He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 95

(95) Meeting the Future Financial Emperor, Rothschild

It’s a long-held belief that financial and political power are intertwined.

“I really, really wanted to meet you! Especially to repay the favor of granting the Edict of Jewish Emancipation!”

A young man, barely 18 years old, was shouting excitedly.

However, he wasn’t shouting at a person but at his reflection in a mirror.

A similar-looking young man with black hair, who had been watching him, snorted.

“Nathan, you’re being too theatrical. Besides, wasn’t the Edict issued by General Bonaparte?”

“Ah, just play along, Brother Solomon. Besides, the fact that it was proclaimed in Milan suggests the involvement of the financial world, doesn’t it? Why the Edict of Jewish Emancipation at this crucial moment? It’s almost 100% certain that Eugène de Beauharnais was involved.”

“I think you’re overestimating him. Don’t you think so, Brother Amschel?”

Amschel, the 22-year-old sitting on the sofa in the drawing room, glanced at his second brother, Solomon, and replied.

“Either way is fine. The important thing is to establish a relationship with the new conqueror.”

The eldest, 22-year-old Amschel, the second, 21-year-old Solomon, and the third, 18-year-old Nathan.

These are the three brothers who manage the Rothschild family, a banking house based in Frankfurt, Northern Germany.

Of course, strictly speaking, the bank’s owner is their father, Mayer Amschel.

However, Mayer primarily sets the overall strategy, and the day-to-day operations are already being managed by his three sons.

With capital of 5 million marks.

It’s hard to say they are the wealthiest in the Empire, but it’s definitely a substantial sum.

Furthermore, as a ‘Jewish’ financier, they have reached a prominent position.

However, in an era where prejudice against Jews still exists,

there are bound to be limitations.

Therefore, the ‘Rothschild’ family has always valued relationships with powerful figures.

Only those in power can help them overcome the societal limitations placed on them as Jews and protect them from potential discrimination from Christian Europeans.

Now, a new conqueror has entered Northern Italy, which was part of the Empire.

For Rothschild, it was like discovering a crucial potential partner.

At that moment, the second brother, Solomon, asked cynically.

“Wouldn’t General Bonaparte himself be a better target? If we’re going to start with an adjutant, there are easier people to deal with. For example, General Masséna is said to have a fondness for money.”

“Why, are you worried because he’s a prodigy, Solomon? Does it remind you of your nickname?”

“Ah, what are you talking about? It’s not like that. He’s supposed to be a financier. Even if he’s young, the nickname ‘financial prodigy’ isn’t given lightly.”

Solomon frowned, voicing his concern.

“He’s definitely going to be sharp with calculations. I don’t want to lose money.”

Eugène de Beauharnais, the financial prodigy of Paris.

Anyone in the European financial world who’s well-informed already knows about him.

This is because Francis Baring, who has an extensive network, constantly mentions Eugène to everyone he meets, so anyone who has dealt with Baring has heard Eugène’s name.

Moreover, the Rothschild family also had a tradition of valuing information.

They diligently collected information and knew Eugène’s position in France.

Even his nicknames: Knight of the Princess, Boy Jockey, and Gambling Prodigy.

That’s why Solomon, who is skilled at calculations, was wary of doing business with him.

On the other hand, Nathan, who enjoyed bold gambles, laughed heartily and patted him on the shoulder.

“Hey, if it weren’t for Mr. Francis Baring, we wouldn’t even be able to get our foot in the door, right? Let’s try trading first and then decide, brother.”

“Didn’t he write to ask how his investment stake is doing? Doesn’t it say to make sure to check on that, Nathan?”

“Oh, yeah. But Mr. Baring is helping us a lot. Mr. Baring’s help was also invaluable in finding a house in Manchester.”

Recently, Nathan was dispatched to England at the age of 18.

This was because Mayer ordered him to open a family bank branch in London.

He is currently settling in Manchester, assessing the opportunities to break into the London market.

No matter how liberal England is, there is still a ‘discriminatory attitude’ against Jews.

As a result, they are receiving assistance from Barings Bank, with whom they have had a long-standing trading relationship.

