The Fox of France - Chapter 325: Ways to Borrow Money

Among all their business partners, the Spaniards weren’t the first to place orders, but they were certainly the most impatient. It took them more than a week to receive news from Mexico. Their information arrived a bit slower but was more detailed than what Lucien knew—after all, they were part of the conflict themselves.

Naturally, their messages likely contained plenty of blame-shifting information. Usually, after messing up, the priority isn’t about cleaning up the mess or minimizing losses. It’s about quickly finding someone to blame and passing on the fault!

But regardless of the blame game—be it on the Church (the rebel leader was schooled in a theological college), the indigenous people, or disloyal native whites—shifting blame alone couldn’t solve the problem. It’s akin to understanding how to pass the buck across the Pacific Ocean, much like the way the King of Hearts does.

However, while blame could be shifted, the New Crown King couldn’t escape. The situation in Mexico was the same. Blame could be cast upon the Catholic Church, the “accursed French,” but losing Mexico City meant a real loss.

Indeed, just as Joseph anticipated, Mexico City was impossible to defend. And surprisingly, the Spaniards displayed higher military quality for the first time. They promptly implemented Joseph’s recommended strategy, abandoning Mexico City and heading towards Veracruz. However, their haste made them forget to destroy the cannons left behind in Mexico City, which couldn’t be swiftly moved.

Nevertheless, they did remember to seize every horse they could find, regardless of the owner, all in the name of God and the King. This action caused quite a bit of trouble for the Mexican Revolutionary Army. Yet, while this move inconvenienced the revolutionaries, it also created issues for them as they struggled to find enough horses to transport cannons and supplies.

The Spaniards’ actions weren’t driven by military considerations but rather by their eagerness to transfer wealth. Retreating towards Veracruz, they carried a plethora of horse-drawn carriages, each loaded with valuable goods.

Shortly after the Spaniards fled Mexico City, Father Miguel Idalgo Castilla led the revolutionary army into the city. Surprisingly, the retreating Spaniards weren’t swift, weighed down by too many valuable items. However, Father Castilla didn’t immediately dispatch troops to pursue them. Not because he didn’t think about it, but because neither he nor his associates could control the troops.

Just as Napoleon previously predicted, a series of victories and blunders didn’t increase Father Castilla’s prestige; it significantly reduced his and Alain’s influence among the army. The soldiers generally believed their superiors were foolish and victory lay in ignoring their orders. The lower-ranking officers gained more authority, swiftly leading to the fragmentation of the army.

After capturing Mexico City, Father Castilla finally established the independent Mexican government but faced a significant problem—they lacked funds.

Where would the government get its money? Typically, taxes were the source, but collecting taxes was a strenuous task. Moreover, this year’s taxes had already been collected by the Spaniards. Trying to collect again would disrupt daily life. If collected less, it wouldn’t suffice; if more, it contradicted the revolutionary cause. Even the idea of redistributing land faced challenges as many native whites were small landowners. Implementing this would spark internal conflicts.

Initially, Father Castilla thought of soliciting donations from the people supporting the revolution. However, the most revolutionary folks barely had money, and the wealthy weren’t inclined to contribute. Some so-called supporters even advised Father Castilla:

“Mr. President, do you know why people are hesitant to lend money to your government?”

“Why?” Father Castilla asked.

“Because the risk is too high. You see, you haven’t truly defeated the Spaniards… I know you’d mention the last battle, but in that fight, your army defeated only a small fraction of the Spanish forces. Spain would undoubtedly send an expeditionary force, and their strength would surpass any Spanish troops you’ve previously vanquished. Hence, people doubt you. They won’t lend unless you can defeat the Spanish expeditionary force.”

“If I could defeat the Spanish expeditionary force, why would I need to borrow money?” Father Castilla remarked.

“Exactly, Mr. President. That’s the conundrum. But there’s a solution,” the shrewd person replied.

“What solution?”

“For instance, striking a loan deal with the Bank of Louisiana at a 15% annual interest rate for a million. Once news spreads, other banks will be willing to lend to you. Once that money arrives, repay Louisiana Bank in full, with interest, and split the remaining loan from other banks. Voilà, you have your funds,” the clever person answered.