Chapter 205 The Tsar is easy to bully
The empire nationalized the railway company not for free, but paid according to the actual value of the railway.
There are indeed some unreasonable factors here, because most of the Russian railways were built many years ago, and the cost at that time was definitely different from the current value.
Something magical happened.
Most Russian private railway companies do not make money or even lose money.
But when the empire wanted to acquire their railways, the railway companies refused to sell them, or demanded a price that was simply unacceptable to the imperial treasury, which was close to blackmail.
Since the railway company does not make money.
The bosses of railway companies would rather go into debt to run their business. Aren’t they all philanthropists?
George's plan is more reasonable than the Imperial Treasury's plan.
It is indeed inappropriate to acquire the railway at the price back then.
Then buy it with the profits of the railway company and give you 20 years of profits. That will be fine!
In the words of Levi Bernstein, the annual profit of Southwestern Railway Company is only 10,000 rubles.
So George's request is that Levi Bernstein had better sell the Southwestern Railway Company and the railways owned by the Southwestern Railway Company to the empire for 200,000 rubles.
"This is impossible, this is absolutely impossible!"
Levi Bernstein shouted that he could not accept this plan.
"Then let's talk about the freight charges of the Southwest Railway Company."
George didn't just ransack the house as soon as he came up. He wanted to settle the railway matter first before talking about anything else.
Forced buying and selling are like this. Although it’s cool, it doesn’t sound good when spoken out.
The Russian Empire still attaches great importance to foreign investment. If the reputation of forced buying and selling spreads, who will dare to invest in Russia?
So Levi Bernstein had to be willing to sell the Southwestern Railway Company to the Empire.
Levi Bernstein stopped talking and refused to communicate with George.
Fight censorship with silence, right?
Okay, since you don’t want to talk, George won’t let you.
Levi Bernstein is now a suspect and is housed with his family in a barracks at Camp Oak.
The house is now in turmoil.
Levi Bernstein and his wife had six children.
With his two lovers and two children respectively
Now Levi Bernstein's wife, lover, and children are all in the same house.
You can imagine how lively this house is.
When Levi Bernstein was brought back to the house, the three women fought in a group. Levi Bernstein's two lovers were very smart and joined forces to deal with Levi Bernstein's wife. .
So Levi Bernstein's three sons also joined the battlefield, and the situation was completely reversed.
The lover's children were all too small, one of them was still a baby and only cried loudly like the girls.
Levi Bernstein felt that his head was going to explode, so he yelled with all his strength: "Stop it!"
Women really don't fight. , all rushed towards Levi Bernstein.
Levi Bernstein's expression was numb, his eyes closed and he let the women scream and yell around him without saying a word.
George and Yankov were not idle, and were taking stock of the harvest that Yankov brought back from Levi Bernstein's home in France.
“This guy is really rich. He has more than 100,000 rubles in cash alone, as well as bonds and gold worth 5 million rubles. The value of jewelry is immeasurable, and there is enough to open a jewelry store.”
When Yankov arrested Levi Bernstein, he ransacked Levi Bernstein’s house.
What Yankov brought back were all movable properties. Levi Bernstein still had a lot of real estate in France, and there was no time to deal with it in a short time.
Vineyards alone, Levi Bernstein has four across France.
In addition to vineyards, Levi Bernstein also owns properties in Paris and Marseille.
Levi Bernstein’s wife confessed that Levi Bernstein still has savings in Switzerland and even investments in the United States.
"You divide the cash, and the other things will be turned over to the treasury."
George was generous.
Yangkov was overjoyed. He and all the team members on the mission became rich overnight.
While Yankov was dividing the loot with the members of the mission, Vishnegradsky and Grand Priest Paul Alexandrovich were in the Gatchina Palace.
“Super Duke Yurievsky is too reckless. He will make us completely passive. We should have a plan to gradually nationalize the railways in the empire, instead of being like Yuriev Like Super Duke Ski, he sent people to France and kidnapped a Frenchman and brought him back to the empire for interrogation.”
Vishnegradsky did not object to nationalizing the railway.
But object to doing it this way.
Levi Bernstein was not only a railroad tycoon, but also a financier. He had French nationality and had great influence in the French financial community.
Yankov secretly brought Levi Bernstein back to St. Petersburg without being exposed. Currently, the French government only knows that Levi Bernstein and his family are missing, but does not know that Levi Bernstein is in Russia.
"According to your plan, when will the empire nationalize all railways controlled by private railway companies?"