Of course, this letter of introduction as well.

At that moment, the eldest brother Amschel nodded.

“Yes. Now our family has to break free from the confines of Frankfurt. It’s a time of great upheaval. That’s when money moves.”

“It would have been nice if Father had come himself. I guess he’s wary of the revolutionary army?”

“He also has to be mindful of the Emperor, right? Besides, these days, we’ve started trading with the Prussian royal family. It’s difficult for Father to leave.”

Amschel, who was chatting casually with Nathan, quickly turned to Solomon.

“Oh, the gift? You didn’t forget it, did you?”

Only then did Solomon take out the item he had carefully packed in a case and sighed.

“It’s safe.”

“Do you think this will work? It was Mr. Baring’s recommendation.”

“He recommended it because it will work. If it doesn’t work, we’ll tell Mr. Baring to pay for all the travel expenses.”

Just then.

-Click!

The moment the door of the mansion’s drawing room opened, Nathan shouted nervously.

“Hello! I really wanted to see you! Jewish liberation brings about social intervention in the financial world—no, that’s not it!”

Amschel and Solomon were dumbfounded and glared at Nathan.

Instead of praising the other person, he ended up conveying the words of those who criticize Jewish liberation.

Of course, in the original history, such sentiments are actually heard even in modern times.

However, the boy who appeared in the doorway tilted his head and pointed at Nathan.

“Nathan.”

The moment Nathan’s eyes widened, the boy pointed at the other young men and said.

“You must be Solomon, and the one who looks like the eldest brother is Amschel Mayer II. Am I right? You’re all younger than I expected. For people who will be responsible for the future of the ‘Rothschild’ family.”

It seemed like he had slightly mispronounced the family name, but Nathan quickly shouted to cover up his mistake.

“Hahaha! Nice to meet you. You look more mature than I expected, Colonel Eugène de Beauharnais, the financial prodigy!”

Feeling like he had made another mistake, Nathan was terrified.

Amschel and Solomon were also dumbfounded and held their heads.

Fortunately, the boy, Eugène, just smiled again this time.

“Yes, because now I’m a general. Brigadier General.”

At that moment, Nathan, Amschel, and Solomon were convinced.

The boy who had obtained the position of brigade commander and general at the young age of 14.

Clearly, this boy is definitely Napoleon’s closest aide.

They had grabbed the right line.

***

Of course, Eugène has no intention of letting go of the line in front of him.

-Tick, tock, tick.

As Eugène held the gold watch chain and looked at the small pocket watch, Solomon explained.

“It’s a work by Johann Friedrich Schumann, the best court watchmaker in Dresden. It chimes the time every 5 minutes.”

It’s not a very famous name in modern times.

However, it’s a bit different if you know the best luxury watches in Germany.

Johann Koutke, the teacher of the later Ferdinand Lange, is Schumann’s son-in-law.

The makers they left behind are still among the best in Germany in the 21st century.

Eugène smiled as he fiddled with the very small pocket watch.

“Lange & Söhne.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s nothing. Please tell Mr. Baring to rest assured. The 10% stake invested in Banque Beauharnais still exists without violating any ratio.”

Eugène put the watch in his pocket and winked.

“Just like this watch is accurate.”

Sending a watch as a gift is a very Baring-like idea.

He probably thought of it after seeing Eugène always carrying Louis XVI’s watch.

However, there is something Baring doesn’t know.

For Eugène, the family in front of him, the Rothschilds, is truly a gift.

Nathan, the third son of the Rothschilds, who is still a fledgling, breathed a sigh of relief.

“Phew, that’s a relief. I was worried about what to say when I went to London.”

“London? Have you already expanded into England? The Rothschild, no, the Rothschild family?”

“Haha! Come to think of it, in English, it’s called Rothschild. Well, we’re just opening a branch in Manchester. I’ll be dispatched there soon.”

Late May 1795, a family-sized bank that is just starting to tap into the UK market.

They are quite wealthy, but from a national perspective, they are just a mid-sized wealthy family.

