novelSusiti Chapter 306 The Noose Tightens
Chapter 306 The Noose Tightens
Chapter 306 The Noose Tightens
Constantine tapped his fingers lightly on the map.
The smile on his face made the study feel warm and cozy.
The secret agreement with Ahmed Riza was the most vicious nail he planted deep within the decaying tree of the Ottoman Empire.
It's not clear what's wrong with this nail yet.
But in the future, a mere gust of wind could cause the entire tree to collapse.
Venizelos stood to the side, looking at the Crown Prince's young yet unfathomable profile, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
This prince never looks at the next move when playing chess.
His gaze had already turned to ten or twenty years into the future.
Türkiye, which abandoned its European territories and retreated back to Anatolia —
What a grand and terrifying idea this is.
Just as the atmosphere in the study became somewhat relaxed because of this future arrangement.
An unseen storm is quietly gathering in the heart of London.
Newfield Street, City of London.
Inside the old and stately building of the Rothschild Bank.
Lord Nathan Rothschild was sitting behind the desk his grandfather had used, trimming a pot of tulips from the Netherlands with small silver shears.
The room was so quiet that you could hear the faint sound of petals being cut.
The Marquess of Salisbury's private secretary has just left here.
He brought no written documents, only a Marquis's greeting and a casual complaint.
"His Excellency the Marquis said that the weather in London lately has been so gloomy that it's almost driving people to their wits' end."
Lord Nathan tossed a piece of excess flower stem into the silver trash can.
He didn't even look up, but simply replied calmly.
"Please tell His Excellency the Marquis that the clouds will soon part and the fog will clear."
The secretary bowed and withdrew.
When the heavy oak door closed, Lord Nathan put down the silver scissors in his hand.
He rang an electric bell on the table.
A manager with a sharp face and piercing eyes walked in.
"Your Excellency."
"Have the marketing department give that Greek prince a finance lesson."
Lord Nathan's voice, like his movements as he trimmed the flowers, was elegant and cold.
"To make him understand that in London, it's not only the King and the Prime Minister who can set the rules."
The manager didn't ask a single question, but simply bowed deeply.
"Yes, Your Excellency."
A silent war has begun.
2 p.m., London Stock Exchange.
Inside the trading hall, brokers in black vests frantically scurried between telephones and quote machines, like a swarm of ants being disturbed.
The clamor, shouts, and the crisp ticking of the telegraph machine created a unique symphony for this money empire.
suddenly!
A huge sell order appeared out of nowhere on the trading floor for Greek government bonds!
"Sell! £50,000! Greek bonds!"
A loud-voiced agent shouted at the top of his lungs.
The entire trading pool fell silent for a second.
Everyone was staring in that direction as if they were looking at a madman.
£50,000!
Normally, this would be a huge order that could shake up the price of bonds issued by such a small country!
Before anyone could react, even more sell orders poured in from all directions like a flood bursting its banks!
"One hundred thousand! BNP Paribas is selling one hundred thousand!"
"Eighty thousand! Credit Suisse, follow up with eighty thousand!"
"Sell! Sell them all!"
On the screen, the price of Greek government bonds began to plummet at an alarming rate!
95!
90!
85!
Every price fluctuation is like a heavy hammer blow to the hearts of all holders!
Panic began to spread like a plague.
"Oh my god! It's collapsed! Are the Greeks going bankrupt?"
"Throw it now! It'll be too late if you don't run!"
"My money! My God!"
Those small and medium-sized investors who originally held Greek bonds completely lost their minds when they saw this apocalyptic scene.
They rushed to join the sell-off, fearing that if they were too slow, their bonds would become worthless.
Trampling!
A frenzied stampede!
In less than half an hour, the price of Greek government bonds plummeted from nearly 98 to below 70!
In the past half hour, the nation's reputation has been trampled on like dirt, with oil-stained boots!
The official residence of the Greek delegation.
The atmosphere plummeted to freezing point.
Treasurer Aristide, like a mad bull, burst through the door to Constantine's study.
His hair was disheveled, his face was as white as a sheet of paper, and the telegram in his hand made a rustling sound due to violent shaking.
"Your Highness!"
He cried out, his voice hoarse and choked with sobs.
"It's over! It's all over!"
He rushed to Constantine's desk and slammed the thin telegram onto it.
"They've made their move! It's the Rothschilds! It's those bankers!"
"Our national debt has collapsed! They're trying to kill us! They want to bankrupt Greece!"
His voice was distorted by extreme fear.
"If this continues, within three days, the name Greece will be completely tarnished in the international financial markets! We're finished!"
Members of the delegation outside the study rushed over upon hearing the news.
The old count, with his gray hair, swayed upon seeing the contents of the telegram and nearly collapsed to the ground.
He was helped up by his attendants, pointed at Constantine, and tears streamed down his face.
"This is war! Your Highness! This is another form of war!"
He wailed, his voice filled with despair.
"We are powerless to fight back! Compared to them, we are not even ants!"
"Compromise, Your Highness! It's not too late to compromise with the British! Otherwise, the country will be destroyed in our hands!"
"Yes, Your Highness, bow your head!"
"We can't beat them!"
In an instant, the entire official residence was filled with cries and pleas.
Everyone looked like a prisoner sentenced to death, making a final struggle.
However, Constantine, who was at the eye of the storm, was unusually calm.
He didn't even look at the telegram that recorded the disaster.
He simply walked quietly to the window and looked at the unchanging gray sky of London.
The cutthroat competition in the stock exchange and those despairing numbers seemed to have nothing to do with him.
as expected.
All of this was within his expectations.
Rothschild—the financial behemoth that has dominated the skies over Europe for nearly a century.
He knew that if Greece wanted to truly stand up and break free from its fate of being controlled by others, it had to confront this mountain head-on and overcome it!
Now, the mountain has moved on its own.
well.
Constantine turned around.
He ignored the ministers who were grieving and panicked.
His gaze fell on the man who had stood straight in the doorway like a javelin the entire time.
Director of the Royal Intelligence Directorate, Alexandros Dimitriopoulos.
He gave only a brief and clear order to his attendants.
The sound wasn't loud, but it was like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, instantly cutting through all the noise and chaos in the room.
"Immediately, send a power to Antonio Petaras."
Constantine's voice was cold, yet possessed an irresistible power.
"Tell him that our 'fishing' operation is now beginning."
He looked at the CFO's pale face, a slight smile creeping across his lips.
"Use all funds in account A-3."
"We'll buy as much as they throw out."
Constantine spoke slowly and deliberately, each word striking heavily into everyone's hearts.
"Eat every single bloodstained piece of paper they throw out, clean and whole!"