213 Post-war settlement and austerity (3)
After Easterfield’s announcement of austerity measures, the stock market has rather stabilized.
Instead of coordinating welfare policies, they announced the establishment of a stable and reliable ‘Welfare Foundation’.
“… … Welfare Foundation. Do you mean that the money collected for the welfare of the people will be used through public corporations rather than the government directly rolling money?”
“It looks like that. Since the state guarantees medical care and unemployment, shouldn’t it be more profitable?”
The Paris newspaper ‘PA News’ is a place that makes and distributes newspapers faster than anyone else, and some even sells information.
It was the establishment of this welfare foundation that PA News took notice of.
“It is said that the welfare fund that has been raised so far alone is a whopping 35 billion Central. If you look at the general interest rates of recent banks, they are around 6-7%, which is huge even with this profit. In addition, the welfare fund is said to be investing in various railroads and highways, as well as airlines and airports that will soon be built. Investing in East Stellar is fundamental.”
“Hmm, you mean that Easterfield I will set up a welfare foundation to improve the welfare system, while increasing control over public corporations and social overhead capital?”
“You could interpret it that way.”
“… … I also have a good brain.”
Since the welfare fund is the people’s money managed by the government, it requires considerable caution in managing it.
By adding boldness to his prudence, Hana Lee Hwan was able to return welfare itself to the people, while also increasing his dominance over companies.
“Isn’t it nice that it’s a foundation, or another public corporation from the government?”
“To be honest, it is a financial institution directly under the government. Of course, it is different from other countries that a large proportion of the stakes invested by the people are mixed.”
“… … You don’t give me room to dig.”
Henri Pavard, president of PA Communications, was trying to develop a unique stock information market by catching the stock market trend faster than anyone else.
To do so, we would have to dig up the financial good or bad news of Easterfield, but it was not easy to aim for such a jackpot right now.
he got into trouble.
“Hmm, it’s not easy to aim for gaps. What did the military say? You don’t seem to have any complaints about the federal defense spending cuts?”
“I don’t think there are many complaints. They said that they would cut the national defense budget by 30%, which had taken up 1/3 of the national budget so far.”
Easterfield’s federal government spending on defense was huge enough to feed a handful of countries.
However, they have thus far provided a steady benefit to Easterfield by pioneering new markets and, in some cases, consolidation.
But now we don’t need so many troops.
It was because of the establishment of a peacekeeping force.
“With the launch of the peacekeeping force, it seems that it is no longer necessary to expand the size of the military. In fact, it is something that many military experts have pointed out.”
“Then, are you going to reduce your troops?”
“So far, nothing has been identified. However, one thing is certain: Easterfield will make billions of dollars in arms sales in the future.”
“Hmm, is there any point in reducing defense spending if we earn that much money?”
“I don’t know. It’s also about using the money you saved there for something else.”
***
Jin seemed to run out of constant confrontation.
Lee Hwan was about to face off against Queen Maria of Portugal.
“… … How many women are you dating in one day?”
In the past, dynasties that were extremely fond of catching spearmint even built a harem or regularly received women as rewards.
In all likelihood, such kingdoms were never spared from destruction, but for men, such pleasures and entertainment are often the object of envy and longing.
But Lee Hwan only shook his head.
“This isn’t a harem, it’s just a tool for production. You have to go through an interview like that all day.”
In this era, the astonishing custom of the nobility intuiting the royal family’s sleeping quarters still remained, and there were even cases where they were immediately criticized for breaking out of one position.
Fortunately, Lee Hwan was able to be free from such nonsense customs, but that was only allowed in his relationship with Elizabeth.
Now, if he got married, he could not even imagine what kind of bed he would have according to the customs of the country.
After a while, Queen Maria of Portugal entered Lee Hwan’s bedroom.
She nodded at Lee Hwan.
“See you, Your Majesty.”
“Long time no see. How have you been?”
“Being able to focus on both trade and prosperity has allowed Portugal to prosper without end.”
“That’s very fortunate.”
“But if there is one problem, it must be that the succession structure is also unstable.”
“Hmm… … .”
“As you know, I was once dethroned, and even now there are people from all over the place who are jealous of me raising their heads one by one. I wonder how much I can survive in such a situation.”
Queen Maria had already lost her powers, so her voice was sometimes weakened in Parliament, and the merchants’ position was increased.
Each time, Maria had no choice but to mobilize the Easterfield Congress to find her place.
“Until now, I have improved my disadvantage through Easterfield Congress. However, I wonder if there is any real meaning in maintaining the throne like that. Now that we no longer need a focal point to tie the nobles together, I think that’s even more the case.”
“But, it is the peaceful voice that you and I have created by collaborating with you. You can’t take it away.”
“That’s why I want to marry you.”
“Hmm… … .”
“If you give me a son or a daughter as a gift, we, the Portuguese royal family, will live in loyalty to the Commonwealth for all eternity.”
At this moment, there were really many people who wanted the seeds of Yi Hwan.
But can Lee Hwan sow all of them?
Lee Hwan thought it was impossible.
“No matter how hard I try, there are things that are possible and things that are impossible. What if no child is born despite my efforts? What are you going to do then?”
“… … If that’s the case, you’ll have to blame the field. Even if that’s the case, I have no intention of reproaching your Majesty.”
“If you marry me, you will be put under a lot of scrutiny from other countries in the Federation. They will also marry me.”
Queen Maria nodded her head.
“it’s okay. That’s because I can’t even fit on the shaft of a thorny road.”
When I think about the time when Portugal was devastated by being beaten up by the Easterfield navy and army in the past, it came to my mind that the concubines’ fights were no big deal.
To such Maria, Lee Hwan gave a definite answer.
“good. Then get married.”
“… … thank you!”