But that name will later become an entity that dominates the world.

Of course, it’s ironic that it starts in the midst of the wars waged by Napoleon.

Eugène smiled as he looked at the protagonists.

“Then, can we possibly do a deal?”

At the sudden words, Nathan’s eyes widened.

“A deal, as in, what?”

“As you already know, Barings Bank is a major investor in my business. But because of the war, we haven’t been able to pay dividends or trade at all.”

“That’s, that’s right. Right now, normal financial transactions between France and England are impossible.”

Amschel, Solomon, and Nathan.

All three are excellent, but the best is definitely Nathan.

Amschel stays in Frankfurt, Solomon advances to Vienna, and Nathan seizes London.

Nathan is the one who catches up with Barings Bank in his time and competes for the top spot in the financial world of the British Empire.

No matter how the war goes, Nathan’s skills are noteworthy.

Eugène gestured lightly and said.

“The Holy Roman Empire is also the same, but it’s a bit better because it’s connected by land. So, can you pay my dividends for me instead? I’ll pay the price.”

At that moment, the adjutants Ippolito and Tournay, who were standing next to him, put down sacks of silver coins.

-Chuck, chuck, chuck!

It is an era when physical currency surpasses the value of banknotes or bills.

Seeing the bundles of silver coins, which were close to 100,000 units at a glance, the Rothschild brothers’ eyes widened.

Eugène pointed to his pocket and said.

“It’s the third pocket here. The other two are dividends to be delivered to Mr. Baring. Of course, you can prepare a way to transport them, right?”

In this era, Germany is not unified.

That means the public order is unstable.

If even robbers appear, all this money could be taken away.

However, the Rothschild family is also a well-known financial family.

Unless it’s an army, their security isn’t so weak that they’ll have their money stolen by robbers.

Nathan smiled and replied.

“The commission is too much, isn’t it?”

“Then, let’s also do a stake investment. Take the commission you think is appropriate, and let’s invest the rest in London Rothschild Bank shares. How about it?”

“W-w-wait a minute.”

At that moment, Nathan opened his mouth wide and waved his hand.

“That’s not possible. Please present an exact number. There is no such thing as being vague to a banker! I don’t know about soldiers!”

Then Solomon hurriedly poked Nathan in the side.

“Hey, Nathan. They’re giving us money, why are you suddenly like this?”

“No, it’s too much! Even if it’s easy money, the calculation must be accurate, Brother Solomon!”

“That’s something to think about after we receive it!”

Solomon, who hates losing money, and Nathan, who values the accuracy of commerce instead of being bold.

The stark differences between the two brothers seem to be visible.

Eugène, who was watching quietly, burst into laughter.

“Puhahat!”

When Nathan and Solomon looked at Eugène, Eugène shrugged and said.

“Wonderful. I trust you. By the way, I forgot while talking. What did you come here for? You didn’t just come to deliver Mr. Baring’s letter.”

Only then did the three brothers realize why they had come here.

To build a relationship with the new conqueror of Milan.

Therefore, advancing to Milan was the original goal.

However, the situation has changed.

Rather, the other party has proposed a partnership.

Amschel smiled and replied.

“Originally, we came to open a Milan branch and for business. But it seems like it’s not necessary anymore. Because a partner bank will be established here. 10% of the London branch’s shareholding. How about it? We’ll also cooperate with Milan’s financial transactions.”

“That seems too stingy. Let’s make it 30%.”

“General Eugène de Beauharnais.”

Suddenly, the eldest son Amschel stared at Eugène.

“We are a family bank. We do not accept members other than family members as investors. We will only do brokerage transactions for you. Nevertheless, we will accept the General’s investment.”

That is the Rothschild’s trading principle recorded in later generations.

But now it’s just a family bank.

It’s just that Mayer, the head of the family at the time, has greatly expanded his business, so it’s not yet established as a tradition.

That’s why exceptions can be made, but still, 30% is too much.

However, Eugène stared at Amschel and shook his head.

“Then, I’ll tell you the same thing. ‘Herr’ Rothschild.”

