Chapter 44: The Powerful Group of Shareholders

Joseph saw everyone’s attention converging on him and continued to say:

“The bank’s total share capital is 10 million shares, each priced at 1 livre. For now, it will not be offered to the public.”

Mono nodded with a smile:

“Since His Highness has invited us, we are certainly interested in taking a share. But I wonder how much the total investment for this bank will be?”

“Around 10 million livres.”

Upon hearing this, the three men immediately seemed less enthusiastic. They thought they had spotted a profitable opportunity, but instead, they were being solicited for investment? With your empty-shell bank claiming an investment of 10 million, who knows how much will actually materialize? Wouldn’t it be better to invest in an established discount bank with this money?

Robel, who was the least acquainted with Joseph and also the poorest among the three, said with a wry smile:

“Your Highness, as you know my situation, I’m afraid I won’t have much money to invest…”

Joseph gave a slight smile and said:

“Hear me out.

“In a week’s time, the Paris Angel Company will offer its shares to the public, with a total share capital of also 10 million shares, and 2 million of those will be released at a price of 2 livres per share.

“If you invest in my bank, you will be able to subscribe to the same amount of Paris Angel shares at the pre-public offering price of 1 livre per share.”

Once he finished saying this, the three men’s eyes instantly lit up.

However, Brian, being in finance, immediately expressed some hesitation:

“Your Highness, although the business operations of Paris Angel are doing very well, I doubt each share could really be evaluated at 2 livres?”

At 2 livres per share for a total of 10 million shares, this amounted to a terrifying market valuation of 20 million livres for Paris Angel!

Joseph gestured to the lawyer at the door to bring over the franchise contracts and smiled as he said:

“In this period, Paris Angel has already acquired 7 franchise stores. Here are the contracts, and many more investors are ready to sign the franchise agreements. Additionally, I am planning to open several more company-owned exclusive stores around the country.

“I believe, before long, you’ll see Paris Angel Exclusive Stores in all the major cities of France. Within half a year, Paris Angel stores will be spread across all countries in Europe.

“To be honest, a pricing of 2 livres per share is quite low.”

He then explained the concept of the franchise model again, and the three men at the table could no longer remain calm.

Which company in Paris is the hottest right now? That would, of course, be Paris Angel.

Every woman in the streets and alleys of Paris knows about “Angel Water,” and their own families’ matriarchs and young ladies are also splurging thousands of livres on these cosmetics.

Moreover, the influence of Angel Water has begun to spread across All of France, with even groups of high-ranking ladies from Marseille coming to Paris to snap up the products not long ago.

If there was only one store, then the company’s valuation certainly could not reach 20 million, but with 9 stores, that number becomes much more believable.

And that innovative “franchise” model was indeed very attractive. To be honest, after hearing about it, all three of them had thought about investing in a franchise store. How did the Crown Prince come up with such a brilliant commercial model? No wonder everyone says he is a child blessed by God, his mind must have been touched by the Almighty!

Clearly, it won’t be long before France is filled with Paris Angel franchise stores.

When that happens, the company’s market value will surely rise like the floodwaters of the Seine River during the rainy season, surging day by day!

Brian squinted his eyes. If one could acquire shares at 1 livre, then selling them later would net at least a profit of 1 livre per share! It was like getting the bank’s shares for free.

And he estimated that the Paris Angel’s share price would not stay at 2 livres for long; it was bound to rise soon!

Without further hesitation, he looked at Joseph and said:

“Your Highness, since you’ve said as much, I’ll take a share of 250,000 livres.”

Seeing the Archbishop had made his move, Mono immediately followed:

“Your Highness, I’ll invest 500,000 livres…”

Joseph spoke with some difficulty:

“Count Mono, this, due to the limited number of shares, we can only offer you 3%. Please understand, after all, there are the King and Queen, and the Prince of Conde, the Count of Artuwa…”

Upon hearing the names of these individuals, Mono immediately smiled and waved his hand:

“All right, all right, then make it 300,000.”

Robel also gritted his teeth and produced 200,000 livres.

In the end, Joseph made it clear that these shares only carried dividend rights and no management decision rights. The three of them were there purely to make money, and naturally had no objections.

At the dinner table, everyone was overjoyed, clinking their glasses together in hearty laughter.

The next day, Joseph had lunch with Louis XVI and Queen Mary, using the opportunity to pitch to them a 5% share of the bank stocks each.

With his own parents, there was no need to use Paris Angel’s shares as bait; Joseph casually asked for an investment of 500,000 each, with a simple “thank you” to express his gratitude.

However, Louis XVI had last time taken out 600,000 livres to support his son’s Netherlands strategy, which, although later proved to be a successful bet, politically made a fortune but didn’t earn a penny in cash.

Now, with only about 100,000 in spare cash left in his hands, he threw it all into his son’s venture, issuing IOUs for the rest.

Meanwhile, Queen Mary, known as “Madame Deficit,” was essentially being smeared, but she indeed had a habit of spending lavishly on a regular basis, with only 220,000 on hand and the remaining 280,000 owed.

But Joseph wasn’t truly after their funds; it was more about securing two significant backers as investors, so he could later flaunt his influential connections.

In the afternoon, Joseph hurried back to Paris, where he successively met with the Prince of Conde, who had great influence in the military, and the staunch Royalist, the Duke of Artuwa, who also happened to be Louis XVI’s younger brother.

Both, upon learning they could acquire Paris Angel shares at a low price, naturally wouldn’t refuse free money and subscribed to 400,000 livres of bank shares each, remembering this favor from the Crown Prince.

That noon, all over France, people were discussing the sale of shares by the Paris Angel Company. There was no helping it, as Paris Angel was mentioned in nearly every newspaper, and at the beginning of any salon, someone would steer the conversation towards this topic.

Naturally, within the Palace of Versailles, there was insider information circulating that Paris Angel’s daily sales reached 120,000, with eight or nine branches opened, and plans to expand into England, Spain, the Netherlands, and other places, indicating a shocking scale for the company.

Everyone was itching to get in, hurriedly gathering funds in anticipation of snapping up the initial shares of Paris Angel.

At the same time, within the office of the general manager of Ravel Bank in Paris, General Manager Etienne frowned and asked his assistant:

“Hasn’t anyone from the Finance Minister’s side come to negotiate?”

The latter nodded:

“Yes, a low-level official inquired about a loan over ten days ago, but no one has come since.”

Etienne muttered in confusion:

“Strange, the national debt is about to mature, and yet the Crown Prince seems to be in no rush?”

The assistant suggested:

“Could they have secured a loan from another bank?”

Etienne shook his head:

“The Duke of Orleans has already spoken to the other banks, it’s impossible that anyone would lend to him.”

He mused to himself; Even if the Crown Prince had no experience, the other financial officers should have reminded him about the national debt, so why is he so calm?