands over 40,000 hectares of land to the Minister of Agriculture to manage, and the government will pay the Church an additional 5% on top of the peasant tenant’s rent each year. Of course, the Church must assist the government in requiring tenant farmers to plant the specified crops.”

Although France had already carried out land reforms, they had not touched upon the Church’s holdings. So most of the Church lands were still under a tenant farmer system, and the Church still wielded significant influence over the tenant farmers on its lands.

Beaumont was still extremely reluctant. Dealing with tenant farmers was always much easier than dealing with the French Government, after all, if the government delayed the lease payment, it would certainly be very difficult for the Church to demand it.

“Your Highness, is it possible to agree on less, like maybe 5,000 hectares…?”

Joseph’s expression immediately darkened.

Truth be told, nowadays the power of the Royal Family was nothing like it was back when he borrowed stored grain from the Church. The country’s politics, economy, military, judiciary, and propaganda were all in his hands. If it were not for the need to rely on the Church for maintaining the stability of France’s society, he could even confiscate the Church’s lands by force, and these priests would have no choice but to comply.

“Archbishop Beaumont, I also came today for another matter,” Joseph suddenly changed his previously calm tone and spoke loudly, “The Saint Domingo Expeditionary Army has just faced a defeat, and the General Staff has decided to send an additional 8,000 troops to the Caribbean. And this requires a substantial amount of military funds.

“The Church has an undeniable responsibility for the future of France, and His Majesty the King needs the Church to provide 8 million francs for the expeditionary force.”

Beaumont became anxious at once, “Your Highness, the Church doesn’t have that much money! And the Church has never been responsible for military expenses…”

Joseph feigned getting up to leave, “I believe in the financial power of the Church. Please inform the other Archbishops of this matter. I hope this money can be deposited before the expeditionary force sets out.”

Beaumont’s face had turned to that of a bitter gourd, and he hastily stopped Joseph, “Your Highness, perhaps we can discuss the ‘leasing contract’ further…”