Chapter 624 Contracting Agreement

Chapter 625 Contracting Agreement

After a long while, a smile finally reappeared on Camelia's face.

She took Perna's arm affectionately and left the small prayer room together. The two had become the most trusted good sisters.

Joseph carefully raised his head and confirmed that the two girls had disappeared. Then he stood up and thought to himself that it was no wonder that they both asked for leave yesterday. It turned out that they came here to participate in the "religious activities" on Valentine's Day.

He rubbed his numb thighs, and the conversation between the two flashed through his mind. He was quite happy. Perna was gentle and intellectual, Camelia was sweet and lovely...but with his current status, he would definitely not be able to marry any of them. Did he really want them to be his mistresses? Alas, it is still difficult to integrate into the 18th century concept. Forget it, I'd better pretend I don't know...

While he was thinking about it, the priest bowed at the door and said:

"Your Highness, the ceremony outside is over. Do you want me to invite Archbishop Beaumont?"

"Oh, thank you for your hard work."

More than ten minutes later, in the reception room on the second floor of Notre Dame de Paris, Beaumont and several senior priests saluted respectfully to Joseph and smiled:

"Your Highness, are you here to participate in the Valentine's Day celebration too?"

Joseph thought to himself that I came up with this business plan, why would I come here to give you money? But he still nodded and said:

"Ah, yes, this is also an opportunity to be noticed by God, of course I will not miss it."

"You are so pious!" Beaumont immediately made the sign of the cross and said, "May God bless you."

Joseph sat down on the chair and started to talk about business directly: "Archbishop Beaumont, I have a very good business opportunity, I hope to cooperate with the church."

Beaumont immediately showed interest and leaned forward: "Your Highness is always thinking about the church, you have the most pious soul in the world... Oh, what business opportunities do you mean?"

Last time, the Crown Prince instructed the church to sell "improved indulgences", which has now become one of the core incomes of the French church. He is looking forward to another similar "good business".

Joseph smiled and nodded: "Archbishop, you should be familiar with beets, right?"

This time, the church is also involved in promoting beet planting, and Beaumont naturally needs to understand beets.

"Yes, Your Highness, I have planted Mr. Archard's beets myself."

Joseph also leaned forward: "Then have you heard about the situation in the Caribbean?"

"You mean, the riots of those black people?"

"That's right. It can be predicted that it will not be long before Saint Domingo will find it difficult to provide us with enough sugar." Joseph said, "and beets will be the most important source of sugar in the future. I hope that the church can help me expand the area of ​​beet cultivation."

Beaumont nodded vigorously: "Your Highness, the church has indeed been trying to persuade farmers to switch to beets."

Joseph Looking at him, he said, "No, I mean, use the church's arable land to grow beets."

Beaumont was stunned for a moment, then immediately showed an honest smile: "Your Highness, you know, the church's expenses have become very large recently for your military academy, mechanical and chemical engineering university, and tax university. If the land income is reduced, I'm afraid..."

"No, I'm afraid you misunderstood. The income from growing beets will be very high."

Beaumont shook his head secretly. With the little harvest of beets, the government needs to give a lot of subsidies to farmers who grow beets to barely keep their income on par with that of growing wheat.

Just as he was about to show his embarrassment, Joseph immediately said: "At present, sugar beets are indeed not profitable, but after the sugarcane production in Saint-Domingo decreases, the price of sugar will immediately rise sharply. You have to look at the long term."

Beaumont said: "Your Highness, by then, sugar from Jamaica and the West Indies will pour in, and the price may be..."

He took a breath and smiled again: "Do you think this will work? The church will take out 100 hectares to grow sugar beets?"

Joseph thought to himself that there would soon be no black slaves available in the sugarcane plantations in Jamaica and the West Indies, so where would the sugarcane flow into France?

But this matter involved too much, so he couldn't tell Beaumont.

"I hope the church can take out 30,000 hectares of arable land to grow sugar beets."

Beaumont's eyes were about to pop out: "You mean... 30,000 hectares?! How can this be..."

Although the income from growing sugar beets is acceptable with subsidies, he is unwilling to put all his hopes on subsidies. Given the financial situation of the French government, it is hard to guarantee that subsidies will not be issued one day.

When the time comes to switch to wheat, the farm tools, seeds, sales channels, etc. will have to be tossed around again, and that will cost a lot of money.

Joseph persuaded him again, but Beaumont only increased the planting area to 800 hectares and refused to give in.

Joseph shook his head helplessly. He really didn't know how to seize the opportunity to make money.

He had to say: "Archbishop, how about this, I can sign a 'contract agreement' with the church."

"Ah, what is that?"

"The church will hand over 40,000 hectares of land to the Minister of Agriculture for management, and the government will increase the rent and tax of the tenants by 5% and pay it to the church every year. Of course, the church must assist the government in requiring the annual tribute farmers to plant designated crops."

At present, although France has carried out land reform, it does not involve the church. Therefore, the church's land is basically still in the annual tribute farmer model, and the church still has a relatively large influence on the tenants on its own land.

Beaumont still looked extremely reluctant. Dealing with tenants is always much easier than dealing with the French government. After all, if the government defaults on the contract fees, it will be very difficult for the church to ask for them.

"Your Highness, can you give less, such as 5,000 hectares..."

Joseph's face suddenly darkened.

To be honest, the power of the royal family is no longer comparable to when he borrowed grain from the church. The country's politics, economy, military, justice, and propaganda are all in his hands. If it were not for the need for the church to maintain the stability of French society, even if he forcibly confiscated the church's land, these priests would have to obey his orders.

"Archbishop Beaumont, I have another thing to do today." Joseph suddenly changed his calm tone and said loudly, "The Saint-Domingo expeditionary force has just suffered a failure. The General Staff decided to send an additional 8,000 expeditionary forces to the Caribbean. This requires a considerable amount of military expenditure.

"The church has an unshirkable responsibility for the future of France. His Majesty the King needs the church to provide 8 million francs for the expeditionary force. "

Beaumont was immediately anxious: "Your Highness, where does the church get so much money? And the military expenses have never been borne by the church..."

Joseph pretended to get up and leave: "I believe in the financial resources of the church. Please inform other archbishops about this matter. I hope that the money will be received before the expeditionary army sets out."

Beaumont's face turned bitter, and he hurriedly stopped Joseph and said: "Your Highness, perhaps we can discuss the "contract agreement" again..."