xymnovel Chapter 205 The River of Gold
Chapter 205 The River of Gold
On National Harvest Day, the streets of Athens were packed with people.
From early morning, citizens of Athens flocked to Syntagma Square and the surrounding streets from all directions. Their faces were filled with curiosity, anticipation, and a hint of barely concealed anxiety.
Rumors about the country's impending bankruptcy had already spread to every corner of the city.
A magnificent viewing platform was temporarily erected in Constitution Square.
The invited envoys, bankers, and journalists had all taken their seats. They were impeccably dressed and conversed politely, but most of them wore expressions of tacit anticipation, as if they were watching a good show.
Sir Charles Harding, the British ambassador, held a glass of champagne and spoke in hushed tones with the French banker beside him.
"What an interesting show. I'm curious how our prince plans to pay off his astronomical national debt with a party."
The French banker shrugged: "Perhaps he'll announce that from now on, Greek currency will be simply represented by olive leaves? That would be quite retro."
A suppressed chuckle rose from the surroundings.
The atmosphere on the viewing platform was relaxed and playful.
The atmosphere along the streets was tense and solemn.
It was exactly 12 noon.
The Royal Military Band played a majestic march.
The parade has officially begun.
All eyes were drawn to the end of the street.
However, to everyone's surprise, there was no imposing honor guard, no gleaming cuirassiers, and no modern cannons at the head of the parade.
It was a caravan of horses that stretched as far as the eye could see.
One, two, ten, one hundred...
The carriages were all ordinary, even somewhat dilapidated. But each carriage was piled high with what looked like small mountains of golden goods!
The truckloads of wheat, like golden ears of grain, shimmered in the sunlight.
Truckloads of corn, each kernel plump and like pearls and agates.
There were also mountains of olives, grapes, cotton...
This is not an army.
This is a flowing, golden river, made up of abundant harvest!
The people driving the cart were farmers from Thessaly.
They were dressed in their neatly washed traditional clothing. Many of them were visiting Athens for the first time, and their faces showed restraint, but more than anything, a heartfelt and simple pride and joy.
As the carriage procession passed the reviewing stand, a burly man with a full beard grinned, revealing a set of pearly white teeth. He grabbed a large handful of plump ears of wheat from the carriage and threw them forcefully into the cheering crowd.
"Then! My brothers in Athens! This is the grain that grows on our own land!"
The crowd erupted in thunderous cheers!
More and more farmers began to follow his example.
Handfuls of wheat and ears of corn were tossed to both sides of the street.
The air was instantly filled with the unique aroma of freshly harvested grain, a blend of sunshine and earth.
On the viewing platform, the senior reporter from The Times of London instinctively stood up.
He did not go to see the farmers, nor did he look at the grain.
He simply closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
It was a scent that was more reassuring and invigorating than any top-tier perfume.
That's the taste of abundance.
It's the taste of hope.
He opened his eyes and looked at the undisguised smiles on the faces of the farmers.
As a journalist who has traveled halfway around the world, he has seen too many politicians' hypocritical performances and too many forced, numb smiles.
But the smiles in front of him were different.
It was a joy that emanated from the very core of one's being, from the depths of one's soul.
That was the most authentic portrayal of a class that had just broken free from a thousand years of constraints, was cultivating the land for themselves for the first time, and was reaping a bountiful harvest for the first time.
You can't fool people.
This "golden river," composed of hundreds of wagons laden with grain, flowed slowly and steadily through every major street in Athens.
It made no sound, yet it was like the most eloquent declaration.
It presented no data, yet it resembled the most reliable proof of assets.
In the most intuitive, original, and shocking way, it showed all onlookers, skeptics, and mockers the overwhelming success brought about by land reform.
What is the most fundamental strength of a country?
It's not about how much gold is in the national treasury, nor how much strife is in parliament.
The real question is whether its land can support its people!
The atmosphere on the viewing platform had changed.
The whispers disappeared.
Those playful smiles froze.
Sir Charles Harding, the British ambassador, put down his champagne glass and leaned forward slightly.
The smile on the face of the French banker beside him had vanished, replaced by a complex expression of shock and deep thought.
A representative from Deutsche Bank silently pulled a small notebook from his pocket and began jotting something down rapidly.
They are all shrewd and calculating.
They knew better than anyone what this meant.
This means that Greece's domestic market is being activated.
This means that Greece has a stable rear area.
This means that the country's long-term debt repayment capacity and development potential are far more important than those fiscal deficit reports!
The march lasted for a full two hours.
When the last carriage passed Syntagma Square, the entire city of Athens erupted in cheers.
After the march ended, news that drove the citizens even more crazy came.
All the food donated for the parade will be sold openly in major markets in Athens at a price 30% lower than the market price!
Panic instantly turned into jubilation.
Just a few days ago, citizens were worried about rising grain prices, but now they cheered and flocked to the market.
All rumors about famine and shortages were shattered in the face of mountains of food and flour.
Citizens carried bags of inexpensive food, their faces beaming with happy smiles.
They chanted Constantine's name, their voices converging into a torrent that echoed through the skies above Athens.
At this moment, the support and affection for the Crown Prince reached an unprecedented peak.
On the reviewing stand, the faces of the old-school politicians had turned ashen, like those of the dead.
Their long-planned propaganda offensive and their gloating wait were completely washed away in the face of this "golden river".
They lost.
A crushing defeat.
Meanwhile, the bankers from Europe began to converse in hushed, eager voices.
"Greece's agricultural potential...has been severely underestimated by us."
"A stable agricultural base means a stable society. This is crucial for long-term investment."
"Perhaps... we should reconsider the loan assessment plan."
Night began to fall.
But the real show has only just begun.
Everyone knew that the daytime parade was just an appetizer.
The real highlight was the royal banquet that evening.