Undercurrents Stirring

Primo, backed by Carlo with his full support, was brimming with confidence. That very night, he stayed up late revising his reform plan.

Since capitalists and the Church were destined to be enemies of the Spanish government, there was no need whatsoever to consider their opinions during the reforms.

On January 3, 1870, the Spanish government applied to Parliament for additional military funding, which was successively approved by Parliament and Carlo.

At this point, Primo still controlled the majority of seats in Parliament, so this process was truly nothing more than going through the motions.

After obtaining the additional military funds, Primo immediately dispatched a diplomatic delegation abroad to purchase weapons, equipment, and artillery.

In Primo's plan, Krupp artillery, tested in both the Austro-Prussian War and the Franco-Prussian War, was the Spanish Army's first choice.

However, considering that Prussia was currently at war with France, Primo had backup plans as well: the Austro-Hungarian Empire or Italy.

Although the Italian Army's combat strength was not much to speak of, Italy still possessed a certain degree of research and development capability in weapons and equipment.

If they could not purchase the most advanced artillery from Krupp, buying a batch of replacements from Italy would barely suffice.

On January 11, 1870, the Spanish Sun reported on a factory that had long exploited its workers and withheld their wages.

Such reports were extremely common in Spanish society at the time and initially drew no attention from Spaniards.

But immediately afterward, numerous Madrid newspapers published similar reports, most of them concerning that original factory.

Before long, the unbroken stream of reports drew the attention of Madrid's citizens.

Workers who had suffered under such treatment also began to speak out, demanding that the government guarantee that all workers in Spain received their wages on time.

After successfully attracting the attention of Spaniards, on January 15, a Liberal Party member of the House of Representatives submitted a document titled the "Draft Labor Law of Spain" to Parliament, demanding that Parliament formulate legislation ensuring workers received the wages and treatment they deserved.

This document was like a single stone stirring up a thousand waves, immediately sparking intense debate in Parliament.

Of course, because Primo controlled the majority of seats in Parliament, the "Draft Labor Law of Spain" ultimately received a majority of supporting votes.

On January 16, 1870, the Spanish government issued the "Spanish Enterprise Management Regulations," announcing that, in accordance with the Labor Law, it would impose preliminary oversight over all enterprises and factories in Spain.

This decree prompted cheers from all the workers and laborers around Madrid, for it represented the government's recognition of their views.

But for factory owners and capitalists in Madrid and even across all of Spain, it was far from pleasant. According to the government's decree, they had to pay workers and laborers weekly, and anyone who withheld wages would be punished by the Spanish government.

This had never existed in Spain before. Though paying wages in full would not cause these businesses and factories to lose money, to capitalists, earning a little more was certainly better than earning a little less.

Wasn't this government decree simply reaching into their pockets for money? And handing that money over to those useless workers at that.

The capitalists whose path to wealth had been blocked refused to accept it, intending to incite workers into holding demonstrations and demanding that the government repeal the decree it had just issued.

But the workers were no fools either. The government's decree was clearly made for their benefit, so how could they possibly stand up against the government that supported them?

Seeing that they could not stir up the workers into demonstrating, the capitalists finally panicked. One after another, they gathered together, attempting to salvage the situation through other means.

January 18, inside a factory in Madrid.

"Daniel, what are we supposed to do? If I really have to pay wages once a week as the government says, won't my factory go bankrupt?" Giron, the factory owner, sat in his office with an expression of utter pain. Beside him was his friend Daniel, also a factory owner.

"Don't worry, mate. You and I aren't the only ones who have to pay wages." Daniel wore a smile, seemingly not the least bit flustered.

"Damn it, do you have any good ideas, Daniel? I don't want to pay those damned workers wages every week. That's my money, my money!" Giron turned to his friend. Daniel usually had quite a few crafty ideas.

"I told you not to worry, mate." The smile on Daniel's face did not fade in the slightest, and he looked utterly confident. "Think carefully. Are we the only ones who need to pay wages? No, every factory owner in Spain does. How many people does that make?

You don't want to pay wages, and neither do I. Do you think they would be willing to pay wages for those workers?

Just wait and see. If His Majesty Carlo has forgotten who put him on the throne, then we won't mind giving Spain a different master."

"Oh, damn it, your idea is rebellion?" Giron froze for a moment, staring at Daniel in disbelief.

"Why not, my friend? We made Isabella step down from the throne, and we can make Carlo step down as well. Spain should be ruled by capital. We are the masters of this country, aren't we?" Daniel nodded with a smile, utterly unconcerned by the shock in his friend's eyes.

"Damn it, that's right." The moment he thought of having to pay those workers wages every week, the last trace of reason in Giron's mind was thoroughly driven mad. He nodded in agreement with Daniel, then said furiously, "No matter who wants to take my money from my wallet, he will be my enemy. Not even God is an exception."

"That's the spirit, mate." Daniel laughed even louder. "Just wait and see. Primo and Carlo will both regret it, because they have offended this country's true masters."

The storm clouds gathering were not limited to Madrid; they also loomed over Catalonia and the Basque Country.

The Carlists, who had troubled Spain for decades, were hidden in Catalonia, ready at any moment to march into Madrid and ascend Spain's throne.

The Carlists' current ruler, Carlos VII, who called himself the King of Spain, wore a smile and looked somewhat impatient. "Thank God, I have finally waited for this opportunity. That damned Primo has abandoned his support for Bourbon. He and Carlo, that fake king, should both be sent to the guillotine!"

"Your Majesty, Catalonia's army is ready to march on Madrid for you at any time. Spain has only one king: the great Carlos VII of the House of Bourbon!" The subordinate beside him promptly flattered Carlos VII, speaking with a fawning expression.

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