Chapter 341: The Shout

Chapter 341: The Shout

The day of the opening of the "Paris Trade Fair" was approaching rapidly. Early in the morning, the square in front of the War God Plaza station was packed with people—the world's first passenger train was about to depart from here.

Young Fransois arrived at the station with his classmates. The first passenger train had three third-class carriages allocated by lottery to several schools situated in impoverished areas. Luckily, Fransois' school won the draw.

Then came the allocation within the school. To prevent the wealthy from taking undue advantage—although in Fransois' school, there were hardly any wealthy students left, the appearance of fairness was crucial. The allocation of slots within the school was solely based on exam scores.

Fransois wasn't an exceptionally diligent student, but the primary school curriculum was manageable with a bit of cleverness. Coupled with the generally low academic performance of students in Fransois' school, he stood out and secured a slot.

Yes, the academic standards in schools located in impoverished areas were considerably lower. Though compulsory primary education existed in France, the disparity in educational funding among different regions was vast.

Naturally, a primary school's funding primarily stemmed from three sources: state allocation, district funding from local public services, and donations.

State allocation was based on the number of students. District funding came from the area's public service expenditure, determined by local citizens' votes and levied on residents—a sort of "district tax." Generally, affluent neighborhoods imposed higher "district taxes," barring the poor from residing there and ensuring quality public services, including education.

In impoverished areas, public service expenditure was nearly non-existent, leading to a lack of district funding. As for donations, they were out of the question. Hence, schools in poor areas heavily relied on government funding, resulting in a stark contrast in finances between Paris' poor and affluent neighborhoods' schools.

In affluent district schools, a class often had around twenty students, each subject taught by a dedicated teacher, sometimes even assisted by a teaching assistant. The facilities far surpassed those in poor area schools.

Subsequently, it was time for ticket checks and boarding. Naturally, the first to board were passengers in the luxury compartments. For instance, Nathan Rothschild, who had paid a hefty price for carriage number six, was among the earliest to board.

Luxury compartments were indeed luxurious—far beyond the comfort of luxury carriages, perhaps comparable to certain lavish cabins on sea vessels. Nathan Rothschild didn't sit back on the plush sofa to enjoy what he'd paid for. Instead, he proceeded straight ahead to the junction between the sixth and fifth carriages, where a steward stood.

"I'm Nathan Rothschild from Rothschild Bank. May I visit the fifth carriage?" Nathan Rothschild asked, handing over a business card.

The steward took the card, noticing something else below it, seemingly a voucher. Silently, he collected both items and replied, "Mr. Rothschild, I need to inquire with the passengers about this."

Then the steward went inside. After a while, he returned and said, "The gentlemen inside welcome visiting friends."

Thus, Nathan Rothschild, guided by the steward, entered the fifth carriage.

The exorbitant price of the sixth carriage was solely due to the person owning the fifth carriage being a Bonaparte. Consequently, many speculated that Napoleon's family members would board this train.

Napoleon's whereabouts were public—he would travel on the second train to the Palace of Liberty. However, it was surmised that his brothers might be on this carriage. If an opportunity arose to establish a connection with them, no expense was deemed excessive. (Conversely, if Napoleon was aboard, given the inevitable security, those individuals surely wouldn't have a chance to approach him.)

Yet, in reality, none of Napoleon's family members were in this carriage. Joseph wasn't so keen on riding the train—he'd even taken the Revival Express in a previous life. As for Lucien, he wouldn't be heading to the Palace of Liberty today; he had to oversee various propaganda efforts at the Ministry of Truth. Louis and Pauline were accompanying Napoleon, so in this carriage, not a single person surnamed Bonaparte was present. The occupants were friends and students of Joseph.