I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France-Chapter 36: After modification - Wages and Dignity

Over an hour later, a prototype of the three-wheeled motorbike stood before the three of them.

Although Guillaume was slightly exhausted from over an hour of constant work, he was still beaming with excitement and his eyes were shining. He paced around the three-wheeler, occasionally stopping to inspect here and there, as if he were admiring a piece of fine art.

"I think this idea is feasible, Young Master Shire!" Guillaume said excitedly. "It could be very useful in the military, and they would be willing to buy it!"

"How can you be sure?" Dejoka asked.

"I’ve been a soldier, Mr. Dejoka!" Guillaume, who was bent over inspecting the welding joints on the chassis, straightened up, lifted his work clothes, and revealed a prominent scar on the lower right side of his abdomen to the two of them. "This was left by a German bayonet. I fought in the Franco-German War; I know what war needs!"

There was a flicker of anger in Guillaume’s eyes as he spoke.

The soldiers who participated in the Franco-German War were also heroes. They fought bravely on the battlefield.

However, because this war ended in defeat and brought shame to France, everyone pinned the blame and anger on them, making them the scapegoats!

It’s not fair!

Shire expressed his understanding: "You can lay down your burden, Uncle Guillaume! We won’t lose this war. They will redefine the war you fought and you as well!"

Guillaume looked at Shire like he had been pricked by a needle, half-believing and asking, "Will... will they? Will they really?"

"They might not, but we will!" Shire’s words were somewhat difficult to understand, and Guillaume did not grasp them fully.

Shire explained with a somewhat immature voice: "If the war is lost, the capitalists will intentionally divert the anger towards you to shift the public’s focus. But if the war is won, they won’t hesitate to praise you while taking all the credit themselves. This way, the public won’t care how much money they’ve raked in!"

Guillaume was utterly shocked, especially by the first part of the sentence, "the capitalists will intentionally divert the anger towards you". ƒгeewёbnovel.com

Guillaume had never considered this issue; he always thought it was merely the public’s misunderstanding of the veterans.

At this moment, being reminded by Shire, he recalled that indeed, the newspapers back then criticized the army’s corruption and incompetence but never mentioned that these flaws were caused by the capitalists!

"Damn capitalists!" Guillaume spat through gritted teeth.

Guillaume was filled with anger, recalling the decades of humiliation, insults, and accusations that had made him reluctant to step out of the factory and interact with others.

"In my eyes!" Shire continued, "You are certainly heroes. You gave everything for France, and you deserve respect; it’s just that some people don’t understand. If we win this war and you play an important role, their attitude towards you will change!"

Guillaume nodded emphatically.

That’s right, if France washes away its previous shame, the army will be accepted by the people once again, and the soldiers will be recognized once more. Those who fought for France and are now contributing will be no different!

"So!" Guillaume looked up at Shire, "We must work hard to help France win the victory!"

"That’s what we should do!" Shire agreed.

Silently observing all this, Dejoka secretly praised Shire for knowing how to respect and acknowledge others and bringing them to the same front.

Under survival conditions, some people would rather gain respect and acknowledgement than higher wages, as dignity cannot be bought with money. This would make the production at the motorcycle factory more stable and reliable!

Shire nodded towards the three-wheeler, asking, "Aren’t you going to give it a try, Uncle Guillaume?"

"Me? Me?" Guillaume hesitated.

Shouldn’t the first one to test ride it be the person who invented it? Guillaume didn’t expect Shire to leave this honor to him!

"I don’t know how to ride!" Shire explained with a smile.

With gratitude in his eyes, Guillaume climbed onto the three-wheeler, stepped hard on the kickstart lever, and it started after a couple of kicks. Under his control, the three-wheeler slowly drove into the test ground, starting cautiously, making several turns, gradually gaining speed, and soon racing ahead accompanied by Guillaume’s cheers!

"Young Master Shire!" Guillaume shouted, "You must come and try it; it’s much more stable than a motorcycle!"

This wasn’t true. In fact, three-wheelers are harder to maneuver than two-wheeled motorcycles. Guillaume said this because he made it himself.

"What should it be called?" Dejoka asked.

"Three-wheeler!" Shire replied.

"A fitting name!" Dejoka said.

"Three-wheeler" aptly describes it, with its sidecar and three wheels.

Watching the three-wheeler dragging a trail of smoke, Dejoka worriedly asked, "There’s one problem, Shire! Don’t you worry it might face the same issues as the tank?"

Dejoka was referring to the risk of industrial patents being imitated and suppressed by French capitalists.

"No, at least not for now!" Shire replied.

"Why?" Dejoka looked at Shire in confusion.

What is the difference between the three-wheeler and the tank in terms of industrial patents?

"For now, France only has this one motorcycle factory, Father!" Shire replied.

France originally had three motorcycle factories, producing Harley motorcycles under U.S. authorization and Douglas and Victory motorcycles under British authorization.

The first two had fallen into the hands of the German Army amid the Germans’ advance... Most of France’s industrial zones are located in the north, rich in mineral resources suitable for industrial production.

Shire acquired the last standing "Victory" motorcycle factory.

Dejoka raised an eyebrow:

"So, you mean if they want to imitate or bypass our industrial patents, they will need to have a motorcycle factory first!"

"Yes!" Shire nodded. "They will need to set up a production line, hire skilled workers, and most importantly, ensure their motorcycles are as excellent as the ’Victory brand’!"

The "Victory brand" stands the test of the battlefield, something only Shire knows.

The most suitable equipment for the battlefield doesn’t necessarily need to be advanced, but it must be "reliable and easy to maintain." On the battlefield, if it breaks down and is abandoned, it’s hard to repair and could cost soldiers or messengers their lives.

The "Victory brand" has these merits, which capitalists cannot easily imitate, unless they directly copy the "Victory brand," which would face lawsuits from British companies.

In short, Shire’s innovation has tied British companies into a chain of interests, discouraging French capitalists from making reckless moves.

Dejoka sighed: "Well thought-out, Shire. Did you foresee all this?"

Shire’s youthful face showed an unusual maturity: "I had to, Father, or we would go bankrupt!"

Dejoka felt a bit ashamed, hating his own inadequacy for the first time, which otherwise wouldn’t have made Shire worry so much.

"This has nothing to do with you, Father!" Shire seemed to see through Dejoka’s thoughts, explaining: "I chose to stand against those capitalists. Otherwise, we could have sold our industrial assets to them and made money beyond our dreams!"

Dejoka nodded, knowing Shire spoke the truth.

Soon, Dejoka grew worried again, this indicating Shire’s ambition beyond money, perhaps seeking... power? Breaking their monopoly?

Dejoka looked at Shire, eyes flickering with shock and concern. Going against the core interests of capitalists, they would stop at nothing to deal with Shire!