Nicholas took the initiative to defend George.
These Russian imperial ministers, when asked to do things, they resisted.
But when others do things, their attitude towards finding faults is very positive.
George's approach was indeed reckless.
But only in this way can private railways be nationalized as quickly as possible.
If Vishnegradsky's plan is followed, it will take at least ten years to see the effect.
"It's not a matter of time, George did this, and the impact was too bad!"
Archduke Paul was very angry. His annual income from Southwestern Railway Company was more than 200,000 rubles, which was more than 200,000 rubles per year. His salary is high.
That's why Bernstein had the confidence to say nothing. "Alfred, come find George."
Asan didn't listen to one side of the story, so he called George over and asked, and everything became clear.
Alfred is George's old friend. On the way to Gatchina, he reminded George to be careful.
“What is the effect of medicinal wine?”
George knew how to deal with his bad friends.
"The effect is great. If you can get me a few more barrels, it will be even more perfect."
Alfred is greedy and is not afraid of drinking to death.
“Be careful, don’t drink too much of that stuff.”
Friendly reminder from George.
The two chatted all the way to Gatchina Palace. When George entered, Grand Duke Alexey Alexandrovich was also present.
"George, do you know what you are doing?"
Asan's tone was not harsh, but even hopeful.
"Of course I know, everything I do is for the empire."
George first puts an amulet on himself.
"But your actions have hurt the empire. You must stop your actions immediately and release Levi Bernstein."
Archduke Paul's voice was sharp. He is the second youngest brother of Ya San. This year Already 27 years old.
“I’m arresting Levi Bernstein, why are you anxious?”
George had already expected the pressure from within the royal family, but he didn’t expect that the pressure would actually come from core members of the royal family.
"You have to act recklessly, which will seriously affect the confidence of foreign investors and affect the image and honor of the empire. What do you think I am worried about?"
Archduke Paul did not like George.
After the cosmetics business started to make money, Archduke Paul also wanted to invest, but Nicholas rejected it.
The business in George's hands is indeed hateful.
Profits of millions or even tens of millions of rubles a year can be seen but not obtained. For some people, this makes them more angry than losing money in business.
“If they are legal foreign investors, of course the empire will welcome them, but this will definitely not include Levi Bernstein.”
Although Levi Bernstein did not speak, the evidence in George's hands could already send many people to the gallows.
“What did he do?”
At this time, Archduke Paul was too late to retreat, and he could only go to the dark side.
"Tax evasion, bribery, and attempts to assassinate the Tsar, are these enough?"
George still saved face for Archduke Paul and did not tell more things.
"The person is in your hands, of course you can say whatever you want."
Archduke Paul was dismissive. Leaving aside other things, Levi Bernstein had absolutely no motive to assassinate the Tsar.
"This is not what I want to say. He did do it. I have complete evidence here, so the Empire can nationalize the South Western Railway Company."
George hopes Paul The Grand Duke could be smarter, otherwise George wouldn't mind telling more things in front of the Tsar and his ministers.
George must report these things to the Tsar.
But it must be reported privately, and how to deal with it is the Tsar's business.
If the things about Archduke Paul and Levi Bernstein were told here, the Tsar would be in a very difficult position.
What Paul did has violated the laws of the Russian Empire.
If the Tsar does not deal with it, he is bending the law for personal gain.
But if the Tsar handles things fairly, Paul is the Tsar's biological brother.
George also hoped that the fate of Levi Bernstein would serve as a wake-up call to the railway tycoons in the Russian Empire and let them know the consequences of confronting the empire.
Since no one’s butt is clean, it cannot withstand investigation.
Then cooperate honestly, sell the railway to the empire, take the money and leave.
It doesn’t matter even if there is a loss -
No, there will be no loss at all. In recent years, the cost of investing in the railway has been doubled many times and earned back, so how can it be possible to lose money.
"No, we must not do that!"
Arch Duke Paul was not as smart as George thought.
This is very Romanov.
After the fall of the Romanov dynasty, some people advised Nicholas to go into exile, but Nicholas refused.
Nicholas believes that even if he stays in Russia, he will not be harmed.
So Nikolai, his wife and children stayed in the hotel basement in Yekaterinburg forever.
“Why not?”
Asan’s expression showed no emotion or anger, and his voice was gloomy.
Another bomb was hidden in a school bag, and another special train derailed.
Why, you just think the Tsar is easy to bully, right?——
(End of this chapter)