A Powerful Shareholder Group

Joseph saw everyone's eyes turn toward him and continued:

The bank's total share capital was ten million shares, priced at 1 livre per share. They would not be publicly offered for now.

Mono nodded with a smile.

Since Your Highness had invited us here, we would certainly buy in. We simply wondered how much total investment Your Highness planned for this bank?

About 10 million livres.

The three immediately looked disinterested. They had thought there was profit to be made, but he had really called them here to ask for investment? This was an empty-shell bank. It claimed an investment of 10 million, but who knew how much would actually be put in? Wouldn't their money be better invested in an established Discount Bank?

Robert had the shallowest friendship with Joseph and was also the poorest of the three. He immediately gave a bitter smile.

Your Highness, you know my circumstances. I'm afraid I can't come up with much money to invest...

Joseph smiled faintly.

Please hear me out.

A week from now, Paris Angel Company would publicly offer shares. Its total share capital would likewise be ten million shares, with two million shares offered at 2 livres per share.

If you invested in my bank, you could subscribe to the same number of Paris Angel shares at 1 livre per share before the public offering.

The moment he finished speaking, the three men's eyes lit up.

But Brienne was, after all, in charge of finance, and he immediately hesitated.

Your Highness, although Paris Angel's business is doing extremely well, could each share really be valued at 2 livres?

At 2 livres per share and ten million shares in total, that meant Paris Angel's market value would reach a terrifying 20 million livres!

Joseph motioned for the lawyer by the door to bring over the franchise contracts and smiled.

Over this period, Paris Angel has already gained seven franchise stores. Here are the contracts, and even more investors are preparing to sign franchise agreements. At the same time, I will be opening several more directly operated boutiques in various places.

I believe that before long, Paris Angel Boutiques will be seen in all of France's major cities. Within half a year, Paris Angel stores will spread across every country in Europe.

To be honest, pricing the shares at 2 livres was on the low side.

He then explained the meaning of a franchise store once more. This time, the three men at the table could no longer remain composed.

What company was the hottest in Paris right now? Naturally, it was Paris Angel.

What woman on the streets and in the alleys of Paris did not know Angel Water? The old women and young girls in their own households were also throwing thousands of livres at this Cosmetics product.

Moreover, Angel Water's influence had already begun spreading throughout France. Just a few days ago, noblewomen from Marseille had even come to Paris in groups to snap it up.

If there had been only one store, the company's valuation truly could not have reached 20 million. But with nine stores, that figure would be fairly close.

And that novel franchise model was indeed extremely appealing. Honestly, all three of them had started considering investing in a franchise store themselves. How had this Crown Prince come up with such an exquisite business model? No wonder everyone called him a Child of Divine Grace. This mind of his had surely been personally stroked by God's hand!

Clearly, before long, Paris Angel franchise stores would be everywhere in France.

By then, the company's market value would surely surge day after day like the Seine River in the rainy season!

Brienne narrowed his eyes. If he bought at 1 livre and then resold the shares, he could earn at least 1 livre per share! It would be the same as getting the bank shares for free.

Moreover, he estimated that Paris Angel's stock price could not possibly remain at 2 livres forever. It should rise very soon!

He no longer hesitated and looked at Joseph.

Your Highness, since you've put it that way, I'll buy in for 250,000 livres.

Seeing that even the Archbishop had made a move, Mono immediately followed suit.

Your Highness, I'll also invest 500,000 livres...

Joseph looked somewhat troubled.

Count Mono, well, because the shares are limited, I can give you at most 3%. Please understand. After all, there are still the King, Her Majesty the Queen, Prince of Condé, Duke of Artois—

Count and the others...

The moment Mono heard those names, he immediately smiled and waved his hand.

All right, all right. Then 300,000 will do.

Robert also gritted his teeth and put up 200,000 livres.

Finally, Joseph stated that these shares carried only dividend rights and no management or decision-making rights. The three had come for profit in the first place, so naturally they had no objections.

At the dining table, everyone was overjoyed. They raised their glasses and clinked them together hard amid laughter.

The next day, Joseph had lunch with Louis XVI and Queen Mary. Taking the opportunity, he sold each of them 5% of the bank's shares.

There was no need to use Paris Angel shares as bait for his own parents. Joseph brazenly asked each of them for an investment of 500,000, offering a single thank-you as a token of his appreciation.

However, Louis XVI had spent 600,000 livres supporting his son's Netherlands strategy last time. Though it was later proven that he had backed the right horse, the affair had filled his pockets politically while bringing in not a single coin in cash.

At present, he only had a little over 100,000 livres in spare money, which he poured entirely into his son's venture. For the rest, he could only write an IOU.

Queen Mary, meanwhile, was known as Madame Deficit. Although that was largely slander, she truly had long been accustomed to spending lavishly. She had only 220,000 livres on hand, with the remaining 280,000 owed for the time being.

But Joseph had not truly been after their money. His main purpose was to bring two thick thighs into the venture. In the future, he could then drape a tiger's skin over himself and wave its banner.

That afternoon, Joseph hurried to Paris without stopping. He met in succession with Prince of Condé, who wielded enormous influence in the military, and Duke of Artois, a hardline royalist and Louis XVI's younger brother.

When the two heard that they could buy Paris Angel shares at a low price, they naturally would not refuse money delivered right to their doorsteps. Each subscribed to 400,000 livres' worth of bank shares, remembering this favor from the Crown Prince.

By noon that day, all of France was discussing Paris Angel Company's upcoming stock offering. It could not be helped—every newspaper was talking about Paris Angel, and at every salon, someone would steer the conversation in that direction once it began.

Naturally, inside Versailles Palace, even more insider information was circulating. People said that Paris Angel's daily sales reached 120,000, that it had opened eight or nine branches, and that it was already planning stores in the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, and other places. The company's scale was astonishing.

Everyone's hearts itched unbearably. They began gathering funds one after another, preparing to scramble for Paris Angel's original shares.

Meanwhile, in the General Manager's office of Lavier Bank in Paris, General Manager Etienne frowned and asked his assistant, "Has no one from the Minister of Finance's side come to negotiate yet?"

The latter nodded.

That's right. More than ten days ago, a low-ranking official came to ask about loans, but no one has come since.

Etienne muttered in confusion.

Strange. The Government Bonds are about to mature, yet the Crown Prince isn't anxious?

The assistant said:

Could they have obtained a loan from another bank?

Etienne shook his head.

Duke of Orléans has already spoken to the other banks. It's impossible that anyone would lend to him.

He muttered to himself, Even if the Crown Prince has no experience, the other finance officials should have reminded him about the Government Bonds. Why is he so calm?