Descending On France 1780
Chapter 316 - 309 It’s Pauline time now

Chapter 316: 309 It’s Pauline time now

Anning knew that to control the issuance of currency, two essential conditions were needed: one is having a high reputation, and the other is holding a large amount of goods.

The reputation goes without saying; it is the foundation for issuing currency, while the goods mainly ensure the issued money is useful.

Otherwise, if you distribute paper money and it buys nothing, the currency will quickly become beautifully printed pieces of paper.

The thing Anning issued in Italy had the backing of several large Milanese business associations. These business associations agreed to use the Equivalent Coupon, which is why it successfully spread across Milan.

This is especially important in a country like France, which has a tradition of being anti-paper money. Before the great revolution, the paper money issued during the king’s reforms led to widespread distrust among the French.

The excessive issuing of certificates after the revolution further plummeted the liking for paper money among ordinary French people to rock bottom.

To counteract these deeply ingrained negative sentiments, Anning had to control a large amount of circulating goods.

Therefore, Anning urged the National Assembly to pass a law imposing high tariffs on cloths from the UK.

Instantly, the price of British fabrics soared, and the products of the steam textile factories Anning established in the south flooded the market on a large scale.

Moreover, using his significant reputation in the southern countryside, Anning established a business association for the centralized procurement and sales of southern agricultural products.

All these preliminary preparations are now completely finished.

The printing of paper money had also started long ago. Anning commissioned a committee entirely composed of painters to design the Republic’s first paper money—since certificates were things from the Kingdom Era, they don’t count.

The task of printing paper money was assigned to the largest and most technologically advanced Berriman printing factory in Paris.

Upon hearing that the work was commissioned by General Frost, the factory immediately sent their best engraver to meticulously create the printing plates.

In July 1793, Anning’s paper money was issued.

That day, Anning personally went to the printing factory and was the first to pick up the freshly printed money.

"Oh, very nice," Anning admired the printed image of Mr. Voltaire on the paper money, "The details are very clear!"

The head of the printing factory respectfully said, "I can guarantee you that only our facility can produce such sharp results!"

Anning: "That’s exactly the effect I wanted."

In this era, it was impossible to include a bunch of anti-counterfeit measures on paper money that would be common in later times.

Thus, to prevent counterfeiting, it was essential to rely on the precision of the printing. Such high printing accuracy undoubtedly indicated the work of a large and skilled printing factory, making it easier to trace if counterfeits were made.

Anning looked at the paper money and blissfully fantasized about the future: Now I am like the Chairman of the Federal Reserve of France, France’s Greenspan.

With the control of currency issuance, my financial power is unlimited. Whether it is to promote rapid industrialization or equip the troops en masse, I now have the financial foundation!

While Anning was daydreaming, Napoleon’s sister, Pauline, came over: "Who is the big head printed on this paper money?"

Anning was suddenly jolted from his daydreams, glanced at Pauline — the little girl was full of curiosity, her big eyes twinkling.

Anning: "This is Mr. Voltaire, the cornerstone of enlightenment thinking printed on various denominations of the paper money..."

"Oh!" Pauline interrupted Anning, "I know him, he’s the one you rescued from the Bastille!"

Anning choked for a moment, coughing several times before he could recover.

"Uh, well..."

"Everyone says so!" Pauline said excitedly, "They also say that you are Voltaire’s illegitimate child, which is why you’re so good at revolutionizing!"

Anning scratched his head, puzzled as to how the rumors had evolved to him suddenly being Voltaire’s illegitimate child?

Anning: "Uh, no, well, Mr. Voltaire was indeed imprisoned in Bastille, but... uh, anyway, it’s quite complicated, I’m definitely not his illegitimate child, not at all."

Pauline: "Then whose illegitimate child are you?"

"I’m not an illegitimate child! I’m just a leatherworker’s son. Some people find it disgraceful to have a leatherworker’s son rise above them, so they make up different stories about my origin.

"During the Kingdom Era, they said I was the illegitimate child of some big noble, and after the revolution, when nobles became worthless, they started saying I was Voltaire’s illegitimate child."

Pauline laughed joyfully: "My brother was right; as soon as someone doubts your leatherworker origin, you get anxious."

Anning: "Napoleon, should you be talking about such things with your sister?"

Pauline brought up a new question: "By the way, why print Voltaire on the paper money? Wouldn’t people accept it more if it featured your portrait?"

Anning: "I’m not any great figure. As the first type of currency of the Republic, it should naturally feature the great men who contributed to the founding of the Republic. Voltaire is on the hundred, Rousseau on the fifty, and so on..."

Pauline: "Why is Rousseau on the fifty? Is he inferior to Voltaire?"

Anning: "Of course not, he’s also a very important Enlightenment thinker, hardly distinguishable from Voltaire..."

"Then why is he on the fifty?"

"It has nothing to do with the denomination; we simply printed the portrait of each Enlightenment thinker on the money, each handling a different denomination, with no distinction between higher or lower value."

Pauline: "But people will think that way. If you really think they are equally prominent, you could print them together on the currency, lined up with four people."

Anning: "That won’t work. Having four people in a row would give me déjà vu."

It would remind him of Fire Shadow Mountain, or the prototype Mount Rushmore in the United States, or perhaps one version of the renminbi.

Pauline started pestering Anning, asking what "déjà vu" meant.

While they interacted like this, the owner of the printing press and the distinguished guests of Paris attending the new currency launch ceremony were watching nearby.

Some inevitably muttered under their breath, "What’s this? Leaving us aside and dating the girl?"

Just as that person finished muttering, someone elbowed him in the ribs, stepped on his foot, and slapped his back.

The one who elbowed said: "Be careful. Though Frost doesn’t chop people himself these days, he was a tremendous demon in Southern France, sending many nobles straight to the street lamps—before the guillotine even existed."

The one who stepped on the foot said: "You might not know, but that girl is Frost’s new affection, the sister of his formidable subordinate Napoleon. He is building a good relationship with the little lady so that Napoleon remains fiercely loyal to him."

The one who patted his back added: "Her brother is the one who bombed Palais des Tuileries and recently achieved a major victory over the Rebel Army at Codini, they say, using five thousand National Army to defeat twenty or thirty thousand rebels, and winning decisively.

"If nothing unexpected happens, he’s likely to become the next Frost.

"If Frost hadn’t taken a liking to his sister, the line to date this young lady could probably wrap around Paris three times."

The person who initially grumbled was amazed: "Really? I thought this young lady was just some Parisian miss that Frost fancied.

"That’s incredible."

"Yes," someone chimed in immediately, "If the war continues like this, the era of the military men will soon come."

"What? I thought it already had."