Make France Great Again-Chapter 889 - 880: As Long as "Slave" Isn’t Written, They’re Not Slaves!
"Governor, why not just let it go!"
Rastigne cautiously tried to persuade Jerome Patterson to give up his intention of reporting the arrogance of the Paris Northern Industrial Group to the Emperor, "Any company with some backing acts pretty much the same as the Paris Northern Industrial Group.
Some companies’ attitudes are even worse than the Paris Northern Industrial Group!
His Majesty is busy with numerous affairs, so why bother reporting such trivial matters to him!"
"Rastigne!" Jerome Patterson cast a glance at Rastigne and said calmly, "Is it because you’re afraid of the Paris Northern Industrial Group that you’re advising me not to mess with them?"
"No!" Rastigne shook his head and honestly told Jerome Patterson, "I just think there’s no need to offend them; there are many companies worse than them."
"As for other companies, I can ignore them!" Jerome Patterson stated firmly, "But the Paris Northern Industrial Group is different! It is a group personally established by His Majesty the Emperor, so every move it makes represents the will of His Majesty the Emperor!
I absolutely will not allow anyone to tarnish His Majesty the Emperor’s name under his banner!"
Jerome Patterson’s words left Rastigne speechless.
After a moment, Rastigne smiled wryly at Jerome Patterson, "Governor, since you’ve already decided to do so, as your subordinate, I can only support all your decisions!"
"Thank you for your support! Rastigne!" Jerome Patterson extended his hand to Rastigne with a smile, and their hands clasped tightly together.
Early the next morning, accompanied personally by Jerome Patterson and Rastigne, Eugène Gallo of the Paris Northern Industrial Group visited the mine by boat.
Seeing the large-scale mine before him, Eugène Gallo’s face showed a satisfied smile.
On the return journey, they again encountered the Old Chief of the Enthuya Tribe.
The Old Chief, along with Bongo Entuya and the tribespeople, blocked Jerome Patterson’s path, scaring Eugène Gallo into almost thinking these "gorillas" were going to kill them all.
As a result, Eugène Gallian quickly pulled out a revolver and aimed it at the Old Chief and others.
Standing by, Jerome Patterson pressed down on Eugène Gallo’s revolver and shook his head.
Then Jerome Patterson turned and asked the Old Chief, "Mr. Chief, what are you doing!!"
"Governor, we mean no harm!" the Old Chief quickly raised his hands and said to Jerome Patterson, "I just wanted to invite you to come and sit with us at the Enthuya Tribe!"
"Just to sit?" Jerome Patterson asked in response.
"Actually, there’s a little matter I’d like to trouble you with! I hope you can oblige!" the Old Chief gestured with his hands and said.
Jerome Patterson glanced at Rastigne beside him, seeking Rastigne’s opinion with his eyes.
After all, it was his first time meeting the Old Chief of the Enthuya Tribe, and he didn’t really know the Chief.
Rastigne nodded slightly, giving Jerome Patterson the confidence to respond to Rastigne, "Alright! I’ll go with you!"
Under the Old Chief’s guidance, Jerome Patterson and others arrived at the tribe, whereupon the Old Chief ordered his men to sound the alarm horn used in times of attack, gathering a large number of tribe members and slaves.
After a while, all the young men of the tribe stood before Jerome Patterson.
"What are you planning to do?" Although Jerome Patterson had a gun, he dared not fire it casually in such an environment.
Subsequently, the Old Chief tearfully told Jerome Bonaparte that he gathered the young men of the tribe in hopes of the Governor introducing them to some work.
"What do you take us for!" Jerome Patterson said with a stern face to the Old Chief, "Did we come here to alleviate poverty?"
"Governor, we really just want a job!" the Old Chief continued to plead with Jerome Patterson.
Jerome Patterson turned his gaze to Eugène Gallo, and then said to Eugène Gallo, "Mr. Gallo, you tell them!"
Eugène Gallo stepped forward and said, "I’m sorry, our Paris Northern Industrial Group does not sign agreements with individuals, only with companies!"
"Company! We can form one!" the Old Chief eagerly said to Eugène Gallo.
"Mr. Chief, do you know how to register and establish a company?" Eugène Gallo asked the Old Chief.
"No... I don’t!" the Old Chief shook his head in response to Eugène Gallo.
"It’s actually simple, you just need to..." Eugène Gallo explained the simplest method to the Old Chief.
After listening, the Old Chief nodded repeatedly and said, "Okay! I got it! I’ll go to Libreville to register in a while!"
"Also, our company does not hire slaves!" Eugène Gallo reminded again.
