Berlin.
A black Gem VI carriage sluggishly turned out of Leipzig Avenue.
The Queen of Prussia sat inside, her brows tightly furrowed as she stared at the buildings slipping past outside the window. She growled in irritation, "Useless! A French Prince, yet he can't even do anything about some petty officials under the Ministry of Industry!"
Half a month earlier, Marechal had suddenly reported to her that the French Steel Technology Association had set its sights on the Alphonse-Boutin Company and forcibly suspended all its coal orders bound for Cologne.
At first, Louise had not taken it seriously. After all, she had Charles as her trump card.
She then arranged to meet Charles and employed a few coquettish tricks. The French Prince immediately vowed that he would resolve the matter soon. Yet when they met again just now, Charles had dejectedly told her that, for some unknown reason, even the Industrial Development Fund and the Tax Bureau had become involved this time. The review process had to be completed.
And that so-called "process" might last as long as half a year.
Several of Prussia's largest ironworks were already beginning to suffer coal shortages. Forget half a year—without even half a month, they might have to halt production. Once a steel mill shut down its furnaces, the losses would be enormous. Restarting them would also bring a period of declining quality. For Prussia's Steel Industry, which had only just begun to take shape, this was undoubtedly a devastating blow.
Yes, under Joseph's direct orders, the French Steel Technology Association and the Tax Bureau had launched an investigation into the Alphonse-Boutin Ironworks. So let alone Charles, even if the Imperial Chancellor personally put in a word, not a single basket of coal would be shipped out.
Of course, Joseph was not trying