Herr, is the German word for Mr. in English or Monsieur in French.

In short, an honorific title referring to a man.

However, Amschel is hearing it for the first time.

Why?

Because he is Jewish.

Because they are often objects of contempt.

Eugène said to the surprised Amschel.

“I do business in Paris, Marseille, and now Milan. I had and will have the best trading companies and banks in each of those cities.”

“It doesn’t seem like Milan is yet.”

“Milan is the easiest anyway. Because I have General Napoleon behind me. But while doing this business, I have only accepted two partners.”

Eugène counted his fingers.

“Mr. Baring, the best banker in England, and Monsieur Recamier, the top-class banker in Paris. So, Herr Rothschild. Will you put your name on my list of investment partners, or not?”

In fact, Amschel knows Baring, although he doesn’t know Recamier.

He also understood what Eugène was saying.

For Rothschild, who is still just a family bank, becoming Eugène’s partner is a privilege in itself.

Amschel closed his eyes for a moment and thought.

The time it took for France to conquer this Milan.

One month.

Napoleon is not thought to be someone who will stop here.

But Eugène is his adjutant and the closest aide to the most influential businessman.

Also, if the rumors are true, he may become Napoleon’s adopted son.

In the end, Amschel decided.

“25%. That’s the maximum number I can get permission from my father.”

At that moment, Eugène held out his hand.

“Congratulations on becoming my partner. Mr. Rothschild, ‘Nathan’.”

The 18-year-old boy, Nathan, who shook hands, widened his eyes and shouted.

“It’s an honor, General!”

It was the moment when the man who would later become the Financial Emperor shook hands with the man who would become Napoleon’s son.

***

Of course, this deal is full of mysteries for the adjutant Ippolito, who saw it from the side.

“Why London of all places?”

Eugène turned his head as he watched the ‘Rothschild’ brothers leave from the window.

“What?”

“No, I heard you talking earlier, and those guys’ headquarters are in Frankfurt, right? Then, of course, you should invest in the German headquarters, right? If that Rothschild family is likely to succeed.”

“You noticed that, Ippolito?”

Eugène whistled.

In fact, Ippolito is not a financial expert, nor does he have any special talent.

But he wasn’t fooled by the numbers and saw through the essence, albeit partially.

Ippolito shrugged.

“Ah, I’ve been watching you do business for over 5 years now, Eugène? Come to think of it, you’ve really been obsessed with money since you were a kid.”

“But you still have a long way to go to see the flow of the world economy.”

“Huh? Do I need to know that too?”

Eugène smiled and tapped his head lightly.

“My adjutant needs to know that much. Think intuitively. What is the number one economic power in Europe right now?”

At that moment, Ippolito’s eyes widened.

“England. Ah, that’s right!”

The Rothschild brothers are all excellent.

However, their stages of activity are all different.

Frankfurt, Austria, and England.

Which one has the largest economy?

England, of course.

In the end, the one who succeeds in the most active economic market hits the jackpot.

Of course, in the original history, the Rothschild family failed again because they missed the American market.

Instead of explaining that far, Eugène simply summarized it.

“In other words, the brother that the Rothschild family sends to London is the most promising.”

“Oh, wasn’t it Rothschild? Anyway. That brother named Nathan?”

“In English, it’s Nathan.”

Eugène narrowed his eyes and stared out the window again.

“Depending on how he does, he may become the number one person in the financial world. It would be better to keep him close now.”

Nathan Rothschild.

An investor who left a legend that he swept up half of the British stock based on early news of the French defeat at Waterloo in the original history.

Of course, now there will be no chance to profit from Waterloo.

Nevertheless, his talent is definitely certain.

Just then.

“Well, that seems like it will take 10 years. We need to talk about the business we’re going to start tomorrow. What’s the first business, Patron Eugène?”

At the words of the banker Pierre Colo, who had been waiting until then, Eugène smiled and nodded.

“Okay. First, let’s start with the canned food business.”

Future investments must first wait to reap the rewards again.

Now is the time to make profits in Milan.

The first business is the sealed canned food business that does not yet exist.