As soon as she finished speaking, she got up from her seat and approached Lee Hwan.
Then, Lee Hwan panicked and took a step back.
“Gee, not now.”
“If you’re going to end it after marriage anyway, let’s finish it now.”
“… … here?”
“Isn’t this originally a bedroom?”
“I do, but… … .”
“Then that’s it.”
Taken from noblemtl.com
Maria was an unexpectedly bold and proactive woman.
***
The marriage march that started to break free from the pressure on the heirs turned into a forced march that made Lee Hwan dry.
If you add up to 50 emirates and kingdoms in Africa, and the emirates and kingdoms in the Middle East and Asia, as many as 100 people had to be engaged.
In addition, Ottomans, Joseon, Chinese, Japanese, and even tribes from Oceania have sent their bridesmaids.
The most difficult of all was the confrontation with the Austrian princess.
“This is Princess Katrina Sofia of the Austrian Habsburgs. They are cousins with Elizabeth I.”
“… … Yes. I heard a lot.”
“From now on, please call me Katrina. We’ll be sharing the same bed soon, wouldn’t it be nice to call each other comfortably?”
Oddly enough, Katrina and Elizabeth had similarities in hair color, tone of voice, personality, and even height and body shape.
If it is comforting to have a slightly different face shape, is it comforting?
She expressed her desire to marry Lee Hwan as soon as possible.
“I have a lot of marriage partners, so I’ve only been married for the whole year, and then they’ll see everything. I don’t want to be pushed out of that order. It doesn’t matter if you don’t even have to get married.”
“Well, then. To be honest, I want the wedding to be done the way the bride wants. If you want anything, just tell me.”
“I don’t need anything else. All you need is a son, a son.”
“… … son.”
“But the fact that I have a son does not mean that I covet the throne of Easterfield. There is a high probability that my son will inherit my grandfather’s estate.”
The present land is a different concept from that of the past.
In the past, the king granted fiefs and nobles ruled the estate like a small country, but now they have a private land within the village.
So, it was said that she was more interested in wealth than fame or status.
‘Did the Grand Duke have so much property?’
I was a little curious as to just how big the property was.
Lee Hwan wanted to start a slightly different story now.
“Having a son is free, but the problem is that not only Austria, but several Western countries have proposed marriage. Are you okay?”
“many? For example, where are you talking about?”
“England, France, Russia, or other countries like that.”
“… … If you want to ask anything about what the hell happened, you run into it like crazy.”
“So I am asking. Are you okay with your relationship with them?”
Even if the war is resolved, the feelings between countries are not so easily resolved.
This is especially true if there is an old silver won from the past.
However, Lee Hwan’s thoughts were not a concern for Katrina.
“Whether it’s okay or not, I have only one husband anyway. What if it’s not okay? Do you want to divorce after having children?”
“Um, well… … .”
“I know very well that you are getting married to strengthen the unity of the Easterfield Federation. But that doesn’t mean we can’t neglect the neighboring countries.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever been neglected.”
“Because you are not affiliated with the Easterfield Federation, you are doing the calculations now. is not it?”
Lee Hwan was stabbed in the corner.
All the powers other than the Federation looked at them only as people who stick to straws.
***
It was a time when Europe was enjoying the joy of the end of the war.
In the mountainous region of southern Colombia, a horrific incident occurred in which 50 businessmen were massacred.
bang!
“… … What and how?”
“It is said that 50 businessmen in our Brazilian empire were slaughtered!”
“Damn, how the heck did businessmen do what they did to even kill people?”
“When a Colombian drug cartel was caught by the Easterfield Federal Police while distributing drugs to North America and lost its market, it seems that they had contacted our businessmen. But the businessmen did not cooperate because they were afraid of Easterfield, so they cut their throats with a knife.”
“You really took a person’s leash. You bastards like human butchers!”
South America’s economy was expanding due to rapid industrialization in recent years, and the heat was skyrocketing as countries such as Chile and Argentina became completely independent.
However, due to such rapid economic overheating, speculation was encouraged and economic disputes occurred in many cases.
Such disputes sometimes escalated into military issues, but most of them were resolved amicably through mediation at Easterfield.
However, the problem was not an apparent problem, but what was happening in the back alley.
“If you procure drugs to war zones, that’s all. What kind of drugs are you making and selling? These crazy people really are!”
“It is said that in Asia these days, it is money. Especially in China, India and Russia, they say drugs are very popular.”
“… … Where do they smoke opium for a day or two?”
“Yes. However, since Colombia made high-purity heroin this time and sprayed it, the reaction seems to be very explosive. Fortunately, the police cracked down on it, so this is not a riot in a country like Russia where there are no drug restrictions.”
Colombia has recently started making and selling high-purity heroin, which has been widely used as a pain reliever on the battlefield.
The soldiers who had tasted painkillers in the war did not stop smoking after being discharged and continued to smoke and inhale.
As a result, Russia has now reached a point where it can’t do anything about drugs.
“Unfortunately, this time, the Russian imperial family announced that they would renounce their position and step down, and the initiative passed to the federal government, so it is a shame, otherwise Russia would have been left with only a shell.”
“It’s so addictive, I’ll take it all the way to North America, was it?”
“Isn’t North America the world’s largest market right now? Even if we go to the mainland of Easterfield, our income is pretty good.”
“… … Crazy bastards, but viciously grabbing people and then slaughtering them? Is that something you can do with an iron load?”
“So, why not complain to the Colombian government right now?”
“Sure!”
The Brazilian government informed Colombia of this fact.
The Colombian government then gave a rather absurd answer.
That is, Brazilian businessmen first invaded Colombia’s borders, and they only dealt with it according to the law.
Brazil was outraged.
“… … They’re cool even if you change them! Call your troops right now!”