Guerrilla tactics achieved great success on the battlefield. After all, during this era, the main modes of transportation for mobility were horses, mules, and even dogs... During World War I, dogs were often used to pull machine guns and ammunition to reduce human burden in Europe.
In this context, Shire developed harassment tactics using motorcycles with sidecars, delivering a blow to the German Army’s mobility.
Although it didn’t directly cause casualties to the German Army, it reduced their marching efficiency and combat power. Additionally, it strengthened the French Army’s communication and intelligence capabilities, leading to significant indirect losses for the Germans.
The direct impact of tactical success brought substantial profit to Shire.
He received large orders from the military: the first batch of sidecars amounted to 3,000 units, followed soon by an additional 3,000, and the first batch of motorcycles received an immediate order of 5,000 units.
Each sidecar yielded a profit of 280 francs, and each motorcycle yielded 180 francs (the military purchasing price for the motorcycle was 360 francs).
Preliminary estimates showed that the profits from the French military’s initial orders alone amounted to 2.58 million francs.
Soon, the motorcycle factory received orders from the British Army, and even Russia, far across the other end, sent people to place orders.
Russia’s intention was to first purchase a batch for trial, and if it suited their terrain, they hoped to open a subsidiary factory for mass production in Russia.
Shire was very confident about this; the communication issues within the Russian Army were extremely backward, affecting the coordination among the troops and becoming a weakness in their combat effectiveness. The inclusion of motorcycles could somewhat compensate for this shortcoming.
While Shire thrived, Francis felt immense pressure.
In Francis’s private villa, he was having dinner with his family under candlelight.
They were eating steak, and a few family members around the table had napkins tied around their necks, silently dealing with their food. The originally cheerful dinner table became somewhat strange due to Francis’s silence.
As everyone pondered what might have happened, Francis asked in a muffled voice, "Do you know Joseph resigned?"
Pierre’s movements halted; he knew the question was directed at him.
"I know, Father!" Pierre replied.
"Do you know where he went?" Francis asked again.
Pierre was momentarily stunned, responding with a slightly embarrassed expression, "No, I don’t!"
"And Thomas, do you know where he went?" Francis asked once more.
Pierre slightly shook his head. He realized this was not a question but a rebuke.
Sure enough, the next second, Francis raised his head and stared at Pierre, his voice low with anger: "Joseph, Thomas, along with Victor, Paret, a total of seventy-seven people, these highly skilled employees have resigned for more than half a month, yet you know nothing!"
Without waiting for Pierre’s response, Francis gave the answer:
"They all went to Shire’s newly opened tractor factory, Pierre!"
"And you don’t even know that Shire built a tractor factory next to the motorcycle factory and introduced the ’Holt 75’ from Britain!"
Pierre looked up at Francis in shock. He indeed knew nothing about this; as the eldest son, he was more concerned about which young and beautiful dancer had joined "Foley Trevis" in the ninth district of Paris.
(Note: Foley Trevis is the hottest nightclub in Paris)
Francis fiercely cut a piece of beef and put it into his mouth, chewing forcefully while saying:
"The motorcycle factory, which we considered a useless burden, turned into a gold mine under Shire’s management within less than a month!"
"The orders he received are reportedly scheduled enough to last until next year, with three shifts of workers producing day and night, raising production several times yet still unable to meet demand."
"Now he has opened a tractor factory, producing tractors a generation more advanced than ours!"
Francis stopped his actions and stared viciously at Pierre, his tone filled with sarcasm: "And what have you done, Pierre? Improved your skills in seeking pleasures, or enhanced your prowess in bed?"
Sitting beside Pierre, Amber instinctively lowered her head. She was Pierre’s wife and knew about Pierre’s affairs but never questioned them. She believed as long as she lived her own life well, what Pierre did outside had nothing to do with her.
Francis saw this and became even angrier. He thought Amber should manage her husband, and her indulgence was one reason Pierre was unable to extricate himself from indulgence.
Pierre remained calm; he seemed accustomed to Francis’s manner of speaking. No matter how Francis fumed, he continued cutting his steak and elegantly putting it into his mouth.
"Don’t you want to find a solution?" Francis looked at Pierre in exasperation: "If you can’t solve this problem, your good days will soon be over, Pierre!"
Pierre knew what it meant; his hedonistic lifestyle was funded by the tractor factory. If Shire’s factory replaced theirs, his financial source would be cut off.
"I don’t understand one thing, Father!" Pierre responded calmly: "Since Shire has already sold the industrial rights to tanks, why open a tractor factory? Is it just to oust us?"
Shire should know civilian tractors wouldn’t sell, and the military modified tanks’ rights were owned by Grevy and produced by Francis’s tractor factory. So, who would buy Shire’s tractors?
"Do you think Shire would do a losing business? That kid is not like his father!"
"He has all kinds of schemes in his mind. If he can come up with the first tank and sidecar, he can come up with the second tank!"
"If he succeeds, we are finished, Pierre!"
Pierre nodded; he indeed underestimated Shire. This kid was indeed extraordinary; he planned to completely crush Francis’s tractor factory in both civilian and military domains.
"He’s almost succeeded!" Pierre said: "But..."
"But what?" Francis snapped: "Do you have a way to counter him?"
Francis thought the situation was conclusive. He had focused on tank production lately, completely ignoring Shire’s actions, leading to Shire gaining advantages in technology, workers, and funds over his tractor factory.
Inconceivably, in less than a month, decades of his efforts were about to fail. How did that kid accomplish this!
But Pierre saw it differently; he reminded: "The rights to tanks are held by Grevy, Father, so..."
Francis suddenly understood; he was so involved that he overlooked this point. Shire’s actions would touch Grevy’s interests, making the Grevy nobility aligned with him as "allies!"
After some thought, Francis nodded: "Makes sense!"
Then he raised his glass to toast Pierre, who responded composedly.