"Ah!" The Old Chief was stunned for a few seconds, then let out a cry.
"Our contracts do not allow the mention of slaves! As for how you handle it, that’s up to you!" Eugène Gallo shrugged his shoulders and said to the Old Chief.
"I understand!" The shrewd old chief surely grasped their meaning, they just needed not to write "slaves" on the so-called contract.
After all, whether they were slaves or not was still up to the Enthuya Tribe.
"Alright! This problem is solved!" Jerome Patterson clapped his hands with a smile, "Let’s applaud for the upcoming cooperation between the Enthuya Tribe and the Northern Industrial Group!"
Immediately afterward, Eugene Galin publicly announced that Paris Northern Industrial Group would fund the construction of a church for the Enthuya Tribe, to acknowledge their devoutness.
The old chief expressed his gratitude to Eugene Galin once more after hearing this.
That evening, a grand bonfire party was held in the Enthuya Tribe, lasting until around 10 p.m.
On the third day at noon, Jerome Patterson and others awoke from their sleep, and after having lunch, they bid farewell to the old chief and others.
"Governor, can you agree to one more request of mine!" The old chief pleaded again to Jerome Patterson.
"What is it?" Jerome Patterson furrowed his brows slightly and asked the old chief.
The old chief called Bango Entuya to him, "This is my grandson, Bango Entuya. I hope he can follow you to Libreville!"
"Of course!" Jerome Patterson decisively agreed to the old chief’s request, "I will arrange a good position for him at the Governor’s Mansion!"
"Governor’s Mansion? No, no!" The old chief shook his head and replied to Jerome Patterson, "I hope he can study in Libreville and broaden his horizons!
I don’t want him to be like me, wandering aimlessly all his life on this land."
"Sure!" Jerome Patterson nodded and said to the old chief.
This was an excellent opportunity to instill some thoughts into Bango Entuya, making him more content in serving as the puppet under France’s dominion.
Thus, Jerome Patterson and his party set off to return to Libreville.
In the following days, besides paving the way for Paris Northern Industrial Group to set up a factory in Gabon and sending Bango Entuya into Libreville’s only school, Jerome Patterson also wrote a letter to Jerome Bonaparte.
By the time Jerome Patterson finished writing the letter, it was already the end of November, and once more he handed the letter to the previous messenger, instructing the messenger to deliver it personally to the Tuileries Palace, without using telegraph.
"I understand! Don’t worry!" The messenger assured Jerome Patterson immediately upon receiving the letter.
"It’s up to you then!" Jerome Patterson shook hands with the messenger.
That night, the messenger returned by ship to Marseille, and the freighter took a week’s time to return to Marseille.
When the messenger disembarked from the ship in Marseille, he felt a long-lost chill.
Even though Marseille was situated in the Mediterranean, its December temperature was still somewhat colder than that of Gabon.
"No way! I must buy a set of clothes!" The shivering messenger mumbled quietly, and using his money, purchased a set of fleece clothing.
As soon as he put on the clothes, he felt an immediate warmth, and a happy smile spread across his face.
Then, the messenger purchased a train ticket from Marseille to Paris.
The train was scheduled to depart at 8 a.m. the next day, so the messenger first stayed at a nearby hotel by the railway station.
At 6:30 the next morning, the messenger got up early, quickly packed his things, shouldered a backpack full of food, and left the hotel.
By the time the messenger arrived at the station, it was already 7:45.
Standing silently among the crowded platform, he waited for 10 minutes for the train, and the train arrived.
The messenger was jostled into the carriage by the crowd, where he would spend the next ten-plus hours.
At 8 a.m., the train started punctually.
...
After a lengthy journey of over ten hours, the train finally arrived at Paris Railway Station in the evening.
As the messenger got off the train, he felt another chill; December in Paris was even colder than Marseille. The evening sky was clear and starlit, and the biting cold wind brushed relentlessly against everyone’s faces, instinctively speeding up their pace.
Upon exiting the railway station, the messenger did not rush to the Tuileries Palace but instead searched for a hotel to rest.
After a day on the train, he was physically and mentally exhausted; in less than 10 minutes of lying down on the hotel bed, he fell asleep.
Meanwhile, inside the Tuileries Palace, situated at the most western end of the Champs-Élysées in the heart of Paris, the study of Emperor Jerome Bonaparte was still brightly lit.
In the room, Emperor Jerome Patterson and Imperial Foreign Minister De Luyis were sitting on the sofa beside the blazing fireplace, preparing to discuss a sudden diplomatic